In this article, we look at how to become a Geography teacher in Canada. Are you from Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia or America and want to work as a Geography teacher in Canada? Don’t worry, because this article will show you how to do just that.
In our previous article, we discussed how to become a Geography teacher in Ireland, but today, we will look at how to get a Geography teaching job in one of world’s most developed countries.
Roles of a Geography Teacher
Some of the roles and responsibilities of a geography teacher include:
- Motivating and inspiring students to learn more about the physical world around them and how it develops and changes.
- Educating young people by assisting them in comprehending how the environment affects people and how they shape the environments in which they live.
- Teaching students of various ages and abilities in order to prepare them for National Qualifications and Highers in this subject.
- Development of lesson plans and instructional materials.
- Assess students’ progress and mark their work as well as set homework.
- Managing classroom behaviour and discussing students’ progress with parents and carers
- Plan study trips, social outings, and sporting events.
- Encouraging and assisting students in developing positive relationships with their peers and teachers.
- Handling difficult behavior
- Attending meetings and training courses as well as working closely with colleagues to plan the school’s timetables and working with other experts such as educational psychologists and social workers
Skills of a Geography Teacher
Below are some of the skills needed to become an effective Geography teacher. He/she should be;
- Supportive
- A Coach
- A Mentor
- A Motivator
- A Skills Explorer
- Capable of effective verbal communication
- Capable of communicating in writing
- Empathising
- Respecting
- Ethical
Duties of a Typical Geography Teacher
- Evaluate students’ progress and share findings with students, parents, and school officials.
- Assign and correct homework.
- Train student teachers.
- Prepare subject matter for presentation in accordance with a curriculum that has been approved.
- Prepare, administer and correct tests.
- Deliver audio-visual presentations.
- Train students in a laboratory.
- conduct shop and field studies.
- Capable of improvising.
- Capable of managing tight deadlines.
How do I become a Geography teacher
Geography teachers need to be fully experienced and qualified to ensure that their students succeed with a uniquely enhanced curriculum and care.
Understanding how to become a Geography teacher in Canada requires knowing that the process varies a little from a particular province or territory to another. Geography teachers are certified either provincially or territorially. The process is slightly different depending on where you live or intend to secure a geography teaching job. You can only teach in a province or territory where you are certified.
What Qualifications do you need to become a Geography Teacher
To become a Geography teacher in Canada, you need a bachelor’s degree, a first aid certificate, experience of at least 2 years to less than 3 years and a Provincial or Territorial Teaching Certificate.
Requirements to become a Geography teacher in the Canadian public school system include:
- Earn a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree from a recognized university, including a practicum (a period of supervised classroom teaching).
- Get a teacher’s certification through the governing body for education in your province or territory in Canada.
- Decide where you want to teach as a Geography teacher. Teacher certification is a provincial and territorial responsibility, which means the requirements vary by province or territory. However, the amount of effort that an aspiring Geography teacher invests in their education is pretty consistent across Canada. No region provides a shortcut to becoming a Geography teacher. So think about where you want to work and reside.
If you live in Ontario and want to teach in BC after graduation, complete your education in British Columbia. The reason is that education programs at British Columbia universities are designed to meet the requirements for how to become a teacher in BC.
- Consider which grades you want to teach. It’s smart to decide which grades you want to teach Geography.
- Obtain certification. It’s important that you apply for certification through the governing agency for teachers in your province or territory. The exact requirements vary by region, but you generally need to provide proof of the following:
- Your education, including the teaching programs you have undergone
- Your teaching experience, including your student-teaching practicum
- Your suitability for the job, which may require you to provide letters of reference and undergo a criminal record check.
To secure a teaching job in Canada, you may have to join a professional association for teachers. These teachers associations or unions can help in providing networking opportunities, job information to assist you with the process of learning how to become a Geography teacher.
Note that becoming a Geography teacher takes about four to six years. And if you have a degree already, you could be teaching after just a year or two of study.
In Canada, there are many rewards to becoming a Geography teacher, and salary is just one of them.
To become a Geography teacher in Canada, you need to keep your records and online activity clean. And as well, when applying for certification, you may undergo a criminal record check.
What on average does a Geography teacher make an hour
The salary of a typical Geography teacher in Canada is $17.00 hourly for 1 to 40 hours per week