Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Big Mac]

I can't believe the stupidity of my school right now.

They have taken away the one person in my school who can speak passable English (my old co-teacher) and replaced her with a 39-year old woman who can barely carry on a conversation. My Grade 3 co-teacher can't even speak or understand a word of English, but she got a high score on some test which apparently means she is going to be a good teacher.

How am I going to get through the year with absolutely no one to communicate with? My principal, vice principal and the administration speak no English either so it seems that I am going to be in my own little English bubble from here on in.

My school's attitude seems to be that it's my fault for not knowing Korean...not their fault for not knowing English.

I am so frustrated right now I just want to leave this stupid hicksville town and school.

[fromtheuk]

It may be good. Why? If she can't speak English she may not have a high opinion of herself. Therefore, she may feel insecure, as she cannot converse with you properly, she may not give you extra work.

My new co-teacher told me her English level is low. We only spoke for a few seconds.

If her English is very limited, and it makes my life easier, I'm very happy with that!

[yingwenlaoshi]

Screw it. Just collect your paycheck.

Dying Logic
Korea!

[Misera]

[D.D.]

Our school district replaced the person in charge of western teachers with a lady who can't speak a word of English.

She gives speaches in Korean at our orientations and nobody translates for us.

[Misera]

[yingwenlaoshi]

[Hindsight]

[yingwenlaoshi]

Believe it or not!

[sobriquet]

[wesharris]

Everybody loves somebody sometime.
I think the OP is in love with his KT.
What'cha think guys?
_+_
Wes
ET at large, in charge, on a barge, out in the Yard.

[Hindsight]

That's a bummer.

The worst I ever had was a co-teacher who could only speak about 200 words of English. But at least there was another teacher in the school who spoke excellent English. Which is handy for safety reasons, if nothing else.

I hope you realize it is illegal to be in a classroom with students alone, without a Korean teacher present. That semi-illiterate co-teacher spent a total of about 15 minutes in the classroom with me over the course of a year. I don't think he wanted the students to realize how little English he knew. Found out later this was illegal. And dangerous.

I was in a classroom where the co-teacher skipped out and there was some sort of emergency drill. I think the students were supposed to evacuate the building. But some of my students hid under the TV, went to play ping pong, etc. And the vice principal who was doing a walk through saw this, saw the co-teacher was AWOL, and did nothing.

So I hope at least your co-teachers come to class. If not, document their attendance. CYA.

[nomad-ish]

i've met one of my new co-teachers about 3 times now, and she's not said a single word to me. just a smile and a nod. sadly, i'm not surprised

[Hindsight]

There doesn't seem to be a shortage of young, underemployed Koreans who speak English as well as some of the co-teachers. I wonder why more Koreans don't become public school teachers? And why so many teachers can't do their job?

[Fredbob]

Two possibly useful tips:
Ask her to go out with you for Samgyupsal and Soju, might loosen her up. She may actually speak, the trick is whether she will go alone with you.

Ask her for her email address, then makeup some relatively easy question to ask her. Older Koreans are often much better at reading and writing then they are with speaking, and, it won't put her on the spot.

If you have to, ask one of your kids to write down those requests in Korean for you, DON'T TELL THEM WHY!

Of course, you may just be completely screwed, this situation is not completely uncommon.