I attended the information session and got all my questions answered, at least for now.
The presentation by two retired secondary school teachers were great. They were very knowledgable and willing to help. I also appreciate their sincerety when I was expecting a straightforward answer.
To get certified without the one year training is not an option as far as they know. It is definitely necessary to overcome the cultural difference and get acquainted with Canadian practise. I couldn't agree more on that. Even with my background, I don't think I am prepared for teaching in secondary school without training. The two presenters also said the school board is considering extending the one year program to two years.
One thing I would like to point out here for everyone interested in this subject is, when considering the posibility of becoming a teacher, please do research online on the oct web site as much as possible. Most of questions are already clearly answered in the Web site. Please save the precious time and effort of the kind people who stand out to help us.
I had done my homework well before I went, so all my questions are answered. For me, the conclusion is being a public school teacher is not the track for me, at least at present. I am the bread earner in the house, I can't afford the transition years.
As I understand, the good candidates for this track are those with multiple degrees and very good command of English. They also don't have much pressure to start making sufficient income for the family.
I would be happy to answer questions based on what I know.