Study on the Emotional Labor of Young International Chinese Teachers

Abstract

This paper uses educational ethnography to examine in depth the emotional labor of the development of the particular professional identity of young international Chinese teachers and the underlying mechanisms behind emotions. The study found that the performance and strategy of young international Chinese teachers' emotional labor was dominated by deep acting, and that professional self-esteem, professional constraint, and cross-cultural conflict were important factors contributing to the emotional labor overload of this professional group. Although emotional labor constructs the meaning of daily life, it also reinforces this group's sense of self-alienation and professional burnout. Based on this, it is important to pay attention to the professional needs of young international Chinese teachers, establish a community mechanism for international Chinese teachers, and improve the professional assessment system for young international Chinese teachers in order to promote the maintenance of emotional labor at a normal and reasonable level, reduce emotional exhaustion, and enhance job satisfaction and professional gain.