Korean Job Discussion Forums

[fromtheuk]

I will work 20 hours a week at my elementary school this year. I will also have 2 after school classes each week.

Because my co-teacher is new, and has no previous experience teaching English, lesson planning takes even less time than normal.

Yesterday, I got a headache, due to sitting in the same position all afternoon. My fault I know, but I wasn't thinking. I will move around a bit more today.

I've thought about this. I know some HS teachers teach much less than 20 hrs a week. So, my question is how do you avoid getting bored at work?

I'm not complaining, I'm glad to have some spare time. The obvious answers to my question would be: surfing the net, read a book, watch a movie, lesson plan etc.

When you have so much spare time on a regular basis, how do you fill the time without getting bored? If I had less than 20 hrs regular class a week, I would probably feel too bored.

My after school classes haven't begun yet, so once they do, I'm sure I'll feel less bored. That'll mean only 3 days a week where the afternoons are free.

[Billos]

It might not relieve the boredom but learn more Korean?
Or post some more on Daves, I don't think you post enough, we all want to find out what happens this episode, sorry, year

[espoir]

well I teach 21 class room hours a week, so i'm basically in the same boat. Although I dont tecah any after school classes......yet. But my handler is brand new to the school and doesnt seem to care what I'm doing, so no longer do i have to waste my days pretending to do lesson plans and the like.

I also got really productive over the winter break and created all my lessons with complete lesson plans and worksheets for all of my classes from now until the end of June. So I dont even have lesson planning to keep me occupied at work.

So I spend most of my time surfing the net (mainly this site and newspapers) and as of monday I started using the school gym when I have two period back-back free. Obvisouly I'm not doing anything stressful as I have no time to shower and I'm not about to make my students suffer through my gym sweat, but its a good time waster nonetheless.

[cruisemonkey]

[meursault]

I've been off this entire week, so I've been filling my free time mostly by surfing the Internet and reading (I brought along one of the long Russian classics). Frankly, I find it hard to be bored as long as I have Internet access.

I'm much more concerned with lesson planning.

[Draz]

I deal with the burden of my light workload by going home when I'm not in class.

(Or I will. Right now I'm in prep mode.)

[missty]

[fromtheuk]

I post the minutia of the banalities of my life, job and relationships with co-teachers on 'Dave's'.

That reminds me of another poster on this forum. His name is on the tip of my tongue.

[Jeff's Cigarettes]

^Don't look at me, I've stopped replying to your trolls. Just too BORING.

[egrog1717]

I downloaded a Gameboy Advanced Emulator and have been playing the hell out of Zelda, Advance Wars, and Lego Starwars for two months

[linky123]

Read, get an ipod, make friends with other teachers, you can both teach eachother. Observe what other teachers do and interact.

[D.D.]

Purchase nhl.com and get into ice hockey. The games play from 9am to 3 pm most days. I sit and watch them on the big screen in the English room.

[fromtheuk]

I was stuggling to stay awake at my desk (a bit like everybody who reads my posts on this forum) after lunch. I let my co-teacher copy materials from my flash drive. She is clicking through them all at a fast pace.

I am awake again now, almost fully awake.

On friday, I will conduct 'interviews' for both after school classes, which begin next week. Grade 3 & 4 will be grouped together and so will grade 5 & 6. Both classes will take place on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, respectively.

[BS.Dos.]

I usually study or play backgammon. Typically more often the latter, but it really should be more of the former.

[fromtheuk]

In my last job in England, I used to work on the phones. I used to take payments over the phone. I used to work shifts on a rota system.

In each working day, I'd get a 10 minute break in the first and second half of the shift. I'd also receive a 30 minute lunch break. That was a total of 50 minutes free time in a working day.

At this job, for 3 days of the week, I arrive at work at 8.40. I start teaching at 9.10 and finish at 12.20pm. I have four 10 minute breaks in between 4 forty minute classes.

From 12.20pm until 4.40pm, I do almost nothing and it's not a problem. For the other 2 days, I do nothing from 12.20pm-3.30pm. I have a forty minute after school class and then do nothing from 4.10-4.40pm.

Would I prefer this job over the call centre work in England?

Yes. Yes. Yes.