During her first practicum experience in the Education Assistant Program at College of the Rockies, Nina Erickson decided she wanted to continue her schooling and obtain a Bachelor of Education degree.
Being able to complete the entire four years of curriculum in Cranbrook solidified her decision. Nina completed the Education Assistant program in June 2008 and enrolled in the Bachelor of Education program the following September.
With interest in both special education and aboriginal education, Nina found her time in the Teacher Education program to be very fulfilling. “The small class size allowed for more hands-on learning with many opportunities to engage in activities in different schools,” she says. It is the experience gained in practicums in and around the Cranbrook area that she believes enhances the likelihood of graduates finding employment in rural areas.
Nina was thrilled to obtain a full-time teaching position in BC just four months after graduation. She is certain her experience as a Grade Five teacher in Ahousat, BC will help her to grow and develop her skills and that she will, in time, find a teaching position back in the Cranbrook area. “I hope to find my way back to School District 5 as an experienced teacher with more strategies for integrating First Nations education into the mainstream curriculum,” Nina notes.
Learn more about the College of the Rockies/University of Victoria Bachelor of Education program.