26 May Countering Deprofessionalization of Teacher Education Across Canada: Building a sustainable future for teaching

May 25, 2026 | Join ACDE at the CSSE 2026 conference for this panel presentation on Sunday, May 31 from 10:45 to 12:00 noon.

Panel: Julie Desjardins (Bishop’s), Dianne Gereluk, and Dan Laitsch (SFU)

The teaching profession in Canada is facing accelerating pressures of deprofessionalization, manifested through teacher shortages, alternative certification pathways, compressed practicum experiences, and shifting provincial regulations. These trends threaten the integrity of teacher education and the professional standing of teachers. This interactive session convenes faculty leaders, researchers, and teacher educators from across Canada to examine how deprofessionalization is unfolding in diverse provincial contexts and to collaboratively design strategies for resistance and renewal. Through panel provocations, small-group discussions, thematic mapping, and strategic visioning, participants will identify local and national challenges, articulate principles for a re-professionalized teacher education system by 2030, and commit to actionable steps such as policy advocacy, program redesign, and cross-institutional collaboration. Attendees will leave with a shared understanding of current pressures, a draft roadmap for collective action, and strengthened networks to uphold the legitimacy and sustainability of teaching as a profession.