Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tanklor1]

Hey do you remember back in High School and University when you were writing tests. Have you ever written a test and thought, while walking out of the classroom, that you nailed it. 90% at least you'd think. Remember when you got that test back only to find out that you BOMBED it? I think that I had an event like that happen today.

I had a Kindy open class. The children's mothers came in to sit in on a class, it was very important to the school, so I decided to try and do my best.

I had the kids answering questions, reading from books and I was almost able to to give the illiusion that the kids actually fully understood the limited amount of English that they have learned thius far. I walked out of the class thinking. "Ahhh it's a 75%, not too great but not too bad."

WRONG!

It turned out that I didn't smile enough and didn't seem friendly enough with the children. The mothers are considering pulling their kids out of the school becuase of it.

[jadarite]

Were the hypocrites smiling?

[raclos234]

at least u tried.

i had a similar situation at my first school. the only difference was that the foreign teacher who was teaching the class quit the day before. so my director threw me into a open class w/ the parents there and i had no idea what was going on.

it didnt go too bad. i fooled the parents enough to think the kids knew what the hell i was saying. but it also probably helped that the parents liked me than the previous teacher.

[esetters21]

I'm notorious for not smiling enough. For some reason all of the students in my school (all classes other than mine included) like me regardless. I have been through 3 of these open house situations with never a complaint from parents. It sounds like your school has some parents that want an edutaining monkey teaching their kids.

[Imrahil]

First, I have to say that your avatar and the complaint go perfectly together.

Now to the serious issue, that complaint is just rediculous. I hate how they complain about things such as: not smiling enough, not standing in class enough, not congradualating the kids enough, or not writing on the white board enough etc. In most cases those complaints are just stupid. Are you sure it was the parents that complained? Or is the school just making a complaint up to try to scare/manipulate/or control you?

[merkurix]

[Whistleblower]

OP, did you look like your avatar in class? If so, I wouldn't be surprised about the comment.



Seriously though, the mothers are thinking of a good reason to get their kids out of the hagwon and blaming the foreigner is an easy reason but kind of lame. Think about it: kindergarten rates have increased above the rate of inflation in a year, the cost of living is more expensive, the country is due to go into a recession because of the global economy and the housing market is in turmoil. The mothers have less cash to spend on their shopping, education for their little brats and want to get the hagwons to close out of spite for their situation.

Move on and don't think too much. I am sure your class was great, you prepared but the school probably isn't expecting the parents to really withdraw their kids. Remember that Koreans lie on a daily basis for their own goals and this seems like one of those times.

Chin up old lad.

[The Grumpy Senator]

[Whirlwind]

Who the hell wants to teach kindergarten anyway? I specifically have clausee in my contract that say that I don't do kindy.

[Ya-ta Boy]

[oskinny1]

During my parents' week, I had one group bring in their toddlers to run around as I was trying to teach their elder kiddos(6-7 years old). The parents let the toddlers run around class, talked at full volume, and answered their phones the entire time I was teaching.
On the evaluation sheet the parents filled out they said I did not control their snowflakes enough and that they were too distracted. No s##t!!!!
But as for the smiling, yous gotta do what yous gotta do.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Don't worry about it. Your hagwon brought you over knowing that you had (a) no knowledge of of ECE, (b) no knowledge of teaching EFL to very young learners and (c) no knowledge of Korean parents' expectations. Consider this job training in all three, and remember that (c) may have nothing to do with professional teaching at any rate.

[bombenhagen]

Part of the problem is the hagwon itself. Either your Korean partner teacher or boss should be able to handle small complaints like this better than they are obviously doing. The parents want to show your boss that they have the power to act as a group and that they run the show. Regardless of any mistakes that you made, this would of happened.

[yingwenlaoshi]

It's all horsesh1t anyway. You teach English, not rocket science. Smile, shmile. I did this one-day gig for a couple of hours once where I was a magician. I won't go into the details, but one mother, after my last "showing," asked me why I didn't say, "Voila!" I just said, "That's great!!" sarcastically. "The kids like it when you say 'Voila!'" Told her that "Voila" is a French word and I disappeared forever.

Fk off, lady. I didn't know I was even going to be teaching kindy kids. Eat me.

[nomad-ish]

i wouldn't worry about it. i mean, did you actually think they would just say "good job" and leave it at that? of course not, that would make you too confident and self-assured in your position and ability. they will most likely give you "constructive" criticism throughout your time there to keep you working towards something and not slacking off.

if they do bring this up again, just say that you'll work on it