Meet Mike Elkoussy! A graduate from the UBC Bachelor of Education Secondary program, specializing in English and the International Baccalaureate-Middle Years Programme (IB-MYP). Mike is also a recipient of the 2025 George Brooks White Memorial Book Prize and the Marilyn Hunnings Memorial Scholarship in Education. Read on for his thoughts on the UBC teacher education program and life as a certified teacher.
Q1. What is one piece of advice that you would give to future BEd students before starting the program?
Get organized! Figure out a task manager system (app, spreadsheets, etc.) for each class, and put the syllabus for each course in there too. Cut down on as much administrative work as you can!
Q2. Looking back at your pre-practicum self, what piece of advice would you give to help navigate the challenges and surprises of teaching on practicum?
Lean on every support you have, and be aware that many students actually LOVE practicum teachers. Our classes are dynamic, fun, pedagogically sound and exciting. You can be a breath of fresh air in your students’ lives!
“Practicum is wild. It’s a combination of most people’s three biggest fears: being observed and assessed, public speaking, and teenagers.’’
Q3. What was your most impactful moment during the BEd program?
A student wrote me a card at the end of long practicum saying “Before you got here I didn’t know what an essay was, and now I do and can write one. Thank you!” He took the time to thank me personally and it meant a lot.
Q4. As a practicing educator, what is one teaching strategy, resource, or classroom ritual you’ve discovered that you wish you had known earlier?
The importance of routine in a class. Today my students will sit down, open their binders to yesterday’s work, and be ready to learn. It took months of routine to get there, but now it’s saving a lot of headaches.
Q5. How has your vision for your teaching career evolved since completing the program?
This is amazing work. It’s hard, frequently frustrating and there’s a ton of emails to sort through, all the time. But at the end of each day, you’re making your students’ lives a little bit better, and small wins add up.
Final Thoughts
The BEd is an intense program, but the professors and classmates you meet will change your life. It’s incredible at opening up doors, and there are so many avenues to travel once you have this credential. I had a job offer the day after long practicum ended in my district of choice, and I had full-time employment the following September. Who could ask for anything more?!
Are you a UBC Vancouver BEd grad who wants to be featured? Email us at communications.teo@ubc.ca.