IB Training? The International Baccalaureate (IB)

[mortynyc]

Hi, I was trying to get some IB experience to make myself more marketable. I've done some research via Google and looked on a few IB sites but all I saw were some expensive workshops. Are there any good online courses to take to become International Baccalaureate (IB) trained?

Seems like it would be worthwhile as many schools seem to want teachers qualified to teach IB classes. My expertise would be History/Social Studies.

Thanks!

[Mr.C4ke]

You need to ask yourself what qualifies as 'experience'? Training via online workshops, which the IBO and others offer, isn't considered by a lot of schools as experience of teaching the programmes.

Completion of an online workshop would give you an advantage over a candidate without any training but usually the way into the IB is via a less desirable school in a less desirable location for a few years. Then you will have IB teaching experience and probably at least one workshop under your belt, preferable NOT online; but more importantly a foot into the door of the IB's magic castle of dreams and opportunities :)

[HeyTeacher]

You'll first want to get your Category 1 certificate. You can do that online. I think it will cost you a few hundred bucks though. Its easier if you are teaching or going to be teaching an IB history course as it takes some time to get your head around the curriculum (Paper 1, Paper 2, HL/SL, Route One/Route Two, Internal/External Assessment etc). I've only been doing it a couple years, but learning the way the course is organized can be a headache for a newbie.

[mortynyc]

http://www.ibo.org/

I see the workshops on the IB site but the online ones are $600 each. Also, as Mr. C4ke says, would schools even consider this IB experience if I did complete the Category 1 cert?

Thanks for feedback.

[Briz]

Training is training, and the online courses count.

That being said training is just training and experience in the classroom is worth a thousand times more than a course.

While a course might make you slightly more marketable, and give a slight edge over someone else with no IB experience, I have never thought it worth the personal expense. Much better to get an IB job and have them send you to training. Make sure it is in the contract!! The benefit of a course without experience is just not enough for me personally.

[mortynyc]

Thanks Briz. But would I be hired for an IB school to get the training in the first place without any initial IB training? There's the issue. It seems like IB schools prefer IB trained and experienced teachers over those who have never even taken at least one IB course.

Might it be worth the expense to take a few IB courses on your own to make yourself more marketable or not worth the expense?

[Rye]

I just got a gig teaching IB and I have no IB experience. That being said I have over a decade teaching AP level so the content isn't the issue, just the process. They are going to let me PD on it so I can hit the ground running, I am actually ery excited to learn the program.

I think a course would be helpful in the VERY unlikely case you and another canidate are dead even, it could tip the scales slightly. But just don't see it being worth the out-of-pocket expense for the tiny edge it would give you, since I feel like it wouldn't be considered actual "experience". What it would show is your willingness to be proactive - great stuff to mention on an interview - but there are way cheaper ways to do that that your current school may pay for.

Schools hire the canidate, not just the resume so if you demonstrate you are willing to do what it takes they may hire you without the training and just get you set when you are hired...like what happened to me.

And be a shame training and then end up not teaching IB. That 600 bucks would be nice to have back!

[Briz]

Morty, again, this is my take on the situation, but an online course does not make an IB teacher. In my 4th year in IB, I still learn a ton of things. Your worry stems from the fact you are not yet in the game, but a school is highly unlikely to pick you over a person with even 6 months in the trenches just because you spend 600 bucks on an online course. For me, I absolutely hated my first school, but I made it through 2 long years and landed a job I really liked. IB jobs without experience are out there! Maybe not at The schools everyone drools over, but they are definitely out there.

Here are my suggestions.

1. Get on Twitter!!! Meet some people! Get yourself knowledgable. Create your PLN, it doesn't take long, and believe me there are sooooo many people who want to talk about what they do... Feedback, feedback, feedback

2. Read blogs (you will find plenty through twitter)

3. Inthinking.com. Worth 250 USD, you get a lot more out of it than 1 online course for 600 USD

4.patience, you will need it to put up with possible rejections you might recieve on your way to your own professional education. (I have lots of bruises and scars!!!)

5. Remember the world is large! There are lots of things going on we never even find out about.

Good luck!

[mortynyc]

Great feedback Briz and Rye so thank you.

Briz -

- What are some quality Twitter feeds to follow?

- What are some of the blogs that you recommend?

Signing up for inthinking now.

Thanks again!

[Briz]

Start with #edchat. Then start trolling as I call it. Pick a person who tweets cool stuff, look who they follow, or who follows them and start adding. Hopefully you pick people in your field, or admin ( they like it when you bring up in an interview stuff they have tweeted). When you go to someones page and they have a blog, look at it! If it adds value to your life, then save it and follow it. If you use an iPad (or other handheld device) I suggest hootsuite as it can organize all of your social media and is great for backchanneling. You can post to facebook, twitter, linkedin, foursquare all at the same time. Really, in a month of dedicated following you should be right in the thick of it. Then it is just personality I guess. Make some comments, ask some questions etc. next thing you know x person is leaving y school and they ask for your resume, and bam you have a new job... Not an immediate scenario, but networking does lead to those outcomes...

[mortynyc]

Thanks for the info Briz! Much appreciated.

[shadowjack]

Briz, your advice is brilliant!

Shad