Secondary School Teachers (NOC 4141)
Description
Secondary school teachers prepare and teach academic, technical, vocational or specialized subjects at public and private secondary schools. Secondary school teachers who are heads of departments are included in this group.
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Example Titles
- adult education teacher, secondary school
- biology teacher, high school
- commerce teacher, secondary school
- department head, secondary school
- english teacher, secondary school
- english as second language teacher,
- french as second language teacher,
- history teacher, secondary school
- high school teacher, special education
- physical education teacher
- secondary school teacher
- substitute teacher, high school
- vocational teacher, high school
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Classified Elsewhere
- College and Other Vocational Instructors (4131)
- Educational Counsellors (4143)
- Elementary and Secondary School Teacher Assistants (6472)
- Elementary School and Kindergarten Teachers (4142)
- Teachers of non-academic or vocational courses (in 4216 Other Instructors)
- Teachers teaching life skills courses to disabled persons (in 4215 Instructors and Teachers of Persons with Disabilities)
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Duties
Secondary school teachers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Prepare subject material for presentation to students according to an approved curriculum
- Teach students using a systematic plan of lectures, discussions, audio-visual presentations, and laboratory, shop and field studies
- Assign and correct homework
- Prepare, administer and correct tests
- Evaluate progress, determine individual needs of students and discuss results with parents and school officials
- Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help
- Participate in staff meetings, educational conferences and teacher training workshops
- May advise students on course selection and on vocational and personal matters
- May supervise student teachers.
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Skills
Secondary school teachers must have the following skills and abilities:
- a genuine interest in and respect for young people and in their educational and emotional needs,
- knowledge and enthusiasm for their subject areas
- a clear, pleasant speaking voice
- the ability to recognize individual differences in students and to employ different methods of teaching,
- excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills in teaching and with other teachers and parents,
- the ability to establish rapport and enjoy contact with the public, especially parents
- strong leadership skills, patience, a good sense of humour, creativity, resourcefulness, organizational skills and ability to motivate students,
- the ability to work independently and as part of a team of professional staff,
- good mental, emotional and physical health
- an appreciation of diverse culture
- physical fitness is required to stand for long periods of time,
- the ability to manage groups of young people and to cope with difficult behaviour,
- knowledge of computers and technology,
- an interest in maintaining knowledge of current teaching methods and trends,
- good problem-solving skills,
- a high level of dedication to work which often infringes on personal lifestyle choices.
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Employment Requirements
- Secondary school teachers must have a valid Manitoba teacher certificate (classroom teacher, vocational teacher, clinician, special education teacher and coordinator, and level 1 or 2 administrators). You must apply for the teacher certificate through the Professional Certification Unit, Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth.
- Teachers of academic subjects require a bachelor's degree in education which is often preceded by a bachelor's degree in the arts or sciences. To be eligible to apply to the Bachelor of Education programs you must have accumulated the required credit hours in two subjects for a senior years teachable major, and teachable minor during your first degree.
- Teachers of vocational or technical subjects, require a bachelor's degree in education which is usually preceded by specialized training or experience in the subject.
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Terms & Conditions
Most secondary school teachers work the conventional 10 month school year, with two months off during the summer, two weeks during the Christmas/New Year holidays, and one week at Spring Break. Teachers deal with a variety of student personalities and may experience stress due to large classes, heavy workloads and student discipline issues.
The majority of secondary school teachers work full-time (83%), although actual hours vary depending upon the time spent on preparation, marking papers, or after school activities. Some teachers work casually (substitute teachers).
Teachers entering the profession will receive the reported salaries in public schools, although those in northern Manitoba receive higher salaries. Teachers in private schools may receive lower salaries depending on the school. Substitute teachers are paid at a daily rate which varies from one school division to another. The daily rate usually falls within the range of $90.00 to $133.00 including vacation pay.
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Earnings
$44,900 per annum - starting
$66,300 per annum - average
$82,100 per annum - high
Earnings are reviewed annually or more frequently if new information becomes available.
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Education / Training
Brandon University offers the following degree programs:
- Bachelor of Education B.Ed. [2 year After degree]
- Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Education B.Mus/B.Ed. [Concurrent] [5 year]
Special programs in Education at Brandon University include:
- The Brandon University Northern Teacher Education Program (BUNTEP) is an off-campus, community-based program, which provides residents of northern Manitoba an opportunity to study to become teachers without having to move to Brandon.
- The Brandon University Hutterian Education Program (BUHEP) is a community-based program designed for Hutterians who want to become qualified teachers. It is delivered in the Hutterite communities in Manitoba and across North America.
- The Brandon University Project for the Education of Native Teachers (PENT) is a community-based program, which enables native teacher assistants to become certified teachers.
The University of Manitoba offers the following degree programs:
- Bachelor of Education B.Ed. [First Degree plus 2 years]
- Integrated Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education Degrees [2 years Music plus 3.5 years]
- Bachelor of Physical Education for students who wish to pursue an additional B.Ed [university 1 plus 3 years, plus 2 year education after- degree].
University College of the North:
Special programs in education at the University of Manitoba include:
- Education Access Program (EAP) which is geared towards persons who are Aboriginal, residents of Northern Manitoba, and low income earners.
- Academic and Professional Bridging Program for Internationally Educated Teachers (IET program). This pilot program is designed for individuals with international teaching credentials who require additional course work in Education to be certified to teach in Manitoba.
The University of Winnipeg offers the following degree programs:
- Integrated Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)/Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)/Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Program [5 years]
- A 2-year after-degree Bachelor of Education Program for students who have already completed an undergraduate degree.
- The University of Winnipeg/Winnipeg Education Centre Bachelor of Education Program provides mature citizens of Winnipeg's inner city with the necessary education to become certified teachers in the inner city.
- The Community-based Aboriginal Teacher Education Program (CATEP) allows Aboriginal teachers to be trained in their own community.
- University of Winnipeg/Red River College joint integrated Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)/Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)/Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Program [5 years]
Red River College offers the following programs:
- Business/Technology Teacher Education [5 years] Joint program with the University of Winnipeg. A 2-3 year after degree, for students that already hold a bachelor's degree, and an accelerated program [1 year diploma], for students who already hold a bachelor of education degree, are also offered.
- Industrial Arts/Technology Teacher Education [5 years] Joint Red River College/University of Winnipeg integrated Bachelor of Education degree program. A 3 year after degree, for students that already hold an undergraduate degree, and an accelerated program [1 year diploma], for students who already hold a bachelor of education degree, are also offered.
Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface (French instruction) offers the following programs:
- Baccalauréat en éducation voie élémentaire
- Baccalauréat en éducation voie secondaire
The Canadian Mennonite University:
- Offers a pre-professional program for students wishing to further their studies in a professional education program.
English as a Second Language Training:
- The University of Manitoba offers a Teaching English as a Second Language Certificate (five 40-hour courses) through the department of Extended Education.
- The University of Winnipeg offers the English as a Second Language Teacher Certificate Program (ESLTCP). This is a condensed 7-week course offered through the Division of Continuing Education.
- Providence College offers a 1-year English as a Second Language Certificate program.
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Career Paths
New Education graduates typically start work on a substitute list, in casual on-call positions and in maternity leave replacements. Full-time positions for new graduates may be more likely for those willing to relocate to smaller communities.
Teachers with experience and further education may advance to department head, vice-principal or principal positions, or to positions such as school superintendent, education policy analyst or curriculum developer.
Secondary school teachers usually specialize in "teachable" areas such as mathematics, science, English, French, technical education, special education, physical education. Specialization areas are often related to university major of field studies. Specialized teachers usually do not move into other areas.
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Outlook
Employment prospects for secondary school teachers are currently good. Employment in Manitoba in 2010 is estimated at 5,740.
Employment for secondary school teachers is influenced by the size of the school age population and government funding levels. Urban population shift and School of Choice decisions affect the actual location of some teaching positions. The majority of new job opportunities will arise due to retirements. There are relatively large numbers of secondary school teachers aged 55 years and over.
There is keen competition among new graduates for positions in urban areas to teach subjects such as English and social studies. Teachers with academic majors in Mathematics, Science, Information Technology, Business, or with the ability to teach in the French language, may find it easier to get their first job in the profession. Due to curriculum changes there will be greater need for physical education teachers in the early part of the forecast period. Teachers are in greater demand in rural and northern areas, as well as in aboriginal communities.
Employment is fairly evenly distributed across the province. All work in the Educational Services Industry.
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Employment by Age Group
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Employment by Industry
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Employment by Region
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Employment by Gender
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Employment by Aboriginal Self-Identification
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Employment by Visible Minority
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Please Note - The source for above charts is the 2006 Census.
Professional Associations, Unions, and Regulatory Bodies...
- Manitoba Teachers Society, McMaster House, http://www.mbteach.org/
- Éducatrices et éducateurs francophones du Manitoba, http://www.efm-mts.org/
- Winnipeg Jewish Schools Teachers' Association, A200-123 Doncaster Street, Winnipeg, MB, R3N 2B4
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Other Related Information...
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