french degree, 4 yr old son, want to live in québec!

[yankeegal51]

Hi, Firstly let me say what a fabulous idea to have a forum like this. I find help from people have done this sort of things will tell you what the textbooks can't!

Anyway for my third year of my french degree I chose to go to Canada instead of France. Now of course I want to go back there and live!
I have a degree in French, have lived in Québec for a year and now have a four year opld son. I have been researching everywhere and have found that to go across to Canada as a skilled worker that it will take 4 years!!

I have a little capital in my house and would like to use that when I go across but my main concern is any hints and tips for applying! (I have passed the 67 points online needed to be provisionally accepted)
I would also like advice on finding a job over there. I am also a teacher in England and have been teaching French for 6 years. My concern is that I would not be able to teach French to native québecois with my level of French. Also I would love to find a school in Québec that is bi-lingual for my 4 year (or 8yr old if the permit takes that long) so that he is able to progress whilst being taught French at a high level. The weather is not a problem for me and is actually one of the reasons why I want to go back.
ALL help would be extremely welcome and I appreciate people taking the time to read my humongous essay!!!

Kerry

[DTHOMAS]

Hi:
I can't answer any questions r/e the emigration process, but I can regarding the high school teaching aspect.

To teach high school in Quebec (and Ontario, BC, Alberta, etc.) you need a recognised teaching diploma or teaching certificate. This will need to be submitted to the appropriate provincial ministry of education (the MELS in Quebec). You will also need to provide a police background check and character witness affidavit - this must originate from your home nation. Each province, and even school board, has its own requirements.

There is a shortage of teachers in Quebec (high school Subjects: English Math/Sciences, French Language, French Math/Sciences/SocialSciences) so finding work should not be a huge problem; it depends where you want to live. Remote areas have huge teacher demand. Public school boards are all non-denominational, but language based (English school boards and French school boards); you can teach in either. Private schools are self-governing, but regulated by the government.

Other provinces in Canada, especially Ontario, Alberta and BC have a very high demand for French teachers (and French-subject teachers). Finding work teaching French in these provinces should not be a problem.

The hiring of new teachers usually takes place between the months of May-August (not: almost all school board offices are closed from mid-July to mid-August, ergo, no hiring of staff).

To find work you need to: contact each school board, and very possibly, the schools you wish to teach. There is (contrary to popular belief) NO centralised Canadian education system of of management or governing body. Education is all localised by province, region and school board (lastly - the schools themselves).

As to your abilityto teach with your level of French, that is a decision you will have to make based on your confidence; you have been doing it for six years already, so I can't imagine your teaching being problematic.

Because of the Quebec Bill/Law 101, all immigrant children must attend French school; there are no exceptions to this rule, unless your child has a learning disability in French, and their language of instruction is a language other than French (duh!); it is a highly controversial law, but everyone in Quebec basically accepts it and lives with it. There was a loophole where you could send your child to a private English school for 1-2 years and then switch them to English public school, but I believe that has now closed.

One comment on the ever popular topic of the weather; I assume you are aware that 99% of Quebec suffers a 5-6 month winter? In Montreal (Southern Quebec!) we have had snow on the ground since late October; as I look out the window, I see 36 inches of white-sh*t that will probably be here until mid-May. Don't kid yourself - the winter is a real BAS*ARD.

Good luck, and repost any particular detailed questions you may have - I may have some info.

[yankeegal51]

Thank you DTHOMAs for getting back to me. Firstly let me say a huge thank you for all the information. I have previously lived in Québec for over a year and know exactly what the weather is like. That's one of the things I love about it. Crazy I know!!! The other is I re: my comment on my confidence in French, my concern there was that they would be asking a foreigner to teach them their own language and I wouldn't be as good as a native speaker.
The situation with my son does freak me a little as I would like him to be immersed in the french language but if he is taught solely in French this will hold him back as he would not learn anything until he could understand French.
Just some of the concerns I have......as for the school board would I just ring them up and say 'hey I need a job'? Also where would I be able to get this teaching certificate needed to teach over there?

Thanks again for your help!

[DTHOMAS]

As I previously noted, if you feel that you are confident enough as a French-language teacher - then there is no reason not to go for it. I work with many non-native French teachers (Algerian, Haitian, Grenadian, etc.)

In Quebec, all immigrant children attend French-only schools; they are placed in classe-d'acceuil - a high intensity French-only programme. English is offered as a subject, but not at the early years (grades K-2 I believe). English is offered more in later grades - especially in high school.

Here are some URLS r/e school boards, and the Quebec Education Ministry (MELS); try e-mail and telephone calls - talk to somebody if you can. Almost all jobs in Canada are obtained by networking and personal contacts (we are very conservative in our method):


QESBA - Central Québec School Board

Fédération des commissions scolaires du Québec - FCSQ

Ministère de l'Éducation

Regarding the teaching certificate: If you have a B.ed from a recognised university in the teachable subject (French), you should be ok. If you have a undergrad degree in a non-teacable subject, then you could get a teaching certificate in the UK; many Universities offer them (one year course). If You do not have an undergrad degree - then you need to get one to teach in Quebec (or Canada) - this will take 3-4 years, depending on the programme.

Good luck - repost for more info

[yankeegal51]

Fabulous thanks!!! I do have a BA in French so that should be fine. I will check out the URLs you have given me. Thanks for your help.
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