Korean Job Discussion Forums

freethought · Joined: 13 Mar 2005

I work at a very low level Public middle school in Korea. I am not a 'trained' teacher, ie: no teacher's certificate, and I've never taught at a public school in America or Canada before. I have guest lectured at a high school a few times, though, and it was a low level HS where pregnant girls get sent to from their normal schools...

Anyway, what I'm curious about is the behavior of students in public schools in Nor Am as compared to Korea. My students are awful. Especially awful in my classes, but pretty bad in their other classes as well. I have a number of good classes, but those that aren't good take 'bad' beyond anything that I saw or experienced growing up, and my middle school was one of the lowest in the city when I was growing up.

I was a smartass, and a pain in the behind. But even at my low level school with problem students like myself, I don't remember any of my classes even approaching what even one of my mildly bad classes are like.

Is there someone with recent public school experience in North America who can make a comparison between students behavior between Nor Am students at Korean?

The_Conservative · Joined: 15 Mar 2007

It's been pretty much decided by just about all people who have taught in a N.A. school that the Western students are much worse.

If you are having problems in YOUR school then YOU need to set limits and correct those problems.

Yes middle school students can be a pain. But go to a inner-city school in a big American city and it CAN be worse. In some schools they have metal detectors and armed guards. Ever seen something like that in Korea?

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

I did a bit of volunteer work at a Canadian secondary school (very average, typical school) just before I came to Korea. From what I observed I would say that Korean students are a lot, lot more immature, but generally a lot nicer, too. Few of my Korean students ever swear, they never have real fights, they don't go across the road to light up, and there's almost no truency. On the other hand, in an EFL class where English is the language of instruction a lot of them have trouble keeping the communication going in English; they're used to being lectured at in Korean most of the time. Also, they seem a lot harder to reason with, even the ones who can understand English well enough to try this. Also, with Korean kids I find there's very little attitude of the type so many Canadian kids show, but as a foreigner it is necessary to show them who's boss once in a while.

I just had what's been my worst class this year in terms of behaviour. I had to confiscate one MP3 player and I made a girl who didn't do her handout stay late and do it during the first five minutes of lunch. If that's the worst class I'll take my school over a typical Canadian school any day.

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

IncognitoHFX · Joined: 06 May 2007 Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

I taught at a really small rural school in saskatchewan (400kids 9-12).

My kids back in Canada were great. I mean sure a few of them talked but really, you can't expect them to sit still. On the whole, they put korean students to shame.

In my teaching experience, Korean students behaviour is much worse in and outside of the class though outside of class they seem more...what's the word...affectionate?...endearing?

And I'm not sure what source "The_Conservative" uses when he says:

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

ucfvgirl · Joined: 28 Sep 2005 Location: Bundang

As a qualified high school teacher from Canada, I have to say the students in Korea are definitely more immature and are way too overprotected here. They have no idea of the "real" world.

I teach at a public middle school and I have seen some crazy behaviour here that I would never see in Canada. For example: pushing and hitting each other, talking like babies, being obsessed over crazy toys/anime cartoons, 'hanging' all over each other, to name a few.

Yes, Canada has it's problems too. In our schools we deal with teen pregnancy, alcohol issues, drug abuse, stealing, weapons, and swearing. I am by no means saying Canadian schools have better students, but the issues are certainly different in both countries. I am not sure which is harder to deal with.

crazy_arcade · Joined: 05 Nov 2006

volunteered in a grade 8 class. Korean public school is much nicer. set limits and boundaries and stick to them.

Lao Wai · Joined: 01 Aug 2005 Location: East Coast Canada

The Great Toad · Joined: 12 Jun 2004

From my unhappy teaching in Da Us ive lurned that alot of Us kids like to cut and paste ta make very very cool English papers for homwurk. Kinda funny how they write essays like this in impromptu times though. Also, I had one delequient threaten me with the sooo overused phrase,

You better hope I don't meet you in a dark alley....

This is what happens when you try to get kids to read or write instead of chit chat or mess about in a USA public Sk00l

Never did have a Korean kid in a Middle school threaten me. As to homework well to be honest I never gave much of any in Korea ha ha (Skates are still on in Taiwan) but

khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

Pak Yu Man · Joined: 02 Jun 2005 Location: The Ida galaxy

How many K-kids carry a knife or a gun to school?

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

pdx · Joined: 19 Jan 2007

Yu Bum Suk-

When did they go? I was flying from Narita last Thursday and saw a HUGE group of boys who looked about middle school age.

On topic- everything depends on where your kids come from. Of course there are going to be schools in Korea that have great kids and schools in Korea that have bad kids. Same goes for Western countries. I grew up in America and none of the above mentioned happened at my schools. I've also taught in America and never had a problem. Obviously I know it happens in some places.