Losers Back Home? Perceptions of English Teachers in China

Losers Back Home? Perceptions of English Teachers in China
Apr 06, 2015 By Alex Schofield , eChinacities.com

Let’s face it, English teachers in China are not exactly viewed as people who have been a major success in life. Often the subject of diatribes on many an anonymous internet forum, it’s time to look at why these perceptions exist.

 

Perceptions by Non-Teaching Expats
On many internet forums devoted to expat life in China, the term LBH (Loser Back Home) is omnipresent. There is a firm perception that many people employed in the TEFL industry do so because they are completely unemployable in their home countries. Sometimes, there is a deal of truth to this. I myself have worked with people who can barely function, do not take their job seriously, are constantly late, and have a drinking problem that would make John Wayne wince. However, this is simplistic to say the least.

People come to China to teach for a whole myriad of reasons- to subsidize international travel, to make a few bucks whilst studying Chinese, to escape personal issues in their home country, to fund a gap year and even to possibly find a spouse. Some people are happy to simply earn a salary that is enough to live on while working a fraction of a Western work week. I feel that the real reason “professional” expats feel the way they do about English teachers is one of lateral aggression. Common insults include, but are in no way limited to:

You’re smart, for an English teacher

No wonder you’re stupid, you must be an English teacher

You’re an English teacher, I’ll TRY not to hold that against you

Why didn’t you just go and work in McDonalds?

English teaching is indeed the McJob of the expat community. Foreigners in China essentially wield no power or influence, so those foreigners who are perceived as less able or capable are targeted by those who feel more worthy- for want of a better word. This phenomenon has been researched extensively in relation to violence in ethnic-minority communities and to bullying in workplaces among people who want to gain favour with their superiors, but it can be equally applied here. China can be a very frustrating place to live, and expats who are perceived as “losers” are a convenient target for vitriol.

There is also a prevalent belief that teaching English is a very easy job that basically involves singing funny songs and dancing in front of small children, this ignores the massive range of classes that foreign teachers conduct here and the hard work that many teachers put in to improving the quality of their lessons. Though in general from my observation the quality of classes from English teachers in China varies hugely from outstanding to embarrassingly bad.

Perceptions by Chinese Employers
In my honest opinion, I think most Chinese people in general are absolutely baffled as to why any Westerner from a wealthy developed country would move to China to teach English. Many Chinese have aspirations to study or work abroad, eager to get into the same rat race that us Westerners ran away from. Also, language schools in China are businesses first and schools second and most owners employ foreign teachers simply for the purpose of “spending money to make money.” A foreign teacher in the classroom can be used to justify increased tuition fees for the students’ parents.

Most owners massively resent having to pay foreigners what they perceive to be a very high salary, for doing what is in their eyes a very simple job. A Canadian I know in Shenzhen who was recently hospitalized due to e.coli poisoning was telephoned by his boss after inquiring whether or not his school provided medical insurance would pay his hospital bill and was told “The medical insurance won’t cover this, and you’re not entitled to sick pay, so when are you coming back to work?”. I think this sums up the attitude towards many teachers in language schools.

Perceptions of Race and Ethnicity
Much has been made online about the attitude of Chinese employers in the TEFL industry toward non-white and non-native speakers, and how they would rather employ a white person from Russia than a black person from USA. In their defence, this is simply echoing the perceptions of the parents, who are their customers. There is a strongly held belief that white people from USA, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand are the best people for the job, so they are the recipient of favourable discrimination as they are the best for business. I haven’t worked in a school for over four years, but I’ll never forget one exchange I had with a foreign affairs officer:

Her: Alex, can you help me find a new teacher, do you know anybody who can work here?

Me: Possibly, I know of a couple of people who may be looking for a new job.

Her: Oh, I must tell you, they must be white people. Obama black would be ok, but not darker.

Another person I know, who is of Greek American descent, was threatened with having his contract terminated at a university where he held a professorship simply because he had gone on holiday to Hainan and lounged on the beach for a few days. When he returned his skin was very dark, which royally peeved off his dean.

What, if anything, can English teachers do to change these negative perceptions? Or do they really matter at all? I think that the best English teachers in China are successful because they don’t need a pat on the back from someone telling them that they’re doing a good job, and don’t care that the biggest source of resentment is from the very person that pays their salary.

Warning:The use of any news and articles published on eChinacities.com without written permission from eChinacities.com constitutes copyright infringement, and legal action can be taken.

Keywords: Teaching English China China English Teachers Perception

68 Comments

All comments are subject to moderation by eChinacities.com staff. Because we wish to encourage healthy and productive dialogue we ask that all comments remain polite, free of profanity or name calling, and relevant to the original post and subsequent discussion. Comments will not be deleted because of the viewpoints they express, only if the mode of expression itself is inappropriate.

serge.b

Another fantastic story

May 24, 2015 07:18 Report Abuse

crazykiller

this is becoming like a youtube war but anyway nice post, sometimes i get depressed as well as i am not a native speaker but i have been teaching english for more than one and half year and the racist response i get from everywhere...the kids just keep me going. the big smile and shout in the morning -"wai jiao laoshi" makes my whole day.

May 01, 2015 11:45 Report Abuse

Guest592570

Same here, man! Been teaching Japanese kids for quite a while now. And like you said, those smiles and shouts the kids give you, make you think and say that, "I'm the man!"

Jun 29, 2015 00:16 Report Abuse

tigtagtiger

I teach English to 6 - 12 year old kids and i don't have a clue about many grammar rules. I was a club DJ for 15 years and needed a change of pace. I'm great with kids and love being in the classroom. I couldn't care less if people didn't agree that i should be teaching English. It's my first language and i reckon that's all that counts.

Apr 26, 2015 18:01 Report Abuse

irislee

if you don't like China, why would you please just leave China and back to your country, do whatever you want, we have our own culture and you have yours. can all of you just stop spitting on ours?

Apr 13, 2015 09:42 Report Abuse

silverbutton1

"Let’s face it, English teachers in China are not exactly viewed as people who have been a major success in life." Success Definition n. noun 1. The achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted. attributed their success in business to hard work. 2. The gaining of fame or prosperity. an artist spoiled by success. 3. The extent of such gain. ___________________________ Ummm, couldn't it be said that the majority of people on the planet aren't really "sucessful" per se?

Apr 13, 2015 09:25 Report Abuse

Tamarichka

This is the first time I've heard of something like this. I see no reason why expats would discriminate in such a way. Everybody has the right to earn for their living whichever way they want.

Apr 12, 2015 14:46 Report Abuse

Aristede

I just don't see the purpose of this article other than to stir up a firestorm. When teaching in China, I take pride in my work and try to do the best job I can. I have no control over teachers who do otherwise, only how I conduct myself. The bottom line is that unless we internalize prejudices others have against us, what do they matter? During my last stint in Shanghai, I had a generally low-stress job with good earning potential, nice apartment, ate well, and enjoyed my life. So if someone decides I'm a LBH, it's not something I'm going to lose sleep over. Instead I just deal with more worthy people.

Apr 12, 2015 08:59 Report Abuse

danushka

I think there are better and smart, able people around the world and its matter of selecting through talents, it does not make you better simply because where you come from or what is your appearance or nationality.....

Apr 10, 2015 16:12 Report Abuse

Guest2503130

I think it's very easy to see this story in a one-sided way, oh, ESL in China is such an easy job, such losers, why don't they get a "real" job at home, etc. However, it takes an extremely thick skin to do this for more than about a year!!!

Apr 10, 2015 08:49 Report Abuse

mike695ca

Since the OP made it so clear that he is not a teacher any longer, and this fact had absolutely nothing to do with the post, then doesnt the OP share some of the same biases? Poop article. Didnt say anything new, didnt offer any insight. But good job, you did give alot of people an opportunity to claim they either dont care or share that they are not teachers. So you made alot of people feel good about themselves. That alone is reward enough.

Apr 09, 2015 21:48 Report Abuse

picklez01

People who work hard for a degree, leave their country of origin to try and make it in China, losers? Seems bizarre to me. Even if they don't have a degree, leaving your country of origin to join a foreign land is a big risk, takes guts. I wouldn't consider someone like that a loser, ever. It can be an easy job, but if you're putting a lot of effort into it and trying to do the best you can, it's not easy.

Apr 08, 2015 20:17 Report Abuse

thelatinodancer

China is full of chinese losers so why do you bother with some foreigners in china? Deal with your own uncivilized society and pollution.

Apr 08, 2015 11:59 Report Abuse

Garbo

And this coming from people that tortured and sometimes killed their teachers during the Cultural Revolution.

Apr 08, 2015 08:37 Report Abuse

knightro

I really dont care what others think of ESL teacher. My concern is my student, as long as they get better and ready for the world im happy with that.

Apr 07, 2015 15:39 Report Abuse

dokken

What type of jackass feels the need to write an article like this? I find many of the people who changed from ESL into a non teaching(if indeed they actually did) make surprisingly inflammatory statements about their former occupation and the people who still teach? It's a crude form of showing face just like the peasants.

Apr 07, 2015 05:30 Report Abuse

Tjdodge

I worked in China for about three years and I had a similar experience. I felt useless working as a teacher and most students, parents, and co-workers looked down on me in one way or another. I do think you are missing a larger piece of the puzzle, Chinese culture really looks down on outsiders, whether you are a waiguoren (外国人)or waidiren(外地人), it doesn't matter. If you talk to some of the Chinese people who aren't local they have just as much as a problem as you do in regards to respect and work. There are also great reasons to stay and make a life there if you can swallow your pride. Think about it, if you find the right job you can make as much as 15,000-20,000 RMB in a medium sized city. This kind of money in the local economy makes you a king and the amount of hours you're working is a joke. Believe me I returned home and I am now working for 30$ an hour with Chinese tourists and students and I can barely afford to live here and sometimes I wonder why the hell I came back. Also, if you're someone like me who really has deep seeded hatred for the 40 hour work week and corporate slavery it's even more difficult to readjust here.

Apr 06, 2015 20:40 Report Abuse

tsmithfi

Totally agree....great post

Apr 09, 2015 10:51 Report Abuse

willandjoy

I don't mind sharing my personal story and take on the industry - I feel I can represent perhaps Mr. older-than-average expat teacher. Before coming to China, I had (among others) a very decent job as a office manager and martial arts instructor; I went back in college as a non-traditional (older/working) returning student. Others witnessed for the years while I'd faithfully worked, I would often also play all sorts of international music at my work stations as dreamed of travelling abroad again, since my military days. I had previously divorced and settled into mundane life... Once back in academia, I suddenly found we had a cultural history class trip to visit Tibet, and I embarked on it. I didn't think about what others thought of me - I've done a lot in my life, and have a world of experience. Since coming to China, I rarely worked with nor arbitrarily befriended other foreigners just because they were foreigners, since I deemed that's not why I went overseas. When I do meet others, I may be curious, but do not judge who also is here; I am only interested in those who seemed to be nice people and interested in me as a person, regardless of background or nationality. In these many years, I've met ALL KINDS across the spectrum. And, as I tell my students, "In life, there is no single kind of anything!" Yes, I've been here maybe a little too long! – now worried about survivability in possible return to the States; and, here, as well as in my past, I’ve seen and experienced all sorts of ups and downs; but, in the long run, I really teach and do a pretty good job. I can see the results I get, and the favor and respect of many I’ve dealt with. Yet, I can't say I am proud to be in this field either. I don’t glamorize it, nor look down on it. I just do it for a living while initially gaining exposure to contemporary life and research as part of my global studies major – One day I’ll have to write a book. I had personal reasons for leaving my home country – mostly just tired of the rat race. I don’t work for schools requiring all day (40 hour weeks) – I figure I could have just stayed back in my home country for that. I like doing less than 20 hours, and having my own freedom after that, and for me it’s been that way for several years. I refuse to commit to full time management or bigger roles or other that would preclude having a personal life. We cannot know of everyone's own story. And we shouldn't judge. Perhaps I could be called a “loser” for having a previous life with lots of experiences, ending up with a sports injury that slowed me down, tiring of a robotic life-style to make ends meet, and chose to explore life here. Besides, I envied my former college professors’ work schedules, and fancied a teaching job like theirs – such as, conducting a morning class, then an afternoon or evening class, preparation on my own time, housing, pay and benefits. It simply was a new life for me – mid-life crisis, if you will. Restarting in voluntary simplicity, or so I thought. Now, I’ve finding I’m becoming too old for some of the openings posted. Let’s face it. That will be the case wherever I go from here. Even in China, when people learn about others it may in fact help open up hearts and doors!

Apr 06, 2015 17:46 Report Abuse

Guest2301262

Sounds like your military background helped you dealt with the shits in China. 'Even in China, when people learn about others it may in fact help open up hearts and doors!' This is true elsewhere, not with the majority of communists/mainlanders though. With understanding they baited thousands of multinationals into China, the bait being 'we got 1 billion prospects' (truth: 1 billion 'prospects' who have no decent toilet paper to use, waiting to steal your technology, benefit from it, suck you dry then kick you out). The bait was filled with poison. Now, the understanding they seek is the kind that enables them to find immigration loopholes to break into your country so they can stash and spend their loot, not to mention laying eggs. En masse their understanding don't open hearts (how can you open something you don't have?), they open doors, sure, the ones to your bank and country of origin. So when mainlanders say to you, "I want to understand you, my friend", scream hell and run!!! I'll end this comment with "It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." Jiddu Krishnamurti (thanks to the commenter who put this out). Bon voyage wherever life takes you.

Apr 06, 2015 20:58 Report Abuse

Guest2301262

Thanks. Yep, spot on, mainland girl using typical you-misunderstood-china arguement to fool 'dumb laowais'. 30 years ago that might work. In front of guys like you and the shitbombs detonating themselves globally, not so easy. 'Could it be that in China, if you put free stuff in public, it will all disappear instantly?' LOL You can call this THE Expat's MacDonald (China) Quiz. If there ever is a China Expats Exam this HAS to be one of the questions, which you along with many in this forum are obviously well qualified to set. Talking about books/movies, have you ever thought about which character(s) best fit mainland chinese en masse? Hannibal Lecter is my pick. Look at the title of Thomas Harris's novel, Red Dragon, then the date of publication, 1981, 'coincidentally' that's about the time china 'opened up', 30+ years ago. Where was Hannibal from? Lithuania. We all know what political system Lithuania had. Then the second novel, Hannibal Rising came out in 1989. To be honest, the sychronicity is a bit hair-raising. Red Dragon, Hannibal Lecter the Lithuanian, pure, cannibalistic sociopath, China. See the theme/archetype? The subconscious mind can be uncanny accurate. Failed at home try China? Sure, failed to find sufficient Hannibals at home to study try China. LOL

Apr 07, 2015 06:43 Report Abuse

superduper

Where's the person handing out toilet paper in the bathrooms?

Apr 08, 2015 11:12 Report Abuse

ironman510

All I'm gonna say don't let websites tell you what you are or what they think you are! Live your life, work, go home, love your family, be responsible and make good choices, that goes for anyone that has a job, even English teachers, because its still just that, a job.

Apr 06, 2015 17:01 Report Abuse

nashboroguy

I agree with much being said here. But, I can only speak for myself and my personal experiences. As a teacher, I find it very rewarding, yet very frustrating at the same time. The negative impressions the article and the comments make about teachers, usually come from other expats (in my experience). I have been treated fairly and without malice from Chinese people. Expats...well...that is a whole different story. I have far fewer expat friends due to their total negativity and character. It seems that many enjoy bringing misery and despair unto themselves and others. I take my profession very seriously. I work hard as a teacher. I am dedicated to my students and my fellow teachers. I definitely make more as a teacher here, than I could in the USA when one begins to talk "net salary" and cost of living. And, I do not have to deal with all the BS that comes from working in a company in the USA. I am relatively free to do and work as I please here. No one is looking over my shoulder and telling how to do my job. With some training from myself, my Chinese employers have learned that if they want respect and understanding from me on Chinese business practices and other matters, they must show me the same courtesy in understanding my viewpoints and culture. It has been a hard battle between both of us. But, we are now able to work together with understanding and confidence in each other. Yes. There are many things I do not like about China. And, I find it appropriate to discuss those things under the correct situations. But, overall, I am very upbeat and positive about my experiences here. As a result, I have fewer horror stories than most about my time here in China. I like being a teacher. I like the experiences that I have had here. And, I love the Chinese people (good and bad). I came to China for work and money. I stay because of the people and the experiences.

Apr 06, 2015 16:11 Report Abuse

sailor-china

Totally true. I have been teaching In China for the past 6 years. I Have a bachelor degree and a Tefl. I never made as much money here as I use to back in my country .i came after divorce for a woman. There is a truth to it that many foreign men come for women I tried marrying a Chinese woman but the culture didn't settle well with me . So I tried many Chinese girl friends and now I found one that I am taking home with me so she can have a better life and I can feel that I have helped many Chinese and brought one of them to have a better life.In my opinion we serve some rich corrupted school owners, or at best few corrupted university officials that try to make money on students by creating exchange programs between Chinese universities and foreign universities. As per racism and the white skin to sale to the parents that a white man has better qualification to teach English .is so freaking true and sickening I had met many black teachers from USA who had some difficulties in China. This is my last year in China. If I could make a stop to this flow of foreigners coming to china . I would. Any foreigner coming to China to make as we call an easy buck. Is not true. There are agents making money on innocent young foreigners. And they seduce them so they can come and make big $$$$$ on their back for the Chinese owner. There is no easy buck to make here .these Chinese rich men have destroyed balance in the world economics . We should as foreigners get out of this country let Chinese teach their own kids English or whatever they feel like. Also bring this situation to our countries governments to be tougher on Chinese students going abroad . But mea culpa our universities are also part of this giant scam of enrolling Chinese students with an English level so low just to make money and stay open . It makes me sick to see that education has become a $$$$ focused shit and it is all because of Chinese rising and their money. So please as a foreigner do not work for this corrupted people . Have the courage to love your country and stay home. Work in your country . At least you have a pensions and unemployment insurance and many work laws that protects you.Let Russians Phillipinos or Africans teach English to Chinese .at least they need the money. For the salary they offer here, how dare can a Chinese offer 10000rmb to a young graduate from the USA or Canada and think he is paying him a high salary. How dare we accept this shit. Don't tell me lack of work in our countries . Work in McDonald and you can earn the same. Have some respect for your own nationality and do not allow these Chinese corrupted owners of schools make money on you. Let them deal with their shit . And our countries should allow only Chinese students that have worked hard and speak perfect English to come and study in our universities .Chinese now are laughing at us. All companies are outsourcing here in China . Giving them jobs and in the process they want to learn more English so they can go abroad . Why oh why our greed our corporate shit has done this. I will tell any Chinese to be grateful that outsourcing exist and that it is thanks to our corporations that today he has a job and an apartment and a family . Otherwise back to hunger. So as you see please do like me . Go back home . Fight the right to have a job home and not let companies open businesses in china and have corrupted Chinese man get you to become a clown . Since when a Chinese makes others look like a clown . We have seen quit a lot in history , but not this one. Good luck to you all

Apr 06, 2015 11:25 Report Abuse