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 

i was lied to so i'd work harder.
Goto page 1, 2, 3  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Job-related Discussion Forum
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Boodleheimer



Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Location: working undercover for the Man

PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:11 pm    Post subject: i was lied to so i'd work harder. Reply with quote

two days ago
B: 2nd grade students found you "dissatisfactory" compared to the teacher last year.

Me: why?

B: mumblemumble... not sure

yesterday
Me: can i have comments from the 2nd grade students as to what they find wrong with my methods and style?

B: uh.... they haven't said anything about that yet.

Me: so they haven't evaluated me?

B: uh... only God can evaluate you. i don't know what you're talking about.
_____________________

WTF? apparently, the idea was that if i was told i sucked, i'd work harder and not complain, etc., etc.

B, by the way, is my b*astard minder.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
ilovebdt



Joined: 03 Jun 2005
Location: Nr Seoul

PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh my goodness. What is your "minder" on?

Considering he has already screwed you around over vacation, he is treading on really thin ice.

ilovebdt
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Yahoo Messenger
Boodleheimer



Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Location: working undercover for the Man

PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i just think he's insane.

oh, and i guess the title should have been "i was lied to REALLY STUPIDLY so i'd work harder"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
ilovebdt



Joined: 03 Jun 2005
Location: Nr Seoul

PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey

Maybe you should evaluate him just for fun and see what happens.

ilovebdt
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Yahoo Messenger
oldfatfarang



Joined: 19 May 2005
Location: On the road to somewhere.

PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Denigrating staff is a standard Korean management tactic. Korean society is hierachical, so managers are used to treating inferiors (employees) this way. By denigrating your performance, your education, and your appearance/accent/country etc, Korean managers think that you will be more compliant and open to their 'flexible' working practices. This behavior also reinforces their superior position above you.

If only Koreans knew how WE think. Treating Westerners this way just doesn't work. It annoys us. THEY lose 'face' and our respect. Your response should be to smile, and just ignore it. Using Western logical arguments to counter this criticism doesn't work well - simply because their is no logic/truth behind the criticism. They are just trying to control you. Blow it off.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
willneverteachagain



Joined: 17 Dec 2006

PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

what the hell is a minder?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Jarome_Turner



Joined: 10 Sep 2004

PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yah, the basic business philosophy that "happy employee, means happy customers, means good business" hasn't really caught on here. It's more of a "I am older, so I will belittle and abuse you, and make you obey my every command. If you are happy, I'm not doing my job".
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Boodleheimer



Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Location: working undercover for the Man

PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

willneverteachagain wrote:
what the hell is a minder?


he was our contact person with our schools when we were interviewing. he said he was going to help us set everything up -- telephone, internet, etc., and that if we ever needed help, we should go to him. he's also my contact/translator with the principal. if there's information about the schedule to be relayed, he should do it.

in theory.

actually, if we have problems, we go to any other teacher but him. and i've asked that he no longer be my contact/translator since he twists words.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Yu_Bum_suk



Joined: 25 Dec 2004

PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rainbowtrout wrote:
Denigrating staff is a standard Korean management tactic. Korean society is hierachical, so managers are used to treating inferiors (employees) this way. By denigrating your performance, your education, and your appearance/accent/country etc, Korean managers think that you will be more compliant and open to their 'flexible' working practices. This behavior also reinforces their superior position above you.

If only Koreans knew how WE think. Treating Westerners this way just doesn't work. It annoys us. THEY lose 'face' and our respect. Your response should be to smile, and just ignore it. Using Western logical arguments to counter this criticism doesn't work well - simply because their is no logic/truth behind the criticism. They are just trying to control you. Blow it off.


I don't get any of that BS. I wouldn't be so quick to generalise. I also find that it helps to play the game the Korean way and by Korean rules as much as possible, because we are, after all, on a Korean playing field.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Bibbitybop



Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

And students are qualified to do teacher evaluations because............?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
mnhnhyouh



Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Location: The Middle Kingdom

PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bibbitybop wrote:
And students are qualified to do teacher evaluations because............?


They are the customer. When teaching in Australian universities it is always good practice to get student evaluations at the end of the course. You will be asked for them when applying for an academic position.

I have my high school students do evaluations as well. While there is a lot of BS in there, I often find comments that help me become a better teacher.

h
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Yu_Bum_suk



Joined: 25 Dec 2004

PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mnhnhyouh wrote:
Bibbitybop wrote:
And students are qualified to do teacher evaluations because............?


They are the customer. When teaching in Australian universities it is always good practice to get student evaluations at the end of the course. You will be asked for them when applying for an academic position.

I have my high school students do evaluations as well. While there is a lot of BS in there, I often find comments that help me become a better teacher.

h


At Korean schools having the kids do evaluations would be a bit like asking the inmates how they like prison.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Bibbitybop



Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

High school and college students, yes. But elementary or middle school students? Sorry, not buying it, especially for an English class. They can say "we want more games and videos," but being able to evaluate a teacher is not the same. Also, are public school kids customers? The OP said "second grade," I'm assuming it's not a hogwon.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Boodleheimer



Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Location: working undercover for the Man

PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bibbitybop wrote:
High school and college students, yes. But elementary or middle school students? Sorry, not buying it, especially for an English class. They can say "we want more games and videos," but being able to evaluate a teacher is not the same. Also, are public school kids customers? The OP said "second grade," I'm assuming it's not a hogwon.


yeah, second grade high school.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
hubba bubba



Joined: 24 Oct 2006

PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 5:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rainbowtrout wrote:
Denigrating staff is a standard Korean management tactic. Korean society is hierachical, so managers are used to treating inferiors (employees) this way. By denigrating your performance, your education, and your appearance/accent/country etc, Korean managers think that you will be more compliant and open to their 'flexible' working practices. This behavior also reinforces their superior position above you.

If only Koreans knew how WE think. Treating Westerners this way just doesn't work. It annoys us. THEY lose 'face' and our respect. Your response should be to smile, and just ignore it. Using Western logical arguments to counter this criticism doesn't work well - simply because their is no logic/truth behind the criticism. They are just trying to control you. Blow it off.


This is completely accurate in my experience. Well, completely accurate in a hagwon, but not so much in a public school. In a public school there are absolutely no management tactics. Kinda like a tactic vaccuum.
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 -> Job-related Discussion Forum All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Goto page 1, 2, 3  Next
Page 1 of 3

 
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