Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SqueakyBuddha]

Do the kids in your public school classes stand and bow to you at the start and end of each class?

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Only the bahn-jang (prefect) stands, calls them to attention, and then they bow.

[xCustomx]

Some of them do, but most of them don't. When I asked my co-teachers if they do it in their class, they both said they don't like it so the kids don't have to.

[Easter Clark]

As YBs said, at the beginning and end of every class. Sometimes if it's the last class of the day I'll have them all stand and push in their chairs, straighten their desks and pick up any trash around. In that case they're all standing when they bow.

However, only about half of the students bow when they pass me in the hall or on the school grounds. They all bow to the Korean teachers automatically, but instead of a respectful bow or "안녕하세요?", I only get a nervous "Hi--EEE!"

[cdninkorea]

[Draz]

Sometimes I get bows and Korean greetings from students, sometimes it's a hello and a wave. The bowing is very rare in class, usually if someone is bowing at me it's in the hallways.

I've noticed that if I'm scowling my way down the hall and I make eye contact, sometimes I can get them to bow reflexively. So cute!

[Lao Wai]

[Cracker006]

1st year classes, yes...

2nd and 3rd year... no

I do get a lot of bows in the hallway though. Mostly they crack me up, because the kids running past, or playing a game, and do this funny little duck and curl, while continuing what they are doing.

[Hank the Iconoclast]

I get bows in the hallways and some of my extra class students bow to me before the class. My format is a bit different than a normal Korean class so I don't really expect the whole calling to attention thing for bowing.

[wayfarer]

[poet13]

they bow, bow, bow, and bow again.

They bow in class,
in the beginning and the end,
they bow in the hall,
They do with class,
They do it with a friend,
even when having a ball.

they bow high,
they bow low.
they bow slow,
then they say a happy "Bye!".

They bow in the streets,
their friends from other schools do too...
because my student punched him and said,
"Hi teacher! It's nice to meet you."

They bow from their bikes,
they bow in passing cars,
they shout "hello teacher"
from across a busy intersection,
so they can show off for their friends,
that they can bow so low.

Oh woe, I wish they'd just stop.

[cruisemonkey]

Mine bow in the hallways and before each class (that is, if they're not rolling around on the floor beating on each other).

[brento1138]

With my first, more strict co-teacher, they were forced to bow at the end of every class and say "thanks" to us for teaching. I always found it annoying to settle them down, and do that... just a waste of time imo.

My new co-teacher agrees with me, so we disbanded that. The students are still great... and they still tend to bow to me as they're walking past in the hallway.

Besides, we're teaching English. Might as well teach them about English culture and how bowing isn't really a part of it, unless you just performed a piano recital.

[crusher_of_heads]

Yes.


Elementary kids never did it until I showed up-they do now.