Job Discussion Forums

[runabout]

I just saw an ad on Dave's from a Uni advertising that teachers should "foster peace and justice in the classroom" -- the website I barely read, but describes a Masters for TEFL and TESL.

It is not the job, nor should it ever be, to proselytize to the students in a TESOL environment � actually in any academic environment. The students� beliefs are their own, and should not be tampered with by the power that a teacher has.

Numerous times I have worked in cultures which have anti-my beliefs, and a good teacher simply accepts these as valid beliefs � it is not the job of a teacher to teach �goodness� nor �what is correct� to the students. Of course, one may teach what one�s home country might think about a matter, but in doing so the teacher must make it clear that these are simply beliefs held by others, and certainly not that they are �correct� or better than the beliefs held by the students.

Granted that the Brit Council and the US� counterpart have as their mission to propagandize teaching, which in my mind is the worst offense of these org�s, but these types of organizations are political by nature, and at least say their bias in writing and by their names (as far as I know).

To me, teaching �justice and peace� to the students is as bad as, say, teaching in a Buddhist country about �Jesus and how much better He is than Buddha.� Any good student, I�d hope, would report that teacher to the Director and have him/her fired.

�Justice and Peace� might be good ideas, but they don�t belong in a classroom where the teacher believes one perspective and the Ss believe differently (even if it is only one student who believes differently).

Runabout

[leeroy]

Hell yes. I totally agree.

It is my job to enable my students to communicate in English - not prescribe what they communicate. Technically, they may want to produce the most foul racist, closed-minded and despicable opinions imaginable - it is my job to help them do this as accurately and fluently as possible.

I must admit that I have ground my teeth on occasion when the cute-little-Chinese-girl berates "smelly black people" - but at least she got her adjective order right .

[moonraven]

I didn't see the ad, but I wonder what you folks have against peaceful, just classrooms.

[leeroy]

I prefer my classes as war-like and unjust as possible...

[runabout]

Moonraven,

Misreading yet again.

Could I offer some books that'll open your mind?

R

[Nagoyaguy]

I agree. Students that want to study politics can do so at leisure. The last thing they want is to listen to their ESL teacher spouting off their personal political agenda.

Plus, teachers have too much power in the classroom for there ever to be any kind of real discussion. Students who fear for their grades will agree with the teacher.

If you teach children or teens it is worse, because the dynamic of age enters into the picture. Plus, the teacher is speaking their native language, the students are not. Another inequality.

Anyway, most of the "peace and justice" programmes seem to be thin covers for socialist indoctrination anyway. The same people who study things like Victimization Issues, or major in Global Basket Making. Bunch of crap.

[denise]

I agree that we shouldn't push our own beliefs down the throats of a captive audience, but I also believe that politics, social causes, etc., have a place in a language classroom--I would much rather have my students engaging in meaningful, in-depth conversations/debates (in my dreams!!! my students here are so shy and unopinionated!) about real-life topics than regurgitating inauthentic dialog simply for "language practice."

I regularly ask my students' opinions, and I tell them mine--not because I want them to follow it, but because I want them to discuss, question, agree/disagree, etc.

I don't know what I would do if one of my students made a comment similar to the one leeroy mentioned--find a way to point out that in many circles it would be considered racist without berating the student or accusing him/her of being racist. Difficult.

d

[Nagoyaguy]

Denise, I think you are half right. Yes, your students should say their opinions. NO, you shouldnt say yours. The class is for them, not you. If they ask you, deflect the question.

[denise]

Nagoyaguy,

I think we're just going to have to disagree. I will not stifle my opinion--I want them to deal with a real live, authentic foreigner, opinions and all. To me, a teacher who has no personality of his or her own in the classroom follows the "teacher as robot" model--there only to teach grammar structures and correct mistakes.

I agree that it's their class, not mine. That doesn't mean that I (or any other teacher) should not talk. When they ask, I will most certainly answer, if only to show that I appreciate them coming out of their shells enough to ask in the first place.

As a student, I would be really disheartened if I asked my teacher a question not directly related to a language or grammar point and he or she refused to answer. I would get the impression that the teacher was ONLY interested in grammar, and not in real-life discussion topics or real-life people. In fact, I had a Spanish teacher once who was so intent on sticking to "the plan" that I wondered why she even bothered to teach at all--we literally could have had a tape recorder in the classroom instead.

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[Nagoyaguy]

Well, Denise, you are right. We disagree. I think your approach is selfish and wrong. It is SO tempting to use our classrooms as our own personal soapboxes. and our students as a captive audience. But it's wrong. ESLCafe serves that function for us!

I try to teach my students how to express themselves, not what to say. As a teacher, I HAVE to stay neutral in order for the students to feel at ease enough to attempt to communicate. Particularly in Japan, where (as I am sure you know), the opinion of the teacher is often seen as equivalent to holy writ.

[denise]

I invite you to sit in on one of my classes. You will see that I do NOT force my opinions on anyone (as I said a couple of posts ago). I merely treat my own opinion as one more in the classroom. I even used that phrase--"captive audience."

Maybe my approach is "wrong" (although teaching methods are way too subjective to analyze in such black and white terms as right/wrong), but it is not selfish. You have misread both of my posts. I will not defend myself any further, especially since you've already misinterpreted me.

d