Experiences of a Jamaican Exchange Teacher in the US

After teaching in Jamaica for 10 years, I decided it was time for a change. In November 2016 I took a job to teach in the United States of America. My contract started in January 2017 and I had roughly two months to get ready. I had heard horror stories about teaching the United States. I had also heard stories about this ‘greener pasture’. My reasons for moving and taking up employment in the Unites States was two-fold, I wanted a new experience and wanted the opportunities that the US would afford my son. So here I was packing up and leaving life as I knew it to go and teach in the US. The trek to the US was first for me, I had never travelled before. After arriving in Columbia, SC I received orientation and I honestly believed I was ready to tackle the US classroom. Boy! Was I in for a very rude awakening?

Within my first week a student called me ‘a fucking bitch’ all because I asked her to be quiet. I can look back now and laugh but I was so infuriated in the moment. Not only was I infuriated, I was also shocked. I felt rooted to the ground as I tried to process what had just happened. How could a student speak to an adult in that way? This was not the way we did things in Jamaica, but then again we were not in Jamaica, were we? This was just the first of many such eye openers. The eye openers and note-worthy moments are outlined below.

Bear in mind that these are my own personal experiences and they are in no way a reflection of the education system in the United States as a whole.

Eye-Openers

1. Respect.

The way in which students related to and responded to teachers and others in authority was shocking for someone, like me, coming from a country where respect was enforced in and aligned with education. In some instances it was stomach churning. Another shocker for me was how nonchalant my fellow American colleagues were with this behavior. Thing is they were used to this type of behavior and I was the newbie from a different country. I was from a country where incidents like this though not impossible, were not frequent and when they did happen they were dealt with swiftly and punishment was meted out to the student.

Another shocker for me was lack of the use of ‘ma’am’ or ‘sir’ when students spoke to or responded to teachers. They were some students who did include it though. In Jamaica the use of ‘sir’ or ‘ma’am’ serves as a mark of respect. The lack of their use was not major for me though. The fact that they responded in a respectful tone was enough for me. Another incident was individuals entering a room and not acknowledging those already there. My mouth literally fell to the ground, when this occurred. Within my culture once you were old enough to speak you were taught once you entered a room you acknowledged those who were in the room prior to you. Apparently that was not a ‘thing’ here and cultural differences made it hard for me to understand that.

2. Student Interest and Parent Involvement

Education is an important foundational element within most Jamaican households. Parents encourage their children to work hard and take their education seriously. Now I have seen evidence of this here in the US but I have also seen quite a number of students with a blatant disregard for their learning. Within my culture students take responsibility for their own learning. There is also more parent involvement and parents hold their children accountable for their own learning. This has been observed while teaching here in the US but on a much smaller scale.

Note-Worthy Moments

1. Wealth of Resources

The US has a wealth of resources available for students and teachers alike. This is one of my favorite parts of teaching in the US. The resources were available back home but they were limited in number and capability. In the US majority of school districts are fully equipped with resources and technology. There are various apps and learning resources that are used to help impart knowledge. I have also been afforded opportunities to attend various professional developments all over the United States. As a result, I have garnered many new and useful skills. These skills and resources make it easier to teach, grade and collect data.

2. Transfer of Culture

As an exchange teacher I am also a cultural ambassador for my country, Jamaica. For many people especially children there is a pre-conceived about people from outside the US. Many of them have never travelled outside the US let alone outside their state, so some of them are not very culturally aware. Teaching here in the US has given me the opportunity to teach my students about the various aspects of the Jamaican culture. Every lesson is embedded with a little piece of Jamaican culture from the Patois, music, religion, dance, festivals and food. Students leave my classroom more culturally aware than when they entered.

Teaching in the US has definitely been a new experience for me that has afforded me new opportunities. It has also been a wonderful experience with a few learning curves. It is not for the faint of heart or those who fear change. This experience has taught me so much about myself and my tolerance levels. It has helped to become more culturally aware and accepting of the cultural differences that I come across while living in the US. It has also taught me how to appreciate Jamaica and the Jamaican education system. If you’re thinking about taking the plunge and moving to new country I would highly recommend it but ensure you’re open to all the challenges that it may bring.

Moved abroad or thinking of moving abroad? Share your views in the comments! Don’t forget to subscribe.