Korean Job Discussion Forums

[fromtheuk]

My co-teacher has recently got pregnant and today she came into school, looking really unwell due to morning sickness.

We had our first class, the second one was cancelled due to a field trip, and for the third class, she has gone downstairs to lie down, she's in a bad way right now.

A Korean teacher told me he will teach the students something else in his classroom, for this period.

So for the last class this morning, I assume the word will spread and that class may be cancelled too, unless my co-teacher feels better or they expect me to teach alone, which judging from this period, isn't likely.

She said she expects this sickness to last a couple of months. She also said this morning she hoped to leave work early today to get some rest.

If her condition stays this way for a while and if she is unable to co-teach, what would the school do: get a new co-teacher, keep cancelling classes or even worse, expect me to teach alone?!! (I hope not)

I've recently had it confirmed that GEPIK native teachers must have a Korean teacher with them, to teach here legally.

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

Lastly, it's not nice to see anybody that unwell, but I must say I feel good that I am doing less work today than normal.

I am one of those posters who would love to have a job where I do as little as is humanly possible and still get paid for it.

Thank you.

[oldfatfarang]

As a Western teacher you do not have a "Teaching License" to teach in Korea. Therefore, you can't teach on your own. By law - you must have a K co-teacher present. However, even in an ideal world there will be times when (sickness/bereavement etc) you can't have a co-teacher.

Just explain to your school that you must have a co-teacher present in all classes - then it becomes their problem - not yours.

Two things to consider if you are teaching solo:
- you're not being paid enough to teach solo (can be very stressful)
- you'll be spending most of classtime with discipline/control issues and not teaching Englisheeee.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

If you're teaching at the secondary school level you should be able to teach alone if need be. It may be hard at first, but overcoming the challenges will be a valuable experience. Also, you may find teaching with a temp is worse than teaching solo. If the kids are giving her the substitute teacher treatment how will they react to you?

[Alyallen]

Ask the school to have the class teacher present. That alone will get kids to behave themselves.

[fromtheuk]

It's Elementary level. I've taught alone before when my co-teacher had to attend some meetings. It was ok, a bit stressful, but a good effort.

GEPIK have said it's not legal to teach alone, so I will wait and see what the school asks me to do.

I love not doing anything sometimes....like today

[Fishead soup]

Teaching alone is not a bad idea. If you are short tempered I would try to avoid it. However from time to time I find myself in a situation where I need to teach alone. When I find myself in these situtaion I usually
Go over dialogues previously studied. Have them just listen and repeat.
Or sometimes I will just play a simple game.

Teaching alone will certainly help your standing in your school.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[bassexpander]

Speak softly... but carry a biiiiiig stick!

[pest2]

How many students in the class? If its less than 20, it wont be that bad. I doubt the school is going to let things slide for very long without an English teacher. They'll probably get you a sub. I had a sub for a class where a teacher got pregnant and it was fine.

[Alyallen]

[shantaram]

[fromtheuk]

My co-teacher came back for the last period in the morning. I explained to her why I didn't teach the previous class.

I explained to her I got an email recently from GEPIK which stated it was illegal for me to teach alone.

After they asked GEPIK teachers to prove they had real degrees this week, I feel more than happy that I mentioned the legal issue.

My co-teacher seemed to be unaware of the legality of teaching alone, but she didn't react/respond negatively, she is feeling too bad today to converse anyway. I mentioned I still have that email.

If for whatever reason in the future, I am asked to teach alone, I will mention the legal issue again. But, as I have done before, if there is a homeroom teacher in the class, I will teach.

Why feel guilty?!!....after all I'm just trying to follow the law......just as I followed it when proving I have a real degree this week.........you don't detect any sign of bitterness in this post now do you?!!!

[Fishead soup]

[fromtheuk]

I'm sure you're right. But, they couldn't force you to do something illegal?!! I don't think they could or would even try. Or would they?!!! I don't know!

Here's what a GEPIK official said in an email to GEPIK native teachers:

1. Do NOT go in to a class to teach WITHOUT Korean co-teacher. (I know, sometimes you are asked to go in alone because the co-teacher too busy then refuse to teach alone in the classroom)

Korean law states that unless one is duly licensed to teach in Korea, than one MUST be accompanied in the classroom by a teacher who is actually licensed.

Even though, you are teaching 100% of the class, co-teacher MUST be the classroom.

Our office will be sending official letters to all co-teachers about acommpanying you is ESSENTIAL AND MUST!

Some of the above email text was edited by myself due to spelling and grammatical errors. Even then, there are still errors.

[garykasparov]

Is this a GEPIK wide policy or an actual law they enforce at GEPIK schools?