Korean Job Discussion Forums

[goodgood]

Does anybody's hakwon give them any positive comments? I just realized that in my ten months of work, I've never heard a single word of positive feedback. And I'm 99% sure my school thinks I'm ok. They always put me in front of the parents over other teachers at open houses and the like.

Not to sound like a sissy, but it would be nice every once in a while to hear something besides the occasional bizzaro parent complaint. Is it a Korean thing to be so stingy with the complements, or what?

[Qinella]

Yeah I've gotten compliments from our director many times. He tells me he appreciates my dedication to the students and he refers to me as a good teacher.

The bank I worked at in the US, however, seemed to only know one phrase: not enough! Nothing was ever enough, and we were always messing up, it seemed. It was a real downer working there.

[sock]

At the place where I work now, I hear "good job" on average once or more per day. I really question the sincerity of the sentiment behind it though, and to be quite honest, I don't really care what their opinion of my teaching is. I know that I'm a good teacher and the kids know I'm a good teacher, and that's what is important to me. What the K-teachers or administration know or think about the job I do doesn't matter to me in the slightest.

Maybe if I felt that any of the people spouting out "good job" had any factual basis or sincere feeling behind their empty words, I might care more (although I highly doubt it). But that's just me.

[oneofthesarahs]

I rarely get feedback from our director, good or bad. Some of the Korean teachers will occasionally tell me that I've done a good job with their class, and that is more important to me than anything the director has to say, being that the K teachers are the ones interacting with the students everyday.

Most of my students like me, and a "Teacher, you are so kind!" or "Yay! Sarah teacher my favorite teacher!" means a million times more to me than any canned praise my director will give me.

[Ya-ta Boy]

[princess]

My head teacher gives "good job" compliments.

[tomato]

I've been here for 7 years, and I've been kicked around to so many places I've lost count.

Each time I start a new job, I remember all the subjects of the parents-have-been-complaining confrontations in all my previous jobs.
I always hope that if I cover all the bases, there will be no parents-have-been-complaining confrontations this time.
But it never fails. They always find something else.

On most of those jobs, there was a honeymoon for a month or two.
After that, it was about like what goodgood described.
goodgood, I hope you have better luck than I have.

[Pak Yu Man]

"You're doing a good job" What kind of crazy language are you talking?
The closest I've gotten was "MBC wants a white guy on TV. You have lots of energy...you do it!"

So I have energy...is that the same as being a good teacher?

[spyro25]

[tomato]

The gavel banged down on the table. "The January 2007 meeting of DAFT--Directors Against Foreign Teachers--will now come to order. Let us stand and recite the pledge."

The members stood up and put their hands on their hearts. "I believe that foreign teachers are emissaries of Satan. I believe that the will of a foreign teacher is contrary to the will of God. On my honor I will fight for the will of God."

"You may be seated. Will the secretary please read the minutes from the last meeting."

The secretary stood up. "The monthly meeting of DAFT was called to order on Friday, December fifteenth, 2006 at eight o'clock PM. A representative of the airline industry delivered the annual report on the number of foreign teachers who were compelled to make midnight runs and visa runs due to a stressful work environment. The commission due to DAFT was calculated. The representative complimented DAFT on a job well done and exhorted us all to keep up the good work. Awards were given to the directors scoring the most midnight runs and visa runs. 백 선생님 was designated as a Crown Ambassador for the record number of midnight runs and visa runs for the year 2006.

"There was discussion of the problems at the schools operated by 장 선생님, 견 선생님, and 임 선생님. The discussion was continued until the January meeting."

The secretary sat down. "Thank you, Mister Secretary. Are there any amendments to the minutes?" The President paused. "If not, then the minutes are approved as read. Will the treasurer please give us his annual report."

The treasurer stood up. "The local budget is now at an all-time high, thanks in part to the good work performed by 백 선생님.� The treasurer sat down.

The members applauded. "Speech! Speech!"

백 선생님 stood up. "Folks, you're embarrassing me. I had more midnight runs and visa runs than usual this year, but there is one foreign teacher who just will not quit. He has been with us for ten whole months, and when a foreign teacher stays that long, we know something is wrong."

Another member raised his hand, "Do you think he might have delusions of adequacy?"

백 answered, "He probably does. Because we had an open house this year, and we asked him to speak to the parents."

The Chairman of the Counselling Committee spoke up. "We'll send a member of our committee over to your school and we'll see if we can help you afflict that employee, then. We know you reached the top, but there is always room for improvement."

백 sat down. "Thank you."

The President made a grim face. "장 선생님, I see that your case is first on the agenda. There have been complaints that you have shown appreciation for an employee's dedication to the students. In fact, you have even referred to that teacher as a 'good teacher.' And I think you know better than that."

장 선생님 made a nervous laugh. "Yes, Mister President, I understand. It's just that I find it difficult not to appreciate this employee. I chose this candidate because he had the highest qualifications."

A gasp was heard throughout the clubroom. �장 선생 님, do you mean to tell me that you chose a candidate on the basis of qualifications? Instead of hair color and eye color?"

장 선생님 again made a nervous laugh. "Yes, Mister President. You see, at that time, I had just gotten back from a trip overseas. And I was still stuck in the Western way of doing things."

The President leaned forward. "But even if this employee is a good teacher, and even if he or she is dedicated to the students, this is something which you should keep under your hat."

By this time, 장 선생님 was almost in tears. "Yes, Mister President. I must have been overseas too long. You see, I had a job as a supervisor in a major corporation, where I was trained in flowery talk like that."

Another member spoke up. "Oh, yes, that's another one of their primitive superstitions. What do they call it? Oh, yes: positive reinforcement!"

The President waited for a motion from the floor. "We will let it go this time, 장 선생님, but don't let it happen again.

"I believe 견 선생님's case is next on the agenda. 견 선생님, there have been reports that the words 'good job' have been spoken at your school."

견 선생님 made a shy nod. "That is right, Mister President. But those words were not spoken by me. I recently heard the head teacher use these words. I had been wondering why one of my foreign teachers has stayed so long."

"A situation like that could get really serious. Be sure to speak to your head teacher and get back with us at the next meeting."

"Yes, Mister President."

"Last on the agenda is 임 선생님's case. 임 선생님, there have been reports that those same forbidden words have been spoken at your school, only this time you were the one who uttered those words. What do you have to say for yourself?"

임 선생님 looked down in shame. The chairman of the Espionage Committee raised his hand. "Mister President, the Espionage Committee has broken into the 엉클탐 협회 membership roster and found 임 선생님's name listed. We are not sure that this is the same individual, but we have reason to suspect that 임 선생님 has been sent over to us as a sabotage agent."

"Then I hope you will look into that and report back to us at the next meeting. Is there any further business?" The President paused. "If not, then the meeting is adjourned."

[Summer Wine]