Korean Job Discussion Forums

[KYC]

My 5th grade coteacher also wants my "resources" once I leave the school. If I leave Korea, I have no problem handing over my 4 gig of materials. If I don't leave Korea, hahaha fat chance! But it looks like I am leaving Korea after this year....

[poet13]

Classes done. I spoke with the VP. He understands minimal English, but I think he got enough. he kept saying "no problem, no problem" and waved away the coteacher.
The activity is mine, made at home, all of the text typed at home. The method of teaching it (which is very helpful to know) is mine as well. The coteacher is annoyed with me, but I really don't care. I gave him the concept so he could understand the class and waht w were doing. I don't think I owe him more than that. I noticed that from the previous teacher, he photocopied every single lesson plan and added it to his stash. The materials, laminated stuff, cards, dice, blindfolds, stopwatch, etc, he just appropriated. That's fine. Not going to happen to me though.

A few weeks ago I gave the coteacher a full copy of the next weeks lesson plan. It was an exercise that involved group discussion and brainstorm, computer research, and writing their decisions on a poster board. This was to be done during my class time. So the following week they showed up in class with a completed project. What the hell? So we spent about 25 presenting these completed projects, and at the end a student said they had already done that. The coteacher was clueless. Yes, we had gone over that this was going to be done during our class time and we had delegated our responsibilities during that class. I was to help with the computer research. He was to monitor group discussion and poster work.

So, I find myself protecting my turf, which just seems so counter-productive.

[afsjesse]

Kudos to you for standing your ground. I'm glad my coteachers take no initiative to develop plans with me. They only translate things the students don't understand.

[jbpatlanta]

I never share the details of my lesson plans. I will give my co teachers my basic plans so they have an idea of what is happening. If they take materials during class I get them back before they leave.

I find a lot of material on the internet and then I usually modify it for my students and to accomodate my teaching style. One of my coteachers asked where I got my stuff, so I told her many places, but mostly of the internet. She looked and found some of the original material I used. Then she wanted a copy of what I had made. I just told her no way. I work to hard on all of this and I was not sharing. Never heard about it again.

[Cheonmunka]

I make a lot of resources, though I'm on my own in my work. No way I share good stuff that I have made with other people who are too lazy or incapable of doing it themselves.

Even in our positions there's a definite competitiveness. It's a marketplace. What makes your product as a teacher stand out from others that makes you marketable?

For example, if every teacher now has your games and activities, what makes you any different from them, whereas they might have a better gift, a better image or something, so if the choice of employment is them or you, your employer chooses them.

When I took a role where I am now, it was toss up between me and a Canadian guy. My boss was very much interested in the Canadian guy. But, I proved I had better lessons. If the Canadian guy had merely a hold of lessons as good as mine, I very likely wouldn't have the job that I appreciate now.

So, secure what is yours.
Or lose it.

[khyber]

Teaching over here in Canada, most teachers I have met or subbed for have all been more than willing to share their resources.

I can understand wanting to protect your work; especially when teachers there show ZERO initiative to be innovative (probably because they have NO IDEA how to create an innovative classroom). I also found when I shared my lesson with the teachers, they were not thankful for the effort; like it was obligatory.

[Countrygirl]

My co-teacher sometimes asks for my lesson materials because she is too lazy or busy to prepare for class. It's irritating if it's just because she is being too lazy that week, but it rarely happens.

Seems to be a Korean thing. They don't seem to see the problem with copying or taking from others...the students always seem to copy from their friends rather than think for the answer themselves.

Luckily, if I share some of my lesson worksheets or plans with my co-teacher, she never knows how to use them properly.