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Resolve Disputes Instead of Bashing Schools!
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kermo



Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.

PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

crusher_of_heads wrote:
kermo wrote:
So, the idea is to come to Korea and get a job at a bad school, then ask three strangers to sort it out for you?


I met the teacher who was being "let go" by her hagwon for not being loving enough while watchng the Grey Cup game Monday in Hongdae.


Interesting story... where can I read the details?
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Yu_Bum_suk



Joined: 25 Dec 2004

PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Next to the ultra-slow, huge banner, this would seem about the most ridiculous thing Dave has done.
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kermo



Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.

PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The prominence of this site has become both a blessing and a curse. Unmoderated, if it were read by Koreans and taken as a representative sample of our moral fibre and competence, we'd all find ourselves run out of town on a rail. However, the harsh censorship is really castrating this place.

How can this site serve English teachers without backfiring on us (and of course, Dave)? We need a place where we can find advice, warnings, sympathy, insight, and we can't always express ourselves in a tactful way. Sometimes we need to vent and discuss hard truths.

It seems like a Catch 22. If this site is going to be useful, it must be honest. If it's honest, it's going to attract attention from netizens.

Solution? Be forthright, and if Dave doesn't want to publish your thoughts, there are other places who will.
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nomad-ish



Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Location: On the bottom of the food chain

PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CentralCali wrote:
D.S.,

Hagweon owners, directors, and managers aren't even worried about what their own government requires them to do. What makes you think they're going to agree to follow a mere suggestion from a panel that has no enforcement powers?


exactly. i think mediation works in many cases if it's just a misunderstanding, but most of the hagwon owners and principals here know exactly what they're doing (and they know it's illegal). why would they then submit to mediation?
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babtangee



Joined: 18 Dec 2004
Location: OMG! Charlie has me surrounded!

PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kermo wrote:

How can this site serve English teachers without backfiring on us (and of course, Dave)?


Ummm... Dave, or Ebenezer, as I refer to him in bed, could pay his moderators to do their job properly and with accountability. Dave: Pay for something. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I kill me.

kermo wrote:
It seems like a Catch 22. If this site is going to be useful, it must be honest. If it's honest, it's going to attract attention from netizens.


I don't think this is a threat at all. Not unless posters are gonna start posting wet t-shirt contest photos with local talent on display. Netizens don't much care what we say. They can't even read English... 97% of them, anyway - Hooray for the Teachers!
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crusher_of_heads



Joined: 23 Feb 2007
Location: kimbop and kimchi for kimberly!!!!

PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kermo wrote:
crusher_of_heads wrote:
kermo wrote:
So, the idea is to come to Korea and get a job at a bad school, then ask three strangers to sort it out for you?


I met the teacher who was being "let go" by her hagwon for not being loving enough while watchng the Grey Cup game Monday in Hongdae.


Interesting story... where can I read the details?


I'll try to find it-I read it awhile back-her friend posted it because she wasn't given a username.
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Julius



Joined: 27 Jul 2006

PostPosted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If Mr. Sperling was serious about tackling the level of dissatisfaction and complaints in Korea, he might consider barring certain notorious exploitative schools from advertising on his website. But that would presumably damage his revenues.
Perhaps its easier to apply sticking plaster by telling teachers to use a remote "problem solving' website.

My former korean hogwon bosses were more interested in making problems than solving them, and dialogue was virtually out of the question. Thus its hard to picture them bowing to the edicts of anonymous foreigners on the internet..

To make a better suggestion: why not have a blacklist of schools on here? that would be a lot more helpful.
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Young FRANKenstein



Joined: 02 Oct 2006
Location: Castle Frankenstein (that's FRONKensteen)

PostPosted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 1:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kermo wrote:
So, the idea is to come to Korea and get a job at a bad school, then ask three strangers to sort it out for you?

(1) three strangers not even qualified, legally, to give such mediation (they are not experts in labor / severance / pension / tax / medical laws and regulations)

(2) great they rule in your favour... okay, does their judgement carry the weight of the law... who will enforce this mediated judgement? My guess is that it means squat and carries ZERO weight with the courts should you end up going that route.

Hence, the whole process is pointless and is a waste of your time.
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Ilsanman



Joined: 15 Aug 2003
Location: Bucheon, Korea

PostPosted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 1:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nah. Bashing is more fun.
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Jeff's Cigarettes



Joined: 27 Mar 2007

PostPosted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think the forum description needs an update:

Quote:
Discussion on positive issues related only to *working* in South Korea. All off-topic and negative posts will be deleted!
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nautilus



Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!

PostPosted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 3:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

babtangee wrote:
Netizens don't much care what we say. They can't even read English... 97% of them, anyway - Hooray for the Teachers!


Yeah, we've all done a great job haha...

Actually I think that by the time 50% of koreans are able to read this for themselves, foreign teachers will have been phased out, and the few that remain will enjoy a much greater level of communication with Koreans directly anyway so they wouldn't need to rant on here in any case.
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PhD



Joined: 15 May 2007

PostPosted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Telltale signs of problems with "trusting" these people....

    There is not one SINGLE name of the owners of the website to be found anywhere. There is no contact information for anyone and no corporate or business address listed.

    It has one page completed. The rest is "coming soon".

    There is no mention of training for any of the potential "arbitrators".

    None of the rules for a potential situation are listed.


That does not speak well of the transparency of an agency who proposes to "arbitrate" disputes. I give this one a BIG thumbs down...
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babtangee



Joined: 18 Dec 2004
Location: OMG! Charlie has me surrounded!

PostPosted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PhD wrote:
Telltale signs of problems with "trusting" these people....

    There is not one SINGLE name of the owners of the website to be found anywhere. There is no contact information for anyone and no corporate or business address listed.

    It has one page completed. The rest is "coming soon".

    There is no mention of training for any of the potential "arbitrators".

    None of the rules for a potential situation are listed.


That does not speak well of the transparency of an agency who proposes to "arbitrate" disputes. I give this one a BIG thumbs down...


Dave's Sparkling~
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bassexpander



Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

PostPosted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 7:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I didn't mean to touch off a free-for-all against Dave. I think maybe he saw a site that looked interesting, and thought it might be helpful to someone. I'm going to give the guy the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps he posted it before breakfast, and kept it short because he had to drive kids to school... who knows?

I was just asking for more information from him as to the post.
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babtangee



Joined: 18 Dec 2004
Location: OMG! Charlie has me surrounded!

PostPosted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bassexpander wrote:
I didn't mean to touch off a free-for-all against Dave. I think maybe he saw a site that looked interesting, and thought it might be helpful to someone. I'm going to give the guy the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps he posted it before breakfast, and kept it short because he had to drive kids to school... who knows?

I was just asking for more information from him as to the post.


Hahaha. Backpeddler.
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