Korean Job Discussion Forums

[driftingfocus]

Okay, so on Monday I posted about feeling bad about taking a sick day, despite the fact that I could barely get out of bed, and the fact that I already teach at 7 schools, which is more than I was told I would (and I have never complained about this to any of my administrators). Well, today I still wasn't feeling great, so I took a second day. They had taken me to the clinic late last night, but the medicine hadn't really kicked in yet. I still have somewhat of a fever, and standing or moving very much makes me very tired and sweaty within a few minutes. So, no teaching today.

Well, on Tuesdays, I teach at one school until 1:30, then come back to my Office of Education and teach a 3 hour workshop from 2-5 for the other Korean ESL teachers at the other middle schools. Around 1:45 today I get a call from my supervisor asking if I could come teach the workshop. I say that no, she said earlier in the day that I could take a second sick day, that I didn't feel up to leaving my apartment, much less standing in front of a class for 3 hours. Well, she ended up pressuring me into letting the 4 teachers come to my apartment, and be taught there, saying "If you can talk but don't want to stand, you can teach at your apartment while you are laying in bed." I balked at first, but in the interests of showing that I'm not being totally lazy and that I'm trying to work with them on their needs and my needs, I agreed. So I just spent a little under 3 hours teaching other ESL teachers IN MY APARTMENT, while I lay in bed, sweating from a low fever.

If my school ever balks at me asking them for a favor, I am SO going to bring this up.


(original post: http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=125185)

[pecan]

-Nut

[Stormy]

Ouch. This is not an auspicious beginning to your job. If they're pulling that crap now & you acqueisced they're just gonna keep piling more & more on you I'd imagine.
It's hard when you're new & want to be co-operative but you've got to learn to say no! Hopefully they'll all catch your germs & get sick themselves.

[driftingfocus]

[Draz]

You don't have to explain why you are saying no. Especially when they already know "why". They saw you being sick at the clinic, and had the doctor confirm you were sick. If that was my supervisor, I would have hung up on her.

I hope they aren't actually counting that as a sickday.

[driftingfocus]

[Hanson]

Only in Korea...

[alinkorea]

You taught a class from your bed!
You have got to be joking. That is one of the most stupid things I've heard in quite a while. That your supervisor had the audacity to ask is unbelievable. That you are weak enough to agree is mind-boggling

[Paddycakes]

You must have felt like the "ENGLISH PATIENT", literally....

[Ramen]

Why do you let them do that to you? Why?!

[xtchr]

[quote="driftingfocus"] So I just spent a little under 3 hours teaching other ESL teachers IN MY APARTMENT, while I lay in bed, sweating from a low fever.

quote]


This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Learn to say NO, and then leave it at that. If not for your own sake, for all of ours, especially the poor sod who will eventually come after you. "Oh, but driftingfocus teacher used to teach every day.."

You are a teacher, not some chained bear in a circus to be poked and prodded at will for the benefit of your masters.

And your supervisor/co-tchr does not need to know why. Do they ever tell you the 'why' of their decisions, other than something like "it is Korean way"? They need a blasting, and the sooner the better or else you're going to get walked on all year.

[driftingfocus]

[driftingfocus]

[Dodgy Al]

Would your supervisor have taught a class in that manner? Absolutely not. And yet she expects you to. She has no respect for you. Quit. Now.

[captain kirk]