The formation of teachers - teacher training colleges: Sister Simone Poissant
Sister Simone Poissant recounts the history of teacher formation by the Congrégation de Notre-Dame. She begins by mentioning that the Congrégation was founded with the mission of teaching children. The Sisters of the Congrégation have never lost sight of this objective since Marguerite Bourgeoys opened the very first school in Montreal.
She adds that the year following the creation of the Conseil de linstruction publique in 1856, the first teacher training colleges were founded: one at Université Laval in Québec, one at McGill University for English-speaking students and lÉcole normale Jacques-Cartier in Montreal for boys.
In 1899, the Congrégation de Notre-Dame created a section for girls at lÉcole normale Jacques-Cartier. For just over a decade, it was situated at the Mother House in Old Montreal and then it moved to its own building on Sherbrooke Street.
At teacher training college, the professors began by instructing the future teachers in the contents of the topics they would be teaching mathematics, French, history, etc. They then taught the methodology of teaching. The students of lÉcole normale came from Montreal but also from the neighbouring cities and outlying areas.
