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Cornfed
Joined: 14 Mar 2008
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 Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:01 pm Post subject: Why don't they tell us what they want? |
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| Which is to say, why exactly don't public schools have some shared understanding of what NTs are supposed to be doing, how we should conduct our classes, what material we should be teaching etc. and give us a detailed explanation of this when we arrive? Is there some benefit to keeping us in the dark? |
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crusher_of_heads
Joined: 23 Feb 2007
Location: kimbop and kimchi for kimberly!!!!
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| Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:21 pm Post subject: Re: Why don't they tell us what they want? |
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| Cornfed wrote: |
| Which is to say, why exactly don't public schools have some shared understanding of what NTs are supposed to be doing, how we should conduct our classes, what material we should be teaching etc. and give us a detailed explanation of this when we arrive? Is there some benefit to keeping us in the dark? |
a) most of them have no idea
b) the few who do know probably have no business playing a game of hangman with their low level of Englisheee. |
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wayfarer
Joined: 05 Jun 2007
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| Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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But you speak English. You're a native speaker. Therefore, teaching English to 40 shouting children comes naturally to you.  |
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Ramen
Joined: 15 Apr 2008
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| Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:26 pm Post subject: |
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Because they don't speak English.  
If they don't tell you what you're suppose to do, just do what ever you like. |
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Golem
Joined: 18 Jun 2008
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Don't even get me started! If they don't tell you what they want than forge your own path. Really, that is all I can suggest. Korea is the wild wild East. |
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Fishead soup
Joined: 24 Jun 2007
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:13 pm Post subject: |
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| So you still haven't picked up on their non verbal clues. |
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reimund
Joined: 01 Oct 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 12:52 am Post subject: Re: Why don't they tell us what they want? |
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| Cornfed wrote: |
| Which is to say, why exactly don't public schools have some shared understanding of what NTs are supposed to be doing, how we should conduct our classes, what material we should be teaching etc. and give us a detailed explanation of this when we arrive? Is there some benefit to keeping us in the dark? |
Because the employers/principals themselves don't know what they want. I'm ending my 4th month at a public school, and I'm just as lost as you are. Given my lack of experience in the teaching field, I'm wondering if getting a start at a big hakwon with a set curriculum would have been the better for me - despite the risk of having bad directors, I'd at least have some direction in my work and teaching (and gain valuable experience along the way).
Out here I'm being pulled apart by contradicting expectations (because they have absolutely no clue what they need/want), so I'm left with no direction while being left as a scapegoat for all their failings. |
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Draz
Joined: 27 Jun 2007
Location: Land of Morning Clam
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 1:46 am Post subject: Re: Why don't they tell us what they want? |
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| reimund wrote: |
| Cornfed wrote: |
| Which is to say, why exactly don't public schools have some shared understanding of what NTs are supposed to be doing, how we should conduct our classes, what material we should be teaching etc. and give us a detailed explanation of this when we arrive? Is there some benefit to keeping us in the dark? |
Because the employers/principals themselves don't know what they want. I'm ending my 4th month at a public school, and I'm just as lost as you are. Given my lack of experience in the teaching field, I'm wondering if getting a start at a big hakwon with a set curriculum would have been the better for me - despite the risk of having bad directors, I'd at least have some direction in my work and teaching (and gain valuable experience along the way).
Out here I'm being pulled apart by contradicting expectations (because they have absolutely no clue what they need/want), so I'm left with no direction while being left as a scapegoat for all their failings. |
I've had some bad feelings this month, but it mostly didn't get into my work. When I show my coteacher the "lesson plan" and she makes a Noise and gives me a Look, I just look back at her. Note the lowercase on my "look". Absolute blandness. It's really weird because I do notice things, and I know they should bother me, but I feel like I don't notice. Which makes it really easy to pretend I don't notice. I quit caring when I decided I was leaving, but this oblivious attitude has not caused any additional problems and things are actually looking up in some ways. Too weird. There's some truth in fromtheuk's posts where he advises being a socially retarded imbecile at work.
I have gotten a lot of experience doing it this way, not the same as it would have been in a hagwon, but I don't know if it's better or worse. |
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pootle
Joined: 05 May 2008
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 5:01 am Post subject: Why don't they tell us what they want? |
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Welcome to the wonderful world of paid work. Sorry to make assumptions about the OP but a lot of what I see on this forum is from just-out-of-university whiners who think that this is a tough deal.
Most employers employ you because they believe you can do the job. So do the job. Do whatever you think is right, and if you didn't get a TEFL or similar qualification before coming here that would go some way towards preparing you for a classroom, well sorry for you.
This job is a piece of piss compared to the 16 hour a day, constantly shat upon life in the real working world. If you can't cope with this then you have a long way to retirement my friend. |
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Cracker006
Joined: 11 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 5:38 am Post subject: |
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My co-teachers don't presume to tell me what to do because (I'm guessing) they're afraid if they start pointing out my mistakes/errors or making too many suggestions, then I will start pointing out all of their English errors.
Nothing would be more humiliating to a Korean teacher than to have me simply pretend to not be able to understand them in front of a student. The kids frequently ask me if the other teachers can *really* speak english, and if I can *really* understand them.
If I were to show a slight waivering of support in one of their english abilities, the kids would completely lose every shread of respect they have for their korean English teachers. |
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drunkenfud
Joined: 08 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 6:06 am Post subject: |
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| Cracker006 wrote: |
My co-teachers don't presume to tell me what to do because (I'm guessing) they're afraid if they start pointing out my mistakes/errors or making too many suggestions, then I will start pointing out all of their English errors.
Nothing would be more humiliating to a Korean teacher than to have me simply pretend to not be able to understand them in front of a student. The kids frequently ask me if the other teachers can *really* speak english, and if I can *really* understand them.
If I were to show a slight waivering of support in one of their english abilities, the kids would completely lose every shread of respect they have for their korean English teachers. |
I think there's some truth in this. Mind you, they'll still show the K Teacher more loyalty than they'll show you, despite his faults. You are a novelty, he represents the status quo (he's Francis Rossi!http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Status_Quo) |
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DongtanTony
Joined: 22 Feb 2008
Location: Bundang
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 4:09 pm Post subject: Re: Why don't they tell us what they want? |
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| pootle wrote: |
Welcome to the wonderful world of paid work. Sorry to make assumptions about the OP but a lot of what I see on this forum is from just-out-of-university whiners who think that this is a tough deal.
Most employers employ you because they believe you can do the job. So do the job. Do whatever you think is right, and if you didn't get a TEFL or similar qualification before coming here that would go some way towards preparing you for a classroom, well sorry for you.
This job is a piece of piss compared to the 16 hour a day, constantly shat upon life in the real working world. If you can't cope with this then you have a long way to retirement my friend. |
Why apply for a job that you haven't the faintest clue about how to perform or conduct yourself? I am a certified teacher thankfully...but if I applied for a for a construction position...was thrown into the mix and didn't know how to perform the duties and functions of my job...my boss/foreman would probably be aggravated like all hell with me.
That's what I don't understand about a large segment of the ESL teacher community in Korea. Public school positions are the new hot jobs...they're sold to prospective applicants as a "sure thing"...in most cases prospective applicants know that they'll most likely be teaching groups of 20-45 students per class...but those same applicants have no skills other than their ability to hold a conversation...then they come here to complain that they have no idea what they're doing or what their expectations are.
No kidding.
In some way...shape...or form...you are coming here to be a TEACHER. Read up a little on classroom management strategies...scour the web to find some ideas on lessons and activities before your arrival...and have some tricks tucked up your sleeve in case your lesson is falling flat.
Again...for those of you who come from the world of contracting/construction...you don't have any worries about me screwing up your job-site in the future. |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 4:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Every school is different; within many schools classes vary considerably; and co-teachers, if you have them, can really vary as well. For this reason I kind of like the 'You teachie good' level of advice most of us get. I'd much rather figure things out myself than take specific marching orders from a Korean who has no idea what I can and cannot do. |
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Juregen
Joined: 30 May 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 4:38 pm Post subject: Re: Why don't they tell us what they want? |
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| pootle wrote: |
Welcome to the wonderful world of paid work. Sorry to make assumptions about the OP but a lot of what I see on this forum is from just-out-of-university whiners who think that this is a tough deal.
Most employers employ you because they believe you can do the job. So do the job. Do whatever you think is right, and if you didn't get a TEFL or similar qualification before coming here that would go some way towards preparing you for a classroom, well sorry for you.
This job is a piece of piss compared to the 16 hour a day, constantly shat upon life in the real working world. If you can't cope with this then you have a long way to retirement my friend. |
Fresh out of unies always complain  . They don't know any better. |
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Fishead soup
Joined: 24 Jun 2007
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Yu_Bum_suk wrote: |
| Every school is different; within many schools classes vary considerably; and co-teachers, if you have them, can really vary as well. For this reason I kind of like the 'You teachie good' level of advice most of us get. I'd much rather figure things out myself than take specific marching orders from a Korean who has no idea what I can and cannot do. |
Don't you ever tell me what I can't do!!!!!!!!!!!!
John Locke |
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