Book Review
Third Culture Teacher by Lucy Bailey
I
John Catt Educational Ltd, Woodbridge (2019) Reviewed by Julianne Brown
f working in an international school appeals to you, then Dr Lucy Bailey’s book is an essential read. This relatively short, easy-to-read guide raises important issues about the challenges and rewards of living and working abroad. Whether you are single, have a partner or are thinking of moving with the family, this book offers useful insight and practical advice. Bailey writes from personal experience. She has accompanied her husband, an international school principal, to five different countries, raising a family of four children. She has extensive professional experience as a researcher within the field of international education and currently holds the position of Associate Professor at Bahrain Teachers’ College. This combination of personal experience and professional expertise helps the book to avoid being seen as a ‘self-help’ guide, striking as it does the right balance between anecdotal and research evidence to produce a credible starting point and ‘springboard to find out more’ (p75). Being written with the newcomer to international schools in mind, the title ‘Third Culture Teacher’ is a surprising choice. It is not a title that will stand out to an audience unfamiliar with international education, nor facilitate the book being found in a quick search for useful texts to read. The book is divided into seven stand-alone chapters that together provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of the international school system and what it’s like to become an international teacher. The first chapter lives up to its promise of providing a ‘tantalizing glimpse’ (p26) of ‘the world of international schools’. The scope is broad, and it draws on relevant research from the start. Following a brief introduction to the different types of international school, a useful working definition for the term sets the scene. Self-reflection and soul searching are encouraged at each of the various signposted stops along the way. School ethos, ownership and governance, quality control and accreditation, and school leadership are highlighted as key areas to explore before considering practical steps on what to do next. The concluding paragraph offers a final piece of advice: if you are already feeling overwhelmed, perhaps working in an international school is not for you. The reader whose interest has been piqued at this point, however, is encouraged to read on.
Chapter 2, ‘International School Teacher’, discusses the motivation for and reality of teaching in an international classroom and living in another country. Bailey acknowledges the feelings associated with culture shock and the fundamental shift in self that occurs when one is confronted with different values and ways of seeing the world. The term ‘Third Culture Teacher’ is introduced, mimicking the concept of the ‘third culture kid’, suggesting a shift in professional belonging from the home culture to that of an ‘international teacher’ group, distinctly separate from the host culture. The challenges of teaching and learning in the multicultural classroom are explored, and the author draws on her own research with international educators to offer a set of practical coping strategies. A typology of ‘accidental teachers’, suggested as ‘unqualified/ uncertified’, is contrasted with the ‘third culture teacher’ profile. This chapter ends with some basic advice to teachers
