Commentary
The Ontario government is considering a major change to teacher education.
Since 2015, prospective teachers have had to complete an undergraduate degree followed by a two-year teacher education program at a university. This two-year program includes multiple education theory courses and a practicum where prospective teachers gain practical classroom experience under the guidance of experienced teachers.
An extreme teacher shortage is making the Ford government reconsider this requirement. Like other provinces, Ontario doesn’t have enough teachers to fill every classroom. If teacher education programs were shortened to one year, it would be easier to train teachers more quickly and get them into schools….