Everywhere I have taught in Taiwan for 15 years, buxibans to public schools to private schools, I have witnessed Taiwanese teachers constantly yelling at students. Not just a few teachers either. It is ALL of them. Constant shouting and screaming at children. They all do it. Why?
It is not an effective way to manage behavior. The students eyes roll, glass over and they stand there taking it, but not really internalizing anything being shouted at them. They do their mandatory apology and the bad behavior continues the next day, hour or even few minutes later.
Is shouting at students a cultural thing here? Is it due to lack of teacher training in student management? Is it because corporal punishment was taken away and this is all they think they have leftā¦to yell and berate?
Have you witnessed this also where you have taught, or did I just get really bad luck?
Iām curious how many other Asian cultures do this. Is it the same in Japan, Korea, Thailand, etc.? It is most certainly not allowed in the USA and I would imagine most other Western countries as well.
I ask because I truly want to understand the underlying reason for it because it is so blatantly obvious that it is ineffective and incredibly annoying. I also donāt want my children subjected to being screamed at daily or have to tolerate being in a room where other kids are being screamed at once they get into elementary school.
Yes, itās common here. Parents do it so most teachers/parents discipline the kids they way they were disciplined. Itās probably more used since corporal punishment is not allowed anymore. My teachers never yelled when I was in Taiwan, silence was far more terrifying followed by corporal punishment.
Iām not saying itās what teachers should do. But I wouldnāt say itās not effective. They do it in the US, but itās probably always be accepted thy coaches would yell. Almost all serious coaches Iāve had, especially in football will get in your face grab you and jerk you around while yelling. They will mentally and physically break you down.
I remember we came back from thanksgiving once and all got kinda out of shape. Coach got so pissed none of us did conditioning and got in our faces. After he put 2 large trash cans in the middle of the basketball court. Said this is for you to throw up into. And we proceeded to do suicide sprints for the next 3 hours. We never did that again. Many similar experiences in other sports like that.
Not all use this style but many do. And it gets you going. I think some schools probably are more sensitive about it now, but too bad. Some kids need some discipline, many donāt get any at home in the US and parents let them do whatever without paying attention.
Thanks @Andrew0409 for your response. Your experience in the US is tied specifically to sports and, I would imagine, at an older more mature ageā¦Junior high or Senior high?
I think teens internalize things much differently than young children. My concern is with all age groups from kindergarten to Senior highā¦but at the moment more specifically lower elementary age kids, 7 to 9 years old. It worries me that 7 year olds are screamed at, berated, shouted at mere inches from their face. And many of the times it is for trivial things. Should children that young or any children have to face that every single day? It feels very extreme to me and it is out of touch with proven modern positive teaching methods.
I also want to know how this compares to other East Asian and South East Asian countries.
One of my co teachers often shouts at the dopey kids when they keep making mistakes. Itās a bit painful to listen to. It doesnāt seem very helpful. But actually the kids there are very well behaved for the most part. I donāt know how the teachers managed to instill the fear of God into them so well. The teachers rarely have to resort to yelling. (Which I think is totally fine)
YeAh, I think there are much better ways. Even the coaches that yell, have a plan to build you back up. Not just randomly yell.
But like I said. Most people here grew up disciplined that way from parents to teachers and thatās all they know. My father was like that. His dad, my grandpa, used to beat him pretty hard when he messed up. So physical discipline was all he knew.
I would like to see it change as well, I think thatās way you see many adults in Taiwan end up in fear of making mistakes and rather stay silent than take a chance.
On the positive note, at least not hitting kids now is a positive direction
You know I donāt think that really gets used in Australia, either. With military, too I get the impression itās far less in your face.
Did have a funny African cricket coach though, telling us how much we sucked. Imagine a stereotypical sub Saharan accent shouting at you āyou are shit, boy!ā
Itās not surprising. Many military forces are fearful of laws that say theyāre ābullyingā soldier now and have them commit suicide or something like that. Iām guessing a lot of the laws passed are from people who has never seen combat or even been in the military, let alone know how to train soldiers. In Taiwan they must write a report for every single dictionary action taken so most donāt even bother. Itās crazy, the job of the military is to train the people into soldiers that are the most effective and neutralizing the nenemy and complete task under tremendous life or death pressure. The enemy does not care about your feelings.
I donāt have any personal experiences with other asian countries besides Korea. But yes, Korea they yell as well.
I have heard japan is very bad with verbal and physical punishment. They have a problem with child abuse from parents and not enough laws and people that protect against child abuse from parents. Some cases of children dying from physical punishments make the news from time to time.
Edit: found this article. It seems the gov will try to make laws against corporal punishment as a form of discipline after 2 girls died already this year.
Kids are still hit at home here , just not at school.
I dont have a problem with it as.long as itās not excessive and as last resort. Iām glad teachers canāt use corporal punishment as that isnāt their job. Kids here are still much better behaved in Taiwan than in the west IMO, å°ēå notwithstanding
I see a lot of amahs and agongs screaming at their grandkids a lot , I canāt imagine it helps the kids bond to their grandparents at all.
Exactly one person has said itās okay as a last resort at home, and not even the classroom. I donāt think itās okay in home or class and I havenāt heard anyone else say itās okay. Donāt exaggerate.
And thatās the problemā¦ itās one thing to yell, Donāt hit your sister , vs yelling at kids constantly for every perceived infraction. One gets the point across quickly and one just berates the kid and eventually they just ignore you
There does seem to be a cultural tendency for long, drawn-out berating in Taiwan. The kidās got the point after the first five minutes and will either change or ignore. Continuing to bang on about the infraction for an hour plus is no longer going to make any difference.