| Author |
Message |
danie017
Lurker
Joined: Aug 31, 2004
Posts: 20
Location: Los Angeles
Status: Offline
|
  Posted:
Oct 21, 2004 - 11:31 PM |
 
|
| Post subject: Teaching jobs for native English speakers who are not white? |
I am a native English speaker, born and raised in the US. But, I am not "western" looking. I am Vietnamese-American. Many teaching jobs offered specifically ask for "white", or "foreign looking" native English speakers. Since I am Asian-American, I don't fit this physical requirement. I was actually rejected from a few interviews after meeting in person because I was not white. 
Anyone know of any teaching jobs (or other) for native English speakers who are not caucasian?? |
|
|
 
|
|
gremlin
Newbie
Joined: Aug 07, 2003
Posts: 8
Status: Offline
|
 Posted:
Oct 22, 2004 - 02:22 AM |
|
|
Do you speak Chinese, or have a prof. teaching qualification?
If so, keep trying, and you should get some luck. You might have more luck further away from Shanghai. The JiangSu and (umm, whats the province south of Shanghai) provinces are developing quickly still, but less foreigners are willing to move out there. Of course, you can always try the far west of China: salaries not so good, but few people want to go out there.
And yes, you will find that marble white skin is the best qualification to many teaching jobs in this country. Ever wonder why teaching jobs need a resume with a photo attached...? Of couse, ask any local, and they will swear blind that Chinese are not prejudiced... 
Some final advice from a Thai-American friend of mine who taught here: think of your apperance being camoflague, which is a good thing. Nobody points at you, laughing with their friends, calling lao wai... (me, bitter? never!). You get to see a side of Chinese society that white boys and girls cannot.
Hope that helps (rant included) |
|
|
|
|
viona
Barker
Joined: Sep 19, 2004
Posts: 187
Status: Offline
|
| Posted:
Oct 22, 2004 - 02:52 AM |
|
|
| gremlin wrote: |
And yes, you will find that marble white skin is the best qualification to many teaching jobs in this country. |
why on earth people are so discriminatory? the Chinese should realize they are not white either, when they put the skin colour (white) as the priority, didn't they automatically degrade themselves? |
|
|
|
|
|
gremlin
Newbie
Joined: Aug 07, 2003
Posts: 8
Status: Offline
|
| Posted:
Oct 22, 2004 - 03:22 AM |
|
|
| Quote: |
why on earth people are so discriminatory?
|
'tis just the nature of the beast. All societies have some sort of social discrimination system. I just think that China is a little unusual right now in that foreigners are so highly thought of. That should change with time as more people see us as "taking there jobs" :D
But in the case of teaching, there is just the common perception that English is mostly spoken by white people, so only white people know how to teach it. Of course, we will not mention 1 billion people in India and what they speak...
On a more serious note, I have known classes who have had student walk out on mass when they saw a Asian teacher take the class. Nevermind that the teacher was a 2nd generation Londener: (and we all know they can't speak English, right...?)
----
warning: all opinions must be taken with several grains of salt |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Forum FAQ
Search
Preferences
Watched Topics
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
