Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ya-ta Boy]

At my (adult) school there is a group of students who are on a special program and do not attend the same class as our regular students. They are older and stay irregular lengths of time. They have the option of going to a hakwon, studying alone or coming to our school and can change their choice pretty much when they want to, but they have to be where they say they will be. Sometimes they have their own English teacher, but right now they don�t, so the rest of us have to teach them in rotation. This afternoon was my turn.

I come in to class expecting about 10 of the 15 and there were 8. We had a good first hour in spite of the boss coming in to the class and three different students going out in the hall, talking to him and coming back in at different times. I thought he was observing me. At break time I found out I was mistaken. He was counting noses. It turns out one of the students who was missing from class had been seen out and about and he didn�t have permission. That alerted the authorities and they went looking for the other missing students. They were found and marched back to the building and ordered to attend the second hour of class. All well and good, except--

One of them was drunk. Very drunk. Slurring words and speaking loudly at random times drunk. He had been found sleeping it off in his dorm room and said he had been out drinking the night before, but as this was 2 pm he must have been drinking till at least late morning.

I do not recall ever having to put up with a drunk student in class before. It made a hash of pair work. His partners (we changed every 5 minutes in the particular activity we were doing) handled it pretty well. They know him, and although they don�t like him, they were able to jolly him along and minimized his drunken outbursts, but he did make them and that disturbed everyone in the room.

Then, 20 minutes into the period, the door opens and 4 new students come in. Of course, the old students didn�t want the new students to be their partners because they hadn�t been introduced yet. Five minutes shot getting that straightened out. Just after the activity got going again, 2 more new students show up. Repeat the cycle.

My final 15 minutes was going to be a fun math activity at the whiteboard for 4 or 5 pairs. I now have 17 students�7 extra, unplanned for students and an activity designed for half that. We muddled through, but the activity was not the entertaining ending activity I had planned it to be.

So, what am I thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day? That that damn class period is over. It was one of the longer 50-minute classes I�ve ever had.

Icing on the cake: I got home and found out I had lost my apt key. There is no spare or replacement or skeleton key. Fortunately, I live on the first floor and my balcony windows were not locked. I borrowed a bar stool from a neighbor and was able to climb up over the balcony railing and get in.

I want to take myself out for a hot bath and dinner except I�m afraid something else will go wrong.

[Unposter]

Not trying to be overly cynical here but with such unsavory students as it sounds, make sure one of them didn't pick your pocket and plan to rob you.

[bjonothan]

Sorry to hear about that mate. I would be real pissed with the boss. It is obvious he doesn't know much about how to teach or he wouldn't make things that hard for you (or he is an arse). I am glad that sort of stuff doesn't happen to me any more. I wouldn't even give them a thought when it is time to resign mate. Plenty of better jobs than that around...

[Ya-ta Boy]

It was just one student and it's the only time something like this has happened in 13 years, so it's not an everyday thing, but it sure burned my bacon this afternoon.

[Manner of Speaking]

Ya-ta Boy,

Sorry to hear that. Yeah it sucks when classes don't go well, and then the trend continues at the end of the day. Nothing worse than having a bad day and then coming home for some peace and quiet, and finding yourself locked out.

Once in a while, I check into a yogwan, one of the new ones that has a nice bath and shower & TV, just to get away from it all. Not perfect, but it helps.