September 30: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

September 30 honours the children who never returned home from the residential school system, the survivors who carry their stories, and the families and communities who continue to live with the intergenerational impacts of that system. 

More than 150,000 children were separated from their families and sent to residential schools that were in operation from 1867 to 1996. 

This national day was established in response to the 94 calls to action issued in the final report of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. As we mark 10 years of that report, it’s a moment to reflect on recent advancements in recognizing and reinforcing Indigenous rights, but also how to preserve them as we continue to move forward. 

At the College, reconciliation is a responsibility we carry with intention, driven by a commitment to remove barriers and address deep-rooted inequities in education. As part of this responsibility, we have been working with community and education partners to develop new leadership pathways that will create additional career progression opportunities for First Nations, Inuit and Métis educators.

Stay tuned for updates in future issues of Your College and You.

Learn more about Indigenous cultures, history and the ongoing impact of residential schools with resources from the Margaret Wilson Library.

Time is running out for you to complete the 2025 Focus on Teaching survey

We extend our sincere thanks to the nearly 25,500 Ontario Certified Teachers (OCTs) who have completed the survey since it was distributed via email by our research partner Forum Research Inc. This response represents 11 per cent of members in good standing.

Your voice matters, make sure it counts. The survey will remain open until 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, October 13. If you have not yet completed it, please check your email inbox for an invitation and reminder emails from FOTS@forumresearch.com.

To further refine the survey, the College conducted focus groups with OCTs. Here’s a sample of the feedback received:

“The College did a great job of having diverse perspectives, including teachers with varying levels of experience and geographical locations, which allowed for a range of opinions to be shared. I found the questions to be relevant. The focus group was not too big and I felt like I had a chance to communicate my thoughts. The facilitator did a good job with the pace and timing.”

“I found the process really nice. It felt like I was able to share my voice during the process which was really empowering. I appreciated how the College was looking for our feedback and our experiences and it felt like we were being valued.”

Impactful data analysis

This fall, the College is hosting data analysis design sessions with key system partners, including district school boards, principals’ associations, teachers’ federations, the Ministry of Education and associations of private schools.

As Ontario’s teaching regulator, the College is uniquely positioned to reach all OCTs, gather their perspectives, and share them – risk-free for OCTs – with the province’s key decision-makers, such as the ones participating in these sessions.

The results from the survey will be anonymized and will be reported to the College in aggregate form.

If you are unable to find your survey invitation, please email FOTS@forumresearch.com.

For more information, please visit the College website or email focusonteachingsurvey@oct.ca.

New resources to engage with our latest Professional Advisory

To further support the efforts of OCTs to foster safe, equitable, inclusive, and accessible learning environments for all students, the College has published an appendix of case studies to accompany the Professional Advisory Addressing Hate and Discrimination.

Based on real life examples, the case studies are designed to help OCTs work through and appropriately address acts of hate and discrimination. The College has also published an accompanying Facilitator’s Guide and presentation slides to help school boards, schools, faculties and other education partners engage OCTs in this important work.

The Professional Advisory Addressing Hate and Discrimination is available online at oct.ca in HTML, PDF and audio formats and includes:

• practical advice for OCTs
• a self-reflective framework
• key elements to examine and address
• guidance for ongoing learning.

An OCT’s perspective on our professional standards

Last month’s Your College and You shared details about a College-hosted writing session that gathered 24 OCTs to develop content that will help support the development of refreshed professional standards. One of the participants provided their thoughts about the experience to share with fellow OCTs:

“As an OCT, I uphold the standard of Commitment to Students and Student Learning when I strive each day for my practice to be inclusive and student-centred. In my current role as an ESL teacher, I have the opportunity to develop and lead a rapidly growing program that supports a diverse group of learners across all grades.

This has allowed me to work closely with students at various STEP levels, as well as to collaborate with educators across disciplines and divisions. I aim to support each student at every stage of their learning journey by staying informed about current best practices and incorporating them into my daily teaching.

My classroom is designed to accommodate a wide range of learning styles and needs. I intentionally create opportunities for students to share their own educational journeys in a safe, respectful environment that fosters voice, identity, and collaboration.

I also partner with community organizations, such as settlement and community service workers, to help welcome and support newcomer families. These relationships are critical in building trust and ensuring that all students feel a strong sense of belonging, care and respect in their learning environment.”

- Adam Lee, OCT

After reading about Adam’s community and classroom experiences, consider what upholding the standard of Commitment to Students and Student Learning means in your practice.

You’re invited to our Annual Meeting of Members on Tuesday, October 14

Join College leadership for our Annual Meeting of Members on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The online meeting is open to OCTs, applicants, interested education partners, and members of the public. Registrar & CEO Linda Lacroix, OCT/EAO, and Acting Chair of Council Tammy Webster, OCT, will provide updates on how the College works within its mandate to serve the public interest by regulating the teaching profession to protect students.

The meeting will be hosted online with simultaneous French and English interpretation and optional closed captioning, and it will conclude with a Q&A session.

Questions about College governance and operations can be submitted in advance when you fill out your registration form. Please note that we will be unable to answer questions about individual files or our application requirements. These questions should be directed to Client Services, or you can refer to the information available on our website.

Mathematics Proficiency Test open for registration

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) has announced fall and winter test windows for the Math Proficiency Test (MPT).

Registration is now open for the fall test window, which begins on September 29, 2025 and ends on November 22, 2025.

The winter test window begins on January 12, 2026, and ends on March 21, 2026. Registration dates have not been announced.

EQAO is responsible for scheduling, facilitating, and evaluating the MPT. Refer to their website at mathproficiencytest.ca for the latest information and to register for a test sitting.

Passing the MPT is a certification requirement for most College applicants. To confirm whether this requirement applies to you, please visit the MPT page on our website. OCTs who held a general Certificate of Qualification and Registration (CQR) on January 31, 2025, are not required to pass the MPT.