Since 1986-06-01, teachers offered new contracts have been required to possess the necessary qualifications, as stated in writing by the Board, for a teaching position in School District No. 41 – Burnaby. Subsequently, existing members of teaching staff wishing to change roles have also been required to demonstrate the necessary qualifications for the new position. Effective 2007-05-01, the revised necessary qualifications for a teaching position in Burnaby include:
- a Bachelor’s degree or academic equivalent in an appropriate field of study;
- a valid B.C. teaching certificate;
- a knowledge of a broad range of effective instructional strategies in order to meet the diverse needs of all students;
- a knowledge of consultative and collaborative strategies;
- recent, successful, substantive teaching or practica experience in the relevant subject area
In addition to the foregoing generic qualifications, the necessary qualifications for specific teaching positions are indicated below. Where specific bona fide needs exist in a particular assignment, additional qualifications may be required.
In order to compensate for different course credit and unit systems used by different universities, the qualifications listed are defined operationally in terms of credits. For example: a course taken for one semester will equal 3 credits while a course taken for a full term is equal to 6 credits.
1. Kindergarten
- a Bachelor of Education (Elementary) degree or academic equivalent
- a minimum of 18 credits of course work in the area of early childhood education
- a kindergarten methodology course
2. Elementary Generalist: Primary including K/1 or 3/4
- a Bachelor of Education (Elementary) degree or academic equivalent
- a major program concentration in the area of primary education. Course work which provides a balanced approach to literacy instruction including explicit teaching of decoding and reading fluency in the primary classroom (e.g. SFU EDUC 473W-4, UBC LLED 310 and 320) or a long primary practicum
- primary methodology courses
3. Elementary Generalist: Intermediate
- a Bachelor of Education (Elementary) degree or academic equivalent
- a major program concentration in the areas of intermediate education. Long practicum may be in either primary or intermediate.
- intermediate methodology courses
4. French Immersion: Elementary
- a Bachelor of Education degree or academic equivalent
- a demonstrated fluency and facility (both oral and written) in French and English
- a French Immersion methodology course
- a major program concentration in the relevant area of primary or intermediate education including primary or intermediate methodology courses as noted above
5. Music: Elementary
- a Bachelor of Music or Music Education degree or academic equivalent
- a major concentration in music education in an applicable area such as Orff (Level II) or Kodaly
- music education teaching methodology courses in the relevant areas
- course work and/or knowledge of choral music instruction for young voices
6. Teacher-Librarian: Elementary
- a Bachelor of Education (Elementary) degree or academic equivalent
- a major or diploma in Teacher-Librarianship
7. Art: Elementary/Secondary
- a Bachelor of Fine Art or Education degree or equivalent
- art courses at the 300/400 level equal to 18 credits relevant to prescribed curriculum
- art teaching methodology course
8. Drama: Elementary/Secondary
- a Bachelor of Arts, Fine Arts or Education degree or equivalent
- drama courses at the 300/400 level equal to 18 credits relevant to prescribed curriculum
- drama teaching methodology courses
9. Physical Education: Elementary/Secondary
- a Bachelor of Physical Education or Education degree or academic equivalent
- physical education courses at the 300/400 level equal to 18 credits including courses such as fitness, games, dance, active health, leadership and gymnastics
- a physical education teaching methodology course
10. Business Education: Secondary
- a Bachelor of Arts, Commerce or Education degree or academic equivalent
- courses at the 300/400 level equal to 18 credits in subject areas such as accounting, typing, shorthand, word processing and marketing which are relevant to prescribed curriculum
- business education teaching methodology
11. English: Secondary
- a Bachelor of Arts or Education degree or academic equivalent
- English courses at the 300/400 level equal to 18 credits relevant to prescribed curriculum
- an English teaching methodology course
12. Home Economics: Secondary
- a Bachelor of Home Economics or Education degree or equivalent
- home economics courses at the 300/400 level equal to 18 credits relevant to prescribed curriculum
- a home economics teaching methodology course.
13. Languages: Secondary
- a Bachelor of Arts or Education degree of academic equivalent
- demonstrated fluency and facility (both oral and written ) in English and the second language
courses at the 300/400 level equal to 18 credits in a relevant language such as French, Spanish and German, Japanese, Italian or Mandarin - a relevant teaching methodology course
14. Mathematics: Secondary
- a Bachelor of Arts, Science, Applied Science or Education degree or academic equivalent
- math courses at the 300/400 level equal to 18 credits relevant to prescribed curriculum
- a mathematics teaching methodology course
15. Music: Secondary
- a Bachelor of Music or Music Education degree or academic equivalent
- a major concentration in music education in an applicable area such as instrumental or choral music
- course work and/or knowledge of strategies for instruction in electronic music
- music education teaching methodology courses in the relevant areas
16. Science: Secondary
- a Bachelor of Science, Applied Science or Education degree or academic equivalent
- courses at the 300/400 level equal to 18 credits in subject areas such as biology, chemistry and physics which are relevant to the specific assignment
- a science teaching methodology course
17. Social Studies: Secondary
- a Bachelor of Arts or Education degree or academic equivalent
- courses at the 300/400 level equal to 18 credits in subject areas such as history, geography, economics and political science which are relevant to prescribed curriculum
- a social studies teaching methodology course
18. Teacher-Librarian: Secondary
- a Bachelor of Education degree or academic equivalent
- a Master of Library Science
- a knowledge of modern information technologies and computerized resource centre management systems
19. Technology Education: Secondary
- a Bachelor of Education degree (Technology or Industrial Education concentration) or academic equivalent
- industrial education courses equal to 33 units which are relevant to prescribed curriculum
- including appropriate teaching methodology courses for the assignment
20. Behaviour
- a Bachelor of Education degree or academic equivalent
- two years of successful teaching experience in regular programs
- courses designed to meet the diverse needs of students equal to a minimum of 30 credits including at least 18 credits of course work dealing with the education of students with mental illness or behaviour disorders, motivational techniques, and Functional Behavioural Assessment and Positive Behaviour Support
21. Career Programs
- Career Program Advisor:
- demonstrated marketing skills
- demonstrated awareness and involvement in the community
- Career Program Teacher:
- teaching qualification in appropriate trade (i.e. Ace It) or appropriate industry certification appropriate to the Industrial Certificate Program curriculum.
22. Counsellor: Elementary/Secondary
- a Master’s degree in Counselling or Counselling Psychology
- successful teaching experience at the appropriate level
23. Deaf and Hard of Hearing
- a Bachelor of Education degree or academic equivalent
- a Master’s degree or diploma in the education of the deaf and hard of hearing or certification by the Canadian Association of Educators of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CAEDHH)
fluency in sign plus the qualifications for specific teaching assignments are required for the Provincial School for the Deaf
24. English as a Second Language
- a Bachelor of Education degree or academic equivalent
- courses equal to 30 credits including 12 credits in linguistics (of which 6 credits shall relate to second language acquisition) plus 6 credits in ESL methodology and 6 credits in cross-culture education. Consideration will be given to applicants with UBC’s Language & Literacy 489 and Language & Literacy 478 or equivalent courses from another University.
- two years of successful teaching experience in regular programs is preferred
25. Hospital/Homebound
- a Bachelor of Education degree or academic equivalent
- two years of successful teaching experience in regular programs
- courses designed to meet the needs of students with mental illness or behaviour disorders
thorough knowledge of prescribed curriculum appropriate to the ages of the students taught
thorough knowledge of distributed learning
26. Learning Support Services Resource Teacher
- a Bachelor of Education degree or academic equivalent
- two years of successful teaching experience in the regular classroom
- courses designed to meet the diverse needs of exceptional learners equal to a minimum of 30 credits in the following areas: students with special needs, assessment/testing theory and practice, strategies for adapting and modification of curriculum, learning disabilities, giftedness, assistive technology or augmentative communication, ASD, Functional Behavioural Assessment and Positive Behaviour Support, and differentiated instruction
demonstrated fluency and facility (both oral and written) in English and French when working in the French Immersion program
27. Resource Teacher: Specialty High Incidence (Secondary)
- a Bachelor of Education degree or academic equivalent
- two years of successful teaching experience in regular programs
- courses designed to meet the diverse needs of exceptional learners equal to a minimum of 30 credits in the following areas: students with special needs, assessment/testing theory and practice, strategies for adapting and modification of curriculum, learning disabilities, giftedness, assistive technology or augmentative communication, ASD, Functional Behavioural Assessment and Positive Behaviour Support, and differentiated instruction
demonstrated fluency and facility (both oral and written) in English and French when working in the French Immersion program
28. Resource Teacher: Specialty Low Incidence
- a Bachelor of Education degree or academic equivalent
- two years of successful teaching experience in the regular classroom
- courses designed to meet the diverse needs of exceptional learners equal to a minimum of 30 credits in the following areas: students with special needs, assessment/testing theory and practice, strategies for adapting and modification of curriculum, learning disabilities, giftedness, assistive technology or augmentative communication, ASD, Functional Behavioural Assessment and Positive Behaviour Support, and differentiated instruction
advanced coursework in supporting students with dependent needs, augmentative communication, technology or augmentative communication, ASD, Functional Assessment and Positive Behaviour Support
29. Vision Impaired
- a Bachelor of Education degree or academic equivalent
- a Master’s degree or diploma in the education of visually impaired
30. School Psychologist
- Master’s degree in School/Educational Psychology, or related field with a focus on school psychology
- possess or eligible for membership in the B.C. Association of School Psychologists
31. Speech and Language Pathologist
- Masters degree in Speech Language Pathology
- related experience (preferably in an education environment)
- proof of registration with the College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC (CSHHPBC).