Asian-American teachers at international schools - anyone?
Asian-American teachers at international schools - anyone?
New to international teaching and am not sure what to expect -- ambivalence, acceptance, discrimination? It has only dawned on me that my ethnicity might be an issue....
It won't be. And in the rare case of someone doing so, they will be beaten.
Seriously though, just as anywhere, you'll have the rare idiots. However in an international setting with an international student body, it won't be an issue. In my experience you wont' be Asian-American- you'll be you (IMHO).
Seriously though, just as anywhere, you'll have the rare idiots. However in an international setting with an international student body, it won't be an issue. In my experience you wont' be Asian-American- you'll be you (IMHO).
Actually not to be glib about it... I did see personal bias growing up in an international school. You had individuals who brought bias to the table, examples being Japanese bias toward Korean, Indian/Pakistani friction, white/black South African bias and friction, Javanese towards basically every other Indonesian ethnicity (and all of them toward the Javanese)- and many others. My student body consisted of nearly 50 different nationalities, all major religions and so many languages.
The difference being though that most of those bias came from the parents. Rarely was it reflected in the students. I believe that was in large part because we all were 'forced' to socialize together at school, and that cancelled out the ignorance of bias. It's kind of hard to hate on someone when you're dating their sister.....
And I think that's a great part of international schools- it's such a mix. You'll have individual bias. It just won't be tolerated in general by the general population- especially the students because they'll know different. They'll just accept the differences and use that to their advantage. I think that's one strength of TCK's and those that make this a profession.
In terms of staff and bias towards you... of course you might run into someone. I'd have a hard time though believing that they'll hold any major position at any major school for long with any type of bias.
As a male elementary teacher, I'd have parents- especially South Asian parents expect me to be very strict- even tell me I could use corporal punishment on their kids. While there were a few I'd have loved to put over me knee at times- there was no way. And when I told them that my classroom management skills were more 'subtle', they were disapointed. One even told me I was a 'soft' American. I guess that's a bias.
The difference being though that most of those bias came from the parents. Rarely was it reflected in the students. I believe that was in large part because we all were 'forced' to socialize together at school, and that cancelled out the ignorance of bias. It's kind of hard to hate on someone when you're dating their sister.....
And I think that's a great part of international schools- it's such a mix. You'll have individual bias. It just won't be tolerated in general by the general population- especially the students because they'll know different. They'll just accept the differences and use that to their advantage. I think that's one strength of TCK's and those that make this a profession.
In terms of staff and bias towards you... of course you might run into someone. I'd have a hard time though believing that they'll hold any major position at any major school for long with any type of bias.
As a male elementary teacher, I'd have parents- especially South Asian parents expect me to be very strict- even tell me I could use corporal punishment on their kids. While there were a few I'd have loved to put over me knee at times- there was no way. And when I told them that my classroom management skills were more 'subtle', they were disapointed. One even told me I was a 'soft' American. I guess that's a bias.
Hi my experience of se Asia is that in an first rate international school no problem. In a third tier school they mostly want White people. In the tefl industry in Thailand I once asked why the agent wanted a picture. Blunt answer was one school saw there new teacher synthesis station was black and drove off! So pic was to make sure I was White.
In se Asia I heard the words "retard" for sen kids and the N word regularly used for black people. Even Chinese get called the "Jews of Asia" or "black hearts". Very little PC! Asian expats from USA get Treated badly in Malaysia I know for example. They weren't teachers but senior managers.
But a first rate international school in most countries should be fine. Just be aware that issues may arise outside of school. And anywY even White people get discriminated against in Asia so it's just a case of educate the young to be broad minded!
In se Asia I heard the words "retard" for sen kids and the N word regularly used for black people. Even Chinese get called the "Jews of Asia" or "black hearts". Very little PC! Asian expats from USA get Treated badly in Malaysia I know for example. They weren't teachers but senior managers.
But a first rate international school in most countries should be fine. Just be aware that issues may arise outside of school. And anywY even White people get discriminated against in Asia so it's just a case of educate the young to be broad minded!
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I'm Asian American and besides one negative experience (mentioned below), this has not posed a problem for me teaching at international schools in Asia. That said, I think if I had a thick accent, it might be a different story... This is unfair and unfortunate but it sometimes happens that Asian (old fashioned) parents don't want their children to have an Asian teacher but of course, it is dependent upon the open mindedness and internationalism of the school itself. I have heard of a couple stories from Asian teacher friends about this very issue coming up at job fair interviews but perhaps we can take it as a warning sign for a not so good school.
I was working at a school in Indonesia a couple years back and had a very narrow minded and incapable principal running the show. I was the only Asian American class teacher and she seemed to give me a much harder time than the Caucasian teachers there. She left me alone once I proved myself that I could teach well but by then, I had already made up my mind to move on to a better place.
Just do your research on the school and ask to speak to current teachers on their experience there to get a better feel of the place. Communicating candidly with the admin about school culture and open-mindedness is key. I think if it is a real concern, they will bring it up first.
By and large, this doesn't seem to be a problem for Asian American teachers.
I was working at a school in Indonesia a couple years back and had a very narrow minded and incapable principal running the show. I was the only Asian American class teacher and she seemed to give me a much harder time than the Caucasian teachers there. She left me alone once I proved myself that I could teach well but by then, I had already made up my mind to move on to a better place.
Just do your research on the school and ask to speak to current teachers on their experience there to get a better feel of the place. Communicating candidly with the admin about school culture and open-mindedness is key. I think if it is a real concern, they will bring it up first.
By and large, this doesn't seem to be a problem for Asian American teachers.
Thank you all for your insights. I will be working this upcoming academic year in a school in China. From what I gather, the director who hired me seemed only interested in my educational background and experience. I'm sure that a North American passport and accent also comes into play. I have yet to see how my own experiences will unfold...
Discrimination towards non North American Teachers
In my experience teaching in South Korea it's better to be Asian American/Canadian than to be a teacher from a non North American country. Many schools seem to prefer teachers trained in North America with an American accent. This is because the parents want the American accent for their children and most Koreans think that America is the only country outside of Korea.
Not sure if that something you'd find in international schools. In South Korean and other Asian Language schools they definitely want a white face. The aren't really looking for 'professional' educators. Teachers are a marketing tool foremost. If a international school doesn't want to hire you because of of your race, you don't want to work there anyhow!