In the 2011 Winter and Spring Terms, 5 Faculty of Education students were the first to take part in an internship program through an agreement between the University of Alberta Faculty of Education and Beijing Concord College of Sino-Canada. 4 of the 5 interns recently met with interested students and they spoke with great enthusiasm about their experiences at either the Canadian International School of Beijing (http://www.cisb.com.cn/default.php) or Beijing Concord College of Sino-Canada (http://www.ccsc.com.cn/english/index.htm). Philippa Kennard completed an internship at CISB in May and June, where the highlight of the experience for her was definitely in her interactions with the students in her classes. In conversation, she reiterated the same sentiments she had noted in her earlier reflections:

My teaching internship at the Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB) has been an incredible learning opportunity. I am very grateful to have been allowed this opportunity to gain valuable teaching experience in an invigorating international setting. Teaching my kindergarten students, I am challenged every day to further develop new skills in the classroom. In doing so, I am building upon the knowledge and practical experiences that I have acquired so far in my education degree.

While in Beijing, interns were placed with mentor teachers in areas relevant to their programs. These included Early Childhood Education, Mandarin as a Second Language at the elementary level, senior secondary Social Studies, and senior secondary English as a Second Language support. Interns expressed gratitude for the work of their mentor teachers and the school staff in providing excellent orientation and ongoing support during their stays.

Outside of school hours, interns had numerous opportunities to visit local sites and learn more about the historical and cultural context, including visits to the National Museum of China, the Summer Palace, the Great Wall, venues of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, and many more. Whether in Beijing for a shorter or longer stay, and whether returning to their programs or to convocation and their careers, all described their experiences as extremely valuable.

Students interested in the 4 internships available in Spring 2012 should note the January 26, 2012 application deadline. 

Applications and other materials:

http://www.education.ualberta.ca/AboutTheFaculty/InternationalOffice/InternationalOpportunitiesForEducationStudents.aspx.