Jan Čihák

IB DP Coordinator, Director of the Czech Programme for the Secondary School, Teacher of Czech

After completing my MA in Czech and French philology at the Charles University in Prague I taught shortly in a private Czech secondary school before I started teaching Czech and French at the English College in Prague in 2003. Over the years there I took various positions such as Senior Tutor or Head of Czech department. Over the past few years I was responsible for all matters related to the Czech educational legal background working as Director of Czech educational matters.
I have been involved with the International Baccalaureate Organisation since 2011 by leading and facilitating face to face and online IB workshops (also abroad), and I am an examiner of IB Czech A course. I cooperate closely with CERMAT on the concept of the state leaving examination, so called maturita and I also worked for a few semesters at the Charles University leading seminar on how to teach Czech efficiently – this was also the time when I finished my Ph.D. in sociolinguistics there.
Most of all, in school I have a passion for teaching and discovering new methods of efficient learning. Students´ progress and enjoyment of their own learning is the most important imperative for me and I can not imagine this happening without humour in class.
In my private life I enjoy cycling, reading and making music – I am an enthusiastic guitar and bass player, but I also try new instruments such as accordion. I have a little daughter and spending my spare time with her is my biggest pleasure.