Historical and Economic Changes in the Development of Teaching in Canada in the 19th and 20th century
Historical and Economic Changes in the Development of Teaching in Canada in the 19th and 20th century

Summary/Abstract: Different authors have presented the development of teaching in Canada and its characteristics in the provinces of Eastern and Western Canada. There are several approaches concerning historical changes of the teaching profession in Canada and how the professionalization of teaching can affect the teacher socially, economically and politically. The development of teaching in Canada as a profession started in the 19th century and is presented with different critical observations concerning its particularities as it has evolved through time. This research describes the development of the teaching profession in Canada and introduces the concept of the professionalization of teaching and its implications for Canadian teachers, their education and work in class. This paper generally shows the particularities of the evolution of this profession in different provinces from the 19th to the 20th century. Then, the role played by progressive education in Canada and the importance for Canadian education of the “back-to-basics” movement are presented. Moreover, this paper briefly depicts the characteristics of self-regulated professions and a timeline of the establishment of teaching as a self-regulating profession in different provinces of Canada, with an example of teaching as a self-regulated profession in British Columbia. Another aspect presented in this work shows the effects of professionalization on the recruitment and status of teachers, with an example from Nova Scotia concerning gender discrimination.

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