← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · CWRWinger
Thread ID: 19545 | Posts: 10 | Started: 2005-08-10
2005-08-10 16:07 | User Profile
[left]New teachers come to Weldon with a twist
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[left]Jennifer Heaslip /Herald News Editor[/left] [left][url="http://www.rrdailyherald.com/articles/2005/08/09/news/news3.txt"]http://www.rrdailyherald.com/articles/2005/08/09/news/news3.txt[/url][/left]
WELDON - When Kelvin Edwards, executive director of human resources for Weldon City Schools, could not find enough math and science teachers in North Carolina, he decided to expand his search - overseas. [left]Five teachers from India recently signed up to instruct Weldon's middle and high school students beginning Sept. 5, after they receive their visas and complete all the necessary paperwork. They made a three-year commitment to the school system, after which their visas will expire. Two will teach chemistry and biology at Weldon High, and three more will teach science and math at Weldon Middle.[/left]
The district has not struggled to fill positions in other subject areas, and Edwards said there is one simple reason he needed to look elsewhere to fill the seemingly never-ending cycle of vacancies in math and science.
"Northeastern North Carolina," he said. "I just had a problem recruiting fully-certified math and science teachers."
The state isn't producing enough science, math and exceptional children's teachers, Edwards said, and the region can't compete with larger school systems in cities that offer sign-on bonuses. The math and science teachers in Weldon's schools usually stay about two years before leaving, he added, and they had to hire lateral-entry teachers with no classroom experience or education degree.
The teachers from India are far from second-rate, he stressed. The average candidate interviewed had three degrees and at least seven years of teaching experience, and spoke four languages.
Weldon students will greatly benefit from having the foreign instructors, who will introduce them to a new ethnic group and the religion of Hinduism. "It's going to give them a sense of diversity. It's just going to give them exposure," Edwards said.
The process began in October, when Edwards began to research the possibility of hiring foreign teachers. He talked with Steve Thornton, assistant superintendent of Wilson County Schools, who hired nine teachers from India last school year and hired 10 more for this year. Edwards visited the district and watched as Indian teachers taught classes earlier this year, and talked with Milan Ghandi, head of MPG Solutions, a company that helps school systems hire Indian teachers. He took his idea before board of education members, who approved the plan, and then headed to India with Ghandi and Thornton.
Edwards said he gave 226 candidates an interview, which included having them teach a lesson, during eight- to 10-hour days from June 9-19 in the cities of New Delhi, Agra and Bombay. At night, he reviewed each candidate's video-taped session and narrowed his list. "It was a rigorous process of interviews," he said.
He wanted teachers who would not have a problem with the language, and found that most candidates had a strong grasp of English.
The U.S. is seen as the land of opportunity, Edwards said. In India, teachers have about 80 students each, and like the idea of America's smaller classrooms. The pay is much better here, he added, and in a more advanced country with more education funding and better technology, they will have more opportunities to be successful.
"How we pitch Weldon City Schools is it's a family-oriented place where to work you will be supported," Edwards said.
Edwards did have time for a little sight-seeing before making the 23-hour plane trip back. He toured the Taj Mahal and ate at McDonald's that did not serve beef for religious reasons, which was totally different than restaurants here, he said. The teachers coming to Weldon will definitely go through culture shock, he said.
Acting Superintendent and retired educator Wendell Hall said that in his experience, he has seen teachers from foreign countries teach in American classrooms with positive results.
"It's a trend of the times. Now that the world is not as big as it used to be, I don't think it will be a problem," he said. "We're glad to be able to find them."
2005-08-10 16:11 | User Profile
I live about 45 minutes from Weldon.
I see one possible upside: the Indians enforce the strict discipline and demand the high standards found in Indian secondary schools.
Of course, it's much easier to do that over there, with a homogenous population...
:whstl:
2005-08-10 16:12 | User Profile
Why not look in europe, australia or even canada ? oh wait, they might cost a little more. More "diversity" and hinduism...just what north carolina needs. NOT
2005-08-10 16:48 | User Profile
I think it's a wonderful idea for the Texas public schools.
As long as they speak Spanish it's a net plus for everybody.
Next professions for imported Indians should probably be doctors and lawyers.
2005-08-10 16:54 | User Profile
[quote=TexasDissident]Next professions for imported Indians should probably be doctors and lawyers.
Naw!! Legislators.
2005-08-10 17:12 | User Profile
We are already getting nurses and teachers in the US with a few doctors.
Can you see a teacher from the Philipenes teaching in LA with no Spanish? they will eat her alive.
2005-08-10 17:36 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Texas Dissident]I think it's a wonderful idea for the Texas public schools.
As long as they speak Spanish it's a net plus for everybody.
Next professions for imported Indians should probably be doctors and lawyers.[/QUOTE]
Id like to think your just kidding or being sarcastic...right ? Come on Tex...
2005-08-10 17:44 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Texas Dissident]I think it's a wonderful idea for the Texas public schools.
As long as they speak Spanish it's a net plus for everybody.
[B]Next professions for imported Indians should probably be doctors and lawyers[/B].[/QUOTE] The Indian doctors have been here for some time now. Around here they fill up the minor emergency clinics.
2005-08-10 18:16 | User Profile
The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, plays no small part in the importing of Indians to the USA. They pedal more Indian flesh than about anyone else.
2005-08-10 18:17 | User Profile
pedal
Duh!
It's "peddle".