I just read this on the New York Times, I guess it’s not surprising that frequent hardship like famine, war etc makes a society more resilient. Just like ecosystems that go through frequent disturbances become the most resilient too.
But think about people around you, do you think some individuals who survive frequent hardship become the strongest to bounce back, compare with those who have had a smooth life?
What are the other deciding factors?
I’m looking at this as a school counsellor. I work with kids who come from very privileged background, whose, should they fail all their high school final exams, parents could probably open a university in a big city just for them. But I also work with kids who come from very underprivileged backgrounds, who are here on scholarships. They are all in the same school. Often people question why the world is so unfair. One could look at their classmate every day and have all sort of “how if” in their mind.
Which of these groups might be more resilient in face of hardship? (Obviously there are probably many other factors that play a part here)
I’m also looking at this as a parent (a very new one). How do you think we could raise kids who are more resilient? Who can bounce back after falls? Kids who are confident and resilient?
Hello! Hope you are all well reading this? This is a blog that I’ve been updating regularly since 2013. What has made Hui Bee disappeared for so many months?
Well, I’m alive, in fact, contented and gratified with where I am at this point of my life. I’ve been thinking about my blog and wanting to write an update but haven’t got a chance to sit down and do so.
The answer is, I have a baby. He is now 8.5 months old. So I guess that explains most of the things. I’ve returned to work in January this year, but haven’t resumed my private work as a psychotherapist, coach and Hypno-CBT supervisor. To be honest, I don’t foresee myself resuming those till much later this year.
I’ve never thought that I’d become the kind of mother I have become. I miss my baby on days that I have to be away for work for a few hours. The thing is I’ve always been quite a self-centred person all my life, now this self-less situation, this putting-him-before-me-and-sometimes-forgetting-my-own-needs kind of situation is very very new to me. Every day I’m learning, with him, from him.
So really, just a quick update that I’ve been doing good, (or I’m still alive!), and if you’d like to reach out for any quick chat or general guidance, please send me an email via hello@huibee.com. I accidentally lost my malaysia registered cell phone numbers unfortunately… So do NOT whatsapp or call the numbers anymore.
I will slowly come back to writing and updating my blog. In fact I have so much to share!! I just need to come back to writing… (without being so obsessed about my baby!)
If you have the desire and ability to send your children to an international school, what kind of school would you send them to?
I guess many international schools we have come across are from the west, like from the United Kingdom, the States, Canada, Australia etc. And often when you look at the leadership teams of the school, you find that they are mostly white people, which is understandable, because of, I guess, the country of origin of these schools. But the thing is, these schools are now very commonly seen in everywhere else in the world. According to the international school database, there are 65 of them in Singapore, an Asian country, the map of where those schools located on the island looks something like that:
Screenshot from https://www.international-schools-database.com/in/singapore
And there are 180 international schools in Malaysia, 48 in Tokyo, Japan, more than 200 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Some of these schools have been there for half a decade, yes maybe around or more than 50 years. Go look at their leaderships and teachers, what do you see?
I want to discuss diversity today, it’s my intention starting this writing. I want to see more diversity in those international schools, not all mostly white and/or European, in those schools. There is nothing wrong with them as individuals, they are probably all great at their job (, and it’s arguably why they are all still there).
But if you look at the students’ nationality, they are so diverse. Many of these schools have more than 80 or even 100 of students from different countries, speaking more than 60 or even 80 different languages at home! Then you look at the teachers and leaders, I can easily find like 65% of them from the UK, maybe another 15% from Australia, 10% from the US, and maybe 10% of local AND other nationalities. I made up these numbers, no school is so comfortable stating all these on their websites, they will tell you they have staff from 80 different nationals too, but the top tiers are mostly white, “and as it ‘goes down’ (to admins, cleaning staff etc), their skins get darker” – quoting a teacher I came across. Mind you, he is White. I noticed that, but was never comfortable pointing that out openly. Now I do that. I do that often, in front of other staff and students too.
Next week I’m involved in a recruitment of a boarding houseparent positions. All final shortlisted candidates are white except one, and the only exception is a European. I see the problems, I see that those who are able to present themselves so well are mostly the people from the same regions, at the same time have English as their first language, and are very familiar with what we are looking for. It’s hard for many others to be seen and get into it in the first place. But my point is not that, because that takes time to change, IF changes are wanted.
My point is, going back to my first question, is this a supply demand phenomenon? Is it because those parents who send their kids, and those kids who get to choose their schools (yes, many of them do), want their teachers to be from those regions, White, presenting themselves that way? Are parents more likely to send their kids to those schools? Are kids more likely to select those schools, than say, a school with all Asian in their leadership and teaching community?
