Programs & Courses

Academic Regulations

 Academic Integrity

Academic integrity refers to a high standard of moral uprightness and honesty in the delivery of and participation in the academic programs at Covenant Canadian Reformed Teachers College (CCRTC). Faculty, students, and staff work together to promote good academic practice in an atmosphere of trust and support.

The faculty is expected to provide students with clear directions about scholarly and academic practices. Faculty members will also provide adequate support to help students fulfill course requirements.

Students are expected to demonstrate good work habits by completing assignments punctually, conscientiously, and in accordance with standard academic practices. Students are expected to display honesty and deal fairly with fellow students by being active and responsible participants in collaborative learning sessions and projects.

CCRTC seeks to uphold good academic practice and, therefore, all forms of suspected academic dishonesty will result in a meeting between the instructor and the student, and may result in academic penalty. Documentation describing the offence and the subsequent outcome will be placed in the student’s file. Practices that are considered forms of academic dishonesty include:

• unacknowledged use, whether intentional or unintentional, of the ideas and work of others whether that be in written, oral, or graphic form (plagiarism)
• seeking double credit for a single assignment submitted to two different instructors in two different courses without the prior consent of both instructors 
• claiming authorship of a paper or assignment completed by someone else.

Student Records and Privacy of Information Policy

In signing the Registration Agreement at the start of the academic year, a student acknowledges the right of CCRTC to collect and maintain personal information under its Student Records and Privacy of Information Policy ⁽²¹⁰⁾. Signing the Use of Photographs Waiver allows CCRTC to use any photographs in which a student may appear for College-approved publications.

CCRTC is committed to protecting the confidentiality and privacy of the personal information in every reasonable manner. CCRTC will not disclose the confidential contents of a student's record outside CCRTC, unless compelled by law to do so, or when authorized in writing by the student. An electronic record of a student’s achievement is preserved permanently.

Student Access

Students have the right to inspect all documents contained in their own records, with the exception of documents which have been supplied to or by CCRTC with the understanding that they remain confidential (e.g., letters of reference).

Public or Third Party Access

It is CCRTC policy to make available to all legitimate inquirers the following information:

• confirmation of registration during a particular semester
• confirmation of program completion and graduation.

All other information (e.g., requests from credit bureaus, parents) will be disclosed only with the student’s written consent.

Legally Mandated Access

Specific records may be provided to persons or agencies pursuant to a subpoena, warrant or court order directing the release of this information; to Statistics Canada and the Ministry of Colleges and Universities in connection with enrolment audits; or in accordance with the requirements of duly constituted licensing or certification bodies.

Emergency Disclosures

In emergency situations involving the health and safety of an individual, the Principal may authorize release of personal information if such a release is deemed to be in the best interest of the student. The student will then be informed of the disclosure.

Transcripts

A copy of the student’s current transcript will be placed in the student’s file. Decisions with respect to probation or dismissal (academic or disciplinary) will be reflected on the transcript.

Copies of student transcripts will be released upon request for up to 25 years after a student leaves CCRTC. A student’s signature or request via a personal email address is required for such a release. Transcripts released to the student directly will be marked “Issued to Student”.

In compliance with the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, academic records will be retained for a period of 75 years. In the event CCRTC ceases to exist, academic records will be retained by the Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary (CRTS). 

ACADEMIC YEAR

The academic year of CCRTC runs from the beginning of September to the end of May and as a rule observes the same holidays as the elementary/secondary schools in Ontario.

The academic year is divided into a Fall Semester and a Winter Semester.

ATTENDANCE

All components of the program must be completed in full: Students are expected to attend all classes, theme weeks, orientation/observation days, and practicum sessions. CCRTC maintains an active participation policy and keeps a record of attendance. Students are expected to inform the Office before 9:00 a.m. in order to report an absence. Sickness and family/personal emergencies constitute valid reasons for absence. CCRTC reserves the right to request a doctor’s certificate as medical proof of a prolonged absence.

Should a student be absent for more than 10 cumulative instructional days per semester, without due cause, this may result in the student being withdrawn from the program. If a student is to be absent during a practice-teaching session, the student must notify the associate teacher or the school principal, as well as the supervising CCRTC faculty member.

COMPONENTS OF COLLEGE PROGRAMS

Both programs offered by CCRTC consist of two components:

• an academic component consisting of approximately 12 weeks of course work per semester
• a practicum component consisting of:
  • eight weeks of practice teaching and six observation days per academic year for students in the Diploma of Education program
  • seven weeks of practice teaching for year one and two and eight weeks in year three in the Diploma of Teaching program.

 COURSE SYLLABI

Instructors will distribute a course syllabus at the beginning of each semester. This document will serve as a contract to which both instructor and students are held. In addition to the course description, format, texts, requirements and evaluation, and course schedule, the syllabus may also include specific expectations an instructor has throughout the course.

Deadlines will stand as published. Should changes be necessary, students will be informed and consensus shall be sought.

COURSE CREDIT AND LOAD

Unless indicated otherwise, courses offered at CCRTC are full-credit courses based on three hours of class contact per week for a 12 week semester for a total of 36 hours of class contact time per course.

A typical study load for Diploma of Education and Diploma of Teaching consists of the equivalent of six full-credit courses per semester. Students may expect 18 to 20 hours of class contact time per week.

PRACTICE TEACHING

Students in the Diploma of Education program will be placed in schools that follow the Ontario curriculum, with teachers who hold a valid Ontario Teachers Certificate.

Students in the Diploma of Teaching program gain field experience by means of practicum placements in schools in Ontario and/or in the provinces of Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia. Some placements are arranged with Reformed schools in the United States (e.g., Washington, Michigan).

Each student will receive a current edition of the Practicum Guidelines for Teacher Candidates. This document outlines the requirements of the practicum program for each year and each program. A parallel document Practicum Guidelines for Associate Teachers may be found on CCRTC’s website at www.covenantteacherscollege.com/resources/.

In compliance with local school requirements, CCRTC will not place a student teacher in a school if he/she has not submitted proof of a vulnerable sector check (available to those 18 years or older) and a doctor’s certificate.

EVALUATION OF STUDENT LEARNING

Academic Component

In addition to in-class participation and overall preparedness, students will be evaluated on the basis of at least three of the following:

• term quizzes and tests and/or a final exam
• portfolio assignment; instructional unit plan
• formal papers (e.g., essays, position papers)
• critical book and/or article reviews
• seminar presentations; oral reports
• performance tasks.

As a rule, when evaluating student assignments faculty members shall use the CCRTC Grading Criteria Guideline published in the CCRTC Student Handbook.

Practicum Component

The practicum component of a student’s work is evaluated separately by a college supervisor on the basis of the student’s practicum portfolio which consists of:

• two lesson plans selected by the student
• two lesson reflections based on the selected lesson plans
• daily log book entries
• the associate teacher’s evaluation reports
• the faculty supervisor’s observation report
• a collection of all lesson plans, schedules, activities, notes, etc. pertaining to the session.

The final (or induction) practicum in Year Two of the Diploma of Education program and Year Three of the Diploma of Teaching program is evaluated on the basis of the following components:

• the associate teacher’s evaluation reports
• the Principal’s (or designate’s) observation report
• CCRTC supervisor’s observation report
• the content and presentation of the student’s practicum portfolio
• log book entries for weeks one and two of this session
• a detailed reflection on the induction experience.

ASSIGNMENTS

Written and oral assignments constitute an important part of course requirements. Instructors will advise students of due dates for assignments by means of a course syllabus. Such requirements can be changed only after mutual consultation and agreement. Instructors will provide written guidelines and/or assistance as needed.

Students are expected to complete all assignments with diligence and academic integrity. Students are urged to consult with their instructors during all stages of assignment preparation.

Standard Expectations for Written Assignments

Unless otherwise indicated by instructors, all written assignments should:

• be word-processed, double-spaced, and page-numbered. 
• be clearly identified by a title page.
• adhere to the referencing format of the American Psychological Association (APA).

 

Late Assignments

Instructors reserve the right to impose a penalty on assignments submitted after their due dates unless a student has requested and received an extension.

EXAMINATIONS

An examination week is held toward the end of each semester. Students will receive advance notice of the examination schedule by means of a special timetable. Both final and mid-term exams may be written during an examination week.

Course syllabi will indicate the weighting of final and mid-term exams. As a rule, an examination will not exceed 25% of the final grade for a course.

Students who must be absent from an examination/mid-term because of illness or a significant personal emergency must notify CCRTC prior to the start of the examination. CCRTC reserves the right to request a doctor’s certificate to confirm an illness. Opportunity to make up a missed examination will be scheduled by CCRTC.

Unless specifically requested by an instructor, students shall not bring electronic devices, notes, or books into the examination room.

The normal duration of an examination is two hours. Students must remain in the examination room for at least 45 minutes. If needed, students may receive a maximum of 15 additional minutes to finish an examination.

The student is responsible for submitting all parts of a completed examination to the faculty supervisor.

International students and students with recognized disabilities may request special accommodations (e.g., use of assistive devices, additional time) to write examinations.

GRADING and GRADE REPORTS

Student Progress Reports

Twice during an academic year, students receive a report on their progress. The first term report is dated January 15; the second term report is dated June 15. No final reports will be released until a student’s account has been paid in full and all library materials returned.

Grading 

All designated course and practicum work will be assessed and awarded a numerical grade on final transcripts according to the following scale:

 

Exceptional A+   90 - 100%	Excellent A     80 - 89%
Good B+   75 - 79% B     70 - 74%	Fair C+   65 - 69% C     60 - 64%
Poor D+   55 - 59% D     50 - 54%	Failure        F     0 - 49%

 

To obtain credit for a course, a student must achieve a minimum of 50% in that course.

A student must maintain an overall average of 70% in the academic component of his/her program in order to continue in his/her program and/or to be considered eligible for graduation.

When a student does not achieve the expected average, his/her academic progress will be reviewed by the faculty. A student may be placed on probation as the result of such a review.

Exceptional A+ 90 - 100 %	Excellent A 80 - 89 %
Good B+ 75 - 79 % B 70 - 74 %	Fair C+ 65 - 69 % C 60 - 64 %
Poor D+ 55 - 59 % D 50 - 54 %	Failure F 0 - 49 %