Fostering Collegiality among Local and Overseas Hire Teachers

1
Fostering Collegiality among Local and Overseas
Hire Teachers

• EDA 6192
• Research Paper
• Mason M. Clark

2
Main Goals

• Describe present culture of International School
  of Conakry (ISC)
• Examine literature for other studies of
  local/overseas hire relationships
• Administer a survey of related opinions of
  teachers at ISC presently

3
Description of Culture of ISC

• Social System
• Milieu
• Ecology
• Culture

4
Social System

• ISC Association
• US Embassy
• School Board
• Director
• Office of Overseas Schools
• Middle States Association

5
Milieu

• 65 students, 19 nationalities.
• Nursery-Grade 11
• 20 Ed. Staff, 7 nationalities.
• Local Hire
• Overseas Hire

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Ecology

• Property leased
• Space a premium
• US texts and materials
• Sporadic electricity, phone, and Internet
• Expanding

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Culture

• Tradition of success
• Ability Grouping?
• Student and Teacher Culture of doing extra

• Dichotomy between Local Hire and Overseas Hire
  Educational Staff

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Researchers Notes about Public Perceptions
9
Literature Review

• Ronald Knapp, Historical Analysis of Two
  Contemporary Issues at the International
  Community School of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
• Other supporting documents

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Knapps findings

• There exist three main problems concerning local
  and overseas hire relations
• 1. High overseas turnover rate/lack of staff
  continuity
• 2. Lack of intrinsic policies and procedures
• 3. Inequality of monetary and other compensation
  between the two groups

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The Study

• Short, 23 question survey sent to ISC
• Received 18 responses
• Questions grouped into five areas
• 1. Background information, such as the
  designation of the employee and his length of
  stay at the school
• 2. Educational Level
• 3. Opportunities for Professional Development
• 4. Use of Modern Teaching Method and
  Collaboration
• 5. General Sense of the School Climate (measured
  on a five point scale, "1 being quite negative
  and "5" being quite positive)

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The Results (respondents)

• Local Hire employees make up the bulk of the
  educational staff

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The Results (experience at school)

• Local Hire teachers had the most experience in
  ISC

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The Results (education)
LH aide
LH teacher
OSH teacher
15
Results (job and salary)
16
Results (feelings of respect)
17
Results (educational opportunities)
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Sources of Error

• Small sample sizes--statistics meaningless?
• Distance--true interviews not possible
• misunderstanding of questionnaire?
• LH and OSH not sufficient descriptors?

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Suggestions for fostering collegiality between LH
and OSH teachers

• Development Plan for Participatory Management
• Professional Development Plan that concentrates
  on LH employees