PK12-TOCS - Teaching in Ontario's Catholic Schools

Course Description

This course helps teacher candidates respond to the question, “what do I need to know to teach in Ontario Catholic schools?”

The design, course content and implementation of Teaching in Ontario Catholic Schools all support effective teacher education practices. This course is recommended for OISE teacher education candidates with a demonstrated commitment to the Catholic faith who are planning to apply to Catholic school boards. An exploration of the Catholic worldview uses official curriculum documents for Religious and Family Life Education as well other foundational pedagogical documents in the Ontario Catholic educational community. A metacognitive approach will be taken in the discussion of course themes and concepts, while making explicit links between theory and practice. 

Online Synchronous/Asynchronous: 36 hours

• 15 hours online synchronous
• 18 hours online asynchronous
• 3 hours of assignments and independent study

This course is offered once per year from September - December.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learner Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, learners will:

• Demonstrate and include in their practice the elements of the Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession (SOP)
• Engage with the capacities provided in the Learner Document recognizing that learning to teach is a transformative process that occurs over time.
• Demonstrate an awareness of the cognitive, moral and spiritual dimensions of student learning in both individual and group contexts to ensure that teaching begins with the learner in mind.
• Articulate one’s philosophy of education that embodies principles of human dignity, sacramentality, equity, inclusion, social and ecological justice.
• Articulates what it means to have a vocation to be a Catholic educator.
• Situate themselves within the context of Ontario Catholic education.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the Religious Education and Family Life programs.
• Be able to understand more fully the Catholic worldview.
• Develop a repertoire of pedagogical strategies that can meet different learning needs.
• Deepen their understanding of Catholic teachings in preparation for engagement with students, families and communities in K-12 Catholic schools in Ontario.
• Collaborate effectively with a range of educational partners including families, community, professional resources, etc.
• Understand themselves as change agents and community members committed to act in socially just and environmentally responsible ways. 
• Understand the transformative impact of education.
• Engage in dialogic inquiry around evolving issues in the Catholic teachings particularly those involving social justice, equity and ecology.
• Understand the roles teachers, learners, families, communities, schools and systems play in the transformative process.