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SCSBC-CTABC Teacher Qualification Policy:
Introduction:
British Columbia Christian Schools, and in particular the CTABC-SCSBC family of schools, need and desire qualified, certified teachers to enter the profession and to serve in their respective schools.
A. Ministry of Education Requirements:
“All teachers in Group 1 independent schools offering the Graduation Program must hold valid British Columbia teacher certification.” (BC Guide for Independent Schools)
“Under the “Independent School Act,” a teacher is considered “certified” when the teacher holds a certificate of qualification issued by the British Columbia Ministry of Education, Teacher Regulation Branch. (TRB)
The CTABC-SCSBC family of schools recognizes that the BC Teacher Regulation Branch defines the minimal qualifications required for employment in member schools. School administrators, responsible for hiring teachers, request, validate and file certification documents prior to the issuance of a contract. These documents are available to Ministry Inspection teams.
In some cases teachers are given interim certification with the expectation that with-in a given time frame courses need to be taken to meet certification requirements. It is the responsibility of the teacher and the school administrator to ensure compliance with the conditions placed on interim certification.
B. School Society and CTABC-SCSBC Recommended Requirements:
Christian Perspectives: Evidence of courses of study, work experience and university graduation programs that intentionally equip a teacher to teach “Christianly,” plays an additional role in identifying, hiring and compensating teachers in the CTABC-SCSBC family of schools. (See Section 2: Christian Perspective Courses and Appendix 3: Recognized University-Colleges))
Performance Reviews: Normally, a teacher will have two years to move from a definite one year contract to an indefinite (permanent contract) once formal-summative evaluations have been completed. An experienced, Christian school teacher may only require a one year definite contract.
Salary Grid: The connection of salary to teacher training has been settled over the years via the cooperation between the CTABC-SCSBC-CPABC in agreeing to a multi-level and multi-category scale.
(An updated Salary Grid is issued annually in January as part of the Compensation Report)
Indirect Qualifications: There will be a variety of qualifications that are less tangible which also play a role in teacher employment and are usually defined by the school community. The most obvious will include references to a “Community life standard.” The CTABC-SCSBC has developed a model Community Lifestyle Policy that they recommend to school societies.
Section 1: Salary Grid Criteria and Fundamentals
This grid assumes Provincial certification requirements are met:
1. School Societies are encouraged to maintain a four category, ten-level salary grid that follows the recommendations included in the annual SCSBC Compensation Report that is published seven to eight months prior to the new school year. (This grid assumes provincial certification requirements are met.)
2. Category Descriptors:
Category A:
· Teacher with a four year degree program. (This includes those with a four-year Bachelor of Education degree, those with a four year degree in Biblical Theology, those with subject specific certification issued by the TRB.)
Category B
· Teacher with a five year degree program and TRB certification.
· Teacher with a four year education degree from a Christian College and meets TRB Interim or Professional certification requirements.
Category C:
· Teacher who meets the requirements of Category B including successful completion of five of the six Christian Perspective Courses listed in Section 2. In addition the teacher must demonstrate the successful completion of five additional accredited university courses (Minimum 30 Credit Hours) relevant to the teacher’s teaching assignment. Courses must be upper level undergraduate courses designated as 300 or higher.
· The Teacher who is in a Master’s of Education Program in BC and has completed fifty percent of the program requirements may also qualify for Category C, provided the five Christian Perspective Course requirements have been met.
Category D: Teacher who has a Master’s Degree from a recognized university and meets the requirements of Category C. The teacher, who lacks the five Christian Perspective Course requirements, will be placed in Category C.
3. Christian Perspectives Courses: Completion of courses are required within 8 years for the teacher placed in Category A, B or C. Thus a teacher will remain in either Category A-8, B-8, or C-8 until the Christian Perspective courses are completed.
4. Ten-Level Salary Grid: Each category provides the teacher with an annual teaching-experience allowance that reaches its limit after ten years. Part-time teachers will have their experience pro-rated. A full-time teacher on maternity leave is entitled by law to have the leave designated as one year of teaching.
Section 2: Christian Perspectives Courses:
· To meet the Christian Perspectives Course requirements teachers must have graduated from a Christian University with an undergraduate and teaching degree or
· Have completed five of the first six courses. These will be offered as upper level university credit courses. (Third and fourth year) A course that qualifies as part of a graduate program may also be considered.
1. Introduction to Biblical Worldview/narrative and its implication for Teaching and Student Learning. The Biblical themes of creation, fall, redemption and restoration will be the focus of this study.
2. Study of the Old Testament with applications to narrative and world-view formulation and classroom instruction and pedagogy.
3. Study of the New Testament with application to narrative and world-view formulation and classroom instruction and pedagogy
4. Curriculum Design: Lessons in lesson, unit and course preparation that integrates World-view and Learning Outcomes
5. Pedagogy: Designing a classroom culture that enables student learning to occur within a Christian Worldview. This course will take the latest research into how a student learns independently and within the group.
6. Cross-Cultural Awareness: This course will equip teachers with the resources to integrate cultural understanding (Cultural anthropology and sociology) into the teacher-student relationship and curriculum. This course is relevant as well to any teacher who has over ten years of teaching experience. (E.g. Aboriginal education as of Sept. 2012 is a BCCT requirement.)
7. Latest Educational Research and Applications in Christian Education: This course will be a refresher course for the experienced teacher to re-acquaint herself or himself with the latest resources and insights in Worldview, Biblical Studies, Student Learning and Cultural Anthropology.
Section Three: Recommended Degree and Course Granting Institutions that specialize in teaching Christianly :
· Trinity Western University, Langley, BC: Undergraduate, Biblical Studies, Education and M.Ed.,
· Kings University College, Edmonton, Alberta: Undergraduate, Biblical Studies, Education
· Dordt College, Iowa, USA: Undergraduate, Biblical Studies, Education, M.Ed.,
· Calvin College, Michigan, USA: Undergraduate, Biblical Studies, Education and M.Ed.,
· Trinity College, USA: Undergraduate, Biblical Studies and Education.
· Redeemer Christian University, Ancaster, Ontario: Undergraduate, Biblical Studies, Education
· Regent College on UBC Campus: Biblical Studies, Apologetics , Arts, World-view
· ACTS Seminary on TWU Campus: Biblical Studies, Cross Cultural Studies, World-view
· Columbia Bible College, Abbotsford: Biblical Studies, Pre-school and Special Education Assistant programs.
· Geneva Chair: TWU: Biblical Worldview
· Institute of Christian Studies, Toronto: Curriculum Design and Biblical Worldview
· Kuyers Institute, Grand Rapids Michigan: Biblical World View
· Tyndale University College and Seminary, Toronto: Biblical Studies
· Canadian Mennonite University, Winnipeg: Biblical Studies.
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