Related Occupations
Not all teachers choose to teach in publicly funded schools. Some use their teaching background to work for the government in the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. Some individuals are more interested in developing curriculum and education policy than in teaching. Others may get certified and continue studying for postgraduate degrees such as a master's degree or a PhD. Others find work in educational or scholastic institutes, publishing houses, television, or newspapers, where their knowledge of education will be used to create educational products and services. Others find work in private companies providing corporate training services to employees and groups. And some may want to work as consultants, combining education with technology or any other specialized field to offer professional development and training to adults.
Wherever you decide to work, being a certified teacher gives you an advantage over a candidate who is not certified.
You may decide to explore alternative teaching possibilities outside of Ontario's publicly funded school system, especially if you are not yet certified. Some internationally educated teachers choose to explore these opportunities while they fulfil the requirements for teacher certification.
- Jobs that do not require an Ontario College of Teachers certificate
- Jobs that require an Ontario College of Teachers certificate
Jobs that do not require an Ontario College of Teachers certificate
International Language Teaching
You don't need a teaching certificate to teach in a non-credit international language program (often called a "Heritage Language Class") for students in either elementary or secondary school. These classes are usually offered outside of regular school hours, for example, after school or on Saturday. However, you do need a teaching certificate to teach an international language as a credit subject in secondary school.
Adult Continuing Education
It is common for adults in Canada to take courses after they have graduated from secondary school, college or university. This kind of education is often called "life-long learning." Adult continuing education classes can include a variety of subjects, from a foreign language, to cooking, to computer studies. Adult continuing education courses are offered by local boards of education, community colleges, and universities. You do not usually need to be certified to teach in continuing education programs.
However, you need to be certified if you are teaching Ontario secondary credit courses for adults.
Working as an Education Assistant
An educational assistant works in a classroom with a certified teacher to help with classroom activities, particularly with groups of children. For a list of Ontario's 72 publicly funded school boards and 37 school authorities where education assistants work, please consult the Ministry of Education website.
Early Childhood Education and Daycare
Teachers who have taught children, particularly of kindergarten age, may find working as an early childhood educator in daycares a rewarding career.
The Association of Early Childhood Educators, Ontario, has information on how to become an early childhood educator.
Private Schools
Private schools are licensed by the Ontario government but they are responsible for hiring their own teachers. Some private schools may require that teachers be certified by the Ontario College of Teachers. For a list of private schools in Ontario, see the Ministry of Education website.
Community Colleges
Community colleges (colleges of applied arts and technology) offer a variety of educational upgrading opportunities for adults. Many of these courses are in the field of applied arts and technology, although community colleges also offer academic subjects. To teach at a community college, you do not need to be certified as a teacher with the Ontario College of Teachers. Full-time instructors usually have a master's degree. To teach part-time, you need to have a level of expertise in the area you wish to teach. You can approach each individual college for employment opportunities.
For a list of the colleges of applied arts and technology in Ontario, see the Ministry of Education website.
Universities
You do not need to be certified as a teacher with the Ontario College of Teachers to teach at a university. You will need to have, at a minimum, a master's degree, but most jobs require a PhD.
Internationally educated university professors may wish to read the Information on requirements to practise article from the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC).
For a list of universities, visit the Ministry of Education website.
English/French as a Second Language
If you are fluent in English or French, you can apply to teach in the continuing education department of a local board of education, a college, or a university. Usually, you require a Teaching-English-as-a-Second-Language (TESL) certificate or Teaching-French-as-a-Second-Language (TFSL) certificate.
TESL Ontario has information about becoming a teacher of English-as-a-Second- Language.
The Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers has information about teaching French as a second language.
Tutoring
A tutor is a private instructor who teaches students one-on-one. Often, if a child is having problems with a specific subject at school, parents will arrange for a tutor. A tutor meets with a student in a variety of settings: in the student's home, at the tutor's home, or at a tutoring agency.
Music Teacher
You can offer private lessons teaching an instrument or singing if you have the appropriate background.
The Ontario Registered Music Teachers' Association has information about teaching music.
Private Language Instructor
If you speak another language fluently, you can offer language classes to students one-on one or in groups.
Montessori Teacher
There are many schools in Ontario that follow the Montessori method of teaching. Montessori schools are not publicly funded in Ontario. If you have a background in Montessori teaching methodologies, you can approach a school to inquire about employment.
Jobs that require an Ontario College of Teachers certificate
Supply Teaching
When a full-time teacher is sick, the school arranges to have a supply or temporary teacher come into the school to teach in place of the usual teacher. You can make arrangements with specific schools to be on their list of supply teachers.
If you are interested in supply teaching, contact the school board you wish to work for. For a list of the boards of education, see the Ministry of Education website.
Distance Teaching
Some secondary school students cannot attend a regular classroom so they may take a distance course. This used to be called a correspondence course.
The Independent Learning Centre offers many secondary school credits to Ontarians. People who take distance courses are not always teenagers. Adults can also take distance education courses.
For more information about distance education, visit the Independent Learning Centre website.
Note: Distance teaching is also offered in several school districts in Ontario through e-learning. Please consult your local school district to find out more about opportunities as a teacher of e-learning.
English/French as a Second Language
You need to be a certified teacher to teach secondary English/French language credit classes in an Ontario secondary school. You also need to be certified to teach French in an elementary school. See above for opportunities to teach English/French that don't require you to have a teacher's certificate.
International Language Teaching
You need to be a certified teacher to teach secondary international language credits in an Ontario secondary school.