Being certified to teach the International Baccalaureate curriculum was an important decision, says Ruxandra Nahaiciuc.
Now pursuing master’s studies in education, she says earning the International Educator Certificate for International Baccalaureate (IB) Qualification enhanced her teaching credentials.
“This qualification makes me a competitive professional anywhere in the world,” Nahaiciuc says. “It has given me access to an immense body of teaching resources and professionals dedicated to life-long learning and quality education.”
The International Baccalaureate is a series of curricula for children from age 3 to 19, offered at more than 5,000 schools worldwide. Locally, it is employed at Assumption College, Cardinal Carter, Riverside, Leamington District, L’Essor and E. J. Lajeunesse secondary schools and Academie Ste-Cecile.
The University of Windsor’s Faculty of Education is the first in the province certified to train teacher candidates at the pre-service level in the specialized program.
Geri Salinitri, associate dean, pre-service, said she is proud to be able to address the growing need for teachers qualified to lead students to the IB diploma.
“What IB offers is a global perspective on education,” she said. “Our certificate makes graduates marketable around the world.”
The certificate program requires four online courses plus a practicum for pre-service teachers or professional learning community for those in-service.
Acting dean Katherine Quinsey said this intensive training will give graduates a deeper understanding of the IB curricula.
“Our program is better than just a workshop,” she said. “In the course of earning certification, students will be really embedded in the philosophy and benefit from our course-based approach to preparing them for classrooms.”
The sentiment is seconded by Nahaiciuc.
“My IB experience at the University of Windsor included interacting with incredibly understanding instructors who are full-time IB teachers,” she said. “I had the benefit of learning the IB curriculum at a time when IB continues to grow in cities all over the world, but most excitingly, here, in Windsor also.”
Learn more about this program, now registering for Summer 2017, on the faculty’s website.