Integration into the Host Culture (Part 2) - Two sides of the debate

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...continued from Integration into the Host Culture (Part 1)


When we talked about this issue at the 2002 conference, a number of team leaders were emphatic that this wouldn’t work where they were. In some cases the religious influences, even in the very early school years, were such that the children were disturbed or otherwise adversely affected by the spiritual “input” that they were receiving. In cases where the bias in the ethos and teaching of the school is very obvious it would be unwise to allow our children to be educated there. They can be made aware of these things as and when they are able to cope with them, but they should not be educated in such an environment that is so opposed to what we believe. Even if the children seem to settle in well, and make friends as well as academic progress, there can still be a problem. Any child absorbs values from school, the good and the bad. To some extent we can counter this from the home, but if the pressure is insidious and constant, reflecting values embedded in the society (such as being “economical” with the truth or work avoidance – or workaholism!) then it can be difficult to undo damage.


Others raised very legitimate concerns about the standard of education. We minister in some of the poorest countries in the world where teaching takes place lecture style to huge groups of children. If they understand and progress then it is despite the lack of resources, but inevitably the majority fall by the wayside somewhere along the educational path. We could not responsibly place our children into a class of over 100, all learning by rote repetition after the teacher.


If the society is open and friendly then it can work well, but consider this example
My first year of school in Australia was horrible. I learned that Americans weren’t very popular because of a nuclear base they’d set up near Sydney. People protested against the “ugly Americans” all the time. I felt that other students assigned me guilt by association just because I was a US citizen. Looking back, I realise the only kids who were good to me didn’t fit in either. *From “Third Culture Kids” by Pollock & Van Reken   - a highly recommended book to read


This boy eventually fitted in by becoming a chameleon – Australian on the outside, American on the inside - and by moving school. No one knew that he was an American in his new school. In other cases we have observed jealousy, and therefore hostility, if the child does well academically. Another boy talked about being continually reminded that he was an outsider – by both staff and some of his classmates, although he did make a good number of national friends.


Another huge concern is that of “re-entry” and further/higher education. How do children who have had a prolonged period of education in another country, and probably in another language, fit in? In some cases they may choose not to, by following through right to the end of their education in the host country, and possibly even deciding to live there themselves in the long term. In other cases there are good reciprocal agreements and it is possible to enter higher education with overseas qualifications. For example it is possible to enter a university in the UK by passing the French Baccalaureate as long as the level of English is good enough. Another possibility is to accept that there will be a period of a year or two to catch up on the level of the mother tongue on re-entry, but that the pay off is a very high level of fluency in another language. There have been families who have faced this situation realistically and positively because of the long-term benefit of being almost bilingual.


The possibility remains, though, that systems may be mismatched.  Also, the struggle to fit back into the passport culture should not be underestimated. This is a huge area of concern for our non-anglophone families when their children are taught in English, but the same concerns can arise as a result of education in national schools. Are we ready for the possibility that our children will feel very ill at ease and unable to settle in the passport country on re-entry? Are we sensitive enough to change over the education system they are following if we see that it is necessary for their long-term re-entry prospects? These are questions that each family that opts for prolonged national education will need to answer. When considering whether the national schools would be suitable or not, there are other questions that parents need to consider.


·         Does the school welcome the presence of foreign or expatriate children or would they be a burden in an already over-stretched system?
·         Is the quality of education adequate? If the answer is yes, then for how long is it suitable to keep the child in it? If there is a problem, is it one of resources or style of teaching and class size?
·         Is religion or philosophy taught in the school, and if so how forcefully? Is it something that can be counteracted at home by good teaching and discussion?
·        Are the standards of health and sanitation good enough?
·        How will this affect the pattern of home leave? Will the child be able to make a successful transfer into the passport country system for up to a year?


 Next: Integration into the Host Culture (Part 3) - So what to do?


Educare September 2002
This article is kindly offered by Educare, a newsletter 
covering major TCK issues pubsliehd by EUROTCK. 
Educare is published 4 times a year (Jan, March, June, Sept) 
and covers a wide range of third culture issues from preparation of 
children for cross-cultural living to re-entry to the passport 
country, boarding to home schooling and much more. 

It is available free of charge on request from Eurotck.net.