Obnoxious Laowai Attitudes (was "Teachers" you'd like to school!!)

As one of our new Members (Felix) has said on a different thread, there are some FTs / "teachers" who should have been banned from the classroom.  Here's where we can share, discuss and rip them to shreds.

One I know of one who tried to get me fired because she figured that I was behaving "inappropriately" with my (male, teenaged) students.....I patted a boy's shoulder after he did well in a class and solved a difficult problem. 
Oh.  And I do reward good behaviour by handing out a/one/singular candy, at the end of class.

Mind you....every male she ever taught, she ended up reporting for mastubatory behaviours!!  As If!!  They all detested her.  Especially one whom she called "ugly" and laughed at, to his face and in front of another student and an adult!!

Strangely, her contract was not renewed.  Mine was.

p.s.  And the B****ch had her BS.  Must have been a  Bull degree!!

Oh, jeez...where to START?!?

At the beginning Raoul....always as good a place as any Laoban...

Where to start is a good one.
1.  Missionary who was baptising students in the toilet of his apartment.  He and a number of other missionaries also had quite a few of the students seriously freaked about going to hell - one girl for kissing her boyfriend.  The ones who prey on the vulnerability of the young REALLY REALLY make me want to 'school' them.

2. Teachers who want the administration to change to "back home" way of doing things.  And here - PSG coming up - it is mostly USAnians who fall into this habit. The desire to 'improve' things to just the way they were back home irritates me.  Cultural imperialism at it's best. We're here because it's different, we are basically the least influential people in the education system, our real influence is in the skills we teach the students, it's not our country or our system and every person within the system knows it's flaws and strengths.  But FTs coming in saying 'you've got it all wrong, do it MY way' aren't helping.

3. The rude ones.  The ones who don't attempt to understand the way of doing things, who    complain about everything, who won't make an effort to make friends with anyone but young Chinese girls ( ) and then complain that people are unfriendly.  Ahh.....

LE, I think we have met and worked with the same people.

When you work in a country where any white English speaker can wear the title of "teacher", I guess that's what is going to happen. No use getting indignant and self righteous; you're in an unregulated industry. A bit like other unregulated industries, where some workers do a better job than others, but I won't go there!

LE:  How did/have the new teaching couple turned out?  Not so bad as they might have, I hope. 

They arrive in just over a week I think.  So not sure how they are yet, but they have a couple of my classes from last semester, so I hope they are good to them.  My kids are really nice students.

....
2. Teachers who want the administration to change to "back home" way of doing things.  And here - PSG coming up - it is mostly USAnians who fall into this habit. The desire to 'improve' things to just the way they were back home irritates me.  Cultural imperialism ...

LE,
 Forgive my not knowing, but what is PSG? When does it occur. My lot may be guilty of the vulture cultural imperialism but not knowing PSG I can't imagine what that means.

Sorry - PSG = Pretty Sloppy Generalization.

There are some things being said here that I'm not entirely sure I'm happy about.

Wanting things done the way they are "back home" can mean a lot of different things. Some of them can be good.

Being inefficient, having problems communicating, etc. are one thing.
But there are others.

I don't want universities to sell grades and diplomas like bags of rice. I want it done the way they are back home.

I don't want to have to pass everyone in my classes just because they paid the tuition, and I don't want to abandon every vestige of performance standards that can be expected of my students. I want it done the way they are back home.

I don't want to see university administators amassing huge personal fortunes through corrupt practices relating to the educational system or visa applications. I want things done the way they are back home.

I don't want to see complete unqualified idiots promoted into choice classes and administrative or faculty positions simply because they are Party members. I want things done the way they are back home.

I don't want to see non-Party teachers treated like dirt, and brutalized into silence (or lifelong unemployment) if they don't quietly go along. I want things done the way they are back home.

I could go on.

These practices are wrong. Doesn't matter if you're from Beijing or Boston or Brisbane...they're just plain wrong. The Chinese KNOW these things are wrong, just as much as we do. The ones involved simply go with it, even try to justify or excuse it, because they are either getting a lot of money and/or personal advancement out of it, or they are too terrified to speak and act against it.

I personally am NOT too terrified to refuse to play along. I've been loud and visible in doing so. And I'm pretty fucking proud of that, really.

I have no tolerance for foreigners who constantly rip on everything Chinese. I've lunged for the jugular of more than one expat because they were doing this. When the Chinese way can be defended, I'm very happy to defend it.

I also have no tolerance for foreigners who turn a blind eye to the most corrupt and stupid aspects of life and work here, and simply assume "Chinese good, foreigner bad." I won't take this one, either. When the Chinese way needs its ass kicked, I'm very happy to kick it. I don't buy this as cultural arrogance. I don't expect everything to be done the Western way. There are some levels where concepts of right and wrong transcend borders and cultures, and just because a wrong has been practiced a long time does not make it a right. The universities and foundation programs I've worked for want to tell the world that they are delivering education to international standards, and producing students compatible with foreign educational systems, AND they want to continue taking bribes and stealing funds and giving diplomas to everyone who pays the admission fee. To them I say, "Fuck you, pal. You can't have it both ways, and I'll be damned if I'm going to help you pretend that you can."

And yes, I know these abuses happen in our own systems sometimes, too. But our systems aren't entirely based  upon them. When these things are found out in our countries, people generally get upset. Things are done about them. In China, it's just...life.

So, if you want to complain about foreign teachers who want schools here to be run "the way they are back home", please be specific.

Which reminds me: I've worked with an international rainbow of teachers, and I've found that people in other countries are as varied and individual as they are in my own country. I stopped (or at least tried very hard to stop) judging people by their passports a long time ago. Maybe some of you should do the same. My country definitely does not have a monopoly on Armchair Generals; singling it out as doing so is not particularly accurate or relevant or constructive.
Pretty sloppy, indeed.

It was stated as a PSG!   

And I agree that there is a lot of stuff here that could be improved. But I have found that those who want it done the way it is done 'back home' DON'T in general, realise that everyone working within the system is aware of the corruption, guanxi, foul play etc. They figure that they are giving new, you beaut information to the Chinese teachers or administration etc.  I guess my main objection is that those who do this are treating the Chinese people as idiots - and that they are not.  They figure they are spreading the 'good word' and that once this new improved way is understood, then all will be right in the system. Doesn't happen that way - not anywhere in the world.

But if we can't accept that this is not our system, and that as the lowest on the totem pole we have very little influence, that we are not the dispensers of fantastic wisdom we think we are, our big noses do not give us the high ground, then we will not ever understand how this system actually manages to stumble along.

I do my best to keep my hands clean, do a good job by my students and leave the running of the system to those who own it.

And changes are happening. Slowly, surly but surely.  And not because of us.

Wow Raoul. I initially passed on this thread because I have already vented upstairs some time ago. But  I REALLY liked what you had to to say. What is the point of bringing in "foreign experts" to do things the Chinese way?

Thanks, guys.

Lotus, on that basis I more or less agree with you. I'm fine with a Chinese way, as long as it's an honest one. I very much share your distaste for Westerners who feel entitled and qualified to come in here and "enlighten" the Chinese.

I do disagree, though, that we are not a factor in change. We are. We HAVE to be. Of course, the homeys are never going to admit that...