Korean Job Discussion Forums

wo buxihuan hanguoren · Joined: 18 Apr 2007 Location: Suyuskis

Granted, I am not talking about those kids in the street that are cocky (which is rare), or the relatively few students that think speaking ban mal to you or swearing at you in Korean is okay, I am talking about the other kids you teach.

I've only taught in Taiwan and Vietnam before, still though, Korean kids are my favourite to teach (Korean adults, too). I usually have a lot of fun teaching them. Generally I prefer the boys though (not gay!), but the girls can be really cool, too.

Today I went to work with a killer hangover left over from 5 days of pretty much non-stop drinking; had the shakes, the sweats, the paranoia, and Thursdays are my busiest days to boot. Was dreading it when I woke up. Thing is, I feel great now. I actually enjoy teaching these little fellas and fellaresses. Definitely one of the more enjoyable aspects of Korea.

sojourner1 · Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 3:12 pm Post subject:

I really like these kids as I do all kids, but Korea (and America too!) needs to parent their kids and instill a little discipline and values into them to establish a framework in their minds on what is expected of them and knowing right from wrong. The teachers are parenting kids who are not equipped to do so nor is that appropriate due to it often being only 2 or 3 hours a week. My morning kindy students that I have for 15 hours a week are doing very well since they are my trained regulars that just love to death who are lots of fun to teach, but afternoon classes hurt due to horrid behaviors. Those kids need to go home after being at school all day, not to a hagwon until bedtime. Many of my afternoon students act rotten and unruly, because they feel insecure and hungry. When kids jump on you and climb all over you, go nuts, refuse to listen, and yell and scream, they are seeking emotional security and help with problems they can't articulate well. These kids are the most rambunctious bunch who refuse to listen, I have ever seen which makes me not enjoy the afternoon kids.

They need parental love which includes time spent with their parents each day. A plethora of temporary teachers cannot adequately raise and love children, but that's the reality in Korea's modern work culture where parents are gone 18 hours a day, especially in white collar ranks.

I voted indifferent due to my teaching job being unnecessary difficult due to many kids lacking values and training on what is expected and how to behave so we teachers just try our best and do what we can, despite it not being an optimal situation. I realize the kids are innocent and don't blame their shortcomings on them, but on modern business culture.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Korean teenagers can drive me up the wall sometimes, but I think that on the whole they're great, great to work with, and unbelievably nice considering the shit they have to put up with.

Little Korean kids under 10, especially the boys, make me never, ever want to have kids myself, especially in this country. You couldn't pay me 4.0 / month to teach them.

igotthisguitar · Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 5:46 pm Post subject:

i like many, not all ...

The ones with the shi%ty attitudes ( wang-ja, yo-wang byung) are usually thrown out of my classroom.

Bye bye ... come back with better atttitude Wink

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

K kids are great kids. They are the fun aspect of my job. I never tire of helping them learn their Englisheee. However, those little elementary suckers aren't really human - are they? I prefer my middle and past high school students.

But, please tell. What happens to these great kids when they grow up?

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

Don't like any of them. I used to, but they drove me nuts.

I guess I like on K-kid. I have 2 daughters. So 1/2 Korean+1/2 Korean=1 Korean.

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

Very much so.

In public school, it depends entirely on their Korean English-teacher. Kids who are great and/or great at English turn to little arse-heads if their K-English teacher allows the rot to set in. The reason the rot is inevitable is their age.

I suspect I'll encounter the same in the other countries I intend to work in, however, and not just Korea. There are some crap teachers in the world who don't give a toss about anything but pay day.

kiwiliz · Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Location: New Zealand

Love 'em. I get to smile most of the day. I teach Elementary kids and they are sooo cute..the Grades 1-4. Grad 5 get a element of cheek thrown in and love making me laugh or jump even, and all are dead keen.

The kids are the best part of this job! Very Happy

Treefarmer · Joined: 29 May 2007

some kids i feel so sorry for, they come in tired and hungry, and like sojourner said, it is a shocking state of affairs that these kids aren't hanging out with their friends or their parents after school

and some of them are little twats, but you get that everywhere i'd imagine

Milwaukiedave · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Location: Goseong

I couldn't decide which one of the answers I liked, so I bypassed voting.

It really depends on the kid, most of the ones from the public school I taught at were pretty good. The ones that are really bad just annoy the hell out of me. I honestly try not to let them get to me, but they do. The thing is sometimes they (much like Koreans in general) invade your space especially outside of class. I try to stop and talk to them as much as possible, but when I'm in the bathroom, I want to be left alone.