McGill committed to training teachers

Re: “How to attract more teachers” (Letters, Sept. 13)

We would like to offer clarification with respect to McGill University’s two teacher certification paths.

First, we do offer a two-year post-bachelor degree leading to secondary teacher certification and have done so since 2012.

Our Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning (MATL) program is designed for those with a bachelor’s degree in the relevant area, and offers courses intensively in the summer, in the evenings and online, to accommodate working professionals.

We also offer advanced standing in our four-year bachelor of education (B.Ed.) programs, and students with prior university level studies can potentially complete the B.Ed. in two years.

Furthermore, Quebec tuition rates are the lowest in Canada for provincial residents, making access to teacher education affordable.

There is an emerging shortage of teachers across Canada.

Our commitment to teacher education is to provide those interested in becoming teachers with the skills, aptitudes and abilities to prepare for a complex and changing world.

Caroline Riches, teacher education program director; Sheryl Smith-Gilman, assistant B.Ed. program director; Lisa Starr, director of internships and student affairs; faculty of education, McGill University