Project Overview
- Research topics
- Region: National
- Project Overview
Project status
- Completed :
- February 2019 to September 2021
Project manager or
resource person
- Kim Murray
- Manager, Events and Special Projects
Partner organization(s)
Canadian Association of Immersion Professionals (CAIP)
Recruitment and retention strategy for French Immersion teachers ─ Teacher 5 étoiles
The Teacher 5 étoiles campaign is an original project developed by the Association canadienne des professionnels de l’immersion (ACPI) in the wake of its Canada-wide consultation. The results were published in 2018 and identified a critical shortage of trained French Immersion teachers across the country, due in part to the strong growth in the number of students enrolled in French Immersion programs.
The Teacher 5 étoiles campaign focuses on providing concrete solutions to the challenges of recruiting and retaining French Immersion teachers across Canada.
The Teacher 5 étoiles campaign has three main components:
- A national campaign to raise the profile of and promote a career in French Immersion.
- A national recruitment campaign.
- A recruitment portal for school boards and candidates. (see the "jobimmersion.ca" project overview)
Each component features a host of activities aimed at achieving results that will:
- Increase the number of teachers enrolled in university programs that lead to French Immersion teaching.
- Enable school boards to continue to meet the growing demand for immersion programs.
- Contribute to the bilingualism of more Canadians.
- Stimulate pride in belonging to the French Immersion teaching community.
PHASE 1: National campaign to raise the profile of and promote a career in French Immersion
- A manager and a coordinator were hired to handle all aspects of the recruitment and retention strategy for immersion teachers.
- A work plan was developed and the Teacher5étoiles campaign was created, including:
- A website.
- The hiring of four (4) featured “star” teachers.
- The production and distribution of 17 videos about the featured teachers.
- Students recruited to join the featured teachers to form an ambassador "squad" of social media content creators for high school students.
- Teacher 5 étoiles en herbe [aspiring 5-star teachers] blogs for high school students.
- Three "day in the life of an Immersion teacher" videos.
- Six "Immersion Stories" videos (what teaching Immersion means to a teacher).
- A Teacher 5 étoiles/webseries - 4 episodes.
- Four “meet the teacher”-style webinars with featured teachers on FB where they answer questions from students and 4 Périodes libres [free periods] webinars on Instagram.
- “Am I an Immersion teacher?” online quiz.
- Four contests, including Paroles d'immersion [Immersion lyrics] to compose the lyrics of a song celebrating French Immersion and leading to the creation of the song Deux langues [two languages].
- An interactive map of Canada identifying where education programs are offered for those interested in becoming an Immersion teacher.
- Members of the ambassador squad participate in activities on behalf of Teacher 5 étoiles.
- Series of tours, participation in job fairs, calendar of activities to talk about careers in French Immersion.
- Monthly Teacher 5 étoiles newsletter.
- Facilitating workshops at the Le français pour l’avenir / French for the Future forum to promote the profession to high school students.
- Creating a teaching toolkit for all students in grades 10 to 12.
- Material for career counsellors.
PHASE 2: National recruitment campaign
- Influence marketing (sponsored content on behalf of the campaign supported by an advertising campaign).
- "Reach for the Stars / Vise les étoiles" gives graduating students the opportunity to participate in a qualifying program as a teacher in an immersion classroom (mobility grant, teaching kit for participating teachers, mentoring, teacher coaching) - see the "Reach for the Stars" project overview for more information and future Web link.
- "L'Observatoire" introduces students who have not yet chosen to teach in Immersion to the profession through a two-week introductory internship in French Immersion - see the "L'Observatoire" project overview for more information and future Web link.
- A directory of schools and school boards offering Immersion programs, college and university programs (including related programs of study), and recruitment events such as job fairs.
- A list of requirements for becoming a teacher in each province and territory.
- Two recruiters travel across Canada to meet with education students and connect them with potential employers - see the "Great Road Trip / La grande virée" project overview and future Web link.
- Participation in virtual job fairs to promote careers in French Immersion.
- Creation of a "toolbox," including materials for teachers seeking work in French Immersion (videos and tip sheets).
Targeted Results
Main takeaways (learnings)
- Importance of coordinating with other organizations when launching campaigns with the same objectives and target audiences.
- Value of cross-promotion with partners.
- Promotional budget too limited for the scope of the campaign, especially given that everything was done virtually/digitally.
Potential/desired collaborations
- For distribution of the kit to teachers (grades 10-12) to raise awareness about careers in French immersion.
- To distribute the kit to guidance counsellors.
- For recognition of the Observatory's activities within BEd programs.
- To relay the Teacher5étoiles website to students in grades 11-12 (e.g.: Am I a 5-star teacher?).
- To explore how to create programming content with the tools developed by Teacher5étoiles.
- To continue to integrate Teacher5étoiles into local forums.
- For the exchange of blog content.