Does anybody now anything about the IB program at Bethel university?
http://bethel15.reachlocal.net/academic ... am-details
It now seems that if we want to get back overseas we are going to have to invest time and money in becoming IB certified.
Thanks!!
IB Program at Bethel
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Teachermama
- Posts: 69
- Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:28 am
- Location: USA
This is a relatively new thing and I have yet to meet anyone working towards their IB certifications. GMU Fast Train is also offering something similar.
I can't imagine this being beneficial to anyone who is not yet in an IB classroom. So much of the PYP workshops are about applying your classroom practices within the workshop. Taking an entire course load at such a high cost without having had that experience wouldn't be beneficial. The IB is very jargon laden and without that background knowledge it would be frustrating---plus if it didn't work out:(
I can't imagine this being beneficial to anyone who is not yet in an IB classroom. So much of the PYP workshops are about applying your classroom practices within the workshop. Taking an entire course load at such a high cost without having had that experience wouldn't be beneficial. The IB is very jargon laden and without that background knowledge it would be frustrating---plus if it didn't work out:(
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jbiersteker
- Posts: 121
- Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2012 10:38 am
I am familiar with the programs and have worked with teachers who are certified.
It is useful, and should be helpful in getting hired in an IB school. You could probably use it as hiring leverage even when only halfway through the program.
However, you are taking a risk going down this path if you are not already familiar with and philosophically agreed with the IB. I am a big IB fan, make no mistake, but I have seen some teachers come into it with great hopes, only to discover that it really didn't match their expectations or beliefs. They generally went back to whatever system they were originally in, American or British or whatever. It's not an expensive lesson if you are gainfully employed and not actually paying anything out. But it could be quite expensive if you have to pay for a credential and then try to get hired in schools that don't use the IB.
It's only a small portion of teachers that this happens to, but do think carefully before you take the leap.
It is useful, and should be helpful in getting hired in an IB school. You could probably use it as hiring leverage even when only halfway through the program.
However, you are taking a risk going down this path if you are not already familiar with and philosophically agreed with the IB. I am a big IB fan, make no mistake, but I have seen some teachers come into it with great hopes, only to discover that it really didn't match their expectations or beliefs. They generally went back to whatever system they were originally in, American or British or whatever. It's not an expensive lesson if you are gainfully employed and not actually paying anything out. But it could be quite expensive if you have to pay for a credential and then try to get hired in schools that don't use the IB.
It's only a small portion of teachers that this happens to, but do think carefully before you take the leap.
Reply
I strongly disagree with Sids response. I have an IB teacher award (what they were called before they became the IB Certification and Advance Certification, which the IB moved too in an effort to give the program more credibility).
The rule is no amount of training equals any amount of certification, and depending on your focus, would cost more and help you less then a training workshop (more in a bit). A IB certification isnt worth 2 years of IB experience and isnt even worth one year of IB experience, the same way a Masters isnt worth classroom teaching experience either. What you really need is IB teaching experience, their is no substitute. The only times an IB certification is going to benefit you are:
1) If you were going to do a Masters program in International Education, or a PGCE and one of the IB certification programs was an option, then it wouldnt hurt. The certification saves the school having to train you later.
2) Your already an IB teacher and want to move up to a junior admin IB role, such as HOD, or coordinator.
In your position the IB certificate will put you ever so slightly ahead of other candidates with no IB experience or IB training, but an IB certificate is an expensive and time consuming way of doing it, when a better option is just doing an IB workshop.
As i mentioned earlier a workshop is actually a better option for MYP and DIP teachers, the reason being that while your certification program focuses on PYP, MYP, or DIP it doesnt focus on any particular subject. None of the course teach you how to deliver or manage an IB classroom, as the topics are very abstract and conceptual. You take courses in the International student, ELL as a foundation across the curriculum, learning (in this case IB philosophy and pedagogy). Most of these are repeats of the same courses you probably already had in your education program, and the others, even the specific IB focused classes are more philosophy and concepts that introduce you to the IBs terminology, and structure.
This is less a problem in PYP, but at the MYP and DIP level, its not going to be much help when teaching a specific subject, such as literature, or chemistry, etc. In that case a subject focused workshop is actually better.
having an IB certification isnt going to allow you to walk into an interview at the same level of competition as someone who has actual IB experience. An IB certificate doesnt demonstrate or predict your success with students performance on their IB exams. It doesnt give you a default score to show a recruiter that you can produce results. Thats what recruiters want to see that your students either get high IB scores in DIP or that in MYP you prepare them well for DIP. Thats why training doesnt equal any amount of experience.
The rule is no amount of training equals any amount of certification, and depending on your focus, would cost more and help you less then a training workshop (more in a bit). A IB certification isnt worth 2 years of IB experience and isnt even worth one year of IB experience, the same way a Masters isnt worth classroom teaching experience either. What you really need is IB teaching experience, their is no substitute. The only times an IB certification is going to benefit you are:
1) If you were going to do a Masters program in International Education, or a PGCE and one of the IB certification programs was an option, then it wouldnt hurt. The certification saves the school having to train you later.
2) Your already an IB teacher and want to move up to a junior admin IB role, such as HOD, or coordinator.
In your position the IB certificate will put you ever so slightly ahead of other candidates with no IB experience or IB training, but an IB certificate is an expensive and time consuming way of doing it, when a better option is just doing an IB workshop.
As i mentioned earlier a workshop is actually a better option for MYP and DIP teachers, the reason being that while your certification program focuses on PYP, MYP, or DIP it doesnt focus on any particular subject. None of the course teach you how to deliver or manage an IB classroom, as the topics are very abstract and conceptual. You take courses in the International student, ELL as a foundation across the curriculum, learning (in this case IB philosophy and pedagogy). Most of these are repeats of the same courses you probably already had in your education program, and the others, even the specific IB focused classes are more philosophy and concepts that introduce you to the IBs terminology, and structure.
This is less a problem in PYP, but at the MYP and DIP level, its not going to be much help when teaching a specific subject, such as literature, or chemistry, etc. In that case a subject focused workshop is actually better.
having an IB certification isnt going to allow you to walk into an interview at the same level of competition as someone who has actual IB experience. An IB certificate doesnt demonstrate or predict your success with students performance on their IB exams. It doesnt give you a default score to show a recruiter that you can produce results. Thats what recruiters want to see that your students either get high IB scores in DIP or that in MYP you prepare them well for DIP. Thats why training doesnt equal any amount of experience.
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pacificsurf619
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2012 6:41 am
- Location: Japan
A strong interview with knowledge about IB and why you want to teach in an IB setting would go further than an IB online certificate.
Many people go to the "less desirable" locations to gain initial IB experience but there are always exceptions.
I would do the research, try a few units of Inquiry in your classroom, document it in a portfolio and sell yourself in an interview instead of trying to buy your way in
As Psyguy and others have said - experience in IB is the number 1 thing - everything else falls short so you might as well just spend the time doing independent research and be ready when you get an interview
Many people go to the "less desirable" locations to gain initial IB experience but there are always exceptions.
I would do the research, try a few units of Inquiry in your classroom, document it in a portfolio and sell yourself in an interview instead of trying to buy your way in
As Psyguy and others have said - experience in IB is the number 1 thing - everything else falls short so you might as well just spend the time doing independent research and be ready when you get an interview
Reply
Most people start at the bottom to get IB experience and then move their way up. The ME, Africa, bottom tier schools in Asia. All much better options then "training".
The problem with training when it comes to the IB is all the options are basically playing in the kiddie pool. Its like having 3 bad tomatoes, and having to pick the best one. No one wants bad tomatoes.
As for the previous posters comments: It would be wise to do what research you can on the IB and Inquiry based learning and its approaches, but everyone interviewing with an IB school does that or should be doing that, so it doesnt distinguish you from any of the inexperienced.
What you really need is access to the OCC so that you can become familiar with your course, etc, but you need to be with an IB school to get an account.
There isnt any difference to the IB between F2F and online workshop training seminars. The online workshops cost about 600€ at the cheapest end.
Workshops cost about 600€ and a certificate programs going to cost you about 3500€, those are cheap considering how little value they have. None of the training options, including the online IB workshops are worth any amount of experience and your not going to be competitive compared to teachers with actual IB experience.
Sure you can go job hunting with an online IB training certificate, but you can go job hunting without one either, and the differences between candidates would be VERY minor, borderline microscopic. Is that worth your time and money, I cant answer that.
The problem with training when it comes to the IB is all the options are basically playing in the kiddie pool. Its like having 3 bad tomatoes, and having to pick the best one. No one wants bad tomatoes.
As for the previous posters comments: It would be wise to do what research you can on the IB and Inquiry based learning and its approaches, but everyone interviewing with an IB school does that or should be doing that, so it doesnt distinguish you from any of the inexperienced.
What you really need is access to the OCC so that you can become familiar with your course, etc, but you need to be with an IB school to get an account.
There isnt any difference to the IB between F2F and online workshop training seminars. The online workshops cost about 600€ at the cheapest end.
Workshops cost about 600€ and a certificate programs going to cost you about 3500€, those are cheap considering how little value they have. None of the training options, including the online IB workshops are worth any amount of experience and your not going to be competitive compared to teachers with actual IB experience.
Sure you can go job hunting with an online IB training certificate, but you can go job hunting without one either, and the differences between candidates would be VERY minor, borderline microscopic. Is that worth your time and money, I cant answer that.