Inside the crucible: Resistance and resilience in a decade of crisis and change for English teachers in Myanmar

Abstract

AbstractMyanmar has experienced more upheaval and crisis in the past decade than perhaps any of the other nations currently members of the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN). The impact of the twin crises of COVID and the February 1, 2021 military coup, on the heels of massive educational reforms in Myanmar, has created a crucible in which teachers are forging a new vision of education that is more just, inclusive, and critical. Educators, and most notably English language teachers, have joined others to claim agency in this process, demonstrating resilience during and after the COVID crisis, resistance to the military junta following the coup, and innovation in reimagining and reforming pedagogy and education. This article focuses on the English language educators of Myanmar, drawing from interviews that the author conducted in Myanmar every 2 years from 2015 to 2024. Four of the five data sets have been examined in previously published studies (Wong, 2017; Wong et al., 2019; Wong et al., 2024; Wong & Kareng, 2023). The research questions for this study are the following: (1) How did the experience of the twin crises of COVID and the 2021 coup impact English language educators in Myanmar in terms of their identity, agency, and pedagogy? (2) What can we learn about resistance and resilience in crises from the experience of these educators over the past decade? This retrospective multisite, multiyear study of “snapshots” of teachers in Myanmar before, during, and after the two major events of COVID and the coup provides valuable insights on how the crucible of crisis can lead to transformations in who we are (our identity), how we respond (our agency), and what and how we teach (our pedagogy).