Asian Immigrant Teachers in Australia : Negotiating Identity, Navigating Adaptation, and The Paradoxes of Belonging

The global movement of people and migration has led to increased mobility within the teaching profession.

However, the prevailing expectations regarding the specific desired backgrounds, habitus, and pedagogical ideas of how a teacher should be, act, and understand their work have made the professional transition significantly more challenging for immigrant teachers who do not fit into this frame. Drawing on international literature and valuable insights from Asian immigrant teachers in Australia, this book explores the personal, social, and contextual factors behind their professional transition experiences.

It examines the diverse and intricate experiences of Asian immigrant teachers as they negotiate their identities, navigate adaptation, and cultivate a sense of belonging within the Australian education system. Set against the backdrop of an increasingly diverse student population and a critical shortage of teachers faced by many countries worldwide, this book offers a timely review of how we can harness the capabilities of the immigrant teacher workforce to meet diverse needs, improve school participation and well-being, and ensure equitable and inclusive education for all students.

Readers are encouraged to disrupt existing narratives, interrogate current deficit views about immigrant teachers, and, in doing so, reconceptualise the immigrant professional transition from a new vantage point.