I took a 12 hour bus ride today from Phuket to Bangkok. We were not supposed to stop so I was surprised when we pulled into a bus station in the middle of the night. I relaxed a bit when I realized what was happening. There was a shift change and a new set of drivers came on. Frankly I was relieved and felt a lot safer crashing through the Thailand night with a fresh set of eyes and reflexes, although who knows how long these new drivers were up for.?
You will be surprised if you teach at an international school how teachers are turned over like bus drivers during a shift change. I think there are a lot of reasons for this. Teachers who come overseas to teach are a special breed and are often running away from something or are quite adventurous people who do not like to live in one place.
The other reason, I think, is that senior management at most international schools see teachers as bus drivers that are interchangeable at any time or place because they only see one role for teachers....as transmitters of knowledge and do not see the transformational parts of job where we turn young people into adults. Teacher turnover is high in international schools which I find really disturbing, although in my book, which I wish you would read, the teachers did stay a long while in the same school and with the same organization. If you want to read my book, just click on the link on the right and thank you so much for the wonderful reviews. They are much appreciated.
Teachers have to look for the inner beauty of each of our students and be responsible for their growth. Bus drivers just have to get us from point A to point B in one piece! Talking about beauty, have a look at this picture I took yesterday.
The other reason, I think, is that senior management at most international schools see teachers as bus drivers that are interchangeable at any time or place because they only see one role for teachers....as transmitters of knowledge and do not see the transformational parts of job where we turn young people into adults. Teacher turnover is high in international schools which I find really disturbing, although in my book, which I wish you would read, the teachers did stay a long while in the same school and with the same organization. If you want to read my book, just click on the link on the right and thank you so much for the wonderful reviews. They are much appreciated.
Teachers have to look for the inner beauty of each of our students and be responsible for their growth. Bus drivers just have to get us from point A to point B in one piece! Talking about beauty, have a look at this picture I took yesterday.
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