Although I have school-aged children, I remember my days of being a student vividly. I remember the friends I had, what subjects I loved best, and the special teachers who helped me become the person I am today. It seems like yesterday I was a student in school, and now, my children are students themselves—in grade two and grade five.
The years go by quicker than I ever imagined possible, and from the moment my oldest went to kindergarten I wanted my kids' experience in school to be a positive one, despite the occasional first-day-of-school-tears.
As a mom, it's important for me to know that at the end of a long school day, it was a good one for my boys.
The first day my oldest son started school was rough for me and for him. He cried, and didn't want to leave me. And I cried because I felt the same way! It was because of his loving, patient, and caring teacher that I was able to let go—and it was because of her that he thrived from the first day of school. I'm still thankful for her because she'll always be the one teacher that stands out in my mind as the reason my son now loves school as much as he does.
Thankfully, we've continued to have great teachers for our children so far. These teachers have helped my boys love school, while at the same time challenging them and comforting them when they need extra attention.
Children learn and grown and have to figure out so much on their own when they're in school for six hours a day. Knowing they have a teacher who is properly skilled to guide them in the right direction—and a teacher who can also be firm with them when required—is important to me. That peace of mind is everything. Knowing they are in good hands allows me to go on about my day without having to worry about how they're doing in school. (Although, of course, as parents, we still worry a little, and have our share of work to do helping our kids with homework, and guiding them when they have issues they need to talk about.)
What I like is that the Ontario College of Teachers is there to regulate teaching in Ontario by licensing teachers, setting high professional and ethical standards, and approving teacher education programs. The College also set ethical standards and issue teaching certificates (which can be suspended or revoked), and they also investigate and hear complaints about members. Essentially, the College is accountable to the public for how it carries out its responsibilities.
You can learn more about your child's teacher and the College at oct.ca. You can even learn more about the teachers in your child's school on the public register, “Find a Teacher,” which is on the College's home page, and for more information, you can also sign up for The Standard, the College's public newsletter.
The Ontario College of Teachers is helpful for parents and teachers alike—by making sure that teachers receive the right tools to help children achieve great things, and by communicating to parents about what's happening within the field of public education. The College licences, governs, and regulates the Ontario teaching profession and all teachers working in publicly funded schools must be certified members in order to teach in our province. These are things I like knowing. My children are in good hands when they're in school.
Disclaimer: I received compensation for this post from The Ontario College of Teachers. All views and opinions are my own.
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