The ITT Student Experience: An Interview with Shreya Badakh

July 31, 2023 by Professional Studies Staff

Are you a passionate educator looking for an exciting opportunity to explore teaching internationally? The Internationally Trained Teachers (ITT) Program at Queen’s University Professional Studies is your gateway to teaching excellence in Ontario, Canada.

No matter where you come from, if you’re a certified teacher from a country outside of Canada or hold a bachelor’s degree in Education from abroad, our 16-month program is tailor-made for you! The ITT Program offers a unique blend of academic excellence and a supportive community, whether you’re aiming for certification to teach in Ontario, Canada, or wish to enhance your teaching skills or simply wish to enhance your teaching skills and cultural understanding.

In this blog, we learn from ITT graduate Shreya Badakh who shares her experience with ITT and offers advice to prospective and incoming ITT students. With over 20 years of experience as a teacher in India, Shreya was ready to explore teaching at an international level and choose the ITT Program. Her journey through the program will give you a firsthand account of the transformative opportunities that await you in the ITT Program.

Choosing ITT: Your Gateway to Teaching Excellence in Ontario

Shreya's international teaching journey began when she and her husband were exploring options for moving to Canada through permanent residency programs. Shreya was concerned that being an international applicant would hinder her ability to pursue her teaching career without the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) certification so she sought a program that would help bridge this gap.

She found the ITT Program and was excited that it would not only value her diverse educational background and teaching experiences but would also support her in obtaining the OCT certification.

From Online Connections to On-Campus Bonds

Reflecting on her time spent as an ITT student, Shreya shared that she initially had reservations about beginning her ITT studies online rather than in the classroom, a necessary but temporary shift as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she was pleasantly surprised to find that the online courses fostered a strong sense of community among ITT students. As such, when classes resumed back on-campus, Shreya seamlessly connected with classmates, thanks to the rapport and community built during their online interactions.

The dedicated ITT staff and instructors at Queen’s provided valuable support throughout the duration of the program and Shreya found that her courses were thoughtfully designed, engaging, and interactive, enabling all learners space to share their unique backgrounds and experiences within the learning community.

Putting Theory into Practice: The ITT Practicum Experience

The ITT Program equipped Shreya with additional educational skills needed to excel as a teacher in Ontario, including

fostering inclusive classrooms
adapting teaching strategies for diverse learners
integrating technology effectively into lessons

For Shreya, the ITT practicum was a key feature of the program because it provided practical experience within Ontario classrooms, enabling her to apply these educational skills in new contexts while also learning from and networking with diverse educators within the Ontario school system.

One particularly valuable strategy Shreya learned was for managing emotions and promoting mental health in a classroom using morning circle sessions. Morning circles were introduced to the ITT students by Janette Jorgensen, an instructor in the program who also serves as Program Administrator and Academic Advisor. These sessions create a safe space for students to openly discuss topics related to mental health and emotional management – an essential element to add to her teaching kit with young students.

Shreya has successfully integrated morning circles into her post-ITT teaching practices, enriching her connections with the students she teaches in a variety of classrooms as an Occasional Teacher.

Embracing Cultural Differences

Moving to and teaching in a new country can be both exhilarating and challenging, and Shreya experienced her share of excitement and adjustment. Coming from India, she noticed the contrast in class sizes between India and Canada. While Indian class sizes were larger and more authoritative, Canadian classes emphasize a more personalized, student-centred approach. The teaching styles in Canada allowed for more meaningful connections between students and teachers, aligning perfectly with Shreya’s aspirations as an emerging educator in Ontario.

Post-ITT Teaching

With the support of her ITT instructors, Shreya was able to maintain a healthy school-life balance and even managed to obtain additional practical work experience as an educator at the YMCA of Kingston before- and after-school programs, working with primary and junior age students across Kingston.

With her ITT certificate and training, Shreya earned her Ontario of College of Teachers certification and was soon hired as an Occasional Teacher with the Limestone District School Board, where she still works today. She also even teaches courses at the Queen’s School of English!

Advice for Prospective ITT Students

For those considering the ITT Program, Shreya offers some valuable advice:

Research, research, research! Shreya stresses the importance of incoming students thoroughly exploring and learn about Canada, Queen’s, and the ITT Program prior to beginning your ITT journey.

Embrace supply teaching! Many school boards in Canada require teachers begin their careers by supply teaching before being hired for a permanent position. While it may seem initially daunting teaching at different schools across a board, Shreya stresses that it provides valuable opportunities to gain practical experience in diverse classroom settings, which in turn builds confident and adaptability, enabling ITT graduates to teach in any classroom setting with ease.

Consider other locations! While Shreya decided to remain in Kingston after she graduated from the ITT Program, she has ITT peers who have had success within the Toronto District School Board, where they began as supply teachers and later secured permanent teaching positions.

Applying to ITT

Through the ITT Program, Shreya has achieved her dream of teaching in Ontario and continues to make a meaningful impact on the lives of her students and the Kingston community.

This could be your success story too – teaching internationally and making a difference in the lives of students in Ontario! Learn more about the Internationally Trained Teachers (ITT) Program at Queen’s University!