New Teacher Induction: Control Issues

This is a common feeling expressed by new teachers, and it’s no mystery! Much of what new teachers experience after deciding to come to China or Indonesia through English 1 to teach follows a very systematic process.

Your schedule upon arrival is provided for you, including training, meals, visa interviews, medical checks, setting up a bank account, finding your new flat, and more. These arrangements are made to help new teachers settle in and adjust more easily during the first two weeks.

When you eventually arrive at your school, you are given an observation and team-teaching schedule for the following fortnight. It’s no surprise that many teachers reach their wits’ end and feel that their sense of control is extremely limited by this point.

If you’ve been a particularly independent person, someone who came and went as they pleased and was self-motivated, this new situation could feel daunting, if not discouraging.

Let me assure you that this process is both necessary and only temporary. When you arrive in a foreign country, there are numerous government regulations, and therefore administrative tasks and paperwork, that must be handled on your behalf in order for you to remain legally in the country. This requires time, care, and attention to ensure everything is completed correctly.

In addition, it is important to bear in mind that the training, although it can be quite intensive and lengthy, is essential. It provides an overview of English 1’s company mission and equips you with the fundamental skills and theoretical knowledge required to teach young learners. Without this training, along with your full focus and effort, you are likely to struggle in the classroom and may not successfully pass your probationary period.

With that perspective in mind, I encourage new teachers to persevere, take everything in, ask questions, and try to go with the flow. Once you come through the initial phase, you will find yourself back in control. By around the fifth week, you will have the basics in place, and it may feel strangely quiet without the stream of scheduled tasks from the school and headquarters. In fact, you might even find yourself missing that sense of structure.