A passionate and devoted IB educator, Ryan Baxter arrives at BIS-NY with great excitement from the Washington, DC Metropolitan area. He earned a Bachelors of Arts in Elementary Education from Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. While at Shepherd University, his fervor for education was shaped by Shepherd’s teaching principles as a reflective problem-solver through disposition, knowledge, and performance.

Driven by these principles, Ryan soon found himself teaching kindergarten at College Gardens, the first International Baccalaureate (IB) Elementary School in Maryland. During his tenure there, he aided in the development and refinement of the IB programme, professionally developed new and incoming teachers, developed parent support programs, and initiated Mathematics reform in the school. Ryan has taught kindergarten, first grade, and fifth grade and was the team leader of the first grade and fifth grade teachers.

During this time, Ryan began his Graduate programme at McDaniel College in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Educational Leadership. With his combined knowledge of the guiding principles, IB, and Graduate work, Ryan comes prepared to apply knowledge and skills in a new and exciting environment.

In addition to his work at College Gardens, he also became active in the broader community of Montgomery County Public Schools. He became a trainer for new teachers in the county, developed cross-curricular interactive lessons using ActivStudio software, and became a representative for all first grade teachers in the county as an elected member of the Council on Teaching and Learning.

As his experience in teacher training grew, he also began training for the Mid-Atlantic Association of IB Schools. He facilitated several training workshops for Heads of Schools who are interested in transforming their institutions into IB schools. Ryan has also trained fellow IB teachers both the Exhibition and the connections that can be made between IB and Junior Great Books.

Outside of education, Ryan is a tremendous supporter of the performing arts. As a clarinetist, he understands the importance of the arts in a child’s life. He has performed in the Kennedy Center, several towns in Southern Ireland including, Dublin, Cork, and Tramore with the Shepherd University Wind Ensemble, and weddings across the mid-Atlantic region.

Ryan Baxter is full of anticipation and is eager to become familiar with the BIS-NY community. With his zeal for the IB programme and willingness to learn and be a risk-taker, he is welcoming these new experiences and opportunities with open arms, an open mind, and an open heart.

You can read Mr Baxter’s class blog here.

Qualifications

B.A. Elementary Education, Shepherd University, West Virginia, USA