Any thoughts on taking classes in the IB program online to make yourself more marketable?
Something like: Introduction to the IB DP in "your subject here".
I am looking specifically at www.ibo.org
Has anyone done this and had more success when talking with schools? Would you recommend a different class or none at all? And why?
Thanks, dg
IB classes online
Reply
This has been discussed many times before, but the short answer is schools want experience not training. No amount of training equals any amount of experience. Still training is better then nothing, its just not going to be worth very much. Most people dont have great things to say about IB training.
PYP is the most valuable, but you dont recognize the value until your in the classroom, and even then your first year is more of an intern/training year. Many teachers can and are better off learn the training part of the PYP while working in the classroom.
DIP training is helpful if you have no experience or background in inquiry based education, but many modern/recently trained/certified teachers have a familiarity with the pedagogy and methodology. About 20% of the IB DIP training has value to a teacher. A lot of the level 1 DIP (Introduction to______) workshop is remedial.
The MYP training is pretty useless.
PYP is the most valuable, but you dont recognize the value until your in the classroom, and even then your first year is more of an intern/training year. Many teachers can and are better off learn the training part of the PYP while working in the classroom.
DIP training is helpful if you have no experience or background in inquiry based education, but many modern/recently trained/certified teachers have a familiarity with the pedagogy and methodology. About 20% of the IB DIP training has value to a teacher. A lot of the level 1 DIP (Introduction to______) workshop is remedial.
The MYP training is pretty useless.
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defygravity
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Sun May 06, 2012 1:36 am
It will not hurt, but it will not be a deal-breaker. However, given that there are many schools that want to break into or continue to be involved in the IB world without spending the money to hire qualified and experienced IB teachers it could help your marketability.
Having said that, reports on the quality of the online courses are not encouraging, but if you have the funds and the time it will not be disadvantageous to you as a stop-gap measure. Good luck!
Having said that, reports on the quality of the online courses are not encouraging, but if you have the funds and the time it will not be disadvantageous to you as a stop-gap measure. Good luck!
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Yantantether
- Posts: 168
- Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 12:41 am
I can answer part of your question as I have direct experience of doing exactly what you have queried. I did the online 'PYP induction' quite recently and as others have alluded to, I feel that what I gained in relation to being able to use this as a teacher is minimal. Yes I have a greater theoretical understanding of the PYP but it is just that - theoretical.
As PsyGuy explained, training is the ultimate but it is better than nothing, and you can only get that training when a school employs you, right. So, with the chicken and egg situation that is IB training and employment, then it may well put you in a much stronger position than some might believe?
I can't answer that one yet however, I will find out in the up- coming melee of the hiring season. Obviously those with IB experience will be in front of the likes of you and I, but in theory we should be just behind them. And how many teachers have real experience vs how many schools are looking for IB teachers. That's where we benefit - hopefully......in theory :D
Good luck.
As PsyGuy explained, training is the ultimate but it is better than nothing, and you can only get that training when a school employs you, right. So, with the chicken and egg situation that is IB training and employment, then it may well put you in a much stronger position than some might believe?
I can't answer that one yet however, I will find out in the up- coming melee of the hiring season. Obviously those with IB experience will be in front of the likes of you and I, but in theory we should be just behind them. And how many teachers have real experience vs how many schools are looking for IB teachers. That's where we benefit - hopefully......in theory :D
Good luck.
Comment
No offense, but IB training isn't very valuable to a school or recruiter, and the reason it has such little value to them when recruiting is because they know the training itself isn't very useful or valuable to a teacher in the classroom. Schools do it because part of their authorization agreement requires it.
Your observation that those with training come just behind those with experience, isnt accurate based on the practical cycle of an IT. Its not just the people in front of you "have experience", but that the vast majority of ITs are coming off of 2 year contracts, which are standard for new hires. So its not like those teachers with experience have a couple months or a semester they have TWO FULL years of IB experience. They got to have their training year where they made a bunch of mistakes, and then they got settled into it, and comfortable with it. You cant really make any meaningful comparison between that experience and a training workshop, which those teachers in front of you with the experience did as well. Your not "right behind them" your way behind them, what you 'MAY' be is right in front of the people without any experience or training.
Depending on the school that could be a positive or negative. Some schools like the added savings and logistics of not having to train you, and feel some reassurance that you wont require as much mentoring since your already trained.
Other schools would prefer to train you themselves if they have their own in house training, as then they dont have to have you "unlearn" all the stuff you learned during your workshop. To them the training means slightly less off time reading. For these schools its more of a benefit to start with "blank slates", so that they can teach you how the IB is implemented in their school environment.
I've been saying for years that someone should write a "IB for Dummies" book and it would be just as useful as the training workshops and seminars, but it won't happen.
Your observation that those with training come just behind those with experience, isnt accurate based on the practical cycle of an IT. Its not just the people in front of you "have experience", but that the vast majority of ITs are coming off of 2 year contracts, which are standard for new hires. So its not like those teachers with experience have a couple months or a semester they have TWO FULL years of IB experience. They got to have their training year where they made a bunch of mistakes, and then they got settled into it, and comfortable with it. You cant really make any meaningful comparison between that experience and a training workshop, which those teachers in front of you with the experience did as well. Your not "right behind them" your way behind them, what you 'MAY' be is right in front of the people without any experience or training.
Depending on the school that could be a positive or negative. Some schools like the added savings and logistics of not having to train you, and feel some reassurance that you wont require as much mentoring since your already trained.
Other schools would prefer to train you themselves if they have their own in house training, as then they dont have to have you "unlearn" all the stuff you learned during your workshop. To them the training means slightly less off time reading. For these schools its more of a benefit to start with "blank slates", so that they can teach you how the IB is implemented in their school environment.
I've been saying for years that someone should write a "IB for Dummies" book and it would be just as useful as the training workshops and seminars, but it won't happen.
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Yantantether
- Posts: 168
- Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 12:41 am
No offence taken, (this time ^_^) and I agree in part.
I think it's less valuable to the teacher in many ways -for reasons I mentioned above- than it is to the schools. At least the schools can say this/that teacher has this/that PYP training even if it was online. Regardless of it's actual value as a teaching tool they can use it either for accreditation/authorisation requirements and/or to tell their parents (you said so yourself). Also, it will/may save them some money in the training budget (should they have one!).
At the end of the day it's about supply and demand. Are there enough (in-house)IB trained teachers out there to go round? If not, then someone with a 30 hrs online IB course under their belt is better than one with nowt.
I think it's less valuable to the teacher in many ways -for reasons I mentioned above- than it is to the schools. At least the schools can say this/that teacher has this/that PYP training even if it was online. Regardless of it's actual value as a teaching tool they can use it either for accreditation/authorisation requirements and/or to tell their parents (you said so yourself). Also, it will/may save them some money in the training budget (should they have one!).
At the end of the day it's about supply and demand. Are there enough (in-house)IB trained teachers out there to go round? If not, then someone with a 30 hrs online IB course under their belt is better than one with nowt.
Re: Comment
[quote="PsyGuy"]Your not "right behind them" your way behind them, what you 'MAY' be is right in front of the people without any experience or training. [/quote]
My wife is doing the PYP course at the end of this month and I'll probably do it at the beginning of next year. What you described is what we are looking for. I don't expect to be competing with people with years of PYP experience, but I would hope that when competing with someone with roughly the same skill set as myself, then I will have the edge. What else can you expect from a three month part time course? At least it shows a willingness to undertake professional development in the direction of the school you are applying.
My wife is doing the PYP course at the end of this month and I'll probably do it at the beginning of next year. What you described is what we are looking for. I don't expect to be competing with people with years of PYP experience, but I would hope that when competing with someone with roughly the same skill set as myself, then I will have the edge. What else can you expect from a three month part time course? At least it shows a willingness to undertake professional development in the direction of the school you are applying.