You are a specist, Paul, thinking that humans are superior to animals, while we are all made of the same energy. How can you write that animals don't have intuition, don't have emotions and don't have reasoning. Be aware that some people think that your dear Christianism is very primitive and is responsible for the gruesome fate that is reserved to most animals starting with slaughterhouses. Sooner or later, in this life or a next life, you will have to face this realization and you will have a lot of kharma to burn. How does it relate to ESL? You extend your specist view of the world to people as well, thinking that your dear Christianism makes you superior to those who are not Christian. And it can be felt through everything you write Paul. Open your eyes.

> THE NATURE OF THE BEAST (CHINA)

> Some readers may have heard the expression that attributes bad or
> good behaviour. Its the nature of the beast. What does that
> translate to being a ESL teacher in China?

> There is human nature (emotion + reasoning + intuition + instincts),
> animal nature (predominately instincts), there is the natural
> environment (sometimes called good old Mother Nature) and there is
> the nature of the wild that describes the behaviour of the roaming,
> untamed beasts of the jungle, that live on the open plains and that
> dive and swim under the sea.

> There are a number of perspectives that help us understand the
> complexity of human behaviour. There are the sciences of psychology,
> sociology, philosophy, theology even mythology. All are attempts to
> reach the apex of human knowledge in all domains imaginable and
> predictable.

> The keyword to mention at this point is CULTURE and to elaborate on
> the contrast foreign teachers will experience when they arrive and
> attempt to adapt and recover from their culture shock of landing in
> China.

> The approach or perspective taken in this article is based on the
> research into cross-cultural psychology: a branch on mainstream
> psychology that specifically examines culture and social behaviour.
> In other words its attempts to study the subjective aspects of
> behaviours, beliefs, attitudes, values and the perceptions and
> resulting behaviour of people who have been born into, or cultivated
> by a society that is significantly unique from any other. This from
> of socialisation is also referred to the process called
> enculturation. This article will focus on China hereafter referred to
> as a Collectivistic Society (CS) and a number of Western societies
> (U.S.A, Canada, Australia, and England to name a few) are grouped
> together under Individualistic Society (IS). The comparative review
> of China and the groups of countries mentioned is chosen because in
> majority of advertisements for teaching vacancies in China it is
> these English native speaking nationalities that are preferred by
> Chinese educational institutions. This article will not address the
> objective aspects of Chinese culture such as food, clothing, tools
> and festivals etc.

> Key words and their definition (cited in Matsumoto (2000), Culture
> and Psychology: people around the world. pp. 41-42).

> Individualism-Collectivism (IC) refers to the extent to which a
> culture encourages, cultivates, and assists in meeting the needs and
> values of an autonomous and unique self over those of the group. Lets
> look at (IC) in a practical context.

> Individualism: In the United States of America and Australia the
> individual perceives themselves as having autonomy over their choices
> of lifestyle, career path, relationships and just about any behaviour
> that is within the constraints of the law enforcement of their
> country. The most important consideration is given to the fulfilment
> of the individuals desires and they themselves construct their
> unique self-identity. This behaviour is not to be synonymous with
> greed, self-centeredness or acting selfishly. No man is an island and
> even in an individualistic society there is the overpowering need to
> form meaningful relationships with others or form in-groups for
> support and security.

> Collectivism on the other hand has the individual perceiving
> themselves as forming part of a group family, workforce, community
> and nation. They have a group identify that overrides their
> self-identity. Unless they can assimilate and feel bonded to the
> group their needs are not met. To be alienated from the in-group be
> it their class at school, their nucleus or extended family or the
> wider community brings with it a feeling of shame and dishonour. If
> they lose intimacy with the group they have difficulty forming a
> strong identity or sense of belonging.

> No doubt the reader is starting to fill in the intellectual gaps
> themselves and they are coming to their own understanding of IC and
> how it relates to their experiences in China. Or, some readers may
> begin to have a hunch of what to expect when in China.

> A quick example of how to apply this knowledge to teaching: As a
> foreign teacher you should try and avoid singling out students in the
> class and to have them feel different from the rest of the group. A
> teacher can use this to an advantage for controlling the group by
> simply having the disorderly student stand up and leave the
> classroom. I have seen this happen and the child in question will act
> paralysed unable to move and if forced to leave they will fall to the
> floor.

> The frustrating aspects of this collectivism is that you will not see
> an individual competing or striving to do their best as this might,
> in the context of the classroom, have them risking being exiled from
> the in-group. However, it can also be a driving force and
> motivational stimulus to cause the student not to fail an exam or to
> avoid being the focus of the teachers disapproval.

> Since teaching in China is not only dealing with students but also
> with other teachers and officials at different organisational levels
> let us now look at how collectivism influences the human behaviour in
> this arena?

> It is here that the article introduces some new terms used in
> cross-cultural psychology: Power Distance (PD) or Status
> Differentiation (SD). Also, in-group and out-group which have already
> been mention but not defined in depth.

> Power Difference is the degree of inequality in power between a less
> powerful individual and a more powerful other. In the context of ESL
> teaching in China you represent the less powerful and the other
> being your employer.

> Chinese society is a culture that rates high in PD because of the
> following reasons:
> Parents put a high value on childrens obedience - parents being the
> more powerful and the child being the less powerful. This value of
> obedience is carried over to the teacher and the student
> relationship. Students put a high value on conformity and respect for
> authority is the social norm. In organisations, managers are seen as
> making decisions autocratically and paternalistically. Employees fear
> to disagree with their superior (Hofstede, 1980a cited in Matsumoto,
> 2000 p. 452 Table 17.1)

> Whereas in America and the other countries already mentioned, parents
> put less value of childrens obedience; students put a high value on
> independence, respect for authority is a matter of individual
> personality. Employees or subordinates have a preference of managers
> who are more consultative in decision making (Hofstede, 1980b).

> In regard to the in-group and out-group aspects of the two cultures:
> In the CS context of China people are very loyal and attracted to the
> in-group to which they belong. So if your co-workers are Chinese
> teachers and they have strong ties to the schools in-group then
> their loyalty is to the school and not to the new foreign teacher who
> is distinctly considered as belonging to a out-group. What that means
> is that there will be a transition period before the new foreign
> teacher is accepted as a member of the in-group. It is during this
> time that the newcomer will have to show his or her willingness to
> conform, take what adversity comes their way and to forsake their
> accustomed individualism. Even this does not secure in-group
> membership because the teaching position is not permanent in that the
> contact will terminate and the foreigner will more away. In China it
> is the survival of the in-group that takes precedence over the
> individual. So you are expected to behave in ways that safeguards the
> school against defamation or lost of public integrity.

> So the point made by this comparison of Chinese and American cultures
> is that the two entities are poles apart especially in those areas
> that impact on a foreign ESL teacher.

> So you can choose to ignore the signs and differences in cultures and
> turn up the volume on your hi-fi to blast out the theme song I did
> it my way or you could play a different tune Try a Little Kindness

> Oh, there is one other option, the one that is always taken too late
> dont go to China to work as an ESL teacher unless you are not very
> flexible, to have a personality that is submissive and introverted
> will go in your favour, and if you are content to have every decision
> made for you, and you are prepared to suffer in silence when the
> occasion arisesAND be qualified to do the job your employer demands
> thats if they know themselvesthen my all means enjoy your new
> employment in China (as a foreigner).