OSHAWA, Ont. - Local high school teachers and professors from Durham College are set to kick off the second phase of an innovative exchange program designed to help both groups meet the needs of students more effectively.
On Wednesday, Feb. 11, about 25 Durham College professors and approximately 50 teachers from the Durham District School Board and the Durham Catholic District School Board will gather at the college to begin the next stage of Building Connections, a program funded by the School/College/Work Initiative through the Ontario Ministry of Education. Reporters are invited to attend.
In a new development, about 12 teacher candidates from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) Faculty of Education will take part in phase II. Their involvement will help familiarize them with the demands of college study even before they begin their teaching careers, said Kathy Rhodes, a Curriculum Liaison Specialist at Durham College and the project co-ordinator.
Because teachers typically do not come through the college system, they are not fully equipped to prepare students for the experience or to communicate the advantages of college. Teachers who took part in phase I of the program said it would help them ensure that students have more realistic expectations about college. Several teachers said that, among other things, they would tell students that college is more hands-on than university, that professors do not police attendance, and that the rules around deadlines are more strict than in high school.
College professors reported that the program gave them a better understanding of the expectations of students at the high school level and, as a result, a better understanding of student behaviour in the first year of college.
During the second phase, each teacher will spend two days on Durham College's Oshawa campus, touring facilities, meeting with individual professors, observing classes, and, in some cases, participating in class planning and delivery.
College professors will visit a high school for a half-day to observe and act as guest speakers. Phase II is slated to run until June, but the exchanges could begin as early as this month.
Wednesday's event will feature a morning session from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. for half the group, and an afternoon session from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. for the remaining teachers. The morning meeting will take place in Room D214 at Durham College's Oshawa campus, and the afternoon session is slated for Room SW215.
The participants will review the first phase of the project and establish goals for phase II. The initial stage of the project resulted in a list of 24 recommendations geared to project participants and school boards, students, and Durham College and UOIT. They included expanding the exchanges to involve college and high school students.
Building Connections was initiated by the Council of Ontario Directors of Education and the Committee of Presidents, part of the Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario.
About Durham College
For 35 years, Durham College has been committed to providing job-focused programs, accomplished professors, quality-driven innovation, student success, and superior accountability. More than 5,600 full-time students and 23,000 part-time students are enrolled at Durham College. For more information, visit our Web site at www.durhamcollege.ca, or call 905.721.2000.
Media contact:
John Schofield
Communications and Marketing, Durham College
905.721.3111, ext. 2513
john.schofield@durhamc.on.ca
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