Customer Reviews

Teaching in a Distant Classroom: Crossing Borders for Global Transformation

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

An excellent resource that will challenge any Christian to develop a philosophy and approach to their profession that integrates God's calling and will for their lives and that will spur us on to "be agents of transformation in culture and society" (pg30).

This is a must read for Christian educators but has also challenged me in my profession (engineering/management in a cross-cultural setting) and can challenge you in whatever profession you may be called!

There is a saying that "what you do is not who you are". This book asks you to consider whether who you are, as a follower of Christ, is being expressed through what you do. It doesn't stop there, but also provides resources and reflective questions on how to re-shape your thinking and aproach to your profession and calling.

When the Berlin wall came down, I was invited to lecture and teach in most of the countries formerly closed to direct Western influence. I remember calling a friend who had been lecturing and teaching in many foreign countries. My main questions were what is the food like? I will be hosted by local families; where will I sleep? (Having been in the army, I knew about the food in one Asian country; I feared I might have the same reaction to food in Eastern Europe. Living on a U.S. army base, I did not have to eat much in private homes or even in public restaurants. In countries I could not locate in my mind without looking at a map, however, I would be at the mercy of my hosts for food and hospitality.) My whole travel and teaching experience extended off and on for over ten years. I am delighted to say that there was no reason to panic or even be nervous. My hosts were delightful, friendly, accommodating, everything a good host American style would be--and more.

Still, I found some aspects of the cultures I encountered strange and, frankly, irrational by my standards. In some countries, the "natives" did not open their windows in hot weather because a draft was unhealthy. Sweating through the night is not pleasant. Of course, this illustration is trivial. Many situations are not--unsafe streets, uncertain travel, unknown "rules" such as "no chewing gum" (not trivial, so I understand, in one country), inappropriate clothing, sitting with the soles of your feet displayed, and hosts of others that seem not only strange but (to you) silly.

Michael H. Romanowski and Teri McCarthy have been there and done that over and over and much, much more than I. Moreover they have reflected on their experience, drawn from their academic expertise and written an immensely useful book. Everyone planning on teaching in a foreign country or recovering from the shock of doing so should read this book. It would have helped me if I had read such a book before my own travels.

The wisdom of their approach to teaching, however, is valuable for those who will never leave the comforts of their own culture. Self-evaluation of one's own goals and analysis of the worldviews of one's own culture are valuable for everyone. This book will help readers regardless of their role in society here and abroad.

I was quite excited when I saw Michael Romanowski and Teri McCarthy's new book Teaching in a Distant Classroom: Crossing Borders for Global Transformation (Intervarsity). I supervise international TESOL practicums during the summer and have been looking for a book like this for quite sometime. I had high enough hopes that it would be suitable for my students to read that I assigned it to them before I had actually read it. I've now finished, and am delighted to report that it's even better than I'd hoped!

One of the most frequent misunderstandings I encounter with people hoping to teach overseas is that they don't really take the actual task of teaching very seriously. Some assume they can use "teaching English" 1) as a mask to do "real ministry", 2) a way to travel and see the world, or 3) an easy way to get a visa into a closed country. Romanowski and McCarthy quickly and clearly dispel these myths on page 1 of chapter 1:

Often when Christians decide to go outside their homeland to teach...friends and family ask, "If you can't talk about Jesus in the classroom over there, how on earth are you going to be a missionary?" For the missions-minded North American evangelical, it's a legitimate question. But the question is not what is troubling. What is more disturbing is the common response, "Oh I'm going as a teacher to get into the country so that I can do my real job of evangelism."

So begins their case for competent, well-trained, serious professionals - especially among Christians. They assert that "teaching should flow out of a Christians' sense of calling" - not "merely moonlighting." They provide a variety of charts (one of my favorite parts of a book!) such as: motives for teaching overseas (non-religious and Christian), worldview influences and teaching, various educational models/methods. My favorite chart goes quite in depth comparing culturally responsive teachers with Jesus' teaching.

Other interesting components of the book include a plethora of personal perspectives from people who have taught abroad, helpful websites, movie recommendations and a variety reflective questions for the reader. On top of this, the entire book repeatedly explores how committed faith and excellence in teaching integrate.

For the Christian overseas teacher, Teaching in a distant classroom is a thorough, honest, and challenging introduction to teaching abroad. I'm completely thrilled for my students to read this as they complete their practicums as it synthesizes so much of what they have studied in their coursework. I'm excited to hear their responses. I'll be highly recommending the book to every TESOL practicum supervisor I know, plus to the many others who contact me regarding teaching abroad. It is a realistic, practical, and wise guide for those heading down the path of teaching in a distant classroom.

What is it that makes some teachers really great? Although this book does not address that question directly, every page is filled with elements of a response. In a clear, accessible, style the authors look at what enables some teachers to have a powerfully positive impact in the lives of their students. This is one of the most encouraging and helpful books that I have ever read on the topic. Even when they discuss the more theoretical concepts of worldview and educational philosophy the authors do so in a way that is engaging and practical. It is a must read not only for people who plan to teach overseas, but for anyone who is leading a small discussion group, a Sunday school class, or is involved in a academic setting.

Teaching in a Distant Classroom - Michael Romanowski and Teri McCarthy
"...Worlds can clash in an overseas classroom when a teacher enters from another culture and worldview and tries to apply his own teaching techniques." (p. 60)
Insights and practicality gained in decades of cross-cultural teaching experience render this volume a useful guidebook for teachers just venturing overseas and a motivating read for those who have bravely gone off the beaten tracks of academia in their own countries.
Romanowski and McCarthy have created a compendium of first-hand experiences from colleagues teaching on several continents to undergird their own observations on what makes a foreign teacher effective. While the comments offered are suitable for anyone teaching overseas, the application for Teaching English as a Foreign Language is right on target.
In a nutshell, the authors contend that knowing the host culture and its educational philosophy dramatically multiplies the efficacy of instruction. Noting that any curriculum promotes values, beliefs, ethics and morals, lists of questions lead teachers through consideration of one's own philosophy and instructional plan, as well as "hidden curriculum" or what is selected to not be taught. Romanowski and McCarthy offer guidelines and resources in order to appropriately evaluate and tailor "curriculum in use" according to the needs of students.
While focusing on development of personal rapport with students, examples of servant friendship highlight professionals who demonstrate expertise in their fields while loving their work and students. Believing teachers are shown to have a significant role in their students' academic success and personal development. Prayer for the students and oneself as an instructor "allows us to see the bigger picture, provides peace and enables God to work through us." (p. 176) The end result is "the classroom becomes a sacred place where we ask for the Holy Spirit's anointing as we present our lesson... our teaching becomes a sacred act." (pp. 100-101)
To use the phrases of Romanowski and McCarthy, where worlds can clash, God shows up, and lives will change. That makes for pretty exciting teaching!
Teaching in a Distant Classroom: Crossing Borders for Global Transformation

A friend who is teaching at an international Christian school with students from missionary and business backgrounds and from dozens of countries, suggested this book to my wife and I (elementary and higher-ed teachers respectively). In addition to providing practical insight on understanding cross-cultural teaching and different worldviews, the book does an exceptional job of casting vision for the purpose one finds in their everyday career. It is encouraging to find a strong call to do high quality and impactful education for the sake of education, and to do so as a Christian. This stands in stark contrast to some missions organizations which with good intentions send ill-equipped "teachers" to foreign lands to do primarily other ministry, and unfortunately miss the opportunity to do ministry through good teaching!

Obviously there is a place for both and I encourage reaching unreached peoples in whatever way possible, it is just a great opportunity to minister to both practical and spiritual needs by putting in some time for thoughtful preparation on how effectively combine teaching and ministry! We are also looking forward to applying principles and practices from this book to teaching in "cross-cultural" urban contexts within the U.S. and interactions with international students/academics in university graduate and post-graduate programs.

The focus of the book is to honor God with whatever we do - in a straight-forward, excellent manner, with a flexible servant's heart. This means that if I accept a position as a teacher, then my focus is to be an excellent teacher, serving the needs of my students in whatever way is possible for me. It does not mean that I use the "excuse" of a teaching position to do evangelism.
The authors also give an excellent preparation for handling differing worldviews, beginning with the premise that most people are unconsciously acting on unexamined assumptions about life. The most powerful tool for battling worldview is genuine, compassionate curiosity - asking others to help me understand their worldview. As they dredge up whatever premises they use to make life decisions, the Holy Spirit will nudge them towards Truth. I need not batter down their defenses, for the Truth is eternal and will not fade. My assignment is simply to bring the matter to the table.
At the end of each chapter, the book suggested a self-assessment. I gathered a lot of information from these exercises, including how my personal history affects my teaching style, my prejudices regarding success in careers (mine and others'), my unexamined assumptions from having grown up in America especially regarding not only the rights of the individual, women and children, but also senior citizens, disabled persons, persons of minority ethnicities or lower economic status. It provided a lot of food for thought on how I would eventually handle the open denigration of the "other" in cultures where that is commonly accepted.
Alongside conversations about worldview is the battle against stereotypes. For example, if an English as a Second Language textbook only shows beautiful people "having fun", such curriculum encourages the stereotype that those who speak English do not work and do not go places that are not beautiful and fun. It also discriminates against people who are not beautiful-looking and thus devalues their existence. Therefore, given the status of American television and films around the world, it is crucial that non-Western peoples understand that we in the West have arguments with each other, need to forgive wrongs and make reparation, struggle with discouragement and depression, are confused about how to respond to unexpected events, feel disenfranchised, and lots of other real life things. My transparency with struggle would give others permission to have the same.
I found the educational component of this book significant in terms of preparation for living abroad. Since it takes more to get through daily living in other countries, there is less time available for studying. Plus, since I would teach in English, my students would be struggling with language issues more than with content. So at best, I could expect to present half as much material as I would present to an American class. And by definition, the presentation would be drastically different, focusing more on language comprehension than on content. Meanwhile, other universities not only lack the physical amenities we enjoy (regular classrooms which are unlocked during class time, ability to make copies, obtain textbooks), but also lack an over-arching systemization, such as reporting to the instructor who is registered in the class or which course is to be taught!
Romanowski and McCarthy have provided a real wake up call to anyone considering teaching, or even working overseas. Although we hear of the physical differences of living abroad, this book articulates the mindset difference. It encourages me to be mindful of my deeply-held assumptions about human rights and the privilege of education. Rather, I need to re-focus on people skills and learn to handle the expected frustration of minimal "accomplishment" all the while not dropping my commitment to excellence. This is a great book. I am sure to re-read it.