Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sojourner1]

A co-FT is leaving this weekend for 2 months and his replacement came a couple days ago. Today, while she job shadows him, I hear him telling the newbie that I was going to be fired when he came back from SE Asia and not to tell me. She asks, "why?� he says, "because he is not good with these special kids." She asks, "Why then instead of now?", he says, "because there are no candidates available due to mass public school hiring�s."

I got a bad review 3 weeks ago in a meeting with the director and much of the written statements were false!!! Such as I request CD's and never use them when in fact I use them every day to sing and speak with the kids. I am unhappy now and it would make logical sense that they can sense it even though I am being discreet about it. They are giving her a whole week of training and it is said that she is only going to be here for 3 months!!! I didn't get any training or support and began teaching early in my 1st day! I have even been told by my director and head teacher recently that I am staying the whole year. What the hell?

This would be a 9th month firing. What do you make of this? What should I do?

Here the situation: I am teaching 1st year kindy classes and having a hard time getting them to be quiet, listen, and do their school work. I have been at it for 6 months and get the sense that the director the vice director have not liked me since day 1, but there is no one waiting in line to get my job. That�s for sure. The director and vice director has been stone cold since day 1 without allowing me to build rapport despite my attempts nor giving me any teaching support, always last minute confusions, and disagreements on account of improper planning and management which I don't ridicule as to not disrespect them, but I do try to talk things out as to know how they want things done. They are always defensive, not personable, and generally unapproachable. There was no training or orientation as I started teaching the first day. I asked for help and support early on, but didn't get it so I just kept doing the best I can do. I know I am not the best due to lacking experience, knowledge, qualifications, and the knack to control and inspire Korean children.

It pretty much goes, I talk, they talk and get up, run around, and make lots of noise which results in the vice director paying a visit to tell them in Korean to sit down and listen to me. When they do sit down, listen, and perform, they all fiercely compete for my attention by getting loud, blatantly rude, and crazy. I have tried everything on these spoiled kids with no discipline and they just embarrass me when the director or vice director is looking through the glass of the classroom doors or comes into the class which pisses me the hell off. The director and vice director always come into my classes to handle all business matters, tell me things, and inform me of any other changes which is very disrespectful and shows they have not regards for me other than serving a profit motive.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

I'd be doing everything I could to get fired even sooner, myself.

[Masta_Don]

Kindie is just about the worst there is.

[ttompatz]

[flint]

[Areut]

I would have walked in when I heard them and so I am getting fired. And seen what he would say. This will be a hint to you what is to come. And might shake things up!

Edited: Oh and I would ask if they always discuss things about employees to other employees this should embarrass them.

[spliff]

Yeah, why are you playing/pretending that you didn't hear the conversation? My advice to you would be to grow a pair, confront your boss and then pull a runner the next payday.

[jellobean]

Might be better off giving the 30 days notice since this is a great time of year to get new jobs..... You may need to fight for the letter of release though....

Or, you could try to get fired sooner..... It can't be that hard..... Go to class, sit down, speak English if the kids talk to you but don't move from your chair or attempt to discipline them.... If your boss asks what's up, tell him he should fire you now because this is all you will do until he fire's you in 2 months.... Once you tell the boss that you know they plan to fire you, he doesn't have much power.... If he claims he isn't going to, just say that you don't believe him.... There is not much he can do but fire you and he has to pay you until he does..... If he fires you then he has to release you....

If you do a runner you won't be able to work until your first contract was up....

[sojourner1]

Yes, I want to quit, but then I am unemployed and unemployable until the 1st of next January. In the review, the director also told me the kids hate me, that 5 minutes of games per class was too much, told me I was not reporting publisher mistakes found in textbooks, told me I was not checking book work, told me I must read peoples' minds, and told me I was never prepared for classes. These are all blatant lies as I do all these things. Maybe the reading minds part is a bit impossible, but I do pick up on body language, attitude, and relationship dynamics.

The students hate the math, science, literacy, and phonics curriculum I am teaching where you are expected to get them to sit down, speak, and write the whole time with no playtime or recesses. I am given ultimatums to have these books completed which makes me slave drive the kids to get it done in specified time frames. This leaves little time for fun activities and no recess in the playground is allowed for these 5 and 6 year olds. No wonder why they hate going to the school and why they hate me, and don't have enough respect to listen and do as I say.

Since day 1, there director and vice director seem tense which makes me uncomfortable where they are not supportive, optimistic, or personable.

Basically, if I quit, I would be paying my flight back home and not able to return for 6 months, thus, going broke due to unemployment. Yes, I need money as I don't have a whole lot of money, helpful relatives in times of need, or inheritance coming.

I am going to keep going for now since they are paying me and still employing me while I am saving money up. Last year, they fired a teacher in his 4th month, because he could not control the kids or teach. They paid his flight back to his home country! This is a decent elitist hagwon that is financially stable and highly profitable, but it's stressful and presents a downright hard job. Some teachers love the challenge and go for 2nd contracts and some hate it. I am told by the director and head teacher I am much better the teacher they fired, but not liked by the kids. I told her the kids need a little e playtime as to run off all that extra energy and give them a healthy balance of activities at school as sitting 5 year olds down the whole time makes them go berserk, lose respect, and get hostile.

I am exactly halfway though the contract this week and if they gave me 30 days notice of termination in 2 months from now, then my last day would be at the end of my 9th month.

My plan is to take a public school job starting next March in Seoul since that is very attractive with good vacation, only 22 contract hours instead of 30, more fun things to do, and possibly a much less stressful work situation. I would like to take a job right now, but the work visa laws are a real problem to my understanding.

I have heard many of you just say to quit jobs we don't like. How do you get around work visa issues without knowing if you can get a letter of release?

[Corky]

I think you're going to be much happier when you switch jobs.

[Fresh Prince]

I'm sure that your current employer would be willing to give you a letter of release if you agree not to quit while the other teacher is still on vacation.

[tigerbluekitty]

Yeah, I say don't quit and just get fired, that way you'll have a better chance of getting a release letter. They might give it to you if you make a big enough deal out of the firing. If that doesn't work then tell them that you'll bring down the school's reputation if they don't give you a release letter. And if the school knows what's best for them, they'll give you the release letter.

[yingwenlaoshi]

How the hell should the other teacher know you're going to be fired? Sounds like you're the very last one to find out. Including the students. I would've told them that they're full of *beep* if the were telling me lies about my work. "Then fire me. I don't want to work here anymore. Maybe you should just fire me." Or just give them your notice. Fk 'em.

I'd confront your boss about what you overheard. "Are you planning on firing me when the other teacher gets back? That's what he said." Confront that teacher, too.

Ok, so you're having problems controlling the kids. That's no reason for them to blantantly lie to you about stuff they said you don't or do do. That's just pure evil.

Take care of all that now. Sit down with them and bring up all the lies they told you and about overhearing what that dork said about you getting fire. You only live once.

Just get the fk out of there. If you can get them to fire you on the spot, you can get some cash for a plane ticket or something. Make them think that it's not wise to keep you on.

Remember that they have to give you notice. As should you if you want to work straight away at another job. No notice on their part equals a month pay after 6 months.

It's not nice for them to make you wait around 2 months to get fired. I wonder if they would be planning on giving you notice at any time.

Investigate and show them your displeasure at their conduct.

And don't teach kindergarten ever again.

[yingwenlaoshi]

Tell them now that you're not very happy with them and that they're being evil in saying the stuff they did about you not using the CDs you requested when you did, etc. And that you feel your duties are really above the call of duty such as editing text books, etc. You're there to teach and they should have someone else helping to control the kids in a kindergarten situation. Maybe it's the type of school where the parents want them to learn at a fast pace, etc., but the duties they give you and the curriculum don't really provide that. Too much hard work for no reason. Bring them down a few levels and make them lose face. Tell them they don't know what the hell they're doing and you can't work in such an environment Tell them that you don't want to work there anymore and that the school sucks. Tell them that they are idiots. Just make sure you bring up this thing you overheard about you being fired in 2 months.