Korean Job Discussion Forums

[PBEnglish]

I'm sure that my concern with this is due more to the bullshit about the Neil case than anything else, but I thought I'd throw this out there and see what other's think.
One of my female students (She's 11 or 12) has recently started writing on her dictation/test sheets "Teacher I love you" or "I love Paul teacher". I haven't changed my teaching style or anything that would cause anyone to suddenly write this, so I'm at a loss as to why she's suddenly begun doing this.
I'm afraid that if I let her keep on with this, someone will see her paper (I know her mother speaks basic English) and question it.
Should this be something I nip right away or am I overreacting due to all of this hoopla surrounding Chris Neil?

[The_Eyeball_Kid]

[MarionG]

Lots of kids, male and female, tell me they love me...

[blaseblasphemener]

I have a solution: stop being so lovable. Be a hardasss.

[jay-shi]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Kids will be kids and they write things that are cute at times. It's probably a compliment to your teaching and she feels like she's connecting to you.

If you do want to cover your bases, approach your director and express your concern given the recent events. Be sure to tell him/her that you are no Neil and you are looking out for your reputation and that of the school. He/She will probably just brush it off as kids being kids but at least you'll have nipped any doubts anyone may have.

It's no use getting the student involved as it would probably confuse her more than anything else about things she doesn't understand yet.

[cbclark4]

Korean students love their teachers.

[PeteJB]

Never had a crush on a teacher when you were at school?

[Yu_Bum_suk]

I get 'teachuh I lub you!' all the time. It's not a big deal and your students probably know little if anything about the Neil case.

[nevermindb]

Oh yeah. Kids go thru that all the time starting at that age. Listen, if it's not you, it'll be some other teacher. It's just a crush. But I agree with what "jae-shi" said. I'd just mention it to the director. That way you're watching out for your own reputation and it doesn't stay a secret. AND again, what "jae-shi" said, I wouldn't confront the student unless she did inappropriate things (to elaborate, stuff that'd be inappropriate from another adult). It'd only make her really uncomfortable and cuz she's a teenager, she'd be slightly devastated. But hey, it's totally normal. I had one female friend who taught in Korea who had GUYS (or should I say BOYS) chasing after her and following her..."love notes," straight-forward testimonies...haha. She was actually a little afraid. But when push came to shove, that was it...nothing else happened. But you're a dude, it'll be okay.

[nevermindb]

By the way...what's the Chris Neil case?

[nevermindb]

Nevermind. I just saw a forum topic for Chris Neil. That sad excuse for a human being can just rot in hell. Either that or I hope he just suffers and learns from his guilt. Whether you're Christian or not...there's this taboo against disrespecting children.

[Milwaukiedave]

PB,

I wouldn't worry about it too much. The kids at my school would tell me they loved me all the time. I'd only worry if one of them did something you felt uncomfortable with and that would be taken as though it was inappropriate.

[icicle]

I think that teacher I love you is also something that most of them simply know how to say ... and a large part of the time they don't mean the meaning which we would normally put on the word ... I just tend to take it as a positive comment ... and leave it at that ... I am teaching at middle school level ...

[kat2]

Teacher, I love you. Teacher, you beautiful/handsome.
I hear these all the time. Even adults are probably saying things like this to you that sound a little odd in english. It's just omething about the culture here. Dont' wrory about it at all.