Korean Job Discussion Forums

drunkenfud · Joined: 08 Mar 2007

I apologise for the lengthy background.

I've worked at my current school for more than a year and have decided to quit. It's a rural MS in Gyeonggi Do.

I signed for a second year because there are many things about the school that make me happy. I feel respected by the other staff, they are very nice to me, and the Principal of the school is a great guy who takes an interest in my welfare. The students are good people, although not necessarily good students, and since there are only 80 of them I know most by name. Everyone in the small village where I teach but do not live knows who I am and I am very much part of their community. When it came time to sign another contract, I knew that I could find myself in a far worse situation if I changed schools. So, although I had some issues with how English is taught at this school, I elected to sign on the dotted line.

The problem is my co-teacher. I can't communicate with him. He's in his late forties and has shockingly bad English for a man who is paid to teach the subject.

For more than half of my teaching hours I'm in the class on my own, which is fine. However for these extra classes I have no curriculum and no guidance on what I should be teaching. I use a textbook and various websites to help on that. Also, I have the common problem of large classes consisting of many students of widely divergent abilities. Any attempt to address these issues with my so-called co-teacher results in a frustrating exchange of mutual misunderstanding, culminating in me giving up.

The remainder of my classes are spent "co-teaching". My CT seems to believe in the human tape recorder method of utilising a co-teacher, and is resistant to any input from me. The only time this changes is when it's time for the open classes, in which case I'm expected to produce some modern-looking teaching materials and take the lead in class. If there's no audience, I'm expected to listen to the tape, speak the script, then sit down and play with my balls for a while.

My CT also insists that when we are in his class, discipline is his department. He's useless at it. Therefore in my classes I have had to spend a lot of time enforcing reasonable standards. This effort is undermined every time I go into one of his classes and he tolerates the students talking, play-fighting, doing homework for other classes etc. Every protest I make is faces the same barrier of mutual incomprehension.

Easy money? Sure! It's not what I want though. I think I have the potential to be a good teacher, and would like to take steps to attain that goal. I'm not here for the money or the cultural experience, I'm here to be a better teacher.

I've learned what I can from the school - how to manage large classes, how to plan lessons with no objectives from management, how to make a basic curriculum, how to do the best I can with a class of varying abilities. I've solved the problems I can solve and started to realise the problems I can't solve at this school. When I got back from my summer vacation and faced the reality of another year of this, I knew I couldn't do it. So now it's time to quit.

I plan to hand in my notice at the beginning of October, on exactly the date when the 60 days required by my contract will mean I don't have to pay back my airfare. I'll work until the beginning of the winter break on December 15th, meaning that, with the holidays, they'll have almost 4 months to find a teacher.

So, my questions:

1) I can get a Korean friend to translate my reasons for leaving. They reflect badly on my co-teacher, but the list would mean that I could give something to the other teachers to combat any lies my CT might tell to save face. Should I do this? My CT is basically a good guy, but I don't think he'd translate what he understands from my resignation letter if it reflected badly on him, and would not put it past him to lie to the other staff and make it reflect badly on me. I like these people and care about their opinions.

2) I have the contacts to get another PS job in the area, but presumably the school could cause problems if asked for a reference. Should I make it clear that I could also cause problems for them online if they do so? Also, if I'm asked for a reference by their new teacher, should I be honest or should I only mention the good parts.

3) Is it likely they will try to fire me once I give my notice to make me pay back the airfare?

4) Will I need to go home to get a new E2 visa? (Christmas at home wouldn't the the end of the world!)

5) Would it be feasible to take a Winter Camp job to cover the vacation, then start a new PS job at the beginning of the next semester? Presumably the new school will want at least some winter camp.

6) The school has spend quite a bit of money recently - a new English zone is under construction, a very high tech headset system is gathering dust. If I leave early will it cause them financial problems?

7) If I'm interviewing a new school during my notice period, can I legally go there on a Saturday unpaid and teach some experimental classes with my prospective new CT to see how we work together?

8 ) Do you have any comments addressing areas which, from your reading of the text above do not seem to have occurred to me?

Thank you in advance for any comments you might have concerning any of the issues raised above.

KYC · Joined: 11 May 2006

I think I was in almost the same situation...but worst lol. I was alone for all of my classes. There was no coteaching. I didn't like my ct or most of the other teachers, but I was never disrespectful to them or anything. I had major escalating problems near the end of my contract. They knew I was going to another school, so they played dirty. I thought I was glad to leave...but I really miss the kids. Most of them drove me crazy, but they were good kids. I miss having control of the curriculum and classes and how they should be taught. I, too, am currently being used as a human tape recorder. Sometimes I don't mind it, but I get bored most of the time after my "part."

I have no advice. I've been asked which school was worse/better...and I still really can't decide lol. I think it would have been better had I gone home after my 1st contract. Staying another year, hoping for a fresh start, etc etc was all a big mistake. I may leave soon too. I don't know. Good luck with your situation.

VanIslander · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 2:11 pm Post subject:

stop being a drunken fud

icicle · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Location: Gyeonggi do Korea

I would seriously consider whether you are better off not giving your 60 days notice until after you have passed the 6 month mark .. so will definitely not be required to repay the airfare. It seems from what you have said that you would be actually giving them 4 months notice (so twice what you need to). So could delay for the extra 60 days. If things do go wrong ... and you are given a hard time after you give notice ... 60 days would be much easier than 4 months ... It would also protect you from your Co-teacher bringing up things which could justify you being fired from the job before you reach the 6 month mark ... and having to repay the airfare (I am not saying that this would happen ... but I have heard of more than one person who was put in that position ... and had to repay the airfare ... and the pre-existing problems with your CT would increase the possibility of that happening). It is worth protecting yourself from the possibility of this happening.

teachergirltoo · Joined: 28 Oct 2006

It sounds like you have a great life there, execept for this co-teacher. Why not try to fix the situation? I have nine co-teachers. Previously the majority of them were human brooms that were happy to lean on the wall and do nothing. I also have one gentleman that thought he was a "big shot" in class and would pout if I asked him to do anything. It made things difficult when I started. Rather than quit though, I went to the director and the VP and minced no words and told them I wanted international professional standards in the classroom, not Korean standards, and I outlined a list of changes I wanted to see. They recognized the value of a teacher that cared about the job, and told the teachers to listen to me. I am sure behind my back the co-teachers may call me a battle-ax and demanding at times, but they are nice to my face, and the administration is happy, and I am happy, so it was all worth it. My challenge is still the one gentleman that grunts when I tell him to do something, but as long as he does it I don't care. My advice is, if you have a great life, don't let something like this ruin it for you - take control. If they fire you that is their choice, but you may be able to turn this all around by mustering some strength and stating exactly what you want, and how you want it done.

sojourner1 · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 2:57 pm Post subject:

Co-teachers that do nothing or don't show up just don't care. That's prime video class time. Why should you care if you don't have support of any sort and the kids won't listen? I have the same issue at one school, but I haven't asked anything of them yet other than to be in the classroom as stated by the Ministry of Education. They say they are too busy and I left it at that. They don't provide any support, because English class time is looked at as a break. One small school I teach at 2 days a week has me teaching 6 hours of it's day, but won't provide any support of any sort and just asks me why I don't learn to speak Korean fluently to be able to talk to the staff and kids. No one can speak English. OP, I can see where you wouldn't want to be in this situation though it's not the worse one to be in. I'm just doing one year of PS and I'm outta here.

nomad-ish · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 5:45 pm Post subject:

the majority of co-teachers are absolutely USELESS. at my last school 3 of the 5 did nothing (sometimes they skipped, read at the back, or just hid back there). only 2 did anything resembling teaching with me. i was hoping the move to a different school would change things, and boy, was i wrong Confused

i'm in the same boat as you; i love my school, the kids (most of the time), my apartment, and neighbourhood, but having to teach alone or do 99-100% of the work in the class, struggling to explain things every 5 min., asking for help and getting a blank a$$ stare from my co-teacher, has got me thinking about quitting too.

good luck with your situation. i'm going to try and talk to my main co-teacher about this, and i suggest you try the same. it couldn't really hurt, could it?

jellobean · Joined: 14 Mar 2006

If you have a positive relationship with the principal and someone you trust to translate for you, you could go talk with the principal. Explain all the things you love about your job. Complementing the school, and the are will make them happy. Then explain in a woeful tone how your co-teacher is causing all the problems and you just don't think you can handle it anymore. Ask if there is anything the principal can do and hint that if the problem can't be fixed that you will need to leave for your own health/comfort. Don't give a blatant ultimatum, but get him to understand you are considering it. If they like you, you might get some improvement. If they don't care, you are probably better moving on.

Also, if you don't mind teaching alone, perhaps suggest that you do so all the time. I know many teachers who do that and are quite happy. It would be another way to solve the co-teacher problem (and might not make the co-teacher mad because it could lower his workload). Of course it's not what you are promised in your contract, but it might make things better and allow you to stay.

KYC · Joined: 11 May 2006

nomad-ish · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:18 pm Post subject:

Countrygirl · Joined: 19 Nov 2007 Location: in the classroom

Just spoke with Dain because I'm also thinking of packing it in. If you quit and give 6 months notice then the school can only fire you after giving you 2 written warnings. A good reason to wait to the last minute to give notice.

Also, you are entitled to serverence for the months worked. 6 months serverence definitely softens the financial blow and makes it worth while to consider moving on.

On a side note...does Dain accurately reflect GEPIK? Talking with her is like walking barefoot on nails.

drunkenfud · Joined: 08 Mar 2007

Thanks for the comments and advice everyone, I'll take it on board.

I'm not sure if the six month severance thing is true, but it would be nice if so.

Countrygirl · Joined: 19 Nov 2007 Location: in the classroom

Out of Dain's mouth herself...although that doesn't mean it's true. But I believe that Tompatz has said something similar and my husband says it's a labour law. I'm sure you could check it out yourself. I'm like you though...I'll believe it once I see it. A common side effect of working in Korea.

One other thing - You might want to check with GEPIK if you are allowed to change schools. Another GEPIK school might not be allowed to take you. Not sure but thought I heard something like that awhile back.

I'm also exhausted by co-teachers only expecting me to be a tape recorder and disciplinarian. Seems like GEPIK will lose a lot of teachers because of this.

KYC · Joined: 11 May 2006