Teaching in a Distant Classroom: Crossing Borders for Global Transformation

by Michael H. Romanowski, Teri Mccarthy

Thousands of North American Christians teach overseas every year. International teaching experiences can be tremendously rewarding. But often teachers are not fully prepared for the challenges of crosscultural life, and many are jolted and disillusioned by the realities of the overseas classroom. Veteran educators Mike Romanowski and Teri McCarthy provide an essential guide for Christians teaching in overseas contexts. They explain how good teaching requires preparation, self-understanding and cultural skills, as well as a solid philosophy of education and grasp of worldview. Providing both the theoretical framework as well as practical tools, the authors offer concrete advice and real-life examples for classroom instruction, daily life and much more. Get a more global picture of the kind of transformation your educational work can accomplish. Whether you are a recent college grad or a seasoned veteran educator, this book is an essential companion for your teaching journey.

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 18, 2009

Reviews

[Kiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me mad. Mad I didn’t read it four years ago. If I had one book to recommend to any aspiring cross-cultural teacher as a missionary, or teaching from a distinctively Christian perspective, it would be this one. It doesn’t go deep on everything but it covers all the essentials and does it well. The authors combat the fallacy of unprepared and unqualified but enthusiastic youth pursuing the endeavor and not providing quality education while then trying to emphasize proselytizing. They then provide anecdotes of successes and failures, templates of lesson plans and syllabi, and basic training for culture shock especially about living situations and classroom behaviors abroad. The advice had me laughing as I now can affirm it all with hindsight. Some things I’ve done well, others not so much. In the end the book left me encouraged that I’m not alone, and by giving me a roadmap for improvement. Obviously as one who teaches in a distant classroom this was a personal read. 223 pages of training and reflection on cross-cultural pedagogy, missiology, and discipleship.

[Matthew Loftus · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book for people interested in education and missions generally or starting off their cross-cultural careers; anyone with experience will probably find it somewhat redundant. I wanted more about the philosophy of education in general and dealing with the difficulties of post-colonial educational systems but did not find much.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a pleasant surprise that I ended up liking far more than I expected. The authors have both taught in a variety of countries around the world. One of the things I appreciated from the get-go was their commitment to high quality teaching that serves the nationals of the country they are working in. He challenges the "hidden agenda" approach of just using teaching as an entry to evangelism. While they tell many stories of witness, it seems these arise invariably from the quality of teaching and the care shown for students.

The book also stresses thinking Christianly about how and what we teach. It encourages examining the worldview of curriculum materials and creatively supplementing these where necessary. The book also addresses the competencies of excellent teachers, practical issues in the classroom and dealing with culture shock. While not a text on teaching English as a second language, the authors do include a chapter on this as well as supplementary samples of lesson plans and syllabi. Each chapter also includes suggestions for further reading, including the works of Comenius--one of the first to think about education!

One of the opportunities that many graduate students and faculty may have is to teach for a shorter or longer term in another country. Some universities such as Carnegie Mellon have even established overseas campuses. This book is a wonderful resource for any who are considering such opportunities.

[Amy Young]

Recommended by Mary Beth