Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Foreign Exchange Teaching

I've long thought how cool it would be to take a year and teach in Britain on an exchange program. I could immerse myself in my distant heritage while also making a living. There are several programs that make such a thing possible. It would be even better if I could take my son with me, even if only for a semester, so he could experience living in another country.

But if this is how bad things have gotten in British schools, forget it. I'd better not hear the f-bomb 5 times all school year, much less 5 times in one class from one student. I hope Kimberly is right--that *has* to be a joke.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Doesn't your son live with you?

Darren said...

Part time. And part time with his mother.

Darren said...

I've already taken my son to Mexico and Canada. I want him to see other countries.

My mother joined the army when I was 8 and I got to go to Europe during the summers to visit her. It was a transformational experience for me, one I hope to pass onto my own son.

British math education lately has been reportedly been crap, though. Very fuzzy.

Anonymous said...

well, I guess you'd expect me to recommend it :-).

On the subject of the linked article, a couple of points:

1) The move has (as noted in the article) been roundly condemned by just about everybody.

2) I think you'll find the situation they're trying to deal with pretty atypical. I can't speak authoratatively about the particular school mentioned, but it's worth pointing out that there exist a fair number of schools in *very* rough neighborhoods in any country. I guess that the teachers at that school are tearing their hair out. It's a fair assumption that by the time the situation has got this far, they've already taken the issue up with the respective parents many times to no avail. Teachers aren't dumb, and I'm sure these teachers realize full well how extreme a measure like this is. I don't imagine this is by any stretch a solution of first resort...

Regards
Krill

Anonymous said...

Well, it would be nice to get out of US time to time. Though it would be nice to go somewhere, where there are no idiots around. And America is full of them. But if i were a teacher, i would enjoy teaching in other countries. However, it would be kinda pointless and i don't really believe that any school district would go out of their way to make the teacher lives fun. Cool Concept however it is most unlikly. Sorry to rain on your parade.

"upside down:nomp apisdn" get it?