Korean Job Discussion Forums

[MarionG]

Does your hogwan (hokwan, hakwon, whatever, but not your public school) allow students to be hit by teachers?

If so, is it only for disciplinary or study related infractions (such as not doing homework, or being disruptive in class.)

Can any of the teachers do the hitting or is there a designated disciplinarian?

And if any student can hit students, are there any regulations about it?

I'd really like to know what other teachers have actually witnesses.

Thanks

[mindmetoo]

The math teachers do not spare the rod. I certainly don't hit my students.

[tob55]

IF anyone does the hitting, it should never be you or another foreign teacher. The Koreans frown highly on foreigners taking the liberty to hit their children, even though it is commonly accepted for the KTs to hit students when necessary. In the only hagwon I worked in the last 4 years, the director was responsible for the discipline which took place in their office in the presence of another Korean witness to witness the discipline...

[MarionG]

By "do any of the teachers do the hitting...." I did not mean native teachers...I have not ever and will never hit a student, here or in any other country. As one respondent mentioned, there is a "designated disciplinarian" at the school where he worked, and that's really what I was after...designated disciplinarian, or any old teacher with a stick?

[kat2]

At my first hogwan in 2003, the manager told me that "You can hit the children. There are two reasons that its OK. The Bible says its OK and they won't die if you hit them!"
That being said. I've never hit the kids, but with the kindy kids, I have picked them up and put them outside the classroom or in their chair or otherwise been more physical than I would be in the US (for fear of lawsuit).

[passport220]

I have seen the full gamut (I work in a PS). Once I have seen what I would consider severe physical punishment. I was in full view of a group of teachers. The teacher that did the hitting was called on it and received a mild verbal reprehended (I do not speak Korean so I can not say accurately what took place, but what I saw and what my co-teacher told me - I am comfortable with that characterization).

Some of what I see when the teachers hit the kids is meant to be punitive (for some reason it is mostly by the math teachers). Most of what I see take place is more symbolic physical punishment, not meant to cause pain but rather to get a student�s attention.

This is always by Korean teachers. I have no interest in hitting a kid, I want them relaxed and comfortable in my class as much as is practical.

[normalcyispasse]

My hakwon permitted physical punishment.

Yes, I smacked a few kids -- not hard, but enough to get their attention. I do it still at my elementary school.

Initially I had many reservations, but physical discipline is one of those things that's just expected here.

[koon_taung_daeng]

there are a couple of kids i would love to give a good smacking

[Xuanzang]

[Tony_Balony]

Foreign teachers no
K teachers yes

[faster]

5 years here -- never.

[wylies99]

Yes, as long as the Korean teachers are the ones doing the smacking.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

At my old hagwon the policy was supposedly a firm 'no' (English is always fun fun fun, for any student, regardless of how much they hate school or how boring and repetative the material is, don't you know), but that didn't stop a couple of the Korean teachers and one of the foreign teachers from doing it anyways. What was wongjongnim-babo going to do? Fire the few teachers who actually cared and make the revolving door spin even faster?