Consecutive and Concurrent BEd Year Program

• Ontario College of Teachers Professional Advisory - Use of Electronic Communication and Social Media
• Police Checks
• Practicum Handbook 2012–2013: Primary-Junior
• Practicum Handbook 2012–2013: Intermediate-Senior
• Regular Practicum Requirements and Forms
• Alternative Practicum Requirements and Forms
• Guidelines and Policies
• On-line Practicum Registration
• Associate Teacher and Associate School Award Winners
• FAQs
• Housing Board for short-term accommodations

Practicum and Class Format - 2013-2014

September 3, 2013 –Orientation, registration, pictures (Mandatory Attendance)  (September 2 - Labour Day)  

September 4 – October 4, 2013 – Classes begin (23 days)  

October 7 – 25, 2013 – First Practicum Block- Component 1 (14 days) (October 14 - Thanksgiving) 

October 28 – November 29, 2013 –Classes resume (25 days) 

December 2 – December 20, 2013 –  First Practicum Block- Component 2 (15 days) 

January 2 – February 7, 2014 – Winter term begins (classes) (27 days) 

February 10 – March 7, 2014 –  Second Practicum Block - Component 3 (19 days) (February 17 - Family Day)     

March 10 - 14, 2014 – March Break

March 17 – April 4, 2014 – Alternative Practicum (14 days)  

April 7 – 30, 2014 – Classes resume (17 days) (April 18 - Good Friday)  

District School Boards Used by Queen's Faculty of Education

• Limestone
• Algonquin Lakeshore Catholic
• Hastings Prince Edward  
• Durham
• Durham Catholic
• Halton
• Halton Catholic
• Kawartha Pineridge
• Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland, Clarington Catholic
• Ottawa Carleton
• Ottawa Carleton Catholic
• Peel  
• Dufferin-Peel Catholic   - must provide proof of Catholic faith    
• Renfrew 
• Renfrew Catholic 
• Simcoe (Barrie/Orillia only) 
• Simcoe Catholic (Barrie/Orillia only) 
• Toronto 
• Toronto Catholic 
• Trillium Lakelands (Lindsay area only) 
• Upper Canada 
• Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario 
• Waterloo 
• Waterloo Catholic 
• York Region 
• York Catholic
• Mentor College (Mississauga) - Intermediate-Senior only 
• Trinity College School (Port Hope)- Intermediate-Senior only  

Practicum Placements

Under no circumstance are teacher candidates allowed to arrange their own practicum. Candidates are placed in identified Associate Schools within the listed District School Boards.

Candidates are expected to attend the Associate School in which they have been placed.  The Practicum Office understands that changes in the lives of candidates can happen however, the location of a practicum cannot always be altered due to the change in your circumstances.  On the flip-side, sometimes an unexpected change is necessary due to alterations in timetables and/or staffing at an Associate School.

Practicum placements may not always be convenient to where you have arranged accommodation, but as a beginning professional, it is up to you to make it work. Some District School Boards take in a large geographic area so candidates should be aware that placements could be made in any of the Associate Schools within the district board. Travel and accommodation is the responsibility of Teacher Candidates and in some cases could be significant. 

Identifying Associate Schools:

 

• The Practicum Office works with representatives from District School Boards in a specific catchment area, to identify schools to partner with our BEd program as Associate Schools. (District School Boards working with Queen's Faculty of Education are listed on the maps.) Some District School Boards take in a large geographic area so candidates should be aware that placements could be made in any of the Associate Schools within the district board.

• Travel and accommodation is the responsibility of Teacher Candidates.

Identifying Candidate Preferences:

• Teacher Candidates are asked to identify (in order of preference) four of the district school boards listed where they could complete their practicum. Candidates will normally be placed in one Associate School for both practicum blocks (10 weeks of practicum). Candidates can be more specific about the area within the boards they have chosen (i.e., east, west, etc.) in the ‘Board Notes' field. This will not guarantee a placement in that area of the board.  The Practicum Office does not take this into consideration for the Limestone District School Board.

Matching Process:

 

• Based on candidate information, school information, and assigned course weight of each Faculty Liaison, the Practicum Office then tries to match candidates with identified Associate Schools. The process starts with placing candidates with special circumstances (i.e., medical, single parent, childcare, etc.). When placing the remaining candidates, many variables are taken into consideration (i.e., board choices in order of preference, subject discipline availability in secondary schools, school preference for maximum allotment of candidates, maximum allotment of candidates per Faculty Liaison, etc.). The BEd program at Queen's is based on an Associate School model and Candidates are placed in cohorts of 3 or more in each Associate School.

• The Practicum Office does their best to accommodate first choices however, there is no guarantee the practicum will be made in any of the four choices. Teacher Candidates will be contacted for additional input if no placement can be found in the initial four choices.

• Candidates are asked to identify the secondary school in which they graduated (if in Ontario).

• Candidates are asked to identify any schools within the four chosen boards, in which there may be a conflict of interest (i.e., school in which children attend, school in which a close relative teaches, school in which the candidate has been employed, etc.)

Intermediate-Senior Placements:

 

• Where possible, Intermediate-Senior candidates will be placed in their first teaching subject for block one (Components 1 and 2). Block two will be completed in the teaching subject not covered in block one.  Both teaching blocks are normally completed in the same Associate School.

Primary-Junior Placements:

• Primary-Junior candidates are placed in one division (primary, junior, or intermediate) for block one (Components 1 and 2). Block two will be in a division not covered in block one. Primary-Junior candidates will get experience in two divisions.

•  Primary-Junior candidates will not be placed for a full block in a specialized classroom (e.g. French Immersion or Special Education). Candidates can complete a half-day in a specialized classroom, during the second block.

Outdoor Education Candidate Placements:

• Candidates in the Outdoor and Experiential Education Program (special program track with a different application process) are placed in either both subjects (IS) or two divisions (PJ) in the fall term. Candidates will be placed with Ontario Certified Teachers in an Ontario Outdoor or Experiential Education setting for winter term practicum block (P3)

Catholic School Placements:

• Some Catholic District School Boards require evidence of Catholic faith to request a practicum in their board. This is indicated on the list of District School Boards. If a Catholic District School Board is listed as a choice, it will be assumed the candidate is comfortable teaching in the Catholic school system. The Practicum Office will try to accommodate Catholic School Board first choice requests, but it is not guaranteed. Teacher Candidates who do not choose a Catholic District School Board, will not be placed in a Catholic school. Non Catholic Teacher Candidates have had successful placements in Catholic schools. DO NOT ask for a Catholic board if you do not want to complete your practicum placement in a Catholic school. 

Additional Information:

• The Practicum Office is aware that changes in Teacher Candidates' lives cannot be predicted however, once a placement has been made, it will only be changed under dire circumstances. The information you give on this form must be as accurate as possible, with as much information that will help the Practicum Office as necessary. Please indicate in the space provided, if there are special needs of which the Practicum Office needs to be aware: (i.e., single parent, medical condition, child-care responsibilities, married candidate, varsity athlete, applicable disability registered with Queen's Disability Services that may require accommodations for the practicum). Lack of a vehicle, care of pets, etc. do not fall under special circumstance.

Background Information Form:

• Be brief but informative. You are allotted 1500 characters including spaces, per question (anything more than 1500 characters will be cut off, possibly affecting the information you are trying to convey). It is important that you give more than one or two sentences in questions 1 as principals and liaisons want to know about candidate they are accepting as guests in their schools. Chose your words carefully as placements have been won and lost based on the content of the background form. Information regarding the practicum placement will be sent by email mid-July to your @queensu.ca email account. You must activate your account prior to June 30 so you can receive this email.