Job Discussion Forums

[Wolf]

[Ben Round de Bloc]

I teach at a state university in Mexico. Although our EFL program is open to anyone who has completed what would be about 9th grade in the USA, the majority of our students are of traditional university age. In the States I taught high school for many years. Regarding things such as independence, responsibility, relationships, and emotional maturity, I find Mexican university students to be at about the same level as U.S. high school students. However, I might add here that Mexican students in general seem much more polite and respectful.

I think a lot of it has to do with the Mexican tradition of young people living at home and remaining almost completely financially dependent on their parents, at least until they get married. Almost all of my single students live in their parents' homes. Although some venture out on their own for various reasons, in general, very few young Mexicans live on their own. A Mexican friend once asked me, "If American parents love their children, why do they make them move out of the house before they get married?"

[G Cthulhu]

All this is interesting, but how many of you are assuming things about what it means to be 'mature'?

Where I teach in Japan the teachers trust the 15 year olds with multi-million dollar equipment all the time - I'm not kidding: some of the engineering equipment costs literally millions and the students are trusted with it implicitly. And you know what? They treat it and handle it better than any 15 year old back in NZ or Australia would. In that respect, they're far more mature. In their day to day life, however? Then the situation is reversed - they still have the (in comparison) child-like thing going on.

I wouldn't trust a NZ (or from the ones I've met, Brit or Septic) teenager with much of anything, but there are *some+ things I'd trust a Japanese student with. ;) :)

Which group is the more mature?

[woza17]

Interesting, let me share, when my son was very young I would read lots of books to him. I was very surprised as he got older he was only interested in comic books, Marvel mainly, now I read his comics and was pleasantlty suprised that that Mr lee had purposely put in big words, my sons vocabularly was not only extensive but he used the words in the right context. As the years went on he became a voracious reader. To cut to the chase perhaps we could get our younger students more interested in English by using comics. Asterics for one.
Not to forget Tin Tin
The French are brilliant at this, so let us add to their list wine, food and comics and lots, lot more.
Regards Carol

[johnslat]

Dear G Cthulhu,
" . . . how many of you are assuming things about what it means to be 'mature'? "
I'd say all of us are ( including, I believe, you ). Which is why, in my first post I said this ( emphasis added ).

" When the learning process in the schools is based so heavily on rote memory, with, from what I can see, little or no opportunity to develop independent/critical thought, then WHAT I'D CALL " IMMATURITY " seems to be the inevitable result. "

So, guess we'd better " define our terms " first.

Regards,
John

[svrart]

Hi all,

I have been in the US for 15 years and have travelled widely.

My point was far more subtle. Just as you guys/gals found objections when i made a blanket statement, non-euro (non-white - to be blunt) folks would make such objections when YOU make such statements about other non-white cultures. This site is full of such euro-centric blanket statements.

Thanks,
Sridhar

[johnslat]

Dear svart,
Golly, you subtle devil, you. Guess you showed us up for the euro-centrically biased guys and gals we are. Wish I had " travelled widely " as you have; then, by gosh, I'd probably be like you - free of all prejudice and prejudgement.
Regards,
John

[Mike_2003]

[leeroy]

I've noticed in London that, sometimes, students from Asia (esp. China) seem a little immature - but it's not so much their "outlook on life" - rather their behaviour on the surface...

There is pressure on the girls to be "cute", evidently this is what turns Asian (and quite a few Western) men on. By cute, I mean talking in a squeeky high voice, playing with pink and yellow mobile phones with heart shaped key-chains attached, talking about clothes and other "nice" things. Serious topics of discussion are not covered, and any mention of "boys" will enduce girlish tittering.

This, perhaps just coincidentally, is similar to the behaviour of pre-pubescant girls, Asian and Western alike. When in the class with other students of mixed nationality the "cuteness" goes down, but when surrounded by fellow Asians it can become suffocating.

In a sense they are immature, because they are acting like children.

But, these people have come to London on their own to study English, most of them working as well. Every day they battle with things like crossing the road, buying travelcards, deciding which underwear to put on, etc... Their mental ages are clearly not as low as they promote them to be.

And interestingly, the ones who are married (which are the minority in my school) don't play the same act. Maybe, "to seem childish" is a social ritual prevalent in Asia to try and "get a man", whereas different tactics are used here in the west.

[Wolf]

[Bertrand]

No, but I'm sure the definition of mature is.

[PanamaTeacher]

good point.