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nicam
Joined: 14 Jun 2008
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 Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 4:22 pm Post subject: Tell me again why we aren't respected... |
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| I just had one of my PS students say 'Anyo' followed by my first name to me in the hall. I know this is disrespectful, but I just wonder where it's coming from and why they would do that to me when I am always kind and professional. Are they just being testing middle schoolers, or is it deeper than that? How do you guys handle this if and when it happens? |
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crusher_of_heads
Joined: 23 Feb 2007
Location: kimbop and kimchi for kimberly!!!!
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| Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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Kindness is not the way to go with teenagers.
Don't take this as a slight, as I had to learn the hard way-if you're even asking this question, you don't have enough posture. Break them in, show them who is the boss fairly, then kid with them.
It's like in the real world, outside of the adjosshi kimberly kingdom; you've got to earn their respect.
Last edited by crusher_of_heads on Sun Feb 08, 2009 6:08 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Xuanzang
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Sadang
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| Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Forget about the little shithead. There will always be the students who dont give respect or kindness back to us. |
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cruisemonkey
Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Location: Hopefully, the same place as my luggage.
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| Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 4:46 pm Post subject: |
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I let (and actually encourage) my students (1080 middle school, 'monkey-boys') to use my first name (as long as it preceeded by "teacher" or followed by "song-sang-nim". Some may disagree, but I believe it encourages them to speak to me in English outside of the classroom. I tolerate no other forms of ban-mal.
They do respect me and know I'm 'the boss' - they must come to attention and bow when I walk into the classroom, they can't sleep in my classes, they can't talk when I'm talking and that I will punish them for misbehaviour/infractions of the 'rules'. |
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bundangbabo
Joined: 01 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 4:48 pm Post subject: Re: Tell me again why we aren't respected... |
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| nicam wrote: |
| I just had one of my PS students say 'Anyo' followed by my first name to me in the hall. I know this is disrespectful, but I just wonder where it's coming from and why they would do that to me when I am always kind and professional. Are they just being testing middle schoolers, or is it deeper than that? How do you guys handle this if and when it happens? |
My Korean co-teacher told me that the students hate their guts so in my opinion - they will take any chance they can get to rebel against an authority that makes their lives a misery. (you must admit - these kids have it hard in school)
I remember being introduced on sports day and a big cheer went up from the student body which warmed my heart - when they are acting up I go Hiroshima on them- when they are good - I make them laugh - I try to remember how my old army NCOs were with me as a teenager - even though they made me run up and down hills with a rifle above my head - I still remember them with fondness. Being fair and firm is the only way to go - too much kindness and they will see you as soft I am afraid. |
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nicam
Joined: 14 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah, I think I need to toughen up and not let them get away with any crap. |
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Ukon
Joined: 29 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 4:56 pm Post subject: |
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| They could be just F'ing around with you.....hell, one student who has a crush on me, called me gom bongi just to see what I would do....they're kids....it's what they do. |
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nene
Joined: 11 Jun 2005
Location: Samcheok, Gangwon-do
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| Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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| cruisemonkey wrote: |
I tolerate no other forms of ban-mal.
They do respect me and know I'm 'the boss' - they must come to attention and bow when I walk into the classroom, they can't sleep in my classes, they can't talk when I'm talking and that I will punish them for misbehaviour/infractions of the 'rules'. |
I'm just wondering how you make this work.... for example, I had a student take a paper from me and say "kamsa," which I assume is the banmal of kamsahamnida... what would you do in this situation?
My (public elementary school) students don't bow to their Korean teachers, so that seems out of the question. And actually, they talk and run around the classroom even when the Korean teachers are teaching (some of them... as at home, some teachers garner more respect than others... I assume this is true for foreigners too, though I think it's much, much harder for foreigners to get that kind of respect.).
Is this just my school (in the middle of nowhere), or are Korean elementary students expected much less of then I was in the states?
OP: Koreans, on the whole, are xenophobic, and Korean students are going to be disrespectful, just because we're foreigners, because we can't communicate effectively with them, and because we can't operate within the cultural expectations they assume a proper teacher would. I think it's just part of the gig. For most of us anyway. I'm looking forward to what CM and others who are in more control of their classrooms have to say. |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 5:02 pm Post subject: Re: Tell me again why we aren't respected... |
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| nicam wrote: |
| I just had one of my PS students say 'Anyo' followed by my first name to me in the hall. I know this is disrespectful, but I just wonder where it's coming from and why they would do that to me when I am always kind and professional. Are they just being testing middle schoolers, or is it deeper than that? How do you guys handle this if and when it happens? |
Just give him a friendly slap or flick to the ear or drag him along the corridor with you asking him why he's such an insolent little prat in English and don't let him go until he finds some way of explaning himself in English.
It's been so nice to see all my students again today. Reading Dave's consistantly makes my students look so wonderful. |
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Ukon
Joined: 29 Jan 2008
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| Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 5:10 pm Post subject: |
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| nene wrote: |
| cruisemonkey wrote: |
I tolerate no other forms of ban-mal.
They do respect me and know I'm 'the boss' - they must come to attention and bow when I walk into the classroom, they can't sleep in my classes, they can't talk when I'm talking and that I will punish them for misbehaviour/infractions of the 'rules'. |
I'm just wondering how you make this work.... for example, I had a student take a paper from me and say "kamsa," which I assume is the banmal of kamsahamnida... what would you do in this situation?
My (public elementary school) students don't bow to their Korean teachers, so that seems out of the question. And actually, they talk and run around the classroom even when the Korean teachers are teaching (some of them... as at home, some teachers garner more respect than others... I assume this is true for foreigners too, though I think it's much, much harder for foreigners to get that kind of respect.).
Is this just my school (in the middle of nowhere), or are Korean elementary students expected much less of then I was in the states?
OP: Koreans, on the whole, are xenophobic, and Korean students are going to be disrespectful, just because we're foreigners, because we can't communicate effectively with them, and because we can't operate within the cultural expectations they assume a proper teacher would. I think it's just part of the gig. For most of us anyway. I'm looking forward to what CM and others who are in more control of their classrooms have to say. |
I wouldn't say xenophobic is the reason...the kids love me...They try banmal on us becuase we don't speak the language first of all.
Korean kids seem to have more free reign...mine are allowed to write on desks for instance by their korean teachers...
In my experience...either their homeroom class is quiet or they have a couple of loud alpha males and girls who riile everyone up.
Some classes are perfect angels.... |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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| nene wrote: |
| cruisemonkey wrote: |
I tolerate no other forms of ban-mal.
They do respect me and know I'm 'the boss' - they must come to attention and bow when I walk into the classroom, they can't sleep in my classes, they can't talk when I'm talking and that I will punish them for misbehaviour/infractions of the 'rules'. |
I'm just wondering how you make this work.... for example, I had a student take a paper from me and say "kamsa," which I assume is the banmal of kamsahamnida... what would you do in this situation?
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No, gomaweo is banmal for thank-you. Be careful, because which form of the language is polite can also depend upon whom it's referring to. For instance 'hakyo ga' can be OK if a student means 'I'm going to school' but 'hakyo ga?' would be very rude if it means 'are you going to school?'.
Unless you're 100% sure what the language means, ignore it, but if you are (say a student yells 'Wae!' at you) don't be afraid to 'go Korean' on them. |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 5:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Ukon wrote: |
I wouldn't say xenophobic is the reason...the kids love me...They try banmal on us becuase we don't speak the language first of all.
Korean kids seem to have more free reign...mine are allowed to write on desks for instance by their korean teachers...
In my experience...either their homeroom class is quiet or they have a couple of loud alpha males and girls who riile everyone up.
Some classes are perfect angels.... |
Ah, to be so clueless and deluded. |
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mayorgc
Joined: 19 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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if the kids say to me "anyong =)" is that actually considered rude?
i had one angel student say that to me. |
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nomad-ish
Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Location: On the bottom of the food chain
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| Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 5:49 pm Post subject: |
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| mayorgc wrote: |
if the kids say to me "anyong =)" is that actually considered rude?
i had one angel student say that to me. |
it's just the informal version that they would use when talking to friends or younger siblings. if it was a really good student that said that to you, it just means she sees you as more of a friend. honestly, i wouldn't worry about that too much |
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nene
Joined: 11 Jun 2005
Location: Samcheok, Gangwon-do
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| Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad-ish wrote: |
| mayorgc wrote: |
if the kids say to me "anyong =)" is that actually considered rude?
i had one angel student say that to me. |
it's just the informal version that they would use when talking to friends or younger siblings. if it was a really good student that said that to you, it just means she sees you as more of a friend. honestly, i wouldn't worry about that too much |
I think the don't worry about it strategy is great, and I honestly wish I could adopt it more myself. But I don't think it's just that a student sees you as more of a friend. The entire culture is structured around Confucian relationships. We're more than ten years older than our students, and we're teachers. They have to see us as [I lack the word - higher?] in the confucian order of things. I think they're just being rude. Because they can to foreigners. Because foreigners don't, by default, get much respect in K-land. |
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