Policies
Faculty is expected to maintain the Coquitlam College mission statement and goals. Faculty is required to remain current in their approach to all aspects of teaching in order to deliver, enhance and advance student learning.
Full time and part time faculty members are responsible for the delivery of instructional and related services associated with each individual course offered per semester. In addition, faculty is required to schedule a minimum of one hour of office time per week per class. Faculty must be present throughout their office hours. It is recommended that faculty be available to students outside their posted office hours as needed.
Instructors at Coquitlam College are required to perform all teaching duties and marking duties within each individual course. Instructors must not assign or appoint teaching assistants.
Employees will be called upon to perform related administrative duties, attend official college functions and participate in staff or general meetings regarding the ongoing operation of the college.
Academic and personal counseling are provided to both faculty and students through Student Services. Faculty is not scheduled to provide regular or on-going counseling to students. However, any assistance provided to students in need is always positive and sanctioned by the Senior Administrators.
Coquitlam College is committed to high quality professional teaching. Instructors should use feedback from student evaluations and professional development to help them improve the quality of their work. The College strives to create a working environment where faculty, department heads and senior administrators work closely together. As a result of these efforts, many opportunities for professional discussion are presented and taken advantage of.
To ensure that instructors receive feedback on effective and ineffective teaching, all instructors are required to collect anonymous student evaluations, which will be examined by the instructor after submission of final grades each semester. The purpose of these student evaluations is for instructor professional development. It is the responsibility of the instructor to be prepared to discuss their evaluations with their Department Head every semester.
Long term faculty is regularly evaluated through student evaluations, Department Head observation as well as feedback from students provided to the Counsellors. All of these indicators are initially used by the Department Head for discussion with their faculty members. Senior Administrators will utilize these methods to discuss the evaluation of instructional faculty and Department Heads. Suggestions for improvement will first be conducted by the Department Head; and should further attention be required, it will be addressed by the Department Head in conjunction with the Senior Administrators.
The evaluation process for Sessional Instructors will include student evaluations and classroom assessment performed by the Department Head within the first 3 months of their work and in subsequent semesters, if the contract continues.
Student Evaluations
To ensure that instructors receive feedback on effective and ineffective teaching techniques, all instructors are required to have formative student evaluations, which will be examined by the instructor after submission of final grades. The purpose of this evaluation is for instructor’s professional development, and the instructor will review the evaluations. At the beginning of the following semester, instructors should be prepared to discuss the evaluations with the department chair.
Growth Plans
Instructors are evaluated by ongoing discussion with the Principal or Vice-Principal through the use of professional Growth Plans. Growth Plans and other materials relating to teacher evaluation are kept on file.
Coquitlam College is committed to quality teaching. Instructors should use feedback from the principal and student evaluations to help them improve the quality of their work. Coquitlam College works hard to create a working environment where teachers and administration work closely together and as a result, many opportunities for professional discussion are presented and taken advantage of.
To Start With:
- Get the appropriate tax/employment forms from Linda in the office, fill out and return to her.
- Get a parking pass from Jocelyn to put in your car (if you have one).
- Locate and identify your mailbox in the staff room.
- Get a legal size folder and label it with your name for photocopying.
Daily/Weekly/Monthly Chores
- Monday mornings you will receive attendance sheets. Check to see that all students are listed in the appropriate classes. If there is a problem, identify it and give the sheets to the program coordinator who will have the problem fixed on the office computer.
- You may receive a small white paper concerning an individual student’s medical insurance coverage. If you do, file it with the others so it can be determined who can and who cannot go on the weekly field trips. Students 20 and over do not need insurance (but it’s a good idea). Those under 19 must have insurance.
- Early in the last week of the month you will get a “grades” sheet. Please put “P” or “F” in the spot provided. The monthly program does not mark according to test or quiz performance. We mark on two things: attendance and participation. If a student’s attendance is better than 75% and her/his attitude has been good, they pass. If not then their failure can be discussed among the monthly program teachers.
- During the regular school year you must attend staff meetings. All ESL department meetings are held in the ESL office. All general staff meetings are held in Room 12. There will be a notice on the white board in the staff room a few days in advance.
- Photocopying should be handed in two days (48 hours) before it is needed. If possible keep grammar and writing class copying to a minimum, use the overhead or the chalkboard instead. Also there are a few small class sets for reading so please use these as much as possible.
About the Program
- Please use the provided materials with care and return them ASAP. We run on a twelve week rotating thematic basis. Each student can attend our program for up to 3 months (12 weeks). In this way we assure each student that there will be no overlap or repetition of content or activities.
- The grammar program is a modified independent study program. We provide books and answer keys as well as a list of the units and exercises the student should be working on. The amount of oral review/preview work required is up to you. Please remember that students will be at different points in the book, so do not attempt general class work.
- The writing program has been laid out in 3 month (12 week) skill and practice lessons. There are optional, thematically related writing activities at the back of the writing binders. If you think of a great writing exercise that fits one of the skills or one of the themes, please feel free to add it to the binder.
- The reading and conversation programs are all arranged according to the weekly themes. These themes must be followed in order to avoid repetition. However you are free to use any of your own materials which relate to those themes. Be sure to make an extra copy and put it in the binder for use by other teachers in the future. We love to get new stuff!!
- Field trips are a big part of our program. You will be required to attend all trips as well as take turns planning and organizing them. We have a trip budget of $10 per student per week. The monthly program has a calendar so you can keep track of what trips have been done recently. After the trip you should report your expenditures to the program coordinator who will record it in the budget book. The last day of each month is usually a party day. You can plan movies, videos, bowling, amusement parks or whatever else that is primarily fun. The other 3 (or 4) trips should be fun but also educational. Think of Q & A’s you could do or fill in the blanks, anything to make it a learning experience as well as being fun.
- In addition to these weekly trips feel free to take your students on class trips to nearby locations. Whole afternoons can be spent at libraries or malls or even in the field out back, anything which makes the day more enjoyable for all.
- A key component of our program is to have fun. Our program is educational but the late spring/summer students also expect to have a good time. Some students are visiting, some are immigrants, and some are here on student visa’s. We want all of our students to learn and have fun. A big part of your job is to entertain as well as inform. There are no real tests or exams and even no quizzes if you choose. We just try to give them a well-rounded experience so they will come back again, or join the regular program or send their sisters or brothers or cousins. If they leave we want them to take good memories with them. It sounds corny but it is true.
- Enjoy! This should be one of the most fun and strangely relaxing teaching jobs you will have. There is little pressure to “make-up” stuff, but you can certainly add to the program. We have the trips which are really enjoyable, and for the most part the students are open to anything.
By signing the following document, I grant Coquitlam College the right to use and publish my photographs and/or testimonial, for the purpose of promotion, without restriction.
| X___________________________________________________________ (SEAL) SIGNATURE |
| _____________________________________________________________ NAME |
| _____________________________________________________________ ADDRESS (Line 1) |
| _____________________________________________________________ |
| _____________________________________________________________ DATE |
| X____________________________________________________________ (SEAL) WITNESS |
| _____________________________________________________________ ADDRESS (Line 1) |
| _____________________________________________________________ |
Generally the administration will substitute in classrooms where teachers are absent. For the first day, the coverage will be limited to the taking of attendance and the introduction of the lesson plan which has been phoned or faxed in by the absent staff member.
Classes will only be cancelled under exceptional circumstances.
Administrative staff will endeavor to spend as much time as possible in ESL Beginner classes.
Teaching staff should have current emergency lesson plans ready to phone or fax in to the college when they are absent. Lesson plans should be simple and easily implemented.
When there is the likelihood of a prolonged absence, the college will hire a substitute.
No teaching faculty or staff are allowed to tutor Coquitlam College students outside of regular hours. It is acceptable to assist a student within class or office hours but time spent must be fair and consistent to benefit all students in the class.
The following arrangements apply to situations within Coquitlam College in which members of the faculty participate in the creation of instructional materials as part of their work for the College. The arrangements will not apply to the use of already existing materials in classes, to the copying or minor edition or rearranging of existing materials. These arrangements will apply only to the creation of instructional materials in cases where a significant amount of research and/or creative work has been required for the creation of instructional materials which are original.
Copyright
When an employee is assigned to develop instructional strategies/materials, copyright law provide that the copyright of the these strategies/materials rests with the College in the first instance. Recognizing that the College is not a publishing house, and that the potential for royalty is strong motivation to authors and creators of innovative instructional strategies/materials, the copyright shall, upon request of the authors, be released to the authors on the following conditions:
- That the College retains the right in perpetuity and without penalty to use these strategies/materials and/or alter these strategies/materials for their use but not for the purpose of profit.
Authorship
For the purpose of this agreement the term “author” will mean the employee(s) responsible for the educational content of new materials and who play significant creative roles in the design and realization of the materials. If more than one person is involved in authorship, they shall have the right to determine the percentage of authorship borne by each such employee. In cases where agreement has not been reached when the work is completed, the College shall determine the proportion of authorship borne by each such employee.
Author’s Copy
In all cases where instructional materials are produced pursuant to this provision, the College will provide the author one copy of the completed material, for the cost of the materials consumed in making that copy.
Staff members can request for Extended Health and Dental coverage when on leave of absence. Extended Health and Dental coverage will be covered up to a maximum of four (4) months and only once every four years. All disability coverage will cease while on a leave of absence. Prior to the leave of absence it is the responsibility of the staff member to make the request for Extended Health and Dental coverage with the Principal/Registrar and be approved by the Insurance Carrier.
Assessment: At the beginning of each term, the students’ grades are given out to teachers to screen out students that have been misplaced according to final grades.
Be sure to assess your students as quickly as possible. If you feel they are not suited to your class, look into moving them out in the first 2 weeks. Students who want to plug away in your class, yet are unable to meet the objectives, may receive an audit for the course providing their attendance has been good. These students, however, must repeat the course before moving to the next level.
Process vs Content: ESL is much more a process-oriented study than it is content-oriented, and even more so than other courses. Therefore, the importance of class work, attendance, quizzes and participation must be emphasized over formal exams. Students must be aware that missing many classes is a big concern and can’t be rectified by good exam results.
Classroom Atmosphere: Though it is imperative to develop a friendly rapport with your students, it is a good idea to start off the term on the strict, “we’re here to learn English” approach. Then, lighten up as the students get to know you. Everyone knows it’s easier to ease off than to crank up the discipline midstream.
Teaching Style: An explanation or a rationale of your (Western) teaching philosophy (how and why you are doing the things you do in class) is useful in getting the students’ trust, as your teaching style will be very different from what they are used to. Bear in mind that many of the students view teachers as parent figures.
Attendance: Stress the importance of attendance in class. Remind students early and often that they cannot pass your course if they miss too many classes. Build in participation marks.
Lates: Do not tolerate habitual late behaviour. Speak with the student first to correct the problem, warn the student next, and then send the student to the library with an assignment if it continues unreasonably. Be consistent with all students in this regard. Sleeping in is not a valid excuse for being late.
Evaluation: Use an evaluation that provides a fair mix and provides for flexibility: 50% for quizzes/assignments/class work, 20% for midterm, 20% for final with a subjective 10% for participation in class works well.
It’s very important to be honest and open with students regarding their progress in the course. If the students are not meeting the course objectives, they need to be told so in no uncertain terms by midterm time; hence when it comes time to register for next semester, students will not be confused and angry with the teachers, and the school. Be sure you come up with valid grades by midterm time so as not to raise false hopes for the students. If you are concerned about students meeting the objectives of the course, ensure those students receive a grade less then 55% at midterm. That may mean grading the first half of the course on the hard side and then easing off later.
A pep talk after midterm exams helps to keep your students focused on the task at hand, ie. ‘learning a second language is hard work’ or ‘your parents paid a lot of money for you to study in Canada, so don’t waste your time and their money’. Go for the guilt factor.
Exams: We have to maintain a zero tolerance regarding the early writing of final exams for several reasons. Though teachers want to be fair and helpful to our students, the practice creates headaches for other staff, necessitates makeup exams and results in a feeling of inequity for students. Announce the exam policy and your final exam time early and often. The same rules apply to midterm exams.
Awards: At the end of each term, an award is given to an outstanding student in each class. To keep the award meaningful, the student should be an outstanding student in all aspects: grades, attendance and attitude/participation. If you don’t have any students who are deserving of the award, by all means don’t give it. However, you still must attend the awards ceremony as it connects the school and we are all part of it.
Course Materials: Once the courses have been assigned and scheduled for the next semester, teachers are asked to select the material that they plan to use, either from the previous semester’s ‘material in use’ list or from other material of their choice. Check to be sure that the text has not already been designated for another course. It is each teacher’s responsibility to talk with other teachers teaching the same course to coordinate resources and take stock of materials already on hand to ensure enough books are ordered. If ordering a handout text, be confident that you will use up most of the written exercises in the book.
Cheating: Again, we have zero tolerance for cheating and plagiarizing. Stiff penalties set the tone for the term.
Discipline: Follow the procedures for resolving issues with problem students in your class. See me if you are not sure of the steps to be taken.
Textbooks: Except for workbooks that are given out for students to keep, students are expected to return all books in good shape (free of writing). Submit a list to the department head of students who have not handed in their texts. Be sure to collect books before or on the final exam. You won’t see them after that.
ESL Library and Materials: Feel free to sign out any reference book using the voluntary card system in the ESL office. Return any books that you aren’t using at the end of the term and re-shelve them in the proper place.
To Start With:
- Get the appropriate tax/employment forms from Linda in the office, fill out and return to her.
- Get a parking pass from Jocelyn to put in your car (if you have one).
- Locate and identify your mailbox in the staff room.
- Get a legal size folder and label it with your name for photocopying.
Daily/Weekly/Monthly Chores
- Monday mornings you will receive attendance sheets. Check to see that all students are listed in the appropriate classes. If there is a problem, identify it and give the sheets to the program coordinator who will have the problem fixed on the office computer.
- You may receive a small white paper concerning an individual student’s medical insurance coverage. If you do, file it with the others so it can be determined who can and who cannot go on the weekly field trips. Students 20 and over do not need insurance (but it’s a good idea). Those under 19 must have insurance.
- Early in the last week of the month you will get a “grades” sheet. Please put “P” or “F” in the spot provided. The monthly program does not mark according to test or quiz performance. We mark on two things: attendance and participation. If a student’s attendance is better than 75% and her/his attitude has been good, they pass. If not then their failure can be discussed among the monthly program teachers.
- During the regular school year you must attend staff meetings. All ESL department meetings are held in the ESL office. All general staff meetings are held in Room 12. There will be a notice on the white board in the staff room a few days in advance.
- Photocopying should be handed in two days (48 hours) before it is needed. If possible keep grammar and writing class copying to a minimum, use the overhead or the chalkboard instead. Also there are a few small class sets for reading so please use these as much as possible.
About the Program
- Please use the provided materials with care and return them ASAP. We run on a twelve week rotating thematic basis. Each student can attend our program for up to 3 months (12 weeks). In this way we assure each student that there will be no overlap or repetition of content or activities.
- The grammar program is a modified independent study program. We provide books and answer keys as well as a list of the units and exercises the student should be working on. The amount of oral review/preview work required is up to you. Please remember that students will be at different points in the book, so do not attempt general class work.
- The writing program has been laid out in 3 month (12 week) skill and practice lessons. There are optional, thematically related writing activities at the back of the writing binders. If you think of a great writing exercise that fits one of the skills or one of the themes, please feel free to add it to the binder.
- The reading and conversation programs are all arranged according to the weekly themes. These themes must be followed in order to avoid repetition. However you are free to use any of your own materials which relate to those themes. Be sure to make an extra copy and put it in the binder for use by other teachers in the future. We love to get new stuff!!
- Field trips are a big part of our program. You will be required to attend all trips as well as take turns planning and organizing them. We have a trip budget of $10 per student per week. The monthly program has a calendar so you can keep track of what trips have been done recently. After the trip you should report your expenditures to the program coordinator who will record it in the budget book. The last day of each month is usually a party day. You can plan movies, videos, bowling, amusement parks or whatever else that is primarily fun. The other 3 (or 4) trips should be fun but also educational. Think of Q & A’s you could do or fill in the blanks, anything to make it a learning experience as well as being fun.
- In addition to these weekly trips feel free to take your students on class trips to nearby locations. Whole afternoons can be spent at libraries or malls or even in the field out back, anything which makes the day more enjoyable for all.
- A key component of our program is to have fun. Our program is educational but the late spring/summer students also expect to have a good time. Some students are visiting, some are immigrants, and some are here on student visa’s. We want all of our students to learn and have fun. A big part of your job is to entertain as well as inform. There are no real tests or exams and even no quizzes if you choose. We just try to give them a well-rounded experience so they will come back again, or join the regular program or send their sisters or brothers or cousins. If they leave we want them to take good memories with them. It sounds corny but it is true.
- Enjoy! This should be one of the most fun and strangely relaxing teaching jobs you will have. There is little pressure to “make-up” stuff, but you can certainly add to the program. We have the trips which are really enjoyable, and for the most part the students are open to anything.
By signing the following document, I grant Coquitlam College the right to use and publish my photographs and/or testimonial, for the purpose of promotion, without restriction.
| X___________________________________________________________ (SEAL) SIGNATURE |
| _____________________________________________________________ NAME |
| _____________________________________________________________ ADDRESS (Line 1) |
| _____________________________________________________________ |
| _____________________________________________________________ DATE |
| X____________________________________________________________ (SEAL) WITNESS |
| _____________________________________________________________ ADDRESS (Line 1) |
| _____________________________________________________________ |
Generally the administration will substitute in classrooms where teachers are absent. For the first day, the coverage will be limited to the taking of attendance and the introduction of the lesson plan which has been phoned or faxed in by the absent staff member.
Classes will only be cancelled under exceptional circumstances.
Administrative staff will endeavor to spend as much time as possible in ESL Beginner classes.
Teaching staff should have current emergency lesson plans ready to phone or fax in to the college when they are absent. Lesson plans should be simple and easily implemented.
When there is the likelihood of a prolonged absence, the college will hire a substitute.
No teaching faculty or staff are allowed to tutor Coquitlam College students outside of regular hours. It is acceptable to assist a student within class or office hours but time spent must be fair and consistent to benefit all students in the class.
Students are invited to attend the student orientation day the day before classes begin each semester. The purpose of orientation is to provide students with information regarding school policies, student services, school activities, medical insurance, transportation and general student safety and to provide new students with an opportunity to meet and ask questions of the counsellors and other students.
10:00 am – Students arrive in the gym and receive a package containing the school calendar, student handbook and transportation information as well as a goodies-i.e. pencils, pens, key rings, etc.
10:10 – Introduction: Welcome address. Student counsellors, the Homestay coordinator and Principal and Vice-Principal are all in attendance. Students are introduced to the personalized service they may expect from these individuals and encouraged to seek out an advisor for both personal and academic issues as needed.
Counsellors briefly describe services available and the hours. Homestay invites students who require more information to meet with her after the presentation or in the coming days as required. (Most students will have already met with the Co-coordinator prior to the beginning of the program and will already be placed in a home. Students are assured to meet with the Coordinator if any problems develop.)
The Principal talks to the students about the Canadian culture and its differences, particularly with regard to the format of the school day, safety issues, money and banking and traffic safety, etc. Student conduct and policies are discussed and students are directed to the handbook for detailed information.
11:10 – Student activities are introduced and the student committee invites students to sign up for any in-house programs. The students are invited to the welcome BBQ which is held the 2nd Wednesday after classes begin.
11:20 – Draw for door prizes. Refreshment served. Mingling and informal questions and answer period.
11:30 – School Tour by student committee. Upon completion, students are free to leave, visit the counselling office or Homestay Cordinator as needed.
Note to evaluator: Many 1st time students will have already been to the school on one or more occasions in order to take English placement tests, choose classes and finalize fees. During this process, they meet directly with the counsellors and receive individual counselling regarding many aspects of daily student life.
- Do not walk alone at night – take a friend or call a friend. Even if your destination is only a block or two away, be safe.
- When you take a taxi, ask the driver to wait until you are safely inside your building.
- Have a buddy system – call a friend you just left to advise you are home.
- Do not talk to people you are not comfortable with. Walk or run away. If someone threatens you, run away and scream loudly.
- Call 911 about any suspicious activity or behavior you witness.
- Never get into a car with someone you don’t know.
- Do not ride with friends who drive dangerously.
- Be cautious with strangers, even if they are attractive. Try to meet people through mutual friends.
- Do not make dates using social media.
- If you live in an apartment, do not leave door and windows open at night even if you do not live on the ground floor. Make sure you have special locking devices that will allow the windows to only be opened a small amount. Your landlord is responsible for this.
- Report any abusive behavior perpetrated by fellow students.
- Remember the police in Canada are respected and trusted, and they are there to help you at all times. Don’t be afraid to call 911.
By signing the following document, I grant Coquitlam College the right to use and publish my photographs and/or testimonial, for the purpose of promotion, without restriction.
| X___________________________________________________________ (SEAL) SIGNATURE |
| _____________________________________________________________ NAME |
| _____________________________________________________________ ADDRESS (Line 1) |
| _____________________________________________________________ |
| _____________________________________________________________ DATE |
| X____________________________________________________________ (SEAL) WITNESS |
| _____________________________________________________________ ADDRESS (Line 1) |
| _____________________________________________________________ |
Coquitlam College Staff will cover supervision duties before the classes begin. Coquitlam College staff will maintain a presence outside of the building and in the parking lot for the half hour prior to the start of classes. As well, Coquitlam College staff will supervise the school at lunch and after school on Mondays. A security guard will be on site from the start of lunch time until the evening to ensure that supervision occurs at lunch and after school. The security guard will be on campus from Tuesday to Friday.
