Korean Job Discussion Forums

[indytrucks]

Mr. Beckerson,

My comments above do not imply a contempt for the hagwon industry. I have plenty of friends who work in hagwons. They're nice. They're happy. They try hard. They work to become better at what they do. They have hard days, but they don't see themselves as a joke. If anything, it was your original post that showed a great deal of contempt.

Me and my assclown friends worked quite happily in a hogwon for several years. Believe me, if there's one thing I'm familiar with, it's the hagwon biz. In short: it sucks. Having said that, not once did me or any of my collegues resort to slinging the some of the lameassed BS you are so desperate to defend. If there is anyone suffering from superiority complex, it's people like yourself who are the end-all, be-all authority on the intricate inner workings of the hagwon assembly line, the motivations behind coming here, the motivations behind being hired, the motivations of employers and the secrets of the universe in general.

Regardless, you fail to impress me with your omniscience, turd burgler.

PS

[kimcheeking]

bump - split color blind stuff off and bumped this back for talking about professionalism.

[TECO]

I like the guys who spend a year in Japan/Korea/China, etc. and then get a job reporting about the place.

A year and you know all, eh?
LOL!

[Dan]

I don't think Beckerson has a good grasp of anything korean. but then, i don't think he has a good grasp of anything, since he tends to be so internally focused.

[Guest]

I did CELTA before coming here. Very inspiring blahblahblah....but when i'm faced with a full day of teaching 7 hours with measly 5 minute breaks (just one of the days) I can't seem to connect the prepwork expected at 'celta' standards (whatever that means)......i mean i chuckle to myself.
hell, maybe i'm lazy...i'm not lazy in the classroom, but i don't seem to be motivated enough to follow through with such in depth preparation.
However, the times that I've really thought through what I'm doing I've felt a lot of satisfaction.
i think the key is I'm not feeling pressure from anyone to put in my best. i.e. I spent 6 years at uni before coming here, I always worked my butt off for a result or a mark, or at least some kind of tangible goal. Here its my baby, and since I've only been teaching for 3 months, I hope I'll start to develop a more conscientious approach. great post OP.

[William Beckerson]

[bucheon bum]

Look, face it people, this type of BS happens EVERYWHERE, not just Korean ESL. Slackers exsist everwhere, as do workaholics.

So loosen up workaholics, these slackers make you look good. You don't have to worry about guilt and chances are you'll get a good recommendation if and when you ever swtich jobs/careers.

And slackers, hey, you're getting paid right? And if no one is complaining, why not slack? You're only here for a bit, so why make things more difficult for yourself? Makes sense to me. Who cares what those workaholics think?

Question: why does it bother all you "professionals" that there are slackers amongst us? No matter how much you whine and complain, they're not going away. What exactly are you trying to do? Make yourself feel better about yourself? Reassure yourself that you're not wasting your life? What another person does is their own business, is it not? Perhaps you're just jealous that they don't work as hard yet make as much money as you?

question #2: Slackers, give me a break, why are you defending yourselves? You know you're just giving some BS excuse to make yourself feel better. Boss doesn't care? So what, you should. Haven't been trained? There are books on the subject you know. Oh, you're not really interested in the job? Then why are you here in the first place? If you weren't feeling guilty, why would you even care what those "anal retentive" guys/gals are saying about you? Just ignore them.

Ok, obviously I'm sitting on the fence here. Reason being is I think both sides have valid points. It is tiresome to hear the "professional" line. The subject head just reeks of arrogance. Wow, be proud, you're a good teacher. Have to tell the whole world do ya? On the other hand, it is rather sad how little effort some "teachers" put into their work here. Showing up hungover and playing games all day long isn't exactly something to be proud of.

[Arthur Fonzerelli]

I have come to realize after almost 2 years of teaching ESL in Korea, that it is a complete joke of a profession (at least in Korea it is) and you shouldn't "prepare' in any way. Just shoot the breeze with the kids for the allotted class time.

This way you don't have to prepare jack, the kids have fun, and the kids give you good evaluation scores.

p..s. I teach at a university..

[Clutch Cargo]

[bucheon bum]

OK clutch cargo, let's look at the original post:

[Arthur Fonzerelli]

The teachers at my university that get the best evaluation scores are the youngest, least trained, least experienced onces. They are young and cool though... They shoot the breeze and hangout with their students. The material in the book is never taught. They end up with the highest scores and the administration loves them for this and pays them more than more experienced older teachers. I know teachers that bust their balls and have been fired for low evaluation scores..

It's all a complete farce... It's not about learning. It's about how popular you are with the students...

Don't you more experienced older guys wonder why you get paid the same IF NOT LESS than Joe Blow the Recent College graduate who started last month?

ESL in Korea is a joke. I laugh at those who take it seriously.

[Clutch Cargo]

Hi bucheon bum,
I agree that the term 'professional' is a bit of a loaded term, and yes, this probably belongs on the job discussion forum. Arrogant? I don't think it is. I think any industry should try to objectively look at itself in terms of how it approaches the client or customer. When I worked for a retail chain I didn't tell them they were being arrogant because they expected us to have a professional approach to customer service.
I think that this post may have caused offence because it came from just another teacher. There is no faceless central office for the ESL industry here, just the opinions and experiences of others.
You made some good points for both sides of the issue in your post.

[Dan]

[William Beckerson]

[Arthur Fonzerelli]

Dan go back into your hellhole...For God's sake you don't even live in Korea or teach English! If Korea was such a hellhole why do you keep on posting about it here??