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| Students at University of Macau during a Mexican cooking demonstration. |
An old professor of mine asked me to share some thoughts for new teachers in the field of TESOL abroad in Asia for her new book.
What are the biggest mistakes teachers make
when they first go to teach in these countries?
Teachers are
always bound to make mistakes when going abroad to work. I have taught in
Korea, Japan, and China and probably one of my biggest mistakes is not asking
about the nitty gritty details before taking on a position. You don’t want to come off during the
interview as a pushover, so you remain quiet and try and seem comfortable and
cool right? But, this is one of the worst things that you can do, as you may be
kicking your-self months after taking a position for not thoroughly and
critically evaluating your new position beforehand. As I have applied to more positions overtime,
the process has gotten easier and I remember to make a giant checklist of items
that I have questions about and sit there crossing them off and making more
questions during my interviews.
1.
Not asking
enough questions
If
the interview is cut short, which it almost inevitably is, I make sure to
e-mail back over my final questions or call again to get my questions answered.
A lot of programs and schools are short on time during the interview process.
They are brief and leave a lot of vital information out of the picture. One
example happened to me recently while applying to The University of Macau.
Because their University is expanding and a new campus is being built, they
could not guarantee my housing stipend when I first signed my contract. I had
to wait several months until I found out about my housing options through the University
for off-campus faculty members. 3 months after I had signed my contract I heard
back from the University with my housing package. Still, I forgot to ask if
this housing was for the duration of my 10 month contract which I assumed it
was. Little did I know that the University had only secured my off-campus
apartment for 6 months with the hopes of moving me into the on-campus housing
as soon as construction was finished. Because I was not nagging the office and
administration about every tiny minute detail of my contract, I ultimately
ended up with more stress upon arrival to the country. Uncertain if I was to be
moved again, I could not truly settle in to my living space or purchase
furniture because of the lack of communication between the administration and
the University itself.
I
also had a similar experience in Korea where I was told by the school that I
would have assistance finding housing. They sold this as a plus side of taking
a contract with their school since other workplaces teachers are left to deal
with their own housing and hire a real estate agent. However, they did forget
to mention that there was an exuberant fee associated with their housing
assistance and I forgot to ask because I assumed that this was a perk of the
position. Assume that nothing is a perk, and assume that anything offered will
come with an extra fee until it is written in stone otherwise.
These
are things that you need to be upfront with during your interview. You need to
be detailed with your recent experience and expectations. If you do not share
with your future workplace what you expect from the position and contract
itself, you may find yourself wishing that you took more time to get acquainted
with their position and school policies and environment.
2.
Not understanding
that other countries are still developing
Many teachers
assume that because they got hired at the top notch college or school that they
will have high quality access to the internet and state of the art equipment.
This is often not the case and is hard to discover without visiting the new
workplace in-person before-hand. A company or school may tell you that you will
have access to projectors, computers, etc. but expect that there may be a lack
of technology that you are used to living in the United States or other
countries that have the latest technology. I taught at a University in Japan
that gave me access to ONE computer in another teacher’s classroom to do
attendance each day. That meant that I had NO computer to use in my classroom
at all and no projector either. Everything had to be done with a simple chalk
board and white board and I had to think creatively to plan my lessons without
any access to technology at all. Even today at one of the most prestigious
universities, the internet is often very slow because of so many classes going
on at the same time. Thus, I cannot just hop on You Tube to show a video in my
class or pull up an article. I need to download the clip before class and save
it to my computer which takes extra time.
3.
They may think
that their recent teaching experience or recent program will apply to their new
workplace.
This is NEVER
the case! Each time I have taken a new position I have had to completely
re-evaluate the way that I teach in order to apply my skills to their program.
No program is alike and each University has their own guidelines and
curriculum. For the first time I find myself in a program that is not focuses
on specific language skills such as reading, writing, grammar. Etc. but strives
to align itself with the core curriculum since the courses are a part of the
required core classes at the university. Instead, I have found myself learning
to adjust to the new curriculum which is focused on academic skills and aims to
help students succeed in all of their university courses which a majority are
conducted in English.
4.
Do not assume
that the country you are applying to will understand or recognize your
certifications or degrees.
Many
schools abroad do not understand what a M.Ed. or an M.A. in TESOL entails.
Instead, they are still asking teachers to have certifications such as the
CELTA or DELTA. But, in other countries a CELTA or DELTA will not be recognized
as a high enough certification for teaching or it may be a required certificate
to work in their programs. Each country will have its own idea of the best
certification or degree required for its program. Your current educational
background may mean something very different in another country which is
something that is often confusing for new teachers in the field. The field of
TESOL is always changing and is relatively new in nature. Teachers that want to
be extremely marketable for a position should try and receive every certificate
and diploma possible to maximize their potential for securing a job.
5.
Not
understanding the difference between language schools, universities, and
teaching programs.
There is a huge
difference if you are contracted by a private company to teach at a school or
university versus being hired at the school or university directly. When
searching for jobs, I often find myself researching the top schools in that
country and looking directly for jobs on their websites. I also contact
previous and current employees of these schools and ask about their experiences
working for that particular school via linked-in and online teacher profiles. I have never gone through a staffing agency or
government teaching program, although if you do decide to do so, it is not a
problem. However, many teachers find that when they leave a job in Korea or
Japan they do not have high level positions that will allow them to move up
within their profession. If you are teaching at a “Hagwon” or “Private Language
Institution” in Korea, this will not allow you to secure a job at a University
or public school in the states or U.K. Many teachers forget that even though
they have been teaching for so long abroad and have learned how to become a
great teacher within their school, they still do not have high enough
certifications and work experience to get them into a job when they decide to
return home. They will still need to further their education after these
teaching experiences. So, if you are just going abroad for the experience a
TESOL course or certification is best for you. But if you are trying to become
a teacher as a life-long profession than I would strongly consider furthering
your education ASAP to maximize your job potential and expertise in the field.
What Cultural Aspects should teachers think
about before going?
1.
Your style
and experiences of teaching and learning may be completely different than that
of your new students.
After teaching in 3 different countries I see the difference between
expectations of the student and teacher the most devastatingly obvious in
China. Students are passive, and walk into the classroom expecting the teacher
to stand in front of the class and lecture while they take notes and sit in
quiet throughout the course. In Western culture, the students are required to
challenge the teacher and participate in class by asking questions and
contributing to discussion. This is something that most students coming out of
High School in China have NEVER done before in their lives. These students need
to be taught the concept of critical thinking. This takes time and will not
happen within a month or two of courses. Students are EXTREMELY nervous to
explain their opinions or even raise their hand and share an answer because of
fear that they will be ridiculed by their teacher and classmates.
2.
Your
everyday work environment may be very different
You may be used to chatting freely in the office with your co-workers or
sharing lesson plans and eating in the office.
But, in a different country these common work settings may change completely.
In Japan and Korea, teachers were often expected to eat each meal with their colleagues
or students on-campus. Where as many teachers in Western society may eat alone,
this is not seen as a natural or viable option during the lunch or dinner hours
in many Eastern countries.
Your office may be extremely quiet. My first thoughts on teaching in
Japan and China were that my work environment was extremely dull. Teachers did
not openly collaborate with one another during their office hours, and I often
found myself leaving the office completely to escape from my cave down in the
cold and dark dungeon. However,
sometimes the school required me to be on campus from 9am-5pm regardless of my
teaching hours which was the case in Japan. Many teachers in the states can
make up their own daily schedules around their teaching hours. However, while
teaching abroad, this may be a different scenario. Luckily, I am allowed to
work from any place at my current position in China. However, I understand that
the local Chinese people think that if you are not physically in your office,
you are not getting any work done and you may be seen as a lesser colleague for
doing so. My advice is to try and engage is as much cross cultural
communication as possible in your office as the locals may have completely
different expectations of the work environment. Often a sterile and cold
environment can be changed if your co-workers understand that you appreciate
their input and social interactions in your everyday work life. They may believe that they are distracting
you, while you may believe they are rude and cold. This is a common
misconception between those working in the Western world versus the Eastern
world. Do not be afraid to share your culture with others and do not be
expected to conform or mold your own culture to a schools professional environment.
Staying completely true to your own culture may not be possible, however you
can go through your every-day life as normal as possible while staying
respectful of the countries expectations.
3.
Your students
are stupid because they are quiet.
I can’t tell you how many teachers fall into this trap. Upon my first
weeks of work in China a teacher said to me, “Oh yes, the level 0 students are
very stupid. They do not know how to write at all.” Don’t listen to blunt or
mistaken comments such as these. Often times there are teachers that are
INSTITUTIONALIZED and have NEVER TAUGHT IN ANOTHER COUNTRY so they are out of touch
with reality in their classrooms. Their teaching styles may be extremely dated
and their expectations of students may be extremely low. This is simply not the
case. The students coming into higher level university ESL programs simply have
never had the opportunity to engage in any kind of sharing or reflections. Many
of them are taught to take a test and remember the answers to questions. This
is the only kind of learning that they have ever encountered before. Teachers
need to be patient, and give these students many opportunities to produce ad
practice their reading, writing, and speaking skills on a regular basis.
Teaching down to these students will only hinder their learning. Often times I
will be surprised by a student that is extremely quiet and shy in the classroom
when I read their writing. This is because I find that they are even smarter
than the students who try and participate in the class. Teachers need to
remember that ESL students are processing information at all times and this
takes longer for some students than others. How much a student is actively
participating in class may not be an accurate measure of how smart this student
is.
Other suggestions for new teachers
1.
Don’t be afraid to leave a position early
If a school is simply not meeting your
expectations, than don’t feel obligated to finish your contract. Most schools
will respect your decision that their program simply isn’t meeting your needs
as a teacher and isn’t a good match. It is hard to find the perfect program
that satisfies your needs and desires as a teacher. Don’t be afraid to try out
many different schools and settings and even say no to positions or leave
positions because you just didn’t feel comfortable working there. I currently
know several teachers in the field that have changed programs and schools after
only 2-3 months of working because they did not see the job as a “good fit.”
This is ok! Many new teachers feel obligated to stay at their position out of
fear that their reputation may be damaged for leaving. However, if you politely
explain your situation to your current supervisor, they are sure to understand
that it is often times difficult to find a good match between a school and a
teacher. Don’t let fear or money stop you from finding a better position that
will suit your personality, creativity, and goals. If the job isn’t meeting
your expectations, then just leave. The good thing about this field is that you
are sure to encounter many other people that have done the same, and many other
supervisors who will appreciate your decision to leave a program early before
they start investing in you as a teacher. There is always another job out there
that is waiting for you.
2.
Don’t expect to be on vacation all the time!
Many new teachers in the field think that when
they go abroad they will have an abundance of vacation and leisure time. This
is often not the case as you are overwhelmed with adjusting to a new culture,
moving, creating adjustments to your teaching, fitting into a new program. All
of these things take time and you may find yourself busier than you previously
thought. Teaching abroad is not a good means for traveling. Yes, there are
perks that you are closer in distance to neighboring countries than you previously
were if you are from the U.S. But in general, you will be working just as much
as everyone back home if not more. Because I am so familiar with teaching in
the States it is much easier for me to create a lesson plan or conduct research
in that setting. However, living abroad often requires me twice the time
because I am trying to take into account differences in culture and learning
styles that I didn’t previously have to focus on as deeply.
3.
Travel or visit the country you plan to work-in
beforehand.
Many times new teachers in the field of TESOL
are just excited to go to a new country
and experience teaching abroad for the first time. However, moving to a new
country is a HUGE decision that should not be taken lightly. Before each
contract I have taken, I had previously traveled to the country or conducted a
job interview in that country to make sure that I could see myself in that
environment. I knew that I could live in Korea easily after spending 2 weeks
there in the year before applying for a position. I also knew that Macau would
be an easy place to live in because I had been and lived in North Eastern Asia
multiple times, and knew that the European influence would remind me more of my
home culture. Upon traveling to Vietnam in 2011, I knew that there was no way
that I could ever apply for a teaching position there simply because I did not
feel comfortable in that environment. For me, I need to be in a location that
is extremely safe and provides a higher salary and middle to high cost of
living. This meant that most countries in South East Asia were immediately off
my list as their crime is much higher than countries like Japan and Korea. I
know this about myself, and thus I take is into consideration when I am
considering a country to live and work in. Knowing yourself and your living
expectations is extremely important when factoring in a new job in a new
country.
If you have any questions or comments about "Thoughts about teaching in the TESOL field in Asia" please leave them in the comment box below
Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.
