International Teaching; It’s Okay to Say No — Black Edition (9/9)
Have you been struggling with friends and family trying to convince you to teach abroad?
Perhaps you have not had a positive experience with international teaching but are hesitant to leave.
I am a massive advocate for international teaching being a part of every teacher's career and will be the first one to recommend someone to give it a try. But that is not to say that international teaching is for everyone.
It is important that we remember that international teaching is not for everyone and that is okay. Let us explore the major scenarios and why making an informed decision to stay or return home might be the best thing for you.
- Your friends keep encouraging you but you are content where you are
- Feeling uncomfortable during an international placement and deciding to leave
- Staying for the kids
1. Your friends keep encouraging you but you are content where you are
Nearly all teachers who have had a positive international experience (including myself) will recommend to teachers still in their home country to give it a go.
They will entice you with many of the ideas that have been discussed in this series; the salary, the glamour, the travel, the adventure, the expat community, etc etc.
As we know, for BAME teachers, a little more scrutiny is needed with these ideas and it may be the case that you are simply not convinced yet. If this is the case, keep thinking critically and going with your gut. If you try to go international before you are ready, it is very likely to end poorly.
I have met teachers who taught internationally straight after their training year and teachers who were almost ten years into their careers before their first placement. Make sure that it is the right time for you before committing yourself.
For some people, the idea of teaching internationally may simply not be attractive on any level. You do not have to justify this to me or to anyone. Whatever your priorities or points of interest, as long as you are enjoying your career and receiving the experiences that contribute to growth and a happy life, there is no reason for you to change what you are doing.
Many people will speak of ‘stepping out of your comfort zone’ and other inspiring and persuasive phrases related to the growth that can occur when teaching internationally. There is truth to this but rich and meaningful experiences can similarly occur by exploring opportunities with different types of schools and within different communities in your city, let alone the country as a whole.
As teachers, it is crucial to gain new and broad experiences and teaching internationally is one of the best ways to do this. But, if the challenges and experiences gained are not attractive to you it is okay to say no. Though, it is important that you reflect and ensure that you are doing things within your life and career which challenge you and provide opportunities for growth.
2. Feeling uncomfortable during an international placement and deciding to leave
Two resounding pieces of guidance were given to me by members of my family at different points during my time abroad and I share them with you here:
As I prepared to get on my flight to my first international teaching placement in China, I remember my father giving me a parting message. He told me that ultimately, I was only an eleven-and-a-half-hour flight from home at any time and if anything isn’t right, that is where I can always return. He made it clear that no job, school or community requires such loyalty that I should stay in a scenario where I am not safe, comfortable, or able to be myself.
There is no shame in saying no to a job, or an opportunity, even once you have started it.
The second piece of guidance was given to me at the start of my second year in China where I was agonising over the decision to continue or end my contract.
I was lucky enough that my older sister came to visit. Based on our experiences of travelling together through East Asia and being exposed to some of East Asia's most refined racism, she questioned how I had survived in China for over a year.
Through a drawn-out conversation, my sister, out of concern for me said some very strong and important statements which I am paraphrasing, but have stuck with me almost as a mantra.
She told me that leaving the placement does not mean that ‘China’ is winning. She said — There is no ego and there is no battle with anyone apart from yourself. Your ego is clouding your judgement and you believe yourself to be responsible for ‘representing black people in China’. This is a fool's game and will end with only you as the victim and if you leave, it will benefit you and will not mean that ‘they’ have won. Simply that you were intelligent enough to prioritise yourself and sanity and recognise what is and is not your responsibility.
Leaving a place where you have been for an extended period of time and decided that you have had your fill has no shame.
There are literally no winners in situations involving discrimination, discomfort, or uncertainty. Notably, black people may feel a pang of pride or responsibility in these situations and it is critical that we are mature enough to reflect on and resist this. Having the strength to say, ‘this isn’t right for me and I am not happy with this’ and walk away is one of the greatest victories you can have.
Teaching internationally is not a case of being ‘strong enough’ or not, it is about finding an environment with which you find a pleasant affinity, a comfort which allows you to live your life with acceptable amounts of challenge and plenty of space to grow and be the best version of the person you want to be. Leaving a bad experience will also empower you to better select a new location next time.
3. Staying for the kids?
If you love teaching, you are not married to the kids or a location/community. They should not be something which chains you to a school.
A teacher who loves what they do and is committed will generally find that wherever they work, they will fall in love with the students that they work with — that is why we teach. Thus ‘but I love my students here’ is not a compelling argument to stay in a job or location where you are not happy overall.
Remember that your ability to be yourself directly impacts the quality of the interactions you have with your students. Sacrificing yourself to stay in place of a person who may be happier in that location is actually a disservice to your students.
It is still worth trying and investigating
There is almost no one I would not advise to try teaching internationally at some point in their career, but there is no one I would tell to continue teaching in a specific location or context if it was not supporting their growth and happiness.
Teaching around the world is not a career option where there are many people struggling to find work (Most sources quote less than 3% unemployment in western countries). Whether your international adventure is long or something that you need to cut short, the risk is incredibly low but the potential benefits are incalculable.
Remember that even on your CV, the only red flags are unaccounted for times. Any progressive employer/recruiter will understand the mature decision to leave a school or country where you were not able to live your life and teach in a comfortable way. In fact, it points to great professional maturity and may even play as a strength if you find yourself in that situation.
Have the confidence to say no to international teaching without guilt and without regret if you feel it is not right for you. Have respect for yourself and confidence in your ability to find places where you are happy and comfortable to live and work — Whether this is international or not.
Key Points:
- Teaching internationally has the potential to be a valuable life experience, enhancing element to your teaching career, and a great opportunity overall.
- Teaching internationally may not be attractive to you now, or potentially ever, and this is okay — You must go with what feels right to you.
- There is always the potential to have a negative experience abroad and there is nothing to be gained by enduring an uncomfortable situation longer than you need to or entering a scenario that you are unsure about.
- One bad experience does not mean all experiences will be bad. With good research and preparation, you can be more confident of a good experience.
- There is no shame or loss in saying no or leaving a school or country, your comfort and safety is the most important factor and making that decision will not ruin your career
Have you found a school that you are excited to apply to? How and why did you select it? Do you have any concerns about the process or any potential barriers? Feel free to share your stories with me here on Twitter @dsinclair17 or here on LinkedIn.
Check out the articles below to find out more about how to get the best from your international teaching experience!
· Abstract
1. Introduction: My Perspective on Teaching Internationally — Black Edition
2. Introduction: Why You Should Teach Internationally — Black Edition
3. How to Secure an International Teaching Job — Black Edition
4. Safety Checks: How to Research the Locale of your International Teaching Opportunity — Black Edition
5. Three Reasons Why International Teachers Quit and How to Buck the Trend — Black Edition
6. Navigating the Expat Community as an International Teacher — Black Edition
7. How I Used Dating Apps to Find Companionship as an International Teacher — Black Edition
8. For the Money or for the Experience? The Moral Dilemma of International Teaching — Black Edition
9. International Teaching; It’s Okay to Say No — Black Edition
