#allstudentsmatter

[plusmore]

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[gzteacher]

It’s Been (another) While

Remember that company I worked for and that horrible school in which I was placed?

 - You’re gonna either like this or roll your eyes into the fifth dimension, but I’m still at both. I gotta admit, I’ve learned more about myself than any other experience I have had teaching in all me years.

 - The school is actually bearable now. That didn’t come easy, though. It took a lot of me getting loud and obnoxious. It took a lot of head bopping. Mistakes were made, feelings were hurt, hands were slapped, tears were shed, blood pressure readings got scarily high, but dangit, I can finally walk on this campus without getting heckled.

 - It’s because of this, however, that I’m not afraid to be transferred to another school. China’s not the best place to look like me... case my more fair-complected, Euroesque followers didn’t realise that.

 - I get bows. I get acknowledged. I get complimented. I get high-fives. It sounds petty, but I’m finally regarded as the teacher I was hoping to be regarded as when I arrived 3 years ago. I’ll be honest, my first year experience here was so horrible, I questioned whether or not my past experiences as an educator were all a big lie. That insecurity quickly vanished when I met the OTHER “teachers” I was “up against” working in Guangzhou. Those I’m a “foreign teacher,” in the eyes of most locals - I didn’t come here to be “foreign,” and I don’t want a classroom with a guy who doesn’t “look Chinese” to be such a ‘foreign’ concept that it almost becomes a novelty.

- I got my laugh back.

- Big shoutout to all those followers back in the day who read my blog and though . o O (This guy... wow... I hope he’s doing alright?)

- However, I’m going to continue to educate folk. I won’t stop being the teacher I’ve always been. I love my job; I’m dedicated to my work. I’ll never let a group of closed-off, tunnel-minded, yet-to-be-enlightened pessimists try to shoot me down.

- And for all you teachers out there: even if you just came to China to collect a check, you’re doing education a disservice if your job is just be a rented face. Do the educational realm a favour, cancel your visa, hit the road, get some real credentials, and stop screwing over these learners and their futures. #AllStudentsMatter (hahah...ha...ha....)

- In the meantime, I’ll be waiting for you educators that do get something out of the job... wherever you are.