Korean Job Discussion Forums

[MissMaggie]

I must say, today has been an adventure. I teach at two small schools in Jeju, and today I started at my second one. At the first one, my coteacher is great. He gave me a week to watch his classes and prepare lesson plans, gave me all the books I need, teacher guides, and a book of fourth grade lesson plans from his old native teacher. My coteacher here showed me where the english room was, told me I was to start teaching at 9:20 in the first grade classroom, showed me where the english room was, and left. I have no idea how to use the fancy equipment in here, the teaching guides are written in Korean, and I have no idea what's going on or what I'm supposed to do at lunch time, I'm not sure how to get to the cafeteria! Also, what the hell am I supposed to do until 4:30 if I don't have the books, and don't know what lesson the various classes are on?

[oldfatfarang]

Welcome to Korea. Everything will be clear - soon. Don't worry. Just keep asking. Koreans are very helpful. But they're very shy - and you have to ask them to help you.

Good luck.

[MissMaggie]

I got in the carpool and my coteacher said "where are your books?"

..apparently, my other coteacher told her he was going to send me with the books I needed. He didn't tell me this and I have no idea what books she's talking about. They never even told me what classes I was teaching, how could I know what books I need?

[bundangbabo]

Hey good luck and wishing you a happy year on Jeju!

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Your first CT is an exception, the second the norm.

[smilesalot]

I'm glad to hear your first school was good, too bad about your second. Glad to hear you made it to Jeju okay. Best of luck and PM me if you need any help.

[MissMaggie]

haha thanks. You don't happen to know where the cafeteria is, do you?

:S

[Michelle]

[lifeinkorea]

The school I am at now was still planning how they would do winter camp (1 teacher, 5 teachers, mixed classes, etc...), and before they got all that straightened out the head English teacher asked for 1 week of lessons plans, LOL

I was considering submitting a joke sheet with like debate topics, even though I am at an elementary school. I guess you have to be as general as you can and make the lessons as you go. Over time, you will have them for future classes. It will get easier unless you want it more complex.

[ChinaBoy]

If you're lucky, you won't be able to find the cafeteria.

[MissMaggie]

I really want to just curl up into a ball at this point. The "English classroom" has been invaded by screaming korean kids. They were here when I got back from lunch over an hour ago, poking through all my stuff and trying to crack the computer password. I had to lock up anything not nailed down and leave the room for a while. I have no idea how the frickin schedule works here, but it seems to me that 2nd graders should not have a "spare" period to run around in random classrooms!

Oh, and now it looks like there is a chinese class being taught in here. fantastic. this should make doing my lesson plans REALLY easy.

...maybe I'll learn some chinese...

[BS.Dos.]

Don't worry about all the other crap. You've figuered out the most important thing i.e. where daves is.

[Underwaterbob]

I'm in the same situation here. I work in a "normal", well-run private public school where everything runs smooth as silk, and a slightly run-down, out in the boonies country school where every day is an adventure.

I've come to love my school in the country. I've given all the kids there English names, there are less than 80 of them. Their English levels, and learning abilities are all over the place, and many of them really don't want to study anything, at all, ever, but I look forward to my two days a week there, and my futile but fun English classes.

[MissMaggie]

My first school I was thinking "wow, these kids are so well behaved!"... here, I'm thinking "how the hell does this place even function?????"


...I should bring a bottle of wine with me instead of juice...

[bundangbabo]