Job Discussion Forums

mourningclam · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 20 Location: sunny korea, again

I am hoping to come to China within the next year after I finish my contract in Korea but I would like to know how it compares in certain areas.

1. In China, are the kids holy terrors like they are here? For example, here the parents are only concerned about the kids' progress with the language, if that, and totally unconcerned about their little hell spawns' behavior. In the Korean parents' eyes, the kids are perfect little angels and would never insult the teacher or disrupt class. All reports of bad behavior are lies made up by the culturally ignorant foriegn teacher.

2. Do the Chinese directors tend to pay in a timely manner, unlike many of the Korean counterparts?

3. Are the Chinese more concerned about teaching ability and credentials instead of having a white American foreigner that is just there to look pretty and entertain?

4. Are employment contracts legally binding documents in China that are actually worth the paper they are written on, instead of being a substitute for toiler paper?

5. What is the staring at the foriegner factor like in the mid-sized to larger cities in China? I imagine it is quite common in smaller cities and rural areas.

I apologize if this seems like a long-winded rant about Korea, I just want to get a somewhat accurate idea of the place.

mourningclam · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 20 Location: sunny korea, again

Actually, one or two of my questions were already answered by this post,
New CCTV Channels.

laodeng · Joined: 07 Feb 2004 Posts: 481

Yes; no; no; no; barely tolerable.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Q 1: variable; often extremely friendly behaviour; did I say "often"? Yes, and that means: don't expect it everywhere!
All the rest of your Q's: Negative!

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

struelle · Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 2372 Location: Shanghai

I'm an avid reader of the Korea forum, and my brother used to teach there. I find that China and Korea have a lot in common, especially as cultural factors relate to EFL. But there are some significant differences:

millie · Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 413 Location: HK

Where I am, I have total authority to take a piece of leather and strap the palm of their hand. I have done this on two occassions. One for a student spitting on my shoes, and the other time for a student stealing candy and money from my desk.

The Chinese teacher hits them all the time. Do I like it? No. But I believe in corporal punishment for the most severe infractions.

PLEASE, PLEASE tell me you are joking PLEASE Exclamation

If not, you deserve a whipping just to remind you that this sort barbarity went out of fashion at least 30 years ago in the west.

Why not capital punishement then for repeat offenders.

Please review what you are doing
M

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

Millie wrote:

extoere · Joined: 23 Feb 2004 Posts: 543

Great Wall: As Millie suggested, you simply must review your actions! You might want to use a split bamboo ....

Millie: A few years back, a young American was caned in Singapore for vandalizing a car. The prospect set off an international protest over the prospects of this poor young innocent having whelts on his butt. Along with the protests were cheers from the "unenlightened."

The kid was caned. He survived. A thorough search of all available data re: vandalizing cars in Singapore reveals no subsequent caning for vandalizing. Do you suppose Singapore simply gave up caning altogether? Or maybe ....

cheers,
ex-enlightened extoere

Rhino · Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2004 7:27 am Post subject:

Millie- Just because something goes out of fashion does'nt mean its wrong. I also view it as correcting behavior. If a kid spit on my shoes I'd be inclined to throw him off the 4th floor(just kidding) but he's lucky he only got a strap on the hand. If there was capital punishment there would'nt be repeat offenders! (sigh) I've only had to twist ears- Thank God. Theres a story of a man about to be beheaded in London back in the day. someone in the crowed protested "do you really think this will put an end to crime?" The government official responded "It will for him!" I dont think GWs student will spit on shoes and steal money anymore. Millie- What would the headmaster of your school do in the same situation? I know what would happen here! Cheers, keep up the good work GW!

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Corporal punishment seems harsh.
Though if my kindergarteners are bad, I'll tap their bums, not hard, nothing that would hurt, but they need to know that they did something bad.

millie · Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 413 Location: HK

Corporal punishment is illegal in Australian schools and has been for a long time.
I would think the same is true in UK, Canada, USA, NZ etc etc
That is in any enlightened educational system
I had assumed teachers would know this.

Let’s try to use some of the better parts of our educational system - not reproduce the most reprehensible parts of the archaic system here.

I am not sure how anyone can attempt to defend violence of that sort because some people in China think it is OK to act in this brutal way towards children.

Teachers use many other means to modify behaviour rather than the need to resort to violence.

I am also sorry if anyone was belted as a kid but that cannot justify continuing this brutality.

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

Actually, corporal punishment in Kansas (USA) is not illegal (and many other states as well, just don't know which ones off the top of my head). We just choose not to use it because many teachers are uncomfortable with it. I feel it is the parents job to use it if they so choose.

But, saying all that, some of these kids here really test me - - and I'm not a violent man!! The first year I came here was only for a summer gig. The Chinese professor at the University that organized the trip said that we would be "amazed" at how well behaved the Chinese students are! They sit up straight at their desks (quietly) with their arms folded and resting on their desktops. If they knew the answer, they would lift one arm up with their elbow still resting on the desk.

To date, I have NEVER seen that in any classroom, any school. Never. Now, I like to have a pretty loose classroom environment where the kids can feel relaxed and have a little fun while learning. Some of my senior kids can handle it and our 45 minute period whizzes by - - I'm sorry to see them go. Some of my classes are not quite so . . . fun. I finally had to have one class's head teacher start sitting in our English class. They just wouldn't behave no matter what I tried. In our most recent session they all sat up straight, and not a sound was made, save answering questions. (no folded arms though) It was such a relief and we got a lot done, but I felt sort of sad afterwards. It's not an environment I want, but I think it is necessary.

By the way - - my school pays me on time, every time. Sometimes even earlier. When I went home over the holidays, I found out they owed me a bit more due to some contract confusion. It was waiting in an envelope in my apartment when I got back (I gave them permission to go in my home). That was quite nice.

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

Millie wrote:

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

I agree with millie.

Personally, I would never hit, strap, beat or smack a pupil, regardless of how poorly (s)he is behaving.

While you are monitoring your pupils' behavior, who is controlling your actions? How do you limit yourself from going too far or using excessive force?

It's a bit frightening that a teacher would use physical force in the classroom. I'm not convinced at all that strapping a student would correct that behavior. Sure, maybe (s)he won't act up in your class, but is it really guaranteed that strapping a pupil will stop them from misbehaving in other classes and out of school? I'm not so sure of that.