Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cdninkorea]

I'm on break at my second job- an after school program at an elementary school.

While teaching, one of the students came in late. I told him to sit down and went back to teaching. Shortly after I felt someone kick the back of my leg, near the foot. I turned around to see the student that had come in late running away; he had kicked me!

I chased after him, hauled him in the hallway and with my voice raised (not yelling though) I told my co-teacher the situation. I then took his bags and told him that he could go home. A few minutes later my co-teacher told me he was "just playing." He looked apologetic and I let him back in.

Unfortunately one of the parents was in the hallway at the time talking to my co-teacher. She apparently ran off and didn't answer the phone when my co-teacher called her. My co-teacher is livid.

I did react too strongly, but at the same time, what would happen if a child were to kick a Korean teacher during a lesson, even in play? There would be trouble, I imagine.

Opinions? I'm worried about the fallout regarding the parents and management.

[Adventurer]

Oh, just say that you didn't realize the boy was playing, and you thought he was being disrespectful, and that it was a misunderstanding, and just smile as if nothing happened. Be all nice and apologetic. Don't get too stuck on it. That's my advice.

[Tobias]

I tell you what...if it would have been ME, I would have caught up with him and TASERed his ass! Just kidding. So what. He kicked you. You could have been teaching at a ghetto school in the USA and had a knife pulled on you. Or worse.

You gotta play games with these brats. Cause him to lose face down the road somewhere. That'll work better in this situation, plus you won't be risking your neck.

[ED209]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[idiotinkorea]

whenever you enter a class-room, it's psych-warfare. whatever happens, you can't freak out or you'll loose your "face" and nobody respects you.
it's all a game. just preserve your "face". you can freak out or cry at home.

[Dome Vans]

I'd put this in the same category as a student trying to Ddong Chim you. That's only playing. What would you do for that?

[oskinny1]

[bobranger]

He wasn't playing with you. He played the co-teacher so to speak. Either way it is unacceptable behavior. You did the right thing.

[Fishead soup]

[jkelly80]

Do not apologize and do not accept their explanation. Demand an apology from the student.

[Join Me]

Any adult that thinks it is acceptable for a child (their student no less) to kick them is a fool. What are you teaching a child by allowing him or her to get away with this? This country is fool of foolish adults...doesn't mean any of us have to go along with it.

[EricaSmile84]

Students get physically punished for what I'd consider to be minor offenses. One of my students came to school with curly hair so a teacher held her head under a cold faucet in the hallway sink-- in front of everyone. Other ones get hit for not having their socks pulled up or having crooked nametags.

I would say that a student who kicks a teacher would be more worthy of punishment that what I described above. Whether or not he was "playing around" he still interrupted your class... he should apologize and your co-workers should support you....

.... but then again, nothing else makes sense in these broken schools.

[Roch]

[red_devil]

You definitely over reacted. Anyone that's taught or has kids can tell you that's a drop in the bucket of what kids will do. Good news is it means you haven't intimidated them, otherwise they wouldn't even approach you. Bad news is...you haven't intimidated them.