At Chutes High School in Shawinigan, a non-teacher teaches two French classes, an extraordinary solution to fill the schools’ labor shortages.
A French class has had a very special teacher since January. He has neither a bachelor’s degree in teaching nor experience in the field.
However, due to the labor shortage, Patrick Bégin decided to make a career change by giving his name on behalf. After the holidays he was asked to take two-thirds responsibility for two French groups and he accepted the challenge.
With his past as a journalist, he has a lot of knowledge that can help him teach French. His arrival on the school team still presents some challenges, starting with coaching.
“I told the director straight away that I was going for the adventure, but I wanted to be very well looked after. I would like to have mentoring. So what I did to start was going to French class,” explained Mr Bégin, who wanted to explore class dynamics and take an example from peers.
Mylène Riendeau, another teacher, took him under her wing. She helps him prepare for his classes and exams and answers all his questions.
“We planned course after course for a month and a half. He practiced, I answered his questions. Sometimes it was me who pretended to give a 10-minute lesson to help him,” Ms. Riendeau said.
One of the biggest challenges, although the teacher shortage is significant, is providing stability for the students. Otherwise, the effects are likely to be felt.
“If it’s never the same person who accompanies you and the person doesn’t necessarily know where they’re going from one lesson to the next, that’s for sure [chez] In young people, demotivation occurs and learning is less successful afterwards,” said the director of the school, Yves Dessureault.
The Center de services scolaire de l’Énergie called 44 non-legally qualified teachers this year. Last year there were only 31 who were asked. “At all times we’ve had staff who didn’t necessarily have a bachelor’s degree in education but who still had qualifications,” added Mr. Dessureault.
He also believed that in addition to qualifications, a good teacher must also have a good personality, which is part of the recipe for success in finding a teacher.
The challenges for the administration, the teacher, the students and the rest of the staff are therefore numerous, but sometimes it is the only option to ensure that classes like Mr Bégin’s have the right to a teacher throughout the year.