Korean Job Discussion Forums

[coolsage]

Following the obligatory faculty meeting at the beginning of semester (an exercise in tokenism), there was the semi-obligatory faculty dinner, this time at a Chinese restaurant (or what passes for Chinese in this culinarily-challenged land). Needless to say, the booze flowed freely, and when I realized that the evening was not about to end anytime soon, I excused myself with the Chairman of the English Department, saying that I needed to get home and sleep because I had a 9AM class. His response was : "They're only students; they don't matter". This is not what I signed up for when I chose teaching as my main racket. Apparently, once one ascends the Confucian ladder in this country, showing up for class with all systems going is not important here. Students seem to be a necessary annoyance, and not the justification for the position that these people are in. Previous posts have alluded to the notion that the students here are frequently unteachable; it would seem that that many of their teachers are uninterested, incapable, or incompetent, more concerned with padding out their offices than actually delivering the goods in the classroom.

[pecan]

I fear you may have missed the point your superior was trying to impart.

The relationship you foster with your superiors and your colleagues will serve you well throughout your stay. The occasional challenge it may present to your teaching, by having to socialize later in the evening, should be considered extremely minor to the irreparable damage you could do to yourself by not developing and maintaining a healthy relationship with those that are responsible for your well-being.

Not doubt, the choice is yours to make, but you might want to consider the impact of your narrow-minded view.

Nut

[Real Reality]

Learning about Korean Universities?

A Professor Beat Students Who Didn't Speak English
"Professor Lee often beat and abused students. He hit students who didn't work for a venture company of Gwangju recommended by him in the face for 20 minutes."
The official of Kwangju Institute of Science and Technology said, "Professor Lee accepted the above facts. He was discharged from a head of the department and a disciplinary measure has been in progress."
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?bicode=040000&biid=2002091152368

Integrity of university professors
To my knowledge, there has never been a single case in Korea where a Ph.D. candidate has failed to obtain his or her degree. In making an important decision for the award of a degree, we often ask ourselves, "How can you dare to fail a candidate?" This deep-rooted custom is derived from a combination of sentiment and manners and has tarnished university competitiveness as well as producing incompetent scholars and scientists.
Korea Herald
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2004/07/01/200407010011.asp

Professors Cheat to Maintain SCI Scores
A professor of engineering said it was common for there to be up to ten co-authors on a paper, most of whom have had nothing to do with it.
http://www.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200204/200204251020.html

Seoul National University (SNU) will tighten regulations on the privilege of working at the university until retirement, with professors now having to pass evaluations from the university's judging committee.
http://www.hankooki.com/kt_nation/200207/t2002071016581841110.htm

Ghostwriters investigated
Firms selling graduate projects face charges
According to the prosecution, these services are becoming increasingly popular, attracting customers through the Internet. Many academic degrees have been conferred upon unqualified students, the prosecution said. A professor who was part of an examination committee that accepted several ghostwritten theses said, "The quality of the theses was poor, but I didn't want to disqualify them. I never knew they were written by others." The universities that administered those examinations reportedly included top universities in Seoul.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200303/17/200303170205221879900090409041.html

The reality is that everything from the central government to regional ones, and the private sector, such as between corporate purchasing and subcontractors, are involved. And the food chain of corruption goes on and on.
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200310/200310080034.html

Money key to teaching posts
Nearly one in five said colleges refused to offer them a position if they did not make a donation to the school foundation or development fund. Private universities were reportedly more likely to demand money than public colleges.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200207/09/200207090054252629900090409041.html

Foreign professors do most of the heavy lifting in terms of course loads, devoting themselves almost exclusively to teaching. Nevertheless, they tend to be treated as hired hands, without academic standing, and lacking the possibility of career advancement or tenure. They must submit to yearly contracts (compensated at a rate only 60 percent of their Korean peers) while walled off from the permanent Korean faculty who benefit from travel, research funding, sabbaticals, etc. Moreover, when hundreds of Korean scholars enjoy such perks at American and other foreign universities, something is obviously amiss.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200206/14/200206142349223599900090109011.html

Visa Regulation (E-1 Professor)
Note: In the case of a national or a public University, a foreigner is not permitted to be a full-time professor.
http://www.moj.go.kr/immi/08_english/02_business/e_1.html

[crazylemongirl]

I agree about the fostering relationships bit. Sometimes you got suck up these things, but it's always worth going to in the end as if you don't have a good relationship they can make life hell for you.

My folks were shocked at the idea of principal walking around with a bottle of soju trying to get all the young women drunk. What is amusing is that he tries to out drink me on soju despite the fact that he barely reaches my chin in height. After the drinking fest I may have had trouble walking in a straight line, but the principal had to be hauled onto the bus by the other male teachers.

[Real Reality]

crazylemongirl wrote,
"After the drinking fest I may have had trouble walking in a straight line, but the principal had to be hauled onto the bus by the other male teachers."

Educators modeling behavior for the students?

[pecan]

RR,

It appears that you are missing it, too.

The OP is the only person responsible for the OP's actions, and therefore, the choice belongs to the OP.

You may believe that people should not adjust their behavior to the situation, but others accept that they have different responsibilities according to differing circumstances. What some would do in their home, they might not do in public, but does that mean they are modeling poor behavior?

A classroom, a bar, a restaurant, a public place, a private place, etc., may very well require a more flexible approach than you advocate to maintain harmony. Westerners, rigid in their views, often fail to recognize that Easterners conduct themselves differently according to their relationships.

Continuing to operate from a Westerner's point of view while working and living in Korea, may lead to many avoidable complications.

I certainly do not object to you conducting yourself in an unbending manner. I am sure you are used to the troubles that it brings.

However, can not you recognize that others may not wish to bare the burden of your advice?

Your way is merely one of many.

Again, the choice is the OP's to make.

Nut

[prosodic]

[pecan]

I take that as a compliment, but I am not a Korean.

Try reading a book sometime, it might help.

The title, "The Geography of Thought : How Asians and Westerners Think Differently...and Why" by Richard E. Nisbett is very insightful and helped to explain why there are so many misunderstandings in Korea between foreigners and Koreans.

[prosodic]

Hmmm

[Son Deureo!]

[peppermint]

Who cares if Pecan is or isn't Korean. It's not a witchhunt,y'know.

I think the nut has a point. We live in Korea and it's not a bad idea to make an effort to work within Korean customs to some extent. If playing nice with co-workers makes life easier,why not do that.


While the lack of respect for students was shocking, that doesn't mean that that'show he has to behave, just find another excuse not to drink.

[crazylemongirl]

Jean christi guys! Does it really matter whether pecan is korean or not? The op stated a problem and pecan offered some opinons on it.

[Zyzyfer]

[pecan]

The nature of a few of those responses only adds to my previous point. Their view is so narrow, that they are incapable of accepting that a Westerner could adopt a more flexible way of viewing situations in Korea. Instead, they would have you believe that I must be Korean!

Very comical stuff, indeed.

Nut

[Cthulhu]

coolsage wrote: