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INTERNATIONALLY EDUCATED TEACHERS IN CANADA: TRANSITION, INTEGRATION, STRESS AND COPING STRATEGIES Kangxian Zhao OISE/University of Toronto
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Internationally educated teachers in Canada: transition, integration, stress and coping strategies

Feb 25, 2016

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Internationally educated teachers in Canada: transition, integration, stress and coping strategies. Kangxian Zhao OISE/University of Toronto. Overview. Internationally Educated Teachers in Transition Research Questions Conceptual Framework Research Methods Research Participants - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Internationally educated teachers in Canada: transition, integration, stress and coping strategiesKangxian Zhao

OISE/University of Toronto

Hello every one. My name is Kangxian Zhao. In this presentation, I would like to share with you some of the research findings of my doctoral thesis. 1OverviewInternationally Educated Teachers in TransitionResearch QuestionsConceptual FrameworkResearch MethodsResearch ParticipantsResearch FindingsDiscussion

In this presentation, I would like to share with you my personal connection to this research topic. I will present the research questions that I address in my dissertation, the research methods I used for the study, as well as the conceptual framework that inform my research.I will provide some background information of my research participants. I will share with you some of the research findings and I will end the presentation with discussion. 2Internationally Educated TeachersImmigrant teachersForeign trained teachersInternationally trained teachersVisible minority teachersBilingual teachersInternationally educated teachers

Definition

the term "immigrant teachers" seems to emphasize the immigrant status, which includes individuals who may have moved to another country at a very young age.

"Foreign trained teachers" and "internationally trained teachers" seem to highlight the experience of teacher training in another country.

"Visible minority teacher" and "bilingual teacher" may include Canadian born teachers who are visible minority or who speak two languages but would not represent individuals who happen to be an invisible minority or someone who can only speak one language.

"Internationally educated teachers" is more appropriate to represent the research participants in my study. Before coming to Canada, these individuals obtained some education but not necessarily teacher education. They want to become teachers in Canada, whether or not they were teachers in their country of origin.

Therefore, in my research, I use internationally educated teachers to refer to individuals with any or all of the characteristics: (a) immigrants who taught abroad, (b) immigrants who teach in their host countries, as well as (c) immigrant teachers and teacher candidates who lived, studied, or worked abroad.

3Personal connection to the research topicMultiple identitiesChinese, Canadian,Immigrant, IET, non-native speaker of EnglishNot a person with blond hair or white skinSuccessful L2 user?Nova Scotian?Research experiences IET research projectsCAMH research on Chinese immigrants mental health

There are many reasons why I chose this research topic.First, as an immigrant from China, I realized I was an non-native speaker after I started my graduate studies in TESL (teaching english as a second language). I knew this term when I was still in China, but I didnt think too much about it until I was in the Canadian university. I realized that an internationally educated teacher myself after I started working two professors on their research project on internationally educated teachers.

I learned from my experience that identity is not only who I am, or how I identify myself. Identity is also who I am not, and how others perceive me. Sometimes how others perceive me overrides how I identify myself. As I wrote in the prologue of my thesis, I experienced racism at the beginning of my studies in Canada. My identity also includes I am not a person with blond hair or white skin. According to some researchers such as Vivian Cook, I could argue that I am a successful L2 user, but in many peoples eyes, I am always a non-native speaker of English.

I continued to work on studies of internationally educated teachers with Dr. A. G. in the university of Toronto.

In addition, I had the opportunity to work on a research project on Chinese immigrants mental health at CAMH (centre for addiction and mental health).

Because of all these experiences, I decided to further study issues related to internationally educated teachers.

4IETs in Research LiteratureIETs in the teacher education programs (e.g., Gamhir, 2004; Mylse, Cheng, & Wang, 2006)IETs in service (e.g., Bascia, 1996; Deters, 2009; Wang, 2002)Research Gap: IETs in Transition IETs Stress & Coping

Numerous studies have research on internationally educated teachers. For example, Gamhir (2004) studied the IETs in the initial teacher education program. Mylse, cheng, and wang studied a group of IETs in a program specially designed for immigrant teachers.

Basicia (1996) Deters (2009), and Wang (2002) explored the experiences of IETs who have teaching positions in Canada.

However, limited studies have focused on IETs in transition from the teacher education programs to their workplace in Canada.

Although there are lots of studies on teacher stress, teacher burnout, and their coping strategies, not many studies have researched IETs stress and coping, esp. during their transition from the teacher education program to the workplace in Canada.5IETs in TransitionTeacher Education Employment Seeking WorkplaceStress

Coping

At the beginning of study, I saw that The transition includes 3 phases: Teacher Education, Employment Seeking, and Workplace

In this graph, I use Red Arrows to represent Stress, and I use Green Arrows to represent Coping Strategies

6Research QuestionsWhat motivates IETs to take up or return to teaching in Canada? To what degree do IETs perceive their studies in the initial teacher education programs in Canada as useful and/or practical? What is the nature of IETs' employment seeking experiences with Canadian teaching qualifications obtained in a faculty of education in Canada?What are the stressors that IETs experience during the transition from the initial teacher education programs to the workplace in Canada? What are IETs' coping strategies during this transition period?How do the learning experiences in the initial teacher education programs, employment seeking, and early teaching experience of IETs in Canada affect their decision to remain or leave the teaching profession?

There are six research questions guiding this study:I investigate IETs motivations of becoming teachers in Canada, their learning experiences in the Canadian initial teacher education programs, their employment seeking experiences after they obtain Canadian teaching qualifications. I study their stress and coping strategies during this transition. I want to know how their learning experiences, employment seeking, and early teaching experiences in Canada affect their decision to remain or leave the teaching profession. 7Conceptual frameworkCommunity of Practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998)

Identity (Jenkin, 1996; Norton, 2000, 2006; Wenger, 1998)

In my study, I use community of practice and identity as multiple lenses to examine the research phenomenon of IETs in transition. 8Research MethodsNarrative approach (Clandinin & Connelly, 1990; Polkinghorne, 1995)

Multiple case study (Stake, 2005)

Semi-structured interviewsShort questionnairesEmail conversationsOnline chatParticipants writingField notes

I use narrative approach and multiple case study for my research.

I collected a variety of research data, semistrature interviews, short questionnaires, email conversations, on line chat records, participations writing and well as field notes.

I conducted two interviews with most IETs. The second interviews took place two to three months after the first interview. The In addition, I have 4 focal participants. I interviewed them five times over the time of one semester. 9Research Participants14 women6 menFrom12 countries and areasHighly educatedFrom 26 to 52 years oldIn Canada for 2 to 25 yearsPrevious teaching experienceCanadian teaching experience

20 IETs participated in my study. 14 women. 6 men. They came from 12 different countries and areas. They are highly educated teachers. 3 teachers have obtained doctoral dedgreee, 8 teachers have one or two Masters degrees, the rest have one or two bachelors degrees. Their age is between 26 to 52. they have been in Canada for 2 to 25 years.

16 IETs in the study had previous teaching experience. Some even have Canadian teaching experiences, because two of them have taught in private schools in Canada, and one taught in a Canadian university when he was a phd student. In addition, three IETs had teaching experiences in the U.S.10Research ParticipantsBill CharlesKentSeyyidSmith ChineseChineseChineseTurkmenAfrican CanadianMScPhDPhDBSc (Honour) BScSecondarySecondarySecondarySecondarySecondary20082009200820092010PermanentPermanentLTOPermanentAlbertaPrivate Tutor

Research ParticipantsShylaSaminaNalitaSoopRoseIndianPakistaniIndianChineseChinesePh DMastersMasterBachelorBachelorSecondarySecondaryElementarySecondarySecondary20092009200820072010LTOPrivateUnemployed Non-TeachingUnemployedBellaCeciliaJaneDonietaSunyiMariChineseChineseChineseAlbanianKoreanHispanicBSc (Honour)BSc (Honour)MScBScMastersMEdSecondarySecondarySecondarySecondarySecondaryElementary200820082008200820082006PermanentPermanentPrivatePrivateTAPermanent Quebec

Research Participants Focal ParticipantsJasmineJennyJack LaraEthnicityChineseChinese Filipino Caribbean Education BScMEdMBABScDivisionElementaryElementarySecondary SecondaryGraduation 2006200920102010EmploymentSupply Teaching (TDSB)One Year Contract ManitobaSupply Teaching(TDCSB)6-month Contract non-teaching

Laras Metaphor for teaching:Rainbow pearlThe oceans reflect a deep blue green,Sparkling light glistens, reflecting off the pristine white,Diamond sand within the cove, down far below,The oysters wink at the sky.Encrusted with deep brown barnacles upon their polished surface,They await the nets, the divers,For it is harvesting time.Each oyster has been infused with a crystal of sand Which rubs against its inner pink flesh.A glean of rainbow covers the grain of sand.A gem not to be tossed into the wide Sargasso sea before it grows,but to be loved, prized,beyond the grain of sand,Beauty to behold and to be beholden forever.

This is an example of participants writings I collected.

Lara, an IET from Trinidad, wrote a poemrainbow pearl. In her view, a teacher is alike an oyster that cultivate pearls. 14Laras metaphor for teachingThe Sargasso Sea is a sea that is filled with a lot of debris. This sea was meant to represent the wider world. The grain of sand is the grain of knowledge which we as teachers hope to cultivate. Students then become the cultivated pearls which are desired. One also hopes that the students' knowledge would enrich those around them when they (the students) are ready to enter the world or other fields of academia

Laras explanation to her peom. 15Jennys Workplace in Manitoba

This is the workplace of one of my participants, Jenny. 16Jenny was ice fishing in a first nation reserve in northern Manitoba.

Jenny grew up in Taipei, the biggest city in Taiwan

Jenny is an IET originally from Taiwan. She found a one-year contract in a first nation reserve in northern Manitoba.

In this picture, she was ice fishing. 17Jasmine's poem

A Xylophone

A xylophone is waiting for

someone who can play

the sound of music.This Picture was taken by Jasmine daughterJasmine , a non-native speaker of English, loves to write poems

Jasmine is also a focal participants in the study. She obtained her science degree in China. Then she came to Canada as an international student and obtained diploma in Journalism from a Canadian university. She decided to become a teacher after she has her four children. Jasmine is a non-native speaker of English. She loves writing. She self published a collection of poems a few years ago. Recently, she sent me this poem. Her youngest daughter took this picture. So she wrote a poem. 18Jacks teaching philosophy My goal as an educator is to prepare students to take a mature and productive place in society as free and responsible citizens. I have had excellent opportunities to teach Business and Computer Studies in several higher education institutions in the Philippines. Among the most satisfying experience for me as a teacher has been integrating my professional industry experiences into my lessons. Each term I design course formats, select the most relevant textbooks and materials, research on pedagogical methodologies, give lectures, facilitate discussions, design and implement assessment and evaluation tools, and make sure I am readily available for student consultations. I am convinced that for every class I teach my major responsibility is to instil in students an enthusiasm for learning, competency in the subject matter, and confidence in their ability to use their new found knowledge in future practical applications. Both as a learner and a teacher, I was influenced by the philosophy of the La Sallian educators: teaching minds, touching hearts, and transforming lives. For us, teaching is a ministry. We promote not only intellectual, emotional and social successes but also achieving a certain level of sanctity through our studies. With this belief, I recognize the value and uniqueness of each student as a person with intellectual, imaginative, emotional, social, and physical potential. I endeavour to lead my students to seek the fullest development of their talents.

Jack is an IET from the Philippines. He has a MBA degree. He was working on his PHD before he immigrated to Canada. This is an except from his teahching philosophy19Teacher Education IETs in TransitionEmployment Seeking Workplace

UnemploymentStress

Coping

underemployment

Based on the research findings, at the end of the study, I realized that

IETs Transition has become complex:

Employment seeking started when IETs were still in the teacher education programs.

IETs initially integrate into the workplace through their practicum, when they were still in the teacher education program.

After teacher education and employment seeking, some IETs moved to workplace, some became unemployed.

IETs with temporal positions may transit from employment to unemployment, back to seeking employment, then if they were lucky, they would have a workplace, if not, they would stay unemployed.

20Teacher Education Through the Lenses of COP and IdentityEmployment Seeking Workplace

UnemploymentStress

Coping

underemployment

As I mentioned earlier, I used community of practice and identity as multiple lenses for this study.

21Research FindingsIETs were intrinsically and extrinsically motivated to become teachers in CanadaIETs have gone through different stagesIETs have gone through a number of communitiesSome IETs membership and participation in the communities was temporarySupply teachers participation and engagement was marginalizedSome IETs formed new communities with peers after graduation

In this study I found that .

IETs were intrinsically and extrinsically motivated to become teachers in CanadaIETs have gone through different stagesIETs have gone through a number of communitiesSome IETs membership and participation in the communities was temporarySupply teachers participation and engagement was marginalizedSome IETs formed new communities with peers after graduation

22Research FindingsIETs stress was associated with their multiple identities related to their language, culture, education, work, immigration

IETs shifting identities during the transition

IETs teacher professional identity construction in Canadian elementary and secondary schools

23Research FindingsIETs stress was related to their identity as immigrant, IETs, wife, husband, parent, ethnic identity, non-native speaker, English native speaker with a non-Canadian accentIETs stress was associated with their identity in different contexts inside and outside of schoolsIETs used different strategies to cope with their difficulties and stress Stress caused by workplace racism and discrimination

Surprises in the Research FindingsEmployment

Language, accent, second language speaker identity

Conflicts and tensions with ATs

Seyyids transitionNo stress at all

Racism and discrimination in the workplace

There are a few surprises in the study. 25EmploymentIt was so frustrating. It's like you are dealing with a demon and the demon is invisible. It seems you are doing something but nothing is coming. You know when you do something all, and you expect a reward. Sometimes I feel like I am fighting with someone I can't even see. Everyone says that just keep on doing what you're doing, one day you will see the rewards. (Donieta)

Donieta is an IET from Albania. She graduated in 2008 and found a teaching position in a private institute.

Before I started this research, I did not expect that employment seeking would be the most salient stressor for IETs in transition. Like many IETs, I also heard stories of the teacher shortage in Canada. Although I had difficulty finding an ESL teaching position in Canada, I expected that my participants' experiences would be different, because they were qualified to teach in elementary and secondary schools where there had been a shortage of teachers till about 2008.

Donieta is an IET from Albania. She graduated in 2008 and found a teaching position in a private institute. 26EmploymentSchool boards do not have the budget to hire more teachers. It's so bad that they don't hire teachers. I spent thousands of dollars to study a BEd. Now I can't find a job. It is a waste of money and time. If I knew the employment situation for new teachers a year ago, I would not waste my money and time for this BEd. (Rose)

Rose is from China. She graduated in 2010. At the end of the study, she was unemployed and looking for a non-teaching position

27EmploymentI like teaching. I don't mind working as a volunteer. I still need to pay our bills. I want to support my family financially. ..I applied for a cashier job, but I was told that I didn't have Canadian experience. I have a Master's degree in Commerce and Accounting. I worked as an accountant assistant in a multinational company for two years. But that was not Canadian experience. (Nalita)Nalita graduated in 2008 and was still unemployment. She taught in an elementary school in India for 5 years and volunteered in a school in Toronto for 5 years.

Language & AccentI speak English with an accent. In a Grade 7 class, a student used a cell phone to record what I said, then played it to the whole class to make everyone laugh ...I didn't know how to handle such thing. I didn't know what to do. (Jasmine)

Language & AccentStudents liked to challenge me. They challenged my English. Maybe some of my pronunciations were not standard. They would imitate my accent on purpose. Or when I said some sentences they were not very familiar with, they would also imitate what I said. (Jenny)

Conflicts with associate teachers during practicumMy AT is also an immigrant teacher herself... She liked to pick at my language, though English is not her first language either. She asked me to prepare a quiz for her Grade 12. I knew she would pick at my language, so I used the questions in the workbook that she gave me. I just changed the numbers. She looked at the quiz and started to pick at the language. So I had to tell her that I got all the questions in her workbook. (Rose)

Rose is a Chinese. Her AT is an IET from Eastern Europe.

Conflicts with Associate teachersThough your supervisor has been here, I will fail you anyway. (Rose)

I was basically told that they had the power to...not pass me, not give me my teacher's licenseI was basically told that they had the power to take away my teacher's license. (Soop)

Conflicts with associate teachersShe evaluated me every day. She did this badly. She gave me a list of pros and cons in the first week. The things I did wrong had nothing to do with my teaching. She didn't mention I teach this or that. It was all about I had very bad classroom management. I lost people and paper stuff like that. It had nothing to do with my teaching. Only the administrative stuff, which is very very important for her. (Lara)

33Seyyid: No stress at allOriginally came from TurkmenistanEducated in Russia, taught I Math and Physics in Turkmenistan for yearsObtained a honour degree from a Canadian universityTESL diplomaTeacher education in 2008/2009Found a teaching position in an Islamic school before graduationLocated a permanent teaching position in an Islamic school in Calgary, Alberta in 2010.

34RacismAny theory which involves the claim that racial or ethnic groups are inherently superior or inferior, thus implying that some would be entitled to dominate or eliminate others, presumed to be inferior, or which bases value judgements on racial differentiation... Racism includes racist ideologies, prejudiced attitudes, discriminatory behaviour, structural arrangements and institutionalized practices resulting in racial inequality as well as the fallacious notion that discriminatory relations between groups are morally and scientifically justifiable... Racial prejudice, historically linked with inequalities in power, reinforced by economic and social differences between individuals and groups. (Unesco, 1979, pp. 61-62)

Although one of the factors that motivated me to investigate IETs' experiences after they obtained their Canadian teaching qualifications was my personal experience with racism that I described in the prologue, the discrimination and racism experienced by my participants in the workplace is a surprising finding in this research. During the data analysis process, the theme of discrimination and racism emerged. Some of my participants directly pointed out that their ATs were racist. These IETs were treated unfairly and experienced discrimination due to their identity of being a minority, an ESL speaker, and/or an IET. However, some of the IETs were reluctant to label their experience as discriminatory. It is not clear whether or not Kent, Rose and Soop were aware what they experienced was racism and discrimination. Or it could be that they were aware, but was reluctant to take risk to name or label that they were discriminated. I researched for the definition of "racism" and found various definitions. Here, I refer to the Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice in the 20th General Conference in Paris in 1978.

35Visible Minoritys Perception of Workplace Discrimination (Banerjee, 2012) An expectation for equity and fair treatment was the most important factor on visible minority's perception of workplace discrimination Visible minorities perception of workplace discrimination was positively related to their ethnic group identification Black (Often perceived discrimination)South AsianOther minoritiesChinese (Lest likely perceived discrimination)

There are many studies investigating workplace discrimination and racism. For example,Banerjee (2012) used a large sample from Statistics Canada to analyze visible minoritys perceptions of workplace discrimination. Study shows that an expectation for equity and fair treatment was the most important factor on visible minoritys perception of workplace discrimination. Visible minorities perception of workplace discrimination was positively related to their ethnic group identification. Banerjees study showed that black respondents often perceived discrimination in their workplace. Next is south asian respondents. Then other minorities groups. Ethnic Chinese lest likely perceived discrimination.

36IETs Perception of Workplace Racism and DiscriminationI had problems with the AT. She was pretty bad. She was a racist. (Lara)

She's racism. She didn't like black people. She silenced the black children. They were not allowed to participate in the class. (Lara)

In my study, a few IETs had difficulty experience with their associate teacher/Ats. For example, in my first interview with Lara, she talked about her practicum experience and her AT. She said. I had problems with the AT. She was pretty bad. She was a racist. (Lara)

She's racism. She didn't like black people. She silenced the black children. They were not allowed to participate in the class. (Lara)

37IETs Perception of Workplace Racism and DiscriminationOne British teacher, she was not happy with immigrant...She was racist. (Shyla)

You can feel it, but you can't say it. Every immigrant feels that. It doesn't matter how good you are. It doesn't matter how good your teaching is. You feel it, right? But you can't say it in words. (Shyla)

Shyla, another IET said that her AT was a racist.

But when she talked about her employment seeking experience, she did not use racism or discrimination. Instead, she said, you can feel it, but you can't say it. Every immigrant feels that. It doesn't matter how good you are. It doesn't matter how good your teaching is. You feel it, right? But you can't say it in words. 38IETs Perception of Workplace Racism and DiscriminationIts hard to say. Its really hard to say. (Kent)

Its all about my language. If my language were better (Rose)

Its not what happened. Something you need to feel it, you knowthe kind of feeling isIts more body language. I dont know if you have such experience. (Soop)

Kent has a phd in chemical engineering. He apply for an teaching position. With his ph d and master degrees, his strong academic background, he did not get the job. One of his classmates in the teacher education program, a local woman, who did not have strong academic background or teaching experience got the job. However, Kent did not say it was discrimination. He said, its hard to say. Its really hard to say.

As I presented in previous slide, Rose had difficult experience with her AT who is also an immigrant teacher, speak English as her second or other language. However, Rose used discrimination or racism in her story. Instead she saidits all about my languge

Soop did not want to give details of her experience. She tried to tell about her feelings. 39IETs Perception of Workplace Racism and DiscriminationLara (Caribbean) Shyla (Indian)Kent, Rose, Soop (Chinese)Possible relation between perception of racism and discrimination and cultural background? (for future research)

Looking at these IETs' backgroundLara is Caribbean, Shyla is South Asian, and Kent, Rose, and Soop are ethnic Chinese. This seems to support Banerjee's (2012) finding that visible minorities perception of workplace discrimination was related to their ethnic group identification. Racism and discrimination in the workplace is a complex issue. My interpretation of IETs' stories was bounded by my multiple identities and situated in the social contexts where I live, work, and study. As an educator and researcher, it is not difficult for me to point out that some IETs experienced racism and discrimination during their transition from the teacher education programs to the workplace.

As an IET myself, as an immigrant who experienced racism at the beginning of graduate studies in Canada, I understand my participants frustration, I feel their pain, and I see their anger. In this research report, I have the power of revealing the racism and discrimination that my participants experienced. However, in reality, my participants did not have any power or support to fight against the workplace racism and discrimination. The best they could hope was that the education faculties transfer them to another workplace and hope that the ATs there would be different. If they tried to defend themselves, they got hurt more. Roses case is an example. As discussed in previous chapters, Rose tried to defend herself by confronting her ATs accusation, and she ended up having bad evaluation from her AT, which made it more difficult if not impossible for her to find any teaching position.

In this study, some IETs were discriminated against by other minority groups. Lara pointed out her AT who was an immigrant with Punjabi background was a racist and discriminated against black people (i.e., Lara, black students in the class). In the case of Shyla, her AT was an immigrant from Britain. Rose was treated unfairly by her AT who was an immigrant from Eastern Europe, who also spoke English as a second or other language. Rose attributed her misfortune to her ESL speaker identity and her language proficiency, although her language obviously was proficient enough for her to complete four years of undergraduate studies and initial teacher education in Canada. Kent could not get the job he applied, although he had strong academic background, but one of his classmates, who did not seem to have strong academic background or teaching experience got the offer. Kent did not want to say that was racism or discrimination. This might or might not because of Kent's ethnic Chinese cultural backgroundfor him, harmony is precious () and he should be conciliatory ().

40DiscussionThe power relationship between old-timer and newcomer in the community of practiceThe practice of mentorship in teacher educationTeacher stress is not only associated with teaching related activities but also with their multiple identities in the socioculturally constructed worldHow to support IETs transition from teacher education to the workplace

This study highlights the teacher stress caused by the conflicts and tensions between some IETs and their ATs. Teacher candidates learned to teach in the community of practice they formed with their ATs in the workplaceelementary and secondary schools. Due to the conflicts, their learning was limited and their teacher identity constructed was interrupted.

When promoting diverse teachers for diverse learners in the multicultural Canadian context, teacher education programs, teaching professional authorities and policy makers might want to further examine the current practice of mentorship in Canadian teacher education programs. This is one area which, based upon my study, appears to have a profound impact upon IETs. While learning under the direct supervision of a mentor is greatly beneficial in theory in practice the assessment of student teachers by mentor teachers proved very stressful and caused deep conflicts. It would be safe to say that not all existing teachers make good mentors and that the role of mentoring should be elevated so that IETs experience the best mentoring experiences in all cases.

IETs' stress was not only associated with their identity of being a teacher and teaching related activities, but also associated their identity as individuals in the different contexts inside and outside of schools. Teachers' working environment is not confined to the classrooms or schools. Their activities as teachers or teacher candidates extend to larger social and cultural contexts (e.g., home) . Their multiple identities influenced their work and family. For example, a number of IETs found it difficult to balance their work (i.e., teaching) and family, because they were not only teachers, they were also parent to their children, husband or wife to their spouse. Even though some of the IETs were not in teaching positions, they were certified teachers with Canadian teaching qualification. Their stress caused by underemployment or unemployment is part of teacher stress.

Through the lens of Sociocultural Theory (Lantolf & Thorne, 2006; Swain, Kinnear, & Steinman, 2010), particularly the aspects of Community of Practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998) and identity (Jenkin, 1996, Norton, 2000, 2006), I see a bigger picture of the stress and coping of internationally educated teachers in Canada.

41Future ResearchCompare IETs experiences to those of Canadian born teachersCompare visible minority IETs to invisible minority IETsIETs who could not locate teaching positionsSupply teachersIETs perceptions of racism and discrimination

Thank you!Questions?Feel free to contact me:

[email protected]@gmail.com