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cdninkorea
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Location: Seoul
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 Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:08 pm Post subject: Ah, So We Need A Degree, But Not Them... |
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Overseas Students to Teach English in Korean Schools
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Korean college students overseas and foreign college students studying Korea-related majors will be able to teach English at schools here from this summer. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said the students can volunteer to teach English at rural schools for six months or one year.
A ministry official said it was the first time college students have been allowed to teach English at lower schools in Korea. �The volunteers will be paid air fares and lodging,� he said. Details for the plan will be announced late this month. |
Great. So one one hand, the government says a degree in anything is enough to teach English. On the other hand, Koreans who happen to study abroad (may be studying engineering, which while difficult, requires little English ability compared to other majors) or anyone studying a Korea-related major (as if, for example, studying the Korean War makes you any good at teaching English) are able to teach in public schools in Korea.
Nice that they're consistent. The sad part is that I was a little surprised when I read this. I guess my pessimism about this place hasn't completely swallowed what's left of my soul. |
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Hank the Iconoclast
Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:13 pm Post subject: Re: Ah, So We Need A Degree, But Not Them... |
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| cdninkorea wrote: |
Overseas Students to Teach English in Korean Schools
| Quote: |
Korean college students overseas and foreign college students studying Korea-related majors will be able to teach English at schools here from this summer. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said the students can volunteer to teach English at rural schools for six months or one year.
A ministry official said it was the first time college students have been allowed to teach English at lower schools in Korea. �The volunteers will be paid air fares and lodging,� he said. Details for the plan will be announced late this month. |
Great. So one one hand, the government says a degree in anything is enough to teach English. On the other hand, Koreans who happen to study abroad (may be studying engineering, which while difficult, requires little English ability compared to other majors) or anyone studying a Korea-related major (as if, for example, studying the Korean War makes you any good at teaching English) are able to teach in public schools in Korea.
Nice that they're consistent. The sad part is that I was a little surprised when I read this. I guess my pessimism about this place hasn't completely swallowed what's left of my soul. |
They said that they can volunteer. That means no pay. Who is actually going to do that? Korea is not a third world country and I would say that very few are actually interested enough in Korea to go there without pay. |
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cdninkorea
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:42 pm Post subject: Re: Ah, So We Need A Degree, But Not Them... |
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| Hank the Iconoclast wrote: |
| They said that they can volunteer. That means no pay. Who is actually going to do that? Korea is not a third world country and I would say that very few are actually interested enough in Korea to go there without pay. |
People majoring in Korea Studies might volunteer.
That's not the point I'm trying to make though. What bothers me is that people without a degree are somehow qualified to teach English so long as they're Korean or studying Korea.
It's not about the money; if a degree is required for us to teach, why isn't it for everyone? |
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nobbyken
Joined: 07 Jun 2006
Location: Yongin ^^
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| Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:52 pm Post subject: |
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A degree is required for employment as a teacher. Volunteering is just offering assistance, and they desperately want people who can speak English.
They could probably do my last job full-time, such was the intellect required.
I dare say a parrot who had been resident in an English speaking country, would probably be able to find a position in some schools.
Sshh, don't tell LMB.
EDIT:
At my last school (elementary), I think I was over qualified for "Hello Minsu".
Last edited by nobbyken on Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:55 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Netz
Joined: 11 Oct 2004
Location: a parallel universe where people and places seem to be the exact opposite of "normal"
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| Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:54 pm Post subject: |
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Just your typical "grasping at straws" by the Korean government.
Those "student teachers" will get here to teach, right after the hordes of Indians and Phillipinos show. Never.
Move along, nothing to see here. |
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ESL Milk "Everyday
Joined: 12 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:58 am Post subject: |
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Uhhh... first of all, this job isn't hard unless you're really ugly, mean or boring, and even then the only thing that makes it hard is the frustration, or the desire to do more than is expected of you (in some cases, actually teach). And it's not like finishing a BA in political science automatically qualifies you as a teacher.
Second of all, this is yet another scheme designed to exploit the gyopos and get around the whole 'you need a BA' thing in the guise of 'a life-changing experience', which capitalizes on the gyopo curiosity about their parents' birthplace. If they thought that they could sell white people on it, they probably would. They're testing people to see if they can get away with it... and if enough people bite, they'll keep doing it. It's the Korean way. |
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koreandefence
Joined: 05 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 8:01 am Post subject: lol |
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hey OP, if i ever need someone on my side to help me form a good debating team or to help me find a good point in an article, remind me to foget about asking you. How can you infer that a professional teacher and students who donate their time as the same thing and therefor be subject to the same rules? eg. Im not a builder but i can help out in Cambodia building schools, is that the same as actually being a builder? No! but it helps serve a purpose. So should i go and study for 3 years to learn how to hammer a nail, or will i trust there will be someone guiding me?
How about look into the article and read it for what it is instead of trying to be all intelligent and trying to read and argue a point that does not exist. |
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cdninkorea
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 4:30 pm Post subject: Re: lol |
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| koreandefence wrote: |
hey OP, if i ever need someone on my side to help me form a good debating team or to help me find a good point in an article, remind me to foget about asking you. How can you infer that a professional teacher and students who donate their time as the same thing and therefor be subject to the same rules? eg. Im not a builder but i can help out in Cambodia building schools, is that the same as actually being a builder? No! but it helps serve a purpose. So should i go and study for 3 years to learn how to hammer a nail, or will i trust there will be someone guiding me?
How about look into the article and read it for what it is instead of trying to be all intelligent and trying to read and argue a point that does not exist. |
Interesting analogy but I'm afraid your missing my point as well. Allow me to clarify:
The problem I have is that in public schools we are not considered professional teachers. We all require degrees, and even if we are certified teachers back home, we are not considered professional teachers. These volunteers will likely be assigned as "assistant teachers", which the exact same job we do in public schools. The only difference will be they don't get paid.
What message does this send? When people are caught with fake degrees they get treated harshly, under the premise that one isn't qualified to be an assistant teacher in Korea without a degree. But suddenly it's okay to not have a degree if you're an overseas Korean or a Korean Studies major?
Last edited by cdninkorea on Mon Apr 07, 2008 4:37 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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cdninkorea
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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| ESL Milk "Everyday wrote: |
Uhhh... first of all, this job isn't hard unless you're really ugly, mean or boring, and even then the only thing that makes it hard is the frustration, or the desire to do more than is expected of you (in some cases, actually teach). And it's not like finishing a BA in political science automatically qualifies you as a teacher.
Second of all, this is yet another scheme designed to exploit the gyopos and get around the whole 'you need a BA' thing in the guise of 'a life-changing experience', which capitalizes on the gyopo curiosity about their parents' birthplace. If they thought that they could sell white people on it, they probably would. They're testing people to see if they can get away with it... and if enough people bite, they'll keep doing it. It's the Korean way. |
(boldface mine)
I agree! If the Korean government is going to have degree requirements, they should require degrees relevant to English instruction. If not that then at least some kind of certification, like TEFL or CELTA for example.
Oh, and make them a requirement for everyone. |
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