Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Canadian Teacher]

Actually, Captain, you have no idea where I work or how much I make. I would never work at a hagwan because I do not have to. I have credentials to get a REAL teaching job because I am a REAL teacher. I would wager my hourly rate is MUCH higher than yours, especially since I only work seven and a half months a year and get paid for thirteen.

Korea is full of this type, twenty something know it alls who have to strut around and tell everybody how his job at Wonderland is the Best in Korea. They would be pumping gas graveyard shift in Canada and living in Mommy's basement.

[william beckerson]

Countdown to thread lock!

I betyah 100 won it'll be monkey to do it first.

[CRH]

I think that the hogwan problem has a lot to do with the system that it operates in.....For a LOT of hogwan owners these operations seem to be get rich quick schemes....I have worked at really disorganized hogwans (no textbooks, no curriculum, teachers that really didn't give a f### about anything as long as they were paid on time, etc)...Now I work at a hogwan that is fairly well equipped to meet students needs, but there seem to be more problems than at the fly by night one....Level tests are a show for the moms that want validation that they're darling precious angel is the next super-genuis on the block. Hence kids are placed in inappropriate levels and get passed no matter how poorly they do (I tried to tell a Korean counterpart that one student couldn't proceed to the next level because they did piss poor on the test, and I was ignored).

The simple fact of it is that hogwans are not there to educate, they are there to make money.....I'm not saying that a kid can't pick up the language at one, but it is a slim chance at best.....

1. The students have to want to be there (this is a slim chance seeing how many different "extra" classes these kids attend).

2.The curriclum has to be set up to teach the kids properly, and not just please they're parents (children at my hogwan get passed on unless there is a serious problem- like them not being able to read etc.Report cards are a joke in that they are there simply there to put a smile on the parents faces. Anything under a B given by me or any other foreign teacher is changed by our Korean counterparts).

3. The Foreign teachers and the Korean teachers have to work together. At my hogwan any suggestion (no matter how polite, understated, or soft soaped) as to how to handle a situation is taken with a great deal of resentment, and bitterness. This ends with nothing being done about potential problems....

I know I am setting myself up for a fall posting this. There seems to be several people here waiting to jump on any critics of the system. They can talk as much trash as they want. I KNOW that the teachers at the hogwan I teach at put a lot of time, effort, and thought into they're classes....We have put plenty of effort into trying to make the school a success ,and I think it is (for the director at least) ....Still I think the students are the ones that are being shafted.........

Just my 100 won on the subject
Cheers
CRH

[Felix the Cat]

I so much would like to be Captain Oblivious.

[Homer]

Canadianteacher...for one who bashes "twenty somethings" for their immaturity and strutting you sunk pretty quick to base insulting and the good old "I make more than you ha ha" which of course is just another version of "My dad can beat up your dad".
If you are a REAL teacher and seem to be older and wiser (your post implies this) then why not show it instead of engaging in a silly and vulgar mudslinging contest?

Some hagwon jobs are good some are bad. The same goes for Uni and public school jobs. So you make more money and have nice vacation time..well congrast you won that little war with the capt.
The thread is based on a simple question concerning the quality of the hagwon market. Its not a "Well I'm a REAL teacher and your not" thread.
Besides a teaching degree does not automatically make you a better teacher than another person and a secure person would not feel the need to boast about his credentials just because another user made comments.
You could and should have responded in a more mature way Teacher.

[matko]

Dear Homer,

In the thread "The best and worst handles" You wrote in reference to captain oblivious

[Homer]

Not true my friend Matko....said capt voices his opinions in crude and direct ways and that was fine.
The other situation involves a person who starts out by saying he or she is "Above" another and then quickly sinks to vulgar name calling.
See the difference Matko?
I did not say I agree with the capt just that he stays true to his style.
There are always ways to respond to people without resorting to cheap insults and low-ball tactics do you not agree Matko?

[matko]

What's your definition of "crude"
The captain doesn't post like he is "above" other people?
The captain doesn't resort to "cheap insults"
Again, What's your definition of a cheap insult?
Read some of the captains posts again.
After that, please tell me where I can get some of that crack!
Oh, sorry, was that a cheap insult?

[hack]

Actually I managed to get a picture of Captain at our last staff meeting

[some waygug-in]

So Captain, Do you have any friends? No really, do you?
Cheers
Some waygug-in

[Captain Obvious 2.0]

[Canadian Teacher]

[Canuckophile]

To Capt Obvious:
I no longer teach in hogwons. I teach kindie immersion programs.

I did not say that ALL hogwons failed to teach English, but the hogwons I have taught in would not be able to accomplish this goal for a variety of reasons (including the Korean teacher component).

I assume that your objective is to be rude (objective reached) but what's the point of these little tirades of yours? Do you need a dog to kick or what?

[Bulsajo]

[matko]

Having credentials doesn't make you a good teacher.
However, having credentials makes you a better teacher than you would have been otherwise.