Associate Teacher Incentive Program & Awards

Associate Teacher Incentive Program

Honorarium

$7 per day has been allocated for each teacher candidate and will be divided equally among associate teachers who share a teacher candidate.

Associate Teachers signed up for Direct Deposit

Once the final practicum report has been submitted to the Practicum Office, the honorarium will be issued by the Finance Department according to the following schedule:

Early December
Early March
Early April
Early June

Associate Teachers not signed up for Direct Deposit

A cheque will be issued to you by the end of June. Sign up for direct deposit for quicker payment.

A teacher sitting and talking with 3 other students at the table

Associate Teacher Award

The Schulich School of Education appreciates the vital role that associate teachers play in modeling excellence in teaching and professionalism. While mentoring teacher candidates is a rewarding experience, it is also a tremendous commitment and responsibility. In an effort to recognize exemplary associate teachers, an Associate Teacher Award was established in 2013. Each year, four teachers are selected by the Practicum Committee to receive this award. For the 2024/25 academic year, six associate teachers have been awarded the Associate Teacher Award.

2024-2025 Award Winner

After an overwhelming of nominations submitted by teacher candidate, the Practicum Committee selected the following nominees to receive the Associate Teacher Award:

Nathan MacLean(Near North District School Board)
Caitlin Briggs (The Hill Academy)
Jill Benforte (Greater Essex County District School Board)
Alison Sinclair (Ottawa Carleton District School Board)
Jessica Smith (Waterloo Region District School Board)
Meena Johal ( Halton District School Board)

On June 16, 2025, Dr. Kristen Ferguson, Associate Dean of Education (Interim), Dr. Todd Horton, Chair of Education, and Sandra Minor, Practicum Officer, had the pleasure of meeting with Nathan MacLean at Northern Secondary School, to present him with his Associate Teacher Award. This was Nathan's first year to accept a teacher candidate and he was very humbled and appreciative of the recognition. The year one teacher candidate who nominated Nathan, described how Nathan made them feel like a part of his classroom and the broader school community. Nathan's focus on positive mentorship helped his teacher candidate believe in themself and helped to solidify their decision to pursue a career in teaching. It is associate teachers, such as Nathan MacLean, who exemplify the positive impact they can have on aspiring teachers, providing a space for a teacher candidate to explore, challenge themself, and gain an enriched understanding and appreciation of their role as a future classroom teacher.