The UBC Bachelors of Education Program is a 12 month program and even though I was in their dual degree stream (highly recommend more info here), which is done in conjunction with your teachable degree over 5 years it is still a very condensed program time wise. While I was in the program it was hard to see exactly what I was getting from it. Teaching for the first time can be a nerve wracking thing and to help control those nerves many teacher candidates, myself included cling to the practical. We want to know exactly what to do and how to do it. How do I write a lesson plan? What do I do is a student won’t listen to me? What the heck is an IEP? A lot of us felt like the program was too abstract and that it didn’t address some of those basic tangible questions. We wanted a recipe. Do these things and you will always be successful.

But that isn’t how teaching works.

There are no magic steps to follow, teaching is messy and complex and always changing. The BEd program at UBC taught me that. As well as how to help navigate these changes now, as a new teacher and in the future.