UTS Cohort
About the UTS Cohort Option
The MT program currently partners with the University of Toronto Schools (UTS Grades 7-12) to offer a site-based teacher education option. The school and its community serve as a rich site of real world, professional learning. The focus of the MT-UTS cohort is to provide teacher candidates with an extended opportunity to be part of a school community over two semesters, and learn how its teachers, staff, admin, and students work intentionally to enact a vision for learning where innovation, social-responsibility, and an equity mindset come together.
About University of Toronto Schools (UTS)
UTS is a university preparatory school founded in 1910 and affiliated with the University of Toronto. Its vision aims to create a transformative learning community focused on intellectual growth and individual development.
Since 1910, UTS has been deeply committed to initial teacher education. Located just steps away from OISE along Bloor Street, UTS enjoys a newly renovated facility within the walls of its historic site. Highlights of the building include, four science labs, a design/ maker space, a black box theatre, 700-seat auditorium, and a fitness centre and double gym. It is also home to the Eureka! Research Institute, which is one of only a few education research institutes based at a secondary school in Canada.
UTS Cohort Information
Please review the following information to find out more about this opportunity.
- Experiential learning on site at UTS one day per week, from September through to April during candidates’ first year in the MT program.
- Opportunities to develop both knowledge of classroom teaching practices and practitioner-research skills through applied learning experiences in classrooms.
- A range of service-learning opportunities, such as supporting co-curricular activities (academic, athletic, arts, issues-based, entrepreneurship accelerator), exam proctoring, student mentoring, etc. in collaboration with school staff.
- Engage in professional learning workshops led by UTS teachers, staff, and administrators.
- Option to request a practicum placement at UTS (note: entry into this cohort does not guarantee a practicum placement at UTS as this depends on Associate Teacher availability each year).
- Access to the OISE workspace on the second floor of UTS. Teacher candidates also have access to UTS staff and student wifi while on site, as well as a login to the UTS virtual landscape (Google workspace, O365, internal websites).
- Opportunity to apply to facilitate a range of UTS Summer Camps (these are typically paid positions) over July and August between the first and second year in the program. Camp topics include urban planning, global health, neuroscience, speech & debate, and more.
- Opportunities to connect with a community of practitioner-researchers through the Eureka Research Institute. Please watch for announcements during the fall to apply for paid Research Assistantships.
- Teacher candidates who successfully complete the expectations for the MT-UTS cohort option receive credit for one of their two elective courses (CTL5716: Special Topics in Teaching: Youth Study, Observation & Inquiry). These teacher candidates also receive a signed letter of recognition from the school principal, highlighting the special professional learning experiences that were undertaken.
- This cohort will appeal to I/S teacher candidates who:
- Would like additional school-based experiential learning opportunities above and beyond their practicum placements.
- Are interested in being part of a school that centres social responsibility, and has adopted an action-focused anti-racism, equity, diversity, and inclusion mindset through a progressive commitment to brave, honest conversations and reflexive practice.
- Are interested in learning more about the Ontario independent school system, and possibly teaching in an independent school.
- Would like to learn more about school-based research (including laboratory schools), and developing their skills as practitioner-researchers.
- Are prepared to take on an additional 3-4 hours of study per week as part of the on-site experiential learning.
All interested incoming Intermediate-Senior teacher candidates are invited to apply to the MT-UTS cohort.
There will be an information session held as part of the MT June Jump-start Welcome event where prospective MT-UTS applicants can learn more about the cohort, meet some of the school staff, and ask questions. Following this session, an invitation to complete an online cohort application form will be sent via email to all incoming Intermediate-Senior teacher candidates.
On this form, you will be asked to submit a short statement (75-100 words) that speaks to why you are interested in this school-based cohort, how your interests and/or experiences align with the cohort focus, and to identify what contributions you believe you will make to the school-university partnership between MT and UTS.
Applicants will hear back over July and August about the status of their application.
- You have the same number of required courses, electives, and practicum blocks as other I/S students in the MT program, with the addition of the cohort experiential learning component on site at UTS (approximately 70 hours of additional school-based experience over the fall and winter semesters during year one of the program).
- You have the same option as other MT candidates to identify a public school board preference for your practicum placements from among our partner boards.
- Teacher candidates who are admitted to the MT-UTS cohort should be prepared to email a copy of their vulnerable sector check to the school administration. (Please keep any original/hard copies for submission to your preferred school board for your Year 1 practicum placements.)
- On the days that you are on site at UTS, you will follow the school’s daily schedule (currently 8:50am-3:45pm).
Questions?
Questions about the UTS Cohort can be sent to: Dr. Kim MacKinnon at kimberley.mackinnon@utoronto.ca.
Questions about MT Admissions can be sent to: mtinfo@utoronto.ca
