Job Discussion Forums

[Twisting in the Wind]

The following is my list of best/worst nationalities to teach based on almost 20 years experience in the LA area.
BEST:
1. Brasilian--open, expansive, fun-loving, very verbal, every-day-is-a-new-joke;every-class-is-another-party, a joy to have in any class
2. Mexicans--like chilled out brasilenos
3. Thai--Loving, giving, fun, can find humor in almost any situation, interested-in and receptive to new cultures and ideas
4. Chinese--Analytical, serious, respectful robo-students you just wind up and they go with the flow

WORST:
1. Colombians--contentious, fractious, surly, violent, homicidal, opinionated to the point of discounting everyone else in the classroom's opinions but their own; the only time I was ever afraid for my life in the classroom it involved a Colombian, and I'm talking chick, NOT guy! The first ones to run to the office and complain if an activity doesn't hit them "right." No wonder the country's been in the throes of civil war for 40 years!
2. Turks--Almost as bad as the Colombians. They like to argue about EVERYTHING
3. Vietnamese-- Some of the most loving students you'll ever have in class, but their pronunciation is, uh, well, I guess it's not really their fault as their language is highly tonal and their last teacher probably couldn't do anything with them either.
4. Japanese --Comatose and brain-dead when confronted with western-style interaction and conversation topics, and the expectation that they participate. This could be due to the fact that if they're males they're still hung over from last night's (or this morning's) bender. If females, to shyness...but I kinda doubt it.
5. Russians--Sour, dour, and pissed-off they lost the Cold War
6. Arabs--Can put a damper on a whole class. Islam precludes drinking, fornicating, and most of the vices. Unfortunately, that just about covers what the rest of the class does for fun and what they like to talk about, so conversation gets shut down real fast in a class with them in it.

Please, Dave's readers in Cartagena or Istanbul, don't start furiously and obsessively posting about how amiable you've found the Colombians or Turks and how I must be such a bad teacher, blah, blah for not being more "culturally sensitive" or "understanding" My views are based on my limited experience, which, unfortunately, has been almost all bad. Unfortunately, we all know that's how stereotypes start.

I invite others of Daves readers to add to my list.

[J-Pop]

[Twisting in the Wind]

Thanks for your vote of confidence, J-Pop. I'm still awaiting the fusillade from Medellin and Ankara.
Twisting in the Wind

[Twisting in the Wind]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, J-Pop. I'm still awaiting the fusillade from Medellin and Ankara.

Twisting in the Wind

[dmb]

No fussilade incoming> we are all intitled to our opinions but Turkish Adults in private language schools are the best students. kids are different, but aren't they always

[Twisting in the Wind]

My experience has been with Turkish adults, too. I'm happy for your good experience. Wish I had one.
Twisting in the Wind

[dyak]

Ahh... that most sweeping of sweeping generalisations threads has at last been started... it did make me laugh though.

[J-Pop]

[ntropy]

My all time favourite students have been Yemenis (where I've taught on two separate occasions). From what I hear, very different from their neighbours to the north.

[Twisting in the Wind]

I also had a Yemeni guy once in class. He was very different than the Saudis I've had. He was a real sweetheart!

[Hogbear]

Thanks for sharing, Twisting. Lists like this are interesting to me.

Did all your experience come in LA, or did you travel to some of these contries?

Also, it would be cool if you shared how long you taught each nationality and which age groups were included.

[Twisting in the Wind]

[denise]

I, too, find such lists interesting. Being a Libra, though, I am all about balance. Surely there must be some good qualities in the bad nationalities? (and conversely some bad qualities in the good ones?!?)

I am constantly trying to focus on the positive--mostly for my own sanity--in my students, many of whom spend entire class periods staring mutely at the floor.

Speaking of which (tangent time--I apologize), my "word of the week" for several weeks now has been CATATONIC.

d

[J-Pop]

Hey Twisting,

Do you feel better now that you were able to get some things off your chest? (What is the correct, sort of p.c., term? Oh yeah . . . venting.)

And to do so (vent), without everyone jumping all over your case?

BTW, Welcome to the forum. And uh . . . keep out of the smoke! Them fires are araging out there, right? Santa Ana winds can be NASTY!

[Roger]

Did you claim Chinese are "analytical"? Weird! I have spent the past several years among CHinese, and have never found traces of "analytical" thinking!

Far more often the quality you attribute so generously to the Japanese - comatose!

But then, perhaps, some of these guys wake up (or get resuscitated) when they start living in L.A.?