Korean Job Discussion Forums

[joshuahirtle27]

Does someone want to tell me how it's special treatment for me to be given money in advance of payday when I need it? I mean I still worked for the time. I didn't ask for more than I deserved and I made sure it was for something I needed like FOOD or a plane ticket for my wife.

Can someone tell me how one is supposed to improve ones self professionally when there are no tools given for self improvement and no support is given?

Can someone tell me how working out the bugs of an open class and it still needing work and being willing and ready to continue to work on it is a sign that A) I'm not a good teacher and B) I have not improved throughout the course of the year?

Who can tell me WHY these people expect professional teachers from people with no professional qualifications?

Why is it that I'm given only negative feedback and no suggestions on how to fix the problem from someone who understands the culture better?

Where on earth is it acceptable to have someone who DOESN'T understand a language teach it (besides here)?

How am I not thinking of the greater good of my students by trying to get rid of my depression so I can be a better teacher? How is it selfish to ask for an extra few days to see my family, I'd settle for 3 extra?

How can I be a great teacher one month and not worthy of extra time for my vacation the next month?

And finally, how is it that it's a bad thing that I take my break time for me? I"m not paid for it so why is it essential that I spend it working?

colia spawkring!!!

[kprrok]

The answer to all of your questions and stupid comment at the end is this:

You are a selfish whitey who can only think of yourself instead of the greater good of the Korean people you came to teach. When you remember that they as a group are much more important than you as an individual, you'll have much less crap to whine about.

Not that I believe that, but I can see someone thinking it.

[Ramen]

You need to go back home, dude.

[Jandar]

Seriously if you are depressed go home.

Anxious and paranoid I can understand but depressed, don't do it here.

Come back after the therapy has taken effect.

[Seon-bee]

Salary advances indicate to management that you may be irresponsible or incapable of budgeting your money. Of course, special circumstances may arise, and advances can be given case-by-case. But when someone asks for advances regularly, they're gonna say no at some point.

You can improve professionally by reflecting on your situation. At least read Teachers Guides, resource books, talk to colleagues, etc. Even if you're flipping burgers without qualifications, you can still do a better job to make a primo burger without poisoning your customers.

A work in progress may or may not be improvement. Speed of progress could be a factor.

Do not assume that professional qualifications will win the hearts and minds of students or teachers. I know plenty of BEds and MA holders who are really crappy teachers. And I was one until I got the hang of it. It takes a couple of years to get good at your job and exercise classroom management skills, even with professional qualifications.

Management doesn't have time to hold teachers' hands while walking through a minefield. Some teachers receive good advice, but they don't implement in class. Sometimes the advice doesn't work with specific classes. And you're a native speaker. That means you can and should be able do teach effectively. This is especially true with employers who has popular, effective teachers who didn't have professional quals. They could do it naturally, why can't you?

There's more to learning a language than speaking. Some Korean teachers are indeed good at what they do, namely teaching reading or other langauge skills. Teaching English in English is tough, especially to beginners who won't understand anything you say. Failure is an equal opportunity. Both native and non native speakers can be ineffective.

Maybe you weren't a good teacher last month. They were just trying to motivate you and make you feel better by saying nothing. Maybe you tried hard and it showed, but this month no one saw you making an effort. In many cases, managers just hope you'll get better as you learn the ropes. Then, months later, when you haven't gotten any better and everyone is still complaining or the complaints are getting worse, then it's time to take action: they start by moving your desk to the basement, turning off the heat or A/C, giving you the worst classes and worst schedule, delaying payment of salary, ignoring pension requests, forcing you to go to singing rooms, and denying vacation requests.

Regarding vacation, next month is December, a common intensive program season and it's highly likely that your vacation plans do not coincide with the extra classes during a busy school vacation. In fact, they're probably annoyed by the request than anything else. They have work to do and all you can think about is a trip to Thailand, nightclubbing, drinking soju, hanging out at LG Mart, window shopping at Yongsan, dating chicks, sending money out of the country, and disrespecting kimchi and Dokdo.

These are just general observations and I'm not referring to you, but teachers who may be in a similiar position.

[gazz]

Well its special treatment if they have given you money in advance of you actually earning it, which was good of them no matter what the circumstances.

I need a 3 some, with that K bird in the Soju add and Hermione Granger from Harry Potter, but it doesn�t mean that i am going to get it!

As for the �couldn�t I have 3 more days off�, you signed the contract didn�t you? I presume you read it!

As for bettering yourself there are so many teaching websites with people who will offer you constructive advice and give you support if you ask for it, not to mention the web in general and if you want to be really cutting edge about learning good practice in teaching you could always try reading a few books!

Ahhhhh so you have 'depression.'

Has this 'depression' occurred since you came to Korea, or did you have it back home (and thought you would come to Korea to escape it).

Either way I think you should think about going home because it is hard enough teaching full stop! I can only imagine what it is like having no teaching experience, going to a foreign country to teach and then working in a school where I am unhappy!!!

PS I am sorry if this reply sounded a bit barbed - but it�s just what came out from reading your post.

Good luck!

[Juregen]

[The_Source]

[sharkey]

i read the first four lines of your awful post and couldnt read anymore. Man up before your wife sees how much of a whiner you are, then gets with me, a real man! lol

[joshuahirtle27]

[Privateer]

[Privateer]

[Gusss]

Ahhh well.. thats lifedont take it to heart.

[poet13]

"We needed 100$ for some more food..."

Only sissies need food.

[joshuahirtle27]