I can actually choose either Hamilton or St Kit's!!! (I'm not sure if you're guaranteed your choice, but they didn't say you WEREN'T guaranteed).
I'm tempted to consider Hamilton, but when I was thinking of applying to Redeemer in Ancaster, my parents were like "you can live at home!" (which is one big reason why I didn't apply there hahah) so I might choose St Kits to avoid that (and with Hamilton you can get Peel placements - DEFINITELY not telling my parents that)... how silly is that?!? Though I'm sure I could somehow make it seem like it was necessary for me to live in Hamilton...
My bestfriend is in Hamilton, and I have some other friends... So I dunno!
Reading over the Brock package was exciting, and now I am even considering the possibility of choosing Brock over Trent if Trent gives me good news. (Which I never would've thought before).
I still have to do some reading and thinking about things! ahhh
Also, I thought of asking you today about which districts are easier to get jobs in (not that it's easy to get a job anywhere)... cause you can choose different Hamilton and Niagara ones. I heard Peel is the fastest growing district, but I grew up in Peel and HATE it.
How hard is it to get a supply/teaching position in Hamilton?
I heard Guelph/Kitchener/Wellington was terrible which sucks cause I like this area.
Nowhere in Southern Ontario is easy on supply teachers at the moment. Hamilton has a cap on the supply list, and it's a "real cap" rather than a "working days cap." That means there are X number of people on the supply list, and even if they know that 20% of those are only working forty days or less of the school year, they won't pro-rate the list so that someone else can take the remaining 60% of a job. So we don't have enough supply teachers, AND new teachers have trouble getting on the list.
But it's not any better in Niagara.
Brock-Hamilton has a Grand Erie group, and since that's a rural board, it's sometimes easier to get into for supply work. Of course, the reason it's easier is that the board is friggin' huge, and driving from one end to the other takes well over an hour, so many supply teachers only want to work for a few schools. Rural boards have their advantages, though. You'll never lack for daisies on your desk if you teach out there. :)
No matter what, if you don't already have one, a car will be (almost) a must when you're in teacher's college. Getting to and from placements on the bus is a pain in the neck. (Yes, I did it.) To your parents, I'd use the line about "minimizing your commute also minimizes your stress." It's even true. And if you wind up practice-teaching in Grand Erie, driving from Hamilton is a lot closer than driving from Brampton.
Seriously - if you want to do a teaching placement with me, and you get a choice, I'm quite willing to do it. I've been through the turnaround process and I know what I'm doing, and I could always use the extra pair of hands.
I saw Grand Erie! I actually think it would be cool to teach in a rural area. I grew up in a big suburb (Brampton) and kinda like the country. I also don't think I'd mind driving a bit.
Car - got one. I don't think I wrote much about it in my LJ. Right now it's having it's engine replaced. The first time I drove it (other than home the first time), it decided that blowing up highway 6 in Carlisle was an excellent idea. The mechanic is surprised it didn't explode or something, because there's a fist-sized hole in the engine. Nobody knows why this happened. I break cars in style.
I could totally use that reason (possible rural placement) as an excuse also. And that's awesome that you'd be willing to take me on, thanks. :) They included a form where you rank your order of regions, and I think that form is due relatively soon actually. So in the case that I decided to accept Brock, and Brock-Hamilton, you could tell me your region and I could rank that #1. For that they said they can't guarantee your top choices.
Where did you go to TC?? And do you know how the programs at Brock and Trent measure up?
I have no idea how good the different TCs are these days - I was there nine years ago, and a lot has changed since then.
I'm in HWDSB, lower city/Stoney Creek direction, if that makes any difference. When I was there, they found you two placements and if you had someone you wanted to work with for the third, you could suggest it, even if it was outside your usual region, so you might be able to suggest it even if you go for Grand Erie. I went to Brock-Hamilton myself - lived in an apartment building that overlooked the school. Talk about a short commute. :)
I didn't know Brock-Hamilton even existed until this year, haha. I heard about it from someone else a month ago and was under the impression you had to choose beforehand to apply for it. Apparently the students are split 50/50 b/w Hamilton and St Kits.
I think they said for P/J you get two placements. But I'd have to read that again. I thought that was good, because I've heard of schools where they have more placements that are shorter. And I hoped that meant longer placements. I get attached and don't like to leave, hehe. It also takes me a lil while to warm up and become familiar.
And living right by the campus I think would be necessary if you had to commute everywhere else!! I don't know how you did it.
A girl I know who went to TC always had teaching stuff in her trunk. I couldn't imagine lugging that around public transit...
When I was there, it was three placements, but that may have changed - maybe they're having more trouble getting associates to take on the trainees. :)
I remember marking tests on the bus from Burlington to Hamilton once. Not fun.
haha wow. that's crazy. car is a necessity. even if this bad boy doesn't work out with the new engine, I will take out a loan to lease one or something...
It said I/S was three, but P/J (and J/I?) was two, I believe.
Is it stressful for teachers to take on student teachers? I always thought I'd do it. But I guess it's stressful if you're still settling in to the job, or you're a control freak, or the student teacher is an idiot. I heard you also get paid more for taking on a student teacher, is that true???
Oh yeah, another question... Do you know if this job situation in ON is going to look better in the near future? Four years ago, when I was at a university fair, they were saying that teacher's are gonna be in great demand since the baby boomers are retiring. But that's bull... no one can find a job!!
My cousin also went to Brock-Hamilton--I think velvetpage and I established that the two of them were one year apart and didn't know each other. (My cousin went in '98-'99, I think.) I could ask her about it if you want, though again, it was a long time ago. But she finished her M.Ed. within the last couple of years, and I THINK she did it there too (not totally sure), so she might know more recent info.
she was already working...she's been working since she finished her B.Ed. she did the M.Ed. partly for more pay, I think, and partly because it'll qualify her to become a principal later on.
I'm tempted to consider Hamilton, but when I was thinking of applying to Redeemer in Ancaster, my parents were like "you can live at home!" (which is one big reason why I didn't apply there hahah) so I might choose St Kits to avoid that (and with Hamilton you can get Peel placements - DEFINITELY not telling my parents that)... how silly is that?!? Though I'm sure I could somehow make it seem like it was necessary for me to live in Hamilton...
My bestfriend is in Hamilton, and I have some other friends... So I dunno!
Reading over the Brock package was exciting, and now I am even considering the possibility of choosing Brock over Trent if Trent gives me good news. (Which I never would've thought before).
I still have to do some reading and thinking about things! ahhh
Also, I thought of asking you today about which districts are easier to get jobs in (not that it's easy to get a job anywhere)... cause you can choose different Hamilton and Niagara ones. I heard Peel is the fastest growing district, but I grew up in Peel and HATE it.
How hard is it to get a supply/teaching position in Hamilton?
I heard Guelph/Kitchener/Wellington was terrible which sucks cause I like this area.
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But it's not any better in Niagara.
Brock-Hamilton has a Grand Erie group, and since that's a rural board, it's sometimes easier to get into for supply work. Of course, the reason it's easier is that the board is friggin' huge, and driving from one end to the other takes well over an hour, so many supply teachers only want to work for a few schools. Rural boards have their advantages, though. You'll never lack for daisies on your desk if you teach out there. :)
No matter what, if you don't already have one, a car will be (almost) a must when you're in teacher's college. Getting to and from placements on the bus is a pain in the neck. (Yes, I did it.) To your parents, I'd use the line about "minimizing your commute also minimizes your stress." It's even true. And if you wind up practice-teaching in Grand Erie, driving from Hamilton is a lot closer than driving from Brampton.
Seriously - if you want to do a teaching placement with me, and you get a choice, I'm quite willing to do it. I've been through the turnaround process and I know what I'm doing, and I could always use the extra pair of hands.
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Car - got one. I don't think I wrote much about it in my LJ. Right now it's having it's engine replaced. The first time I drove it (other than home the first time), it decided that blowing up highway 6 in Carlisle was an excellent idea. The mechanic is surprised it didn't explode or something, because there's a fist-sized hole in the engine. Nobody knows why this happened. I break cars in style.
I could totally use that reason (possible rural placement) as an excuse also. And that's awesome that you'd be willing to take me on, thanks. :)
They included a form where you rank your order of regions, and I think that form is due relatively soon actually. So in the case that I decided to accept Brock, and Brock-Hamilton, you could tell me your region and I could rank that #1. For that they said they can't guarantee your top choices.
Where did you go to TC?? And do you know how the programs at Brock and Trent measure up?
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I'm in HWDSB, lower city/Stoney Creek direction, if that makes any difference. When I was there, they found you two placements and if you had someone you wanted to work with for the third, you could suggest it, even if it was outside your usual region, so you might be able to suggest it even if you go for Grand Erie. I went to Brock-Hamilton myself - lived in an apartment building that overlooked the school. Talk about a short commute. :)
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I think they said for P/J you get two placements. But I'd have to read that again. I thought that was good, because I've heard of schools where they have more placements that are shorter. And I hoped that meant longer placements. I get attached and don't like to leave, hehe. It also takes me a lil while to warm up and become familiar.
And living right by the campus I think would be necessary if you had to commute everywhere else!! I don't know how you did it.
A girl I know who went to TC always had teaching stuff in her trunk. I couldn't imagine lugging that around public transit...
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I remember marking tests on the bus from Burlington to Hamilton once. Not fun.
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It said I/S was three, but P/J (and J/I?) was two, I believe.
Is it stressful for teachers to take on student teachers? I always thought I'd do it. But I guess it's stressful if you're still settling in to the job, or you're a control freak, or the student teacher is an idiot.
I heard you also get paid more for taking on a student teacher, is that true???
Oh yeah, another question... Do you know if this job situation in ON is going to look better in the near future?
Four years ago, when I was at a university fair, they were saying that teacher's are gonna be in great demand since the baby boomers are retiring. But that's bull... no one can find a job!!
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do you know if her MEd helped her get a job? So many depressing stats :(
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the job situation right now for young teachers is very grim :(
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