Expat teachers sharing culture
As a new expatriate teacher to Indonesia, I read with interest the recent article in the Oct. 15 edition of The Jakarta Post titled Assessing private schools. I thought the author made some very valid points.
On my entry to Indonesia I was quite surprised at the large number of international schools that exist, even in the area of Jakarta and Bogor. The primary and middle years program that the international schools have as their curriculum not only highly values the first language of students, but nourishes a deeper understanding of the language and culture of the country that students are presently experiencing.
Here in Bogor we take pride in the strong Indonesian enrichment and language program that our curriculum encompasses, and support our families in celebrating this wonderful culture that we expatriate teachers have the opportunity to share.
Our teacher aides are treated as paraprofessionals and receive frequent training in areas linked to the many demands of school life. These include not only those of educational value, but the necessary workplace health and safety issues that schools constantly face. The Indonesian staff here work alongside the expatriate teachers, being continually coached and mentored in highly skilled teaching strategies relevant for today's educational systems.
Two of our Indonesian teachers here are presently being supported by the school board and staff to continue their training and develop their skills in education. I'm sure this would not be unique to our school.
The International School of Bogor would be one of the smallest private schools in Indonesia. Here we value our Indonesian staff and work hard to create strong community relationships during our contracted time here. Most expatriate teachers are here to contribute to the country of employment and develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of the culture.
Many teachers work hard at learning the language and contribute significantly to the community in which they live. Students from these schools are well prepared to match their counterparts from any western schools as they progress to further international training beyond high school.
There is also an additional bonus to be gained by having expatriate teachers living and working in Indonesia. They portray a more positive and different picture of life in Indonesia than that which is shown by the media in their home countries. They also encourage additional tourism as people come to visit and take back their experiences of a country striving to take its place in the global world of today. Our school families make us feel valued members of this community, and we in turn hope to contribute more than we gain by being here.
CHRIS RAWLINS Principal The International School of Bogor West Java