In the animated film Ratatouille, a little rat called Rémy dreams of becoming a chef. Throughout his adventures, he will find the courage to make his wish come true by drawing inspiration from the motto of the great chef Gusteau: his famous “Everyone can cook!”
If Pixar studios were to remake the film, I could see our friendly character dreaming of becoming a teacher. It would now be enough for him to find inspiration in the motto “Anyone can teach!”
Quality recruits
In 2020, Minister Roberge ended up recognizing that his biggest challenge was going to be the shortage of teachers. Quite a change of program, because five years earlier, the Liberal government announced an increase in the criteria for admission to teaching.
Nevertheless, between the recognition of a problem and the implementation of concrete actions to correct it, there is a huge gap. As the Higher Council for Education suggests, extensive reflection is required, particularly from the angles of recruitment and retention of candidates, conditions for admission to studies, initial training, support and measures to be put in place to promote professional integration, including a work organization that would facilitate this integration, as well as continuous professional development.
It is obvious that everyone wants very good quality recruitment, but how to reconcile actions aimed at reducing the shortage and actions focused on demanding recruitment criteria? How to ensure the quality of the services provided by the people who find themselves in front of the students?
Historically, in times of shortage, we make do with the available manpower. In teaching, in the current circumstances, the accommodations are so great that they would be rejected in other professions on the basis of arguments related to the protection of the public.
A controlled appellation
At the start of the school year, the Affluents School Services Center (CSSDA) was still looking for five permanent teachers. Not so bad? There was also a shortage of 65 teachers for contracts of 25 to 100%. And it is a single CSS.
I emphasize the word “teacher” here. The term should be defined.
Currently, I feel like everyone can call themselves a teacher.
I have a deep discomfort with the fact that the word “teacher” is not a controlled designation. If I am ready to accept that everyone can teach, I refuse that everyone can claim the title of teacher.
For example, staff could be referred to as trainees, apprentices, candidates for the profession or regular teachers. It’s high time to create an official signature (much like the “ing.” for engineers or the “CPA” for accountants). As Mylène Leroux says, teaching seems much easier than it is. Because everyone went to school.
It is not by leaving the right to appropriate the title of teacher to everyone that society will recognize the value of the profession.