Metrovalley Newspaper Group
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Page: 0003
Section: Burnaby Newsleader - News

Written by Matthew Strader

Whether working to keep up on curriculum trends, or learning new methodologies of the subjects they teach.

Or, as in Mar'yana Hnativ's case, standing in front of the mirror and sounding out vowels.

"I said to my students, 'If you hear me say something in a funny way, to let me know,' " said Hnativ, who left Ukraine to come to Canada with her husband in 2004. "Then I can go home and pronounce the word again in front of the mirror.

"And I think they were motivated not to let me down."

Hnativ was a secondary school math teacher in her home country of Ukraine, but feared that, like many people with foreign credentials, she would have to repeat her university education to teach here.

Many newcomers to Canada often find themselves working below their talents and qualifications. Too often, engineers become cabbies. Doctors become janitors. And that coffee you get in the morning could be handed to you by a teacher.

But thanks to a program unique to Simon Fraser University, called the Professional Qualification Program, teachers like Hnativ have a chance to become a part of the community--and to contribute to their fullest extent.

Through the program, pronunciation of English words is just one of the many things the 31-year-old had to tackle on her way to getting certified to teach in Canada.

"It's something I don't think a lot of us (immigrants) know, and I want to tell others," said Hnativ. "It takes some time to fulfill the requirements, but it's worth it.

"Now that I am working, I am very happy with my choice."

Hnativ landed work as a teacher-on-call at Byrne Creek secondary in Burnaby after completing the SFU program. Two years ago, a friend of hers enrolled in teacher training at SFU and learned that the school had a course designed to help immigrant teachers pursue their Canadian accreditation.

And for Hnativ, it was a prayer answered.

"It was my dream come true, it was really hard to find myself in a new country and I was very unsure of what I would do."

Her husband is an optical engineer and was able to work in his field right away. For Hnativ, teaching did not seem possible due to the barriers she would encounter in language and curriculum structure.

"It can be difficult in a new country, but working like this, doing what I am meant to do, is a relief."

Hnativ believes that if word spreads about the program many immigrants like her will no longer be struggling to find their way.

And the enrollment numbers are beginning to reflect that.

The program premiered in 2001 and began with one module and about 12-15 students.

In 2008, there are 24 students taken from 80 applicants as part of a three semester, 10-month program.

"We had a number of students who were working below their skills," said Kanwal Neel, SFU's program co-ordinator for professional programs in the faculty of education. "They were 30 to 35 years old and above, and had teaching experience. What they needed was a bridging program to get them re-certified in Canada.

"We wanted to give them the skills and abilities to teach here."

PQP students' first semester immerses them in the B.C. curriculum as they observe working classrooms. The second semester teaches Canadian teaching methods and the third semester is a 13-week practicum in a school.

"An added bonus is that as awareness of the program is growing, the quality of the applicants is also growing," said Marlowe Irvine, associate professor in the PQP. "Mar'yana is an example of one of those students who did all the right things to become a qualified teacher."

Immigrant teachers interested in the PQP program first must apply to the B.C. College of Teachers (BCCT). The BCCT reviews their education and abilities and recommends what they need in order to achieve entry into the program, and eventually, Canadian certification.

For some teachers, this means upgrading a few skills before beginning the program.

Hnativ took English literature and writing courses and completed an English equivalency exam.

She took those credits at Douglas College while working a full-time job.

"I was working in the morning and taking my classes in the evening," said Hnativ. "It was tough, but again if you can see your goal, even if it is high, you have to reach it."

While she found the schedule heavy, the return to the student's desk was a fun and productive experience.

Neel has said that some of the immigrant teachers find it difficult to adjust from the teacher-oriented, lecture-focused teaching styles of Eastern Europe and Southeastern Asia, where the majority of his students come from, to the student-oriented style of Canada.

But for Hnativ, it was an easy transition.

"It is a much better system for the student," said Hnativ. "Now that I have been in the system myself, I like that the student-oriented teaching means that students are active participants in the classroom. The teacher is a facilitator rather than a lecturer, providing a variety of opportunities for students with diverse background knowledge and interests to learn in different ways: working in groups, using visuals, hands-on activities, math games and videos, etc."

But that's not to say Hnativ won't bring some of the wisdom she gained from teaching in Eastern Europe.

"I am not saying that everything I learned back home is bad, or not appropriate for the Canadian school system," said Hnativ. "I believe in education and try to instill a sense of the value of knowledge in my students."

So for parents wanting a teacher to inspire their kids, some may be lucky to find someone like Hnativ: humble enough to ask for help with her pronunciation and a fine example of the hard work and dedication it can take to tackle life's challenges.

Including vowel lengths, and that tricky use of the letter S.