Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Kurtz]

I've had a pretty rough year in a public school teaching elementary.

One of my co-workers is simply a useless bitch. She never prepares, never helps during class, I co-teach with her every two weeks, and when I teach with her that week my plan makes no sense as the kids have already done parts of it as she has taken random parts out of the textbook, she doesn't say one word during class, even if the kids are going nuts, she practices dancing during class, doesn't pay any attention, she doesn't speak a word to me as I haven't kissed her arse and said how great her English is all the time, she's moody, rude, a complete scatterbrain and seeing how she kisses the VP's butt every time she sees her explains how she got her promotion to being a head teacher.

I've had issues with her all year, and every time we have a fight, I try and speak calmly where upon she just yells over the top of me.

What to do? I spoke with the VP about her but she seemed to not care, I can't talk sense with the teacher herself as she just starts yelling or cutting me off everytime I say something, and my other CT doesn't want to get involved. Is the only option to quit? is she untouchable? are all Korean teachers untouchable? I signed up to be a co-teacher, not to be ignored, and have to do everything in class while my CT does literally nothing to help? She is leaving, but screw that if I'll go through the same next year.
To add insult to injury, she has to rate MY ability as to if I'll get another contract .

[fromtheuk]

I empathize, read my rants. Mollybloom also has a schizo to deal with.

If you complain at school, they will make you out to be the problem.

Complain to your coordinator at the board of education. I only told mine what's going on. I said I may change school next year.

Think about doing that, I am on my second contract at the same school.

Part of me thinks I'd be better off elsewhere, but the child in me thinks I may stay another year (I doubt it though).

When she argues, if she says anything offensive, tell her you're keeping a note of the date and time of that comment. I didn't say anything about telling the GEPIK coordinator about it.

Tell her she must show some manners and tell her she is being rude.

I just implied what would happen. My co-teacher looks a bit anxious now and avoids me more.

[Ramen]

Your chances of being renewed at your current school is slim to none so I'd start packing/looking for another job.

As to your CT yelling, when she does this, your conversation/argument ends. You can simply walk-out on her and go have ciggy or something until the biatch cools down. Let her know you will not tolerate yelling.

And as for your CT not doing anything, let her be in charge since she is "the teacher" and you're "the assistant teacher." Don't start speaking in the class unless she takes charge and leads the class. Let her go to work.

[fromtheuk]

I wouldn't bet on that. Many posters on this forum have said even though they were on bad terms with a co-teacher/school they still practically begged them to stay on.

It's difficult to get native teachers anyway. If you're a good teacher, they will want to keep you.

It depends on your school. I'm not sure if my school would want me for another year, but at this school the Principal's decision is final. Anybody else who contradicts him is irrelevant.

[Ramen]

[fromtheuk]

My V.P. is new and I avoid him. I greet the Principal when I see him.

My Principal is unpredictable and stubborn, so I don't know if he would renew my contract for a 3rd time.

But he makes his own decisions, which is good if he decides in your favour.

I must change school though. Otherwise, I'd kick myself if I got another psycho co-teacher next year.

[Fishead soup]

http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Benoit-TeamTeaching.html

What ever you do go in armed with something intelligent.

If necesary get this translated. It's really good.

[Kurtz]

The fact is the VP loves me and will keep me again.

The CT thinks I do nothing (well, she kind of has a point, there is a lot of desk warming going on) but this stems from the fact that "we don't have good harmony, and I think you don't want to teach me English" well what does she expect after yelling in my face five times "I DON'T WANT TO TEACH WITH YOU" so she wants me to do EVERYTHING in class.

I'm willing to do all the prep and lead the class, after hearing her English, you'd know why I want that to happen, but I only ask for some help to control, and to be able to use the CD-ROM but I can't even do that as she is doing her own work on the computer during teaching time "USE YOUR VOICE" she snaps if I kindly tell her I need the computer.

As I said, what can I do? these K teachers seem to do whatever they want. I know I'm the guest but surely there has to be some semblance of professionalism on their part, and they should be held accountable for their actions.

I don't have a Degree in Education, but a blind, deaf and dumb person could tell when someone sucks at teaching, and at being a decent human being.

[Perceptioncheck]

Wow, OP, for the first few paragraphs I thought that I'd inadvertently got another email, signed up under another user name and started posting about my insufferable, evil co-teacher. But then I realised that would be totes ridics.

I guess our situations are only a little different. My co-teacher is evil personified and - for the first term at least - seemed to go out of her way to make my life hell; she would belittle me in front of the other teachers, interrupt me, not tell me about schedule changes, physically push me around and refuse to speak English if there was another Korean even in the room. She refused to discuss anything like lesson plans before class but once we got in there, she would turn around and expect me to pull a lesson/game/activity from thin air. She is an extremely difficult person to work and I know from other sources that it's not just me that feels this way.

At first, I would butt heads with her. I would argue with her and push back. I would even get upset over last minute schedule changes or being interrupted not once or twice but every time I spoke.

Then I realized that this particular woman was like a very strong river. I could fight the current as much as I wanted but I'd only be tiring myself out. Better to kick back, try to go with the current and smack into as little debris as possible.

So this woman is pretty awful. Perhaps she's not as bad as your CT or perhaps she's worse. I don't know. But the point is that if this teacher is untouchable, then your CT probably is as well. I have also complained to my other CT who told me everyone is aware of how unpleasant my evil CT is, including the other teachers and even the district supervisor but there's nothing anyone can do.

[Milwaukiedave]

OP,

I think in terms of whether or not you get a good Korean co-teacher is hit or miss. For a year I worked at a public school in Incheon and I had a pretty good experience there (with some minor exceptions I'll talk about in a second).

The English coordinator at my school was a very nice person and we talked often about the program. She said often Korean teachers don't want to teach with native speaking teachers because of their ability to speak English. The principal usually decides who teaches homeroom, music, English, etc. If there are no volunteers to teach English, then you have no choice.

At the beginning (I started in June), I had three co-teachers (one for each grade). Teacher A was a male teacher who taught 6th grade. He was in his early 40's and the head English teacher. Teacher A didn't speak English well and it was difficult to understand him. We still got a long pretty well though. Teacher B was a women in her late 20's who taught 5th grade. This teacher had a personality that was cold as ice and her ability to speak English was terrible. Teacher C was an older woman in her mid to late 40's, who taught 4th grade students. Her English was not great, but it wasn't bad given she was older.

Our school went on vacation at the end of July, as many public schools do. I was then told Teacher B was pregnant and was going on leave (oh, the mental cartwheels I was doing in my head were pretty good). We then got another teacher who was pretty much fresh out of college, her English was much better and I was able to develop a rapport with her.

At the end of that school year, Teacher C went to another school and the woman who was the English coordinator ended up teaching 5th grade.

Anyway, this is my way of saying things can change pretty quickly and to hang in there.

[Ramen]

[BrianInSuwon]

Write 3 letters. Writing is important. It officially documents the problem. Also, it gives the Korean teacher/administrator a chance to sit down and read and think about the problems.

Write 1 letter to your co-teacher. Spell out what you don't like about her "teaching" style and what you would prefer for her to do and not do in the classroom.

Write 1 letter to your vice-principal. Highlight the problems that you are having with the teacher and point out what changes need to be made in the classroom.

Write 1 letter to the Gyeonggi Do education office. Highlight the problems that you are having with the teacher and point out what changes need to be made in the classroom. Also inform them that if the problems continue, that you will be submitting an official request to transfer schools.

It is important that you have official documentation to record your complaint. If you submit this written complaint before she submits her evaluation, you will have far more support from the government office when its time to renew your contract. Also, it will be easier to transfer schools if her attitude doesn't change.

By the way, you should have your own computer. At my first job, they moved a second computer into the classroom, AFTER I requested it. They also moved a second desk (of equal size) into the classroom. At my second public school, they provided me (and every other teacher at the school) with a laptop. At my third school, they provided me (and every other teacher at the school) with a laptop.

Before class starts, simple TELL (don't ask) your co-teacher that you need to use the computer during class. When class starts, simply stand beside the desk and wait. Don't get mad at her, just look at her and wait. When she looks at you, just look back with a confused expression on your face.

[Kurtz]

Maybe this rant is stemming from the fact I need a holiday, but the kids just think it's party time now, 50% just totally ignore me, fights start, they yell and scream, throw stuff at each other while little miss "head teacher" sits calmly in front of her computer not batting an eyelid....I want blood!

The kids are bored too as there is nothing funny on the TV to look and listen to, and they have to endure 40 mins of only English. I'm sure that's fun for them...."teacher! no understand" gets echoed from the back as my lovely counterpart is swanning around the room, back turned, trying to do an elegant spin with hands artfully positioned....."speak Korean!!" another little one bellows as my delightful Korean cohort sits stoney faced in front of a TESOL book, "waaaaaaa" a little girl cries as Brutus Ja Yull punches some delightful little girl as my ever helpful partner in crime starts looking up this years winter fashion on Naver......ah yes, what a great time I'm having.

[Kurtz]

Thanks Brian, that's good advice

[fromtheuk]

If she doesn't care, an option is you could care less too. Or, if you want, put on a dreadful montone voice, at least you'll get some enjoyment out of life.

Your co-teacher sounds like she doesn't care at all.

If you report her for saying she doesn't want to teach with you, surely the board of education would do something to tell her off.