Alumni
One of the things that we love to do is celebrate and share stories, feedback, professional learning tips, and the successes of our graduates. We do this by connecting with alumni that have kept in touch or hit the headlines with teaching awards and other showcased successes. Though we know how highly regarded our graduates are in the field, we want to continue to spread the word and offer insight into the many different directions your B.Ed. can take you! Check out some of our featured alumni in the videos below and be sure to check back as we continually add past graduates.
Stay Connected
Do you have a story to share? Maybe a few tips for our teacher candidates of what to expect as a new teacher? What else can you do with your B.Ed. degree? We would love to hear what you have to say.
Alumni are also invited to continue to be a part of the School of Education by participating in Reading Day and hosting Teacher Candidates in your classroom. For this, please contact the richmcpherson@trentu.ca
History
Teacher education first began in Peterborough in 1906 when a city delegation, including every member of the Board of Education and various members of City Council, met with the Minister of Education to advocate for the establishment of a normal school in Peterborough. This group was successful in being granted one of four normal schools in the province and in 1908 the newly constructed Peterborough Normal School opened its doors to its first class of 159 students: 22 males and 137 females.
When elementary teacher education became the responsibility of universities in the 1970's, Peterborough area educators once again pressed to maintain a teacher education presence in the community. Through their initiative and in collaboration with Trent University, the Queen's-Trent Concurrent Teacher Education Program was created in 1973 as a partnership between Trent and Queen's Universities. The program began as a deeply cooperative venture, involving not only the two Universities, but also the two Peterborough area school boards who, from the beginning, structured the partnership to include ongoing professional development for teachers and annual program feedback.
Trent University's School of Education and Professional Learning, including the Consecutive B.Ed. program, thus expands upon something that has been part of the composition of Trent University for what was thirty years as the first year class of the consecutive teacher education program entered in the fall of 2003. The B.Ed. program structure used this historical partnership and collaborative way of conducting teacher education as its foundation. The consecutive B.Ed. program was constructed collaboratively with representatives from Senior Administration in the three partnership District School Boards, Principals at both elementary and secondary schools, Teacher Federation representatives at the local and provincial levels, representatives from the Ministry of Education, and recent B.Ed. graduates. Frequent and intensive working meetings ensured that all perspectives were brought to bear on constructing programming that would provide a strong foundation for beginning teachers and ensure program integrity and accessibility for both the full time and the first part time B.Ed. program of its kind in the history of Ontario. As one Associate Teacher put it not long ago, the School of Education plans to maintain, "The Magic Formula: Partnership in Teacher Education."
Conceptual Framework
For the Trent University School of Education and Professional Learning, effective teacher education is a partnership activity, involving the whole community as a community of learners in the activity of teacher preparation and ongoing professional learning. The activities of the community are grounded in current theory and research, and the community continually renews itself and its practices through critical reflection and creative, community-based responses.
The Conceptual Framework principles provide the foundation for the structure and practices promoted throughout the School of Education and Professional Learning in the way we interact internally and with our partners as a community of learners, and in the way that we plan and deliver the B.Ed. program. The principles are referenced to both research and theory as well as relevant Ontario College of Teachers' Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession and Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession.
Conceptual Framework Principles, Goals and Practice
- Effective teachers develop critical pedagogies that forward social and ecological justice.
- Effective teaching is based on sound educational theory and research.
- Effective education is a partnership activity.
- Teaching and learning are interactive processes that involve meaningful engagement of both learners and teachers.
- Communities of learners support identity formation, a sense of belonging, and engagement in lifelong learning.
- Effective teaching fosters creative thinking, critical reflection, in-depth subject knowledge and critical engagement.
- Effective teaching and learning are guided by on-going meaningful feedback.
- Effective teachers engage in critically reflective practice.