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.

d

[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

[Nagoyaguy]

Denise;

Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible for your opinion to be "just one more opinion", particularly in classes of children or teens. In adult discussion classes, where there is no marking or grading, and where the students can communicate well in English, it just may be possible.

[guest of Japan]

If you allow students to voice there own concerns and biases in a free and open environment, aren't you fostering peace and justice?

[denise]

Imagine the following scenario:

To coincide with the Bush/Kerry elections in the States, you decide to hold a mock debate/election for Student Body President in one of your classes. Two students are nominated, and the rest must ask them questions about school-related issues: more funding for sports, more parties, etc. (those are some of the topics that my students came up with--I would have liked to see different issues, but it was their debate, so I backed off and said nothing). At the end of the debate, the class votes. After the whole affair is over, one of your students asks you whether you like Bush or Kerry. Do you...

1) answer the question?

2) deflect the question?

This happened in my class. I chose to answer the question, and to say why. I felt that not doing so would be grossly unfair to the student, and would be an insult to his intelligence: "I will answer your grammar questions and will correct your mistakes, but answer a real-life question?!?!? This is a language classroom! You are only a language student!" My students are more than that to me--they are people, too.

d

[Roger]

I would say some posters here hold up their personal views for the absolute truth, including the original poster who went to the extreme of bashing the BC and its American equivalent. Does he or she show any respect for these organisations? If he exhorts us to remain neutral on political issues in foreign classrooms, why does he preach such hostile views here of all places?

The student who enrols at a PRIVATE school, - be it a missionary or a BC-run school - should expect to be brainwashed to some extent. I can't see much wrong in this, sorry but I am not going to change my view on htis! Likewise, China, for instance, is allowing ever more self-sponsored and self-financed education centres to run their courses relatively unshackled. I welcome this! Duram University (spelling?) is making great efforts at bringing good and solid English teaching to China, so that CHinese parents benefit from a Chinese-level tuition price. It is these Chinese parents who insist, without asking their child for his own opinion, that their own progeny go live and study abroad. Why? Why push their child to academically lofty heights which are not attainable in China itself for the average Chinese student nor for even a reasonable number?
That is whythese kids need to be prepared for a life and socialising in a host nation with different values. Let's be frank: in recent years, an ever growing number of CHinese have shown themselves to be rather antisocial, querulous, self-righteous and chauvinistic even in their host places!

I think, the OP should not tar all those foreign institutions working in so many different countries with the same brush!