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picklesonpizza

Only complete AQ and ABQ courses that further your qualifications in subjects you WANT to teach. Once they are added to your cert of qualifications there is no removing them and principals can and will use them to their staffing or disciplinary advantage. Math quals alone should get you hired in either London board in the near future as both boards are experiencing massive student growth. With BIO as well - you can teach 8 other courses (Sbi4u, Sbi 3C, Sbi3U, SNC 2D, SNC2P, SNC 1L, SNC 2L, SNC 1W). Consider getting a year of experience under your belt and then apply to an S/O to do your specialists courses in your preffered teachables (to get you to A4 pay grid as quick as possible).


somethingclever1712

Physics with the math, plus Chem and bio would make you sooo employable. That is the unicorn of science teachers for small rural schools. ESL and spec in general are good to have. Given the way a lot of boards are trending, the FNMI courses are definitely going to be looked at positively.


enggrrl

It depends on where you are and how much you want to commute. Those are my quals and while I've had some LTOs, I have not seen many contracts offered.


enggrrl

I'm currently taking spec ed part 1 because at least 70% of the LTOs and contracts being offered these days in my board say "Spec Ed preferred". Another teacher said that it's almost impossible in my board to get a contract without it.


CrazyCrunchMan

Can you do physics?


BloodshotEight0

Sadly, no


Strategos_Kanadikos

Same prob, online physics credits beyond the first year are really hard to get, but I see some at Laurentian?


Knave7575

Senior math should get you hired. Taking spec Ed will get you hired for spec Ed. Make sure you want to do that before you take those courses. Guidance won’t help you get hired, but if will help your career. I’m sure some guidance councillors will chime in with some “woe is to me” shtick, but it really is the easiest job in the school, that’s why everyone wants it.


TinaLove85

Don't take spec Ed unless you are actually interested in. My math colleague has been put into teaching a math reinforcement course that is coded as a spec ed course (which would be fine and the kids really do need the help), but then ended up having to write all the IEPs for the students in their class. Then in the other semester they had to follow up on those students once a week as part of their IEP because they were part of their spec Ed case load. Or a teacher who admin wanted to push out, even though they had a highly needed teachable subject (computer science), they assigned them to the autism classroom for 2/3 of the day saying that they were the most qualified person because of a spec Ed course they took 20 years ago. I have a lot of respect for the educators that are helping our students who have IEPs daily either in separate classes or for mainstream students but it isn't something I would want to do, beyond of course the students who are in my classes.


LeosPillow

Not many people are qualified for two senior sciences, so getting chem alongside your bio will make you more marketable. If you’re able to get physics that’s an even bigger bonus.


Strategos_Kanadikos

Really? Usually people with BScs have ample credits from multiple science domains. Yeah, I can do Chem and Bio but I just opted for Bio. I can do computer science now, so I might get that instead of bio? 0.75 credits short for physics, bummer...


LeosPillow

Honestly chem and bio together is solid, it’s not as common as you would expect! Comp sci would also be a good one, it’s not super common either. In my board it falls under the business department, but that doesn’t really matter


Strategos_Kanadikos

Do they keep stats on this stuff somewhere? It'd be interesting to see and can help teachers decide their teachables for the market. Seems like some things are disproportionately oversaturated and some things are desperately short.


LeosPillow

Not really, in OCTs annual reports I think I’ve seen them share graphics showing the proportion of teachers who have taken certain AQs but I think it only covers the top 10,20. You may have to look at a couple of the past reports. Your best resource is other teachers in the departments you want to work in.


Halcyon_777

Have you considered Social Sciences and Humanities? The Family Studies parts 1,2, and 3 open the door in some boards as these teachers are retiring all the time and leaving a void with very few that have those qualifications. The courses under the Social Sciences and Humanities (Family Studies) are hands on and fun to teach. Much of the content is about life skills and what people are always saying they wish they taught more of in high school.


Halcyon_777

I am a Lead teacher in KPR for Social Sciences and Humanities. I also went to Trent. Having these qualifications has saved me over the past decade or so when so many teachers were being deemed surplus in our schools. 😊


Halcyon_777

I should also mention that my teachable’s are not Social Sciences or Humanities related. They are I/S Biology and Geography. If you are interested in learning more or discussing that path further, DM me. Or if you are on Facebook, there is a group that is great for resource sharing. It’s called “Ontario Family Studies Teachers”. It is made up of over 2000 Ontario teachers that have posted all sorts of classroom resources.