Site Search:
 
Speak Korean Now!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

This American Life: Self-Improvement Kick

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Off-Topic Forum
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
World Traveler



Joined: 29 May 2009

PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 5:50 pm    Post subject: This American Life: Self-Improvement Kick Reply with quote

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/483/self-improvement-kick
Quote:
Julia Lurie is an American teaching English at an all-girls high school in Gwangju, a city in South Korea. When she first got there, some things struck her as strange: On every floor of the school there was a full-length mirror, as well as a scale. And the girls used them constantly. They seemed openly preoccupied by their looks and their weight. South Korea, she finds out, has the highest per capita rate of plastic surgery in the world � some of her students had already had plastic surgery, and more were planning to get it. Julia tells what happened when she decided to teach a lesson on "beauty" to her students.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
12ax7



Joined: 07 Nov 2009

PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 6:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It sounds like a great idea for a lesson, but I wonder how the parents would feel about her recording the students and sharing it with a website.

Last edited by 12ax7 on Wed Feb 13, 2013 6:55 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
No_hite_pls



Joined: 05 Mar 2007
Location: Don't hate me because I'm right

PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 6:45 pm    Post subject: Re: This American Life: Self-Improvement Kick Reply with quote

World Traveler wrote:
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/483/self-improvement-kick
Quote:
Julia Lurie is an American teaching English at an all-girls high school in Gwangju, a city in South Korea. When she first got there, some things struck her as strange: On every floor of the school there was a full-length mirror, as well as a scale. And the girls used them constantly. They seemed openly preoccupied by their looks and their weight. South Korea, she finds out, has the highest per capita rate of plastic surgery in the world � some of her students had already had plastic surgery, and more were planning to get it. Julia tells what happened when she decided to teach a lesson on "beauty" to her students.


I am not a big fan of western cultural warriors. Rolling Eyes
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
12ax7



Joined: 07 Nov 2009

PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 7:00 pm    Post subject: Re: This American Life: Self-Improvement Kick Reply with quote

No_hite_pls wrote:
World Traveler wrote:
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/483/self-improvement-kick
Quote:
Julia Lurie is an American teaching English at an all-girls high school in Gwangju, a city in South Korea. When she first got there, some things struck her as strange: On every floor of the school there was a full-length mirror, as well as a scale. And the girls used them constantly. They seemed openly preoccupied by their looks and their weight. South Korea, she finds out, has the highest per capita rate of plastic surgery in the world � some of her students had already had plastic surgery, and more were planning to get it. Julia tells what happened when she decided to teach a lesson on "beauty" to her students.


I am not a big fan of western cultural warriors. Rolling Eyes


Yes, it sounds like the lesson was far from being perfect.

For one, she uses the word 'ugly'...That's sending a mixed message.

But, good idea nonetheless.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
rollo



Joined: 10 May 2006
Location: China

PostPosted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 2:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well my hats off to Julia!! How noble to take up the white man's burden( whiteperson I meant) to bring Western values to the savages in South Korea!!

The pagan horror that she is fighting against; Maintaining a healthy weight and a nice appearance.

Break that mirror, smash that scale and take the young wymen to Taco Bell!!!!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
12ax7



Joined: 07 Nov 2009

PostPosted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 6:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

rollo wrote:
Well my hats off to Julia!! How noble to take up the white man's burden( whiteperson I meant) to bring Western values to the savages in South Korea!!

The pagan horror that she is fighting against; Maintaining a healthy weight and a nice appearance.

Break that mirror, smash that scale and take the young wymen to Taco Bell!!!!
Laughing Laughing
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Squire



Joined: 26 Sep 2010
Location: Jeollanam-do

PostPosted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 1:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have mixed feeling about teaching this sort of thing. First I think the foreign teacher should stick to teaching English and bear in mind that there are a lot of fat women walking around in sweat pants and no make up in the Anglo-sphere. That's a side effect of creating the notion that everyone is beautiful even when they aren't. On the other hand, if other teachers at the school can teach outside of their subject (for example 'studying' Dokdo being Korean territory) then why not the foreigner? Because it goes against Korean culture? Don't employ foreign teachers then

For better or worse I don't think much will change on the vanity issue. If we think it's shocking to see high levels of plastic surgery here just wait for Koreans getting the chance to genetically modify their kids' appearances before birth. I predict having a baby here will be very expensive one day when people save or borrow money to pay for the designer babies everyone will want
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Steelrails



Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System

PostPosted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 2:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

First, the teacher failed to note that plastic surgery is also a big deal amongst men in S. Korea too.

Someone mentioned Dokdo, this is the equivalent of injecting moral and agenda based lessons like Dokdo into the curriculum.

She basically had a faith-based pseudo-religious attitude towards the whole thing. 'Everyone is Beautiful, Everyone is Special'. That's a lie. Thank goodness some had blunt honest answers.

Ironic. The U.S. becoming the place of 'harmony' and Korea becoming the place of blunt 'honesty'. At least, when it comes to things like this.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Fox



Joined: 04 Mar 2009

PostPosted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 3:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rollo wrote:
Well my hats off to Julia!! How noble to take up the white man's burden( whiteperson I meant) to bring Western values to the savages in South Korea!!

The pagan horror that she is fighting against; Maintaining a healthy weight and a nice appearance.

Break that mirror, smash that scale and take the young wymen to Taco Bell!!!!


That's pretty much what it comes to, but make sure to use the word "self esteem."
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
KimchiNinja



Joined: 01 May 2012
Location: Gangnam

PostPosted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 12:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

rollo wrote:
Well my hats off to Julia!! How noble to take up the white man's burden( whiteperson I meant) to bring Western values to the savages in South Korea!!

The pagan horror that she is fighting against; Maintaining a healthy weight and a nice appearance.

Break that mirror, smash that scale and take the young wymen to Taco Bell!!!!


Very Happy

Now that you said it, I don't have to...please keep up the awesomeness. [thumbs up]

While back in the states last week I overhead a lot of chicks doing the classic:
* "I hate to ask but does Nancy have an eating disorder? Maybe she is just naturally small, I'm just concerned". Yeah sure, you are so concerned. :/
* "I don't want to deprive my body like that". Yeah, because eating healthy food and being a normal weight is 'depriving'. :/
* "I feel sorry for those poor Asian women who have no self esteeme". Yeah, I'm sure it sucks for them being slim hotties.

Basically anyone of a healthy weight is accussed of having an eating disorder because they are making the fatties look bad.

Thank you Korea for a little thing called standards!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Died By Bear



Joined: 13 Jul 2010
Location: On the big lake they call Gitche Gumee

PostPosted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 5:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

KimchiNinja wrote:
rollo wrote:
Well my hats off to Julia!! How noble to take up the white man's burden( whiteperson I meant) to bring Western values to the savages in South Korea!!

The pagan horror that she is fighting against; Maintaining a healthy weight and a nice appearance.

Break that mirror, smash that scale and take the young wymen to Taco Bell!!!!


Very Happy

Now that you said it, I don't have to...please keep up the awesomeness. [thumbs up]

While back in the states last week I overhead a lot of chicks doing the classic:
* "I hate to ask but does Nancy have an eating disorder? Maybe she is just naturally small, I'm just concerned". Yeah sure, you are so concerned. :/
* "I don't want to deprive my body like that". Yeah, because eating healthy food and being a normal weight is 'depriving'. :/
* "I feel sorry for those poor Asian women who have no self esteeme". Yeah, I'm sure it sucks for them being slim hotties.

Basically anyone of a healthy weight is accussed of having an eating disorder because they are making the fatties look bad.

Thank you Korea for a little thing called standards!



I approve of this message. Smile
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
fat_chris



Joined: 11 Jan 2013
Location: China

PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 7:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Died By Bear wrote:
KimchiNinja wrote:
rollo wrote:
Well my hats off to Julia!! How noble to take up the white man's burden( whiteperson I meant) to bring Western values to the savages in South Korea!!

The pagan horror that she is fighting against; Maintaining a healthy weight and a nice appearance.

Break that mirror, smash that scale and take the young wymen to Taco Bell!!!!


Very Happy

Now that you said it, I don't have to...please keep up the awesomeness. [thumbs up]

While back in the states last week I overhead a lot of chicks doing the classic:
* "I hate to ask but does Nancy have an eating disorder? Maybe she is just naturally small, I'm just concerned". Yeah sure, you are so concerned. :/
* "I don't want to deprive my body like that". Yeah, because eating healthy food and being a normal weight is 'depriving'. :/
* "I feel sorry for those poor Asian women who have no self esteeme". Yeah, I'm sure it sucks for them being slim hotties.

Basically anyone of a healthy weight is accussed of having an eating disorder because they are making the fatties look bad.

Thank you Korea for a little thing called standards!



I approve of this message. Smile


Seconded.

Warm regards,
fat_chris
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
wishfullthinkng



Joined: 05 Mar 2010

PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 6:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thirded. i hope the korean authorities deport her.

apathy kills, people. standards and trying to better yourself is not, nor never will be a bad thing. keep the fat-sheltering western opinions in your home countries.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Steelrails



Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System

PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 6:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
i hope the korean authorities deport her.


Ha! She's been "Piersed".

Her vs Alex Jones.

"Mass Murder Obesity Pills" "False Flag Teaching" "foodwars.com"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Off-Topic Forum All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

TEFL International Supports Dave's ESL Cafe
TEFL Courses, TESOL Course, English Teaching Jobs - TEFL International