TDSB Toronto South Cohort @ Dr. Rita Cox - Kina Minagok P.S. (P/J)
About the Toronto South Cohort @ Dr. Rita Cox - Kina Minagok (DRCKM) Public School
The MT program is partnering with TDSB’s Dr Rita Cox - Kina Minagok Public School to offer a school-based teacher education option for MT candidates in the P/J division. The focus of the MT-TDSB P/J cohort is to provide teacher candidates with an opportunity to be part of a school community over two semesters (year 1) and learn how school staff and students work intentionally to enact commitments to access, inclusion and high expectations for all. Located at Dr. Rita Cox-Kina Minagok (King & Dufferin), the school site is accessible by TTC only (no parking on school site).
Dr. Rita Cox – Kina Minagok Public School is an inner-city, JK to grade 8, school serving a large, diverse student population in Parkdale. The school was renamed for the revered community librarian and veteran advocate for children’s literacy, Dr. Rita Cox. Kina Minagok is an Indigenous phrase that translates to "All Grows Well Together" and signifies the school and community’s role in nurturing the growth of students.
DRC-KM strives for Kindness each day & we need your help!
‘Kina Minagok…All Grows Well Together’
Dr. Rita Cox – Kina Minagok is committed to providing a safe and secure environment and to maintaining an ideal learning and working atmosphere that respects the rights of all members of the school community.
School Motto:
Work Hard: Be here every day. Be on time. Concentrate and listen. Complete assignments and homework. Read every day. Do your best at all times. Take responsibility for learning.
Work Smart: Follow instructions. Ask questions. Set goals and make a plan. Ask others for help. Try new activities. Learn from experiences. Enjoy each day. Use your time wisely
Work Together: Listen to others. Help one another. Participate. Celebrate successes. Walk inside the school. Play safely in the yard. We are a team. Do not litter. Reduce, reuse and recycle.
DRCKM Cohort Information
- Teacher candidates in the Dr. Rita Cox – Kina Minagok (DRCKM) school-cohort attend one day of class at this school and four days on site at OISE, from September to April in Year 1. This cohort has the same number of required courses, electives, and practicum blocks as other P/J students in the MT program, with the key difference being that two of the courses typically held at OISE are held at Dr. Rita Cox – Kina Minagok (JK-Grade 8).
- As part of this school-cohort teacher candidates will also have the opportunity to:
- Engage in classroom observations as part of the two courses held at the school site which provides an opportunity to connect theory to practice.
- Participate in workshops and presentations led by DRCKM and/or TDSB teachers, staff, students, and administrators.
- Connect to the school’s improvement plan through the cohort’s school-based courses to promote a reciprocal experiential learning opportunity. This will require teacher candidates in this option to have a cleared Vulnerable Sector police check PRIOR to the first day of TDSB classes (i.e., Tuesday after Labour Day)
- Be considered for a practicum placement at DRCKM (note: entry into this cohort does not guarantee a practicum placement at DRCKM as this depends on Associate Teacher availability each year). Depending on Associate Teacher availability/preferences, collaborative placements may be considered.
- For 2026-27, the MT timetable does not support teacher candidates in Black Future Educators’ Pathway (BFEP) to also participate in this TDSB PJ Cohort
The DRCKM school-cohort provides P/J teacher candidates with the opportunity to:
1. Have additional school-based experiential learning beyond their practicum placements as part of the two courses offered at the school site.
2. Learn to connect school context as a key aspect of planning and delivering effective learning opportunities to a range of learners
3. Be connected to a community of inquiry that considers school context and school data as part of the theoretical learning about instructional design, effective assessment practices and practitioner inquiry.
There will be information provided at the “MT June Jump-Start” event during the P/J divisional session where P/J candidates can learn more about the school-cohort and ask questions. Following this session, all incoming P/J teacher candidates will receive a link to a form to determine their interest in the P/J school cohorts.
Applicants will be notified in August about their cohort assignment.
Questions?
Questions about the Dr. Rita Cox-Kina Minagok cohort can be directed to Dr. Kim Jensen (MT Program Coordinator) at kim.jensen@utoronto.ca
Questions about general MT inquiries can be sent to mtinfo@utoronto.ca
