"a major difference between Asian cultures and here is that teaching is a high-status profession in Asia. Here, the assumption is that people become teachers because they can't get hired anywhere else, and they're paid accordingly."
At least in India, many people become teachers "because they can't get hired anywhere else, and they're paid accordingly." This is particularly true in Engineering/Science/Mathematics.
Most teachers have zero industry experience, have never worked as engineers, have never done any significant engineering/science etc etc and do choose teaching because they couldn't hack in the industry. [except for a few really good teachers at say the IIT's - which have their share of terrible teachers - but you could find equivalent folks in say MIT].
As you said "(& a couple saints that just don't want to work there, for any amount of money)."
So maybe you are talking of China/other parts of Asia?
Yeah, I was mostly talking about China, as that's (half) my cultural background. I think it applies in Japan/Vietnam/Korea as well, knowing some Japanese/Vietnamese/Korean families.
At least in India, many people become teachers "because they can't get hired anywhere else, and they're paid accordingly." This is particularly true in Engineering/Science/Mathematics.
Most teachers have zero industry experience, have never worked as engineers, have never done any significant engineering/science etc etc and do choose teaching because they couldn't hack in the industry. [except for a few really good teachers at say the IIT's - which have their share of terrible teachers - but you could find equivalent folks in say MIT]. As you said "(& a couple saints that just don't want to work there, for any amount of money)."
So maybe you are talking of China/other parts of Asia?