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Are you required to stand all day?
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kingplaya4



Joined: 14 May 2006

PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 10:21 am    Post subject: Are you required to stand all day? Reply with quote

For me personally, even though I'm only in my twenties, because of having one leg slightly longer than the other, my body is out of balance, and being forced to stand all day causes me terrible knee and sometimes back pain as well. I don't think they care about that kind of thing in Korea though. My last job I could pretty much get away with sitting when I needed to, but my latest job has made it clear that their policy is no sitting whatsoever. Is this something that a place would really fire someone over? Don't know if I'm the greatest teacher or not, but I never show up hungover, always on time, and make an effort to do the lessons well, so basically they'd have no other cause for complaint.

I thought it was just my own personal problem, but doing a little research revealed otherwise: http://www.hazards.org/standing/index.htm
Apparently the effects of standing all day are not only horrendous on the joints, but damaging to the veins and heart as well.

Teachers should not put up with this, if you need to write on the board for a lesson fine, but if you're reading a passage or doing conversation, I don't see why sitting shouldn't be okay.
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jellobean



Joined: 14 Mar 2006

PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 11:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would suggest going to see a doctor and having them write a letter in Korean stating why you cannot/should not stand all day.... Then your director knows that you aren't making it up if you complain... If your hagwon doesn't like it, get an LOR and find a new one.... I'd find it hard to believe that you would be fired for sitting if you are a decent teacher and provide the director with an excuse for when parents complain...

Another option is to get a chair and sit right in front of the students rather than behind a desk.... That's what I did when I taught elementary and was having problems with my knee...
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peppermint



Joined: 13 May 2003
Location: traversing the minefields of caddishness.

PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 11:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I only ever sat when teaching a very small group, 5 students or less. Otherwise I found the students easier to control and engage if I were up and moving around the classroom.

Getting a doctors note might be a good idea, but it might also backfire, as Koreans don't really look kindly on all sorts of physical differences, even ones as insignificant as yours.

I'd say move around as much as you can, and sneak breaks by sitting/leaning on the edge of your desk.
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tomato



Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: I get so little foreign language experience, I must be in Koreatown, Los Angeles.

PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 1:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I had a job like that, I got swollen feet, I repeatedly went to the clinic, and it didn't do any good.
When I changed jobs, the problem disappeared.
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Whistleblower



Joined: 03 Feb 2007

PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 2:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You are not a slave, you can sit, eat and go to the toilet when you want. Talk to them and find a compromise and tell them you suffer from standing up all day and that you may need surgery. The employer has to provide 100% cost of the surgery as it occured at work and the employers are responsible. If they don't agree, get a chair in your classroom and sit down.

Article 81 (Medical Treatment Compensation)

(1) An employer shall provide necessary medical treatment at his own expense or bear corresponding expenses for a worker who suffers from an occupational injury or disease.

(2) The scope of occupational disease or medical treatment referred to in paragraph (1) shall be determined by the Presidential Decree.

Just show them that paragraph in writing and the hazards of standing up all day. That should freak them out a bit.
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faster



Joined: 03 Sep 2006

PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 2:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You should not be required to stand all day, but I've definitely found I get much better results from my students when I'm up and active in the room. I only sit if I sense that my students have enough focus and energy at the moment, since my body language is such a subconscious cue for them.
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princess



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: soul of Asia

PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 2:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I usually stand up when I teach, but sometimes I sit down when I teach. I worked at one haggie back in 2000 that actually put it into the contract "Don't sit down while teaching and show your tired attitude. Stand when teaching...hahahahahaha! One big girl I work with now ALWAYS sits. Every time I pass her classrooom she is sitting and teaching on a chair. Rolling Eyes
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VirginIslander



Joined: 24 May 2006
Location: Busan

PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 3:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Spained my ankle back in May and I still have problems with it because of standing in class for long periods at my last job.

Not only do I sit in class but I bring my comfortable chair from the office to class.

Tell your boss the problem. He probably wont understand.

So, tell him if he cant assist you, you'll have to leave, or at least spend a day or two in the hospital.
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pest2



Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada

PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My first job at a hakwon had the 'standing policy'.

Second place didnt, but I felt I had to stand to control the class. I did sit down when I had older, well-behaved students or just 2 or 3 students.

Now, working for public school, I almost always stand because I want to get them motivated and I just think sitting often doesn't show that you are being a good motivator for the students. But thats just my opinion.
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mrsquirrel



Joined: 13 Dec 2006

PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 4:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't really agree with sitting and teaching unless it's in a small group and the teacher is participating in the group activity.

Having one leg shorter than the other must be a sod though. Do you not have those special shoes with one heel bigger than the other to compensate?
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Binch Lover



Joined: 25 Jul 2005

PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 4:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I worked for a hagwon, I would sit down a lot because class sizes were small and easy to control. As part of my TEFL certification the trainers recommended teachers sit down as it makes it less intimidating for the students and creates a better class atmosphere. The course was centred around teaching adults but I think it applies to young learners too. I found that when the kids were relaxed, they were much easier to handle. When I was teaching adults, I also only ever really got up to monitor activities and sometimes to write on the board.

Now I work at a public school and I almost never sit down. I'm pretty sure it's because of the class size issue. It's just impossible to see and be seen by 30+ students if you are sitting down. Also, there's no obvious place in the class for me to sit. I have my desk and computer at the front of the classroom and I definitely don't want to sit behind that.

So, I guess if you work with small class sizes sitting is probably the way to go in my opinion as long as you are good with classroom management. Your director probably doesn't know much about teaching and just assumes you're being lazy if you sit down, but this is not necessarily the case. Good luck trying to change his/her mind!
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mrsquirrel



Joined: 13 Dec 2006

PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 4:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think if you sat down in a public school class you would end up pushed under a desk or in a cupbaord somewhere.
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Binch Lover



Joined: 25 Jul 2005

PostPosted: Sun Aug 26, 2007 4:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I think if you sat down in a public school class you would end up pushed under a desk or in a cupbaord somewhere.


I don't get it.
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thegadfly



Joined: 01 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 10:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nurses, wait-people, and teachers are on their feet all day -- occupational hazard, and the reason comfortable work shoes are necessary.

There are times when it is more educationally sound to sit (such as a discussion in which the teacher is meant to be an equal participant or simply observing), and others when it is more sound to stand (larger group classes -- anything over 6 or so for me...if there is a second row, you need to see over the first row's heads). Regardless, I have encountered the "no sitting" attitude quite a bit. Sitting while teaching seems to give the impression of laziness...and did back in the US as well. My default teaching position is to stand -- I sit when it furthers the lesson to do so, otherwise I am on my feet.
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mindmetoo



Joined: 02 Feb 2004

PostPosted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My school is pretty loose. We sit if we please, including the Korean teachers. I'm more than happy to quit and move home if they suddenly decide to change.
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