david
- 2009-08-04
It's simple. Chinese are ignorant people.
Li Bai
- 2009-07-27
Interesting topic and very relevant at this point. At least to me. I am Black and have been in this game for nine years. I was recently transferred to Huai Nan, Anhui Province. The Phillipine teacher, with exceptional English training and speaking skills, was transferred out because he "did not look foreign enough". There were two weeks left in the old term. The new term contracts have not been signed because the parents "do not like you."
Only having met these people, as a group, to determine needs assessments, some basic introductory stuff like "Hello" and a few low level questions to determine abilities make me a "bad" teacher. And I forgot to mention that the children "would become confused" if I used my left hand to write.
My bosses deny the racial issue, but three crying(at full volume)Chinese children, and parental looks that could raise the Titanic give me a different perspective.
Denying my racial heritage is something I WILL NOT DO. Nor will I try to take on Mother Nature as to the gifts she has provided. In the meantime, if anybody knows of a good place needing an experienced teacher at the high school, university or adult levels, give me a shout.
Left handed people are the only ones born in their right mind
HireEd
- 2009-07-25
FESTUS writes:
I'm very happy that parents are now questioning the quality of services offered by foreign teachers in the major cities in China now.
Yes, this is perhaps a good thing (also, perhaps not). Anyway, I don't disagree with much of what you assert; however, keep in mind that parents of students also made a major contribution (perhaps the most significant one) to the very hardcore discrimatory employment practices that you describe. It is the Chinese customer that drives this racism every bit as much as the employer, in my opinion.
The reason I say that "parents are now questioning the quality of services offered by foreign teacher" is not necessarily a good thing, is because from what I witnessed during my time in ESL China (2003-2008) most parents have no real ability to accurately and fairly assess the abilities, qualifications, and performance of most foreign teachers -- as a great majority of Chinese parents don't speak English.
Again, I don't disagree with your overall assertion, FESTUS, but I certainly don't think the "questioning of services" by parents will bring about any signifcant change toward improving the general bias against blacks found in ESL hiring practice.
Migrant Worker
- 2009-07-25
I agree with you (being a white Canadian) that blacks are certainly treated and have less opportunities in China, but at all of the schools I have worked at they have usually had one to two black teachers. I didn't notice an overall negative attitude towards them, nor do I believe that blacks do not mingle with locals. In my experience they mingle exceedingly well, and usually pick up Chinese much faster than people of other racial groups.
In some of my experience, they have been the nicest people I have come across. In other cases, they were quite rude, and were pretty much in China for their own corrupt desires. Of course, this does not differ from any other race, people are people.
I was blessed to grow up in Canada with black friends, Asian friends, middle-eastern friends and I see people without color. China just hasn't had the amount of exposure it needs to gain true knowledge on how people from other countries work.
You must be patient, they will learn. And trust me friend, they try to rip us off just as quickly as they will try to rip off any foreigner.
I hear the word "wai guo ren" or "lao wai" most commonly used. And as you may know, that means ANYONE who isn't from China. So as I see it, if they want to separate themselves from the world, with this sort of uneducated mentality, then we shouldn't bark at each other and instead united... because we are all "wai guo ren" after all.
I will be very happy if you guys can pass this information on to the people who should know. I'm very happy that parents are now questioning the quality of services offered by foreign teachers in the major cities in China now. I never thought this would be a problem considering the requirements a foreigner has to meet to be given a position in China.
In China, a foreigner looking for a job has two major requirements:
1, native speaker (WHITE PERSON)
2, come from (CANADA, US ETC)
The most important is being a white person Sometime you see things like:
( 1) MY BOSS ONLY WANTS WHITE SKINNED FOREIGNER.
(2,) ONLY WHITES SHOULD APPLY
(3),FILIPINO AND AFRICAN APPLICANTS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED
While America and Europe spend millions to entice African professionals, BLACKS in China are treated like Animals.
A recent survey conducted by a private group in China suggests that, blacks in China don't mingle with local Chinese as they do in America and Europe. But what amazes me most is that the group failed to find out WHY.
America and Europe know that Africa is poor, but they also know that Certain individual Africans are distinguished in their career. Chinese look at the sight of blacks and begin to laugh.
A black in China doesn't feel fine even to go the park because of Chinese behavior
About 95% of Chinese think that Africa is a Country so they foolishly say FEIZHOU REN apparently to say a poor person from Africa.
Many Africans are going through nasty racism and refusal of jobs from millions of Chinese because of being Africans and blacks.
I know this message will not reach where it should be, but i just want you to know that the whole world knows about what is happening in China.
There are Africans in China who are far better than the WHITE PEOPLE YOU PEOPLE WORSHIP AS ANGELS.
How can you be sure that anybody from America or Canada can teach English? But unfortunately, that is the thinking of the average Chinese