Each year, OTF and the Affiliates co-sponsor a conference on teacher education that brings together the Liaison Officers who sit on our Teacher Education Liaison Committees (TELCs) at the 14 Faculties of Education across the province, along with faculty members and teacher candidates from those institutions, to discuss current trends and issues in pre-service teacher education.
As in previous years, the Symposium was by invitation only and included Faculty members, Federation Teacher Education Liaison Officers and teacher candidates. For the sixth consecutive year, members of the OTF Curriculum Forum, a network of some 50 subject/division associations that operate in Ontario, also participated in the program.
The theme of this year’s event, Empowering teachers for today & tomorrow, invited a focused and collaborative inquiry into the evolving realities of early career teachers. We came together on February 6–7, 2026, to critically examine the complex challenges beginning teachers encounter—including those related to mental health and well-being, the emergence of generative AI, and the rising incidences of violence and hatred in schools.
Our conversations centred on how Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programs and early professional supports can best equip beginning teachers to thrive in the profession. We asked: What forms of learning, mentorship, and systemic support most effectively prepare early career teachers for the dynamic and often demanding contexts in which they work? And, which skills and dispositions are most essential for fostering their resilience, confidence, and professional growth?
We were extremely fortunate to have two excellent keynote speakers, Dr. Joel Westheimer and Dr. Ann Lopez, bookend the program. Their keynotes were complemented by engaging breakout presentations, facilitated by teacher educators and teachers from across the province, and an interactive Curriculum Forum Fair, facilitated by the provincial subject and division associations.
As we had hoped, this year’s Symposium offered an opportunity to reflect collectively on these pressing questions and to contribute to a shared vision of what it means to empower teachers—both for the challenges of today and the possibilities of tomorrow.
For additional context and to view the full program for the symposium click here.