Korean Job Discussion Forums

[VanIslander]

if you aren't publishing, you ain't a "professor"

[KoreanAmbition]

[cubanlord]

[cubanlord]

[bassexpander]

[TECO]

I've met a few people teaching at universiteis with "Professor" stamped on their business cards and later learned they only had M.A. degrees and were ranked at "Instructor" or "Lecturer."

Many people get off on it.

[bassexpander]

"Many people?"

Who? Or more realistically, from where -- or describe the situation? Have you actually met individuals who "got off" on it, or is it just a figment of your imagination?

To be fair, I used to feel there were a lot of people like this based on what I read on Dave's (call it my imagination, if you like). It wasn't until I sat down and thought about it that I realized how few people I've actually met (and I've met several English lecturers from unis here) who "get off" on the professor title.

Seriously, although I don't doubt there are a few individuals like this, I haven't met many.

I would have to think that, if no one can think of any good examples, this is more an issue of high-level degree holders responding to crappy conditions and the reluctance of universities here to offer them what they feel they deserve. In essence, the BA-holders become easy targets.

[meangradin]

bassexpander, I gave you one example of a person I know who not only lauds his status, but imo uses his prof. "credentials" to commit a low level fraud.

However, I agree with you, that of all the people I have met who work in Korea, I have only personally come across 2 people, and I suspect they were jackoffs anyway. One certainly does get a tainted view when one reads Daves' boards.

In my case, there is no jealousy, as I choose not to work full time in a university at this point in my life for the simple reason that I make much more money by working other jobs.

[TECO]

[KoreanAmbition]

[VanIslander]

[bookemdanno]

If you don't have the classification E1 on your ARC, then you might as well be a "professor" enlisted in the FARC, in Columbia.

Of course, you can have "professor" on your door but you will still get paid less than Korean professors simply because you're a waygook, and that's the bottom line for me.

I chuckle when I hear people without a doctorate promoting themselves as professors.

So at least you have the right mindset about it all, OP.

[agoodmouse]

Typically, how many years of experience does a person with only a B.A. need to get a university instructor position in Korea? Also, what class sizes do those of you who teach university students have?

One fellow I met, as a result of traveling to other schools' demonstration lessons, got a lecturer's position after one year of teaching middle school in GEPIK. He networked with a guy at his church who was leaving the position at the end of the year.

Next year I'll have two years of teaching public high school. It feels a bit odd to know I could possibly lecture at a university, but I've gotten pretty good at teaching/facilitating English conversation classes at my high school -- and I'd embrace 'lecturer', not 'professor', when explaining my position to my friends. It's less of a toss-up for me rather than others regarding whether to move to university, or continue working at my academic high school with my low to mid-high intermediate students. As with any high school, we've got students with different levels of academic ability. However, this year I've seen a marked increase level of English ability in the new First grade students. They're more nerdy, in the best sense, and very into speaking. It's really encouraging. I've got no real discipline problems, and co-teaching happens only on paper. I teach all classes myself. (Ugh, if you need a co-teacher because your students can't understand you, you need to grade your language:shock:) However, I'd love to teach just 12 to 15 students in one class, not 38. Another thing: I only see each student once a week. Which in itself is an unfortunate situation.

[Pyongshin Sangja]

[Pyongshin Sangja]