Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Adventurer]

Has anyone taught in a Canadian classroom? If so, how was your experience? I know that teachers in Quebec get very burned out and often quit. I did hear many of the ones in Ontario felt, in the past, to be under the gun.... How is the atmosphere back there regarding that?

[kermo]

I taught in a classroom in Canada.
The enormous amount of prep-work, the large classes and the tense admin/parent relationships made me reconsider teaching in a public school context.

[mikekim]

QU and Ontario suck balls. Ontario especially. The country schools are nice as you have very tight knit communities and very strong moral values. But the closer to the city you get the immigrant problem becomes just ridiculous. You end up teaching ESL anyways. I had so many immigrants on welfare getting bored in class so they started fights and doing anything to get attention. Calls to the parents are useless as they don't speak English and don't seem to care either. Great!!! Really screws things up for everyone else. Its the same in Quebec, but on a much lower scale. There are poor kids and immigrants, but nothing like metro Toronto or big ghetto schools. Even ghetto schools in Ottawa and smaller cities are turning into crap. My advice teach private if you can, catholic board if you can.

[crusher_of_heads]

I have taught in a city school.

I have taught in a rural school-I far prefer rural students, although parent expectations are higher.

It's a cropshoot in Thunder Bay-you've got more in the lower economic strata, and Dennis Cromarty High School busses in Natives from the surrounding communities...

[cosmicgirlie]

I worked--not as a teacher but as a Child and Youth Counsellor(social worker for under grade --in a large Ontario School Board and I can tell you it's sh*t work...the teachers are totally burned out--although mine was in a 'bigger' city--rural areas are different though--the teachers are not so burnt out!!

I have heard though that teaching in the Territories can be profitable and rewarding--Try Northwest or the Yukon--you get 'northern pay'. If you're going to teach try Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, or Manitobia...avoid Alberta like the plague--it's turning into Ontario like--haven't heard much about Sask or BC....PEI might be interesting...lots of laid back folk.

[littlelisa]

Yes. ESL teaching in Quebec in French school boards, mostly CSMB. I don't recommend public schools.

Yes, many teachers do burn out early.

[Adventurer]

Well, I don't want to go to the Yukon or wherever. I am thinking considering my experience in teaching and the experience of others I would be better off getting my M.A. in psychology and deal with people one on one. I was thinking how sometimes Canadians and Americans want immigrants to take jobs they don't want to do. Well, Canadians don't really want to teach the kids who are not being raised properly by their parents in too many cases, but the immigrants wouldn't really want to do that either.... I think something needs to change in terms of making sure these kids actually have healthy, stable lives and decent personalities.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[khyber]

I taught in rural saskatchewan. It was great.
I have a half dozen friends teaching in edmonton; all of then with between 1-6 years experience. They all say it's hard work but they all love it. I'm not sure how it compares to what other people have gone through but they all find the hard (and copious amounts of) work manageable.
What sort of things led to all of y'all being burnt out?


From what I've heard, once you get all your unit plans together for the classes you teach (1 year if you're REALLY luck, 5-8 if you're not) it all becomes a LOT easier.

[Lao Wai]

[congee]

What I don't understand is if teaching in Ontario is as bad as people say it is here then why is it so competitive to get a job there?

It's not uncommon these days in Ontario for part time positions to get over 400 applicants! And a lot of school boards have even stopped accepting applications for subbing positions. Unless you have qualifications in French, or a connection at a school board, you can expect to wait years to get full time work.

[ddeubel]

[blaseblasphemener]

My, this is an uplifting thread.

[congee]

[quote="ddeubel"]

[Adventurer]