Another week went by and how intense it was!
Yesterday I spent the day at uni with my students and it was great to see how much progress they have been making with their projects.
It is not easy, I know too well, to jump onto the British educational system when you come from another country. Not only the language, but the culture and also the assumptions you keep encountering.
It can feel daunting and isolating when everyone else seems to know what to do without many explanations and you don't.
As a teacher with this as a shared experience, it is super important to me to ensure that I provide context, examples and opportunities to ask the questions that they might not dare to ask.
A student from here would have gone through their formative years in the country and learnt the way people expect you to communicate your work, as many of the students or I did in their/my own countries. But they -or I when I was in their shoes- have to jump in and adapt seamlessly to the moving train while carrying out the main task.
As an adult, I am very aware that the way the students feel is not dissimilar to the way they will feel in their first job and I am also very aware that THAT is the purpose of employee inductions.
When you are the new person somewhere, it is assumed that you are the one who needs to learn on the go and adapt and I think this ignores the value you bring to the interaction and your unique voice can be lost.
So, if you are a teacher or an employer, or if you have an opportunity to welcome someone to a circle of trust, I encourage you to do so from a place of respect and appreciation. You will see how many positive surprises flourish from this.
Have a great day wherever you are.
