Mitchell B
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Posts posted by Mitchell B
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Hello, people of the forum
So I'm a teacher from Manitoba, who's currently teaching Biology in Bangkok, Thailand. I have my B. Ed. (with a specialization in Biology and Chemistry) and a B. Sc (general science; Bio major, Chemistry minor) from the University of Manitoba. Teaching Biology has re-kindled my interset in the subject and I'm planning to join a Master's program in Biology (something to do with Botany).
My current plan is to come there in the summer of 2014 and do a half semester of under-grad courses as a refresher and for general interest's sake.... possibly a full year of that if it takes a while to get onto the substitute teaching list in a school division in the Burnaby area.
Can anyone advise for / against this plan though? I wouldn't mind starting right into the grad school program, but I feel a little overwhelmed at having to apply to a specific researcher and a specific topic. I feel like doing a 6-12 months of undergrad courses, possibly working as a TA in the lab or just having the chance to check out the campus and meet some of the professors that could be my research supervisors would be a good way to go about it...
How soon should I be starting to panic about applying for the specific master's program? Can anyone give some advice for someone that's never lived in B.C... or from someone that's done a similar thing as I'm looking to do? I heard that the undergrad courses can be a little overwhelming with the huge class sizes and lack of attention from the over-worked professors... Has anyone experienced that and maybe have another more 'cozy' university to do some under-grad courses while I work my way towards the Master's program?
Thanks for anyone who read all of this, and hope to meet some folks from the cool community here soon!
Burnaby, B.C.
in City Guide
Posted
Hello, fellow forum-goers;
I'm planning to study at the Burnaby campus of SFU, and am looking to start substitute teaching in the Burnaby area. I have my B.Sc. and B. Ed. for teaching senior years science, particularly Biology and Chemistry, but I've had some experience teaching or substitute-teaching at all levels (from kindergarten to grade 9) and would work anywhere that would take me.
My dilemma is that I won't be able to have a car, so I'll need to bike or commute between SFU and whatever middle- and high-schools are in the area. Anyone have some advice on a good central area to look for housing that would make that process less of a head-ache? Any fellow teachers out there have some words of advice for getting into the school system in Burnaby? I've only got about 4 years of teaching experience, so I'm almost wondering if it'd be better to move a little further outside of the city to be near a less competetive school division.
Thanks in advance!!
Mitchell Bergstersser