Hi, my name’s Joseph Ticar, but please call me Joe.
I'm the Vice Principal/Assistant Head of Secondary Year and IB Diploma Programme Coordinator at International School Ruhr, located in Essen, Germany. When I’m not administrating, I teach Business Studies for the IB diploma, IGCSE English, and Grade 8 Business Management for students who are going to enter the IGCSE program. I also coordinate IS Ruhr’s Extended Essay and Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) programmes, and I am the pastoral coach and college/career counsellor for Grade 11 students.
My program of teacher education was completed at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto (OISE/UT), and I’m currently working my way through a Master of Education in Educational Technology at the Memorial University of Newfoundland. This past school year, I started a Certificate in School Management and Leadership through the Harvard School of Business.
Previously, I taught at the Canadian International School (CIS), a dual-curriculum school located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I taught Business Studies, Career Studies, and English/Language Arts at the Intermediate/Senior levels. Outside of the classroom at CIS, I was the Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) coordinator from 2017-2019. During that time, I was also the Secondary School Division Leader and Coordinator for the Global Issues Network, a group of student-run clubs at CIS that worked to raise awareness and funds for human and environmental issues.
My practice is informed by the idea that students should be able to think critically and act ethically. This philosophy is guided by consistent professional development with the goal of providing optimal support to students inside and outside of the classroom. Since starting my career, these are the highlights of my professional development:
Category 2 training in Individuals & Societies for the IB Middle Years Programme
Specialist-level qualifications in ESL and Guidance/Career Counselling through the Ontario College of Teachers
Category 1 and Category 2 training in Business Management for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (2016 and 2022 syllabus)
First Language English (0500) training for the Cambridge IGCSE curriculum
CISCO NetAcad Instructor training for teaching applied Information Technology skills
On the mental health side, I've completed certification in ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training).
Before I became a teacher, I had a career in corporate communications and public relations in the automotive sector for six years. In particular, I worked in social media, graphic design, and strategic planning at the head office of a luxury automotive manufacturer.