Graduates of Ontario's newest university already making their mark

OSHAWA, Ont. - Some might consider it a calling. But for Jaime Edwards, the decision to become a teacher was partly genetic. Both her mother and father are teachers - and she's married to one, too.

The newly minted teacher - one of 56 students to complete the university's Bachelor of Education program last June - is a great example of how UOIT graduates are already making an impact. She is currently teaching math, history, geography, language and drama to Grade 7 and 8 students at M.J. Hobbs Senior Public School in Hampton, Ont., part of the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board. "I'm extremely happy in the school I'm in," said the Courtice resident. "I absolutely love it."

Edwards said that, in some respects, she feels she was better prepared to start teaching this September than friends of hers who graduated from other universities: "I certainly have more classroom management ideas and experience than they do." UOIT's strength in technology was also a big plus, she added. "I'm well aware of how to integrate technology into my room, which I find is a big help, especially with the grades I have," she said. "Their generation is into technology. It definitely gains their attention and gets them interested in what they're learning."

Over at Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic Secondary School in Oshawa, UOIT grads Lynn Jeffs and Steve Kerr are teaching about 80 per cent of the Grade 9 and 10 math students in the school, estimated Kerr. Originally trained as an industrial engineer, Kerr at one point had his sights set on teaching primary and junior grades, before enrolling in UOIT's Faculty of Education, which is currently geared to teaching students in Grades 7 to 12. "Here I am in a high school job," he said, "and I'm loving it. It's worked out better than I could have imagined."

Like Edwards, Kerr said UOIT prepared him particularly well in terms of technology, assessment and evaluation. "But the learning never stops," he added. "If you're coming into this profession with the right attitude, you're going to enjoy it. It's a labour of love."

For Kerr, education equates with love in more ways than one. He met his fiancée, fellow teaching grad Antonietta Cillo, during their studies at UOIT. Their wedding is planned for next July.

At Oshawa's Central Collegiate Institute, graduate Paul Wayling said he appreciates the fact that most professors at UOIT's Faculty of Education have worked in schools relatively recently. "So a lot of what they were teaching was very practical," he noted. "They know what's going on. And that's what sticks with you - the real stories they tell you."

In a tight market for teaching jobs this year, UOIT grads have done well. With the elimination of Grade 13 (OAC), teachers who taught fifth-year courses had to be absorbed into other grades. Even so, about half of UOIT's 56 teaching grads have already found full-time work, a rate that compares very favourably with other faculties of education in Ontario.

"All things considered, I am very pleased with the placement rates for our first graduating class," said William Hunter, Dean of the Faculty of Education. "Every week, we hear of more students who have been given teaching positions. More importantly, our graduates are telling us they feel well prepared and are enjoying their new careers. I believe the performance of these first graduates will serve our program and our future graduates well."

UOIT's Faculty of Education focuses on the teaching of science, math and technology. Its enrolment stands at 91 students this year.

About the University of Ontario Institute of Technology

As the province's newest university, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology provides a unique combination of academic knowledge, vibrant student life, leading-edge research, and hands-on skills. The university offers career-focused undergraduate degree
programs in the fields of business and information technology, health sciences, social science, applied science, the pure sciences, engineering, and education. It is also developing leading-edge research and graduate programs, and is Ontario's first laptop-based university. Sharing selected services with Durham College, UOIT welcomed its first students in September 2003. To find out more, visit www.uoit.ca or call 1.866.844.8648.

About Ontario Tech University
A modern, forwarding-thinking university, Ontario Tech advances the discovery and application of knowledge to accelerate economic growth, regional development and social innovation. We inspire and equip our students and our graduates to make a positive impact in a tech-focused world. For us, it’s not only about developing the next tech breakthrough. Understanding and integrating the social and ethical implications of technology differentiates us as university. Learn more at ontariotechu.ca.

Media contact
John Schofield
Communications and Marketing
Ontario Tech University
905.721.8668, ext. 2162
john.schofield@uoit.ca