Korean Job Discussion Forums

[slideaway77]

I need some good advice. I'm a month into my public high school contract. Last year I worked in a Hagwon but done a CELTA part-time and managed to secure myself a good public school gig in Seoul- all well and good, but it's looking ropey now.

I love my school, I get on well with the other teachers, and I'm popular with the kids however the job is nothing like I expected. I have a Korean co/"boss" teacher who wants me to take top/down teaching approach to my classes and focus on conversation. My first reaction was fine I can do this, but now I feel like I'm chasing my tail in this job. I done what I thought she wanted but apparently i shouldn't do exactly what she wants? I have no problem creating lessons myself but because I have to defer to the co/boss teacher for the lessons I feel quite redundant.
I learn't to teach a certain way on my CELTA but this isn't what she wants. She brought a textbook which I have to use for lesson plans. I hate the book because it's rubbish and she briefs me on "my" lessons the way she wants it done.
I thought I'd just do what she asked and it would be ok but she struggles to articulate what she wants and I find it hard to visualise what she briefs because she can't express herself well in English I told her this and she acknowledges the communication problems. Depite my best efforts at diplomacy she has said I am direct and abrupt. (In a nice way of course..)

Does anyone know anything about top/down teaching? or have any links? Apparently I have to talk about my culture compared to K culture then get across the main idea of the lesson as opposed to eliciting it from the kids (in my case a part of conversation.) It also seems to not involve any fun stuff so the kids will love it.

It's fustrating - I know its Korea. I spent months learning how to teach the CELTA way only to find I need to take another approach now. I spend all week preparing lessons to have her turn around and say they are doing it their way regardless what I show them..it's bollocks because I'm taking them proven lesson plans I used in my CELTA/training for the job.
Additionally I have a Korean/Canadian part-time teacher working with me who can't understand the boss teacher's briefings eitheir.
I'm worried they/she is looking for excuses and planning to get rid of me. I think she'd prefer a Korean speaking teacher over me- maybe the part-timer as she is shit hot but she's the back seat driver at the moment.
It's all very nice at the moment but I'm worried the shit is going to hit the fan if this goes on and on. There's only so much I can take. I just don't get where she is coming from?

Please: only answers about advice after the day I've had the last thing I want to discuss is grammar or spelling..

[VanIslander]

Teach it your way.
Smile and be nice when advice is given and mentally put it in file 13.
Keeping teaching your way.
Keep smiling when advice is given (there's lots of room in file 13).
They can fire you for teaching it your way if they want. They won't though.

Understand your own role in your problem there slideaway77.

[Cheonmunka]

Good on you for having Celta. That's (one of) the best thing on your teaching creds. Do most things your way, I agree. Give a little here and there as well. Sometimes you can learn a new way out of the Korean way, even if it just means getting to grips with the way that students expect learning structure to be.

[harlowethrombey]

They hired a western teacher. Teach western style. If they want top-down korean education they can do that in the 99% of the rest of the classes the students take.

VI is right, teach how you want. The kids will like it more.

When asked if you're doing 'top-down' education just say yes. After a few months, if backed into a corner, you can say 'Oh, but this is top-down in the west!'

good luck

[ChinaBoy]

Yes, I hear the "teach top-down, top-down!!!" all the time.

No one has ever explained it to me. When asked, they just say "top-down!", which obviously means they don't know either.

[agoodmouse]

Congratulations on taking the time and making the effort to get your CELTA. It's the best teaching certificate. Be glad you didn't waste your time on an online "teaching" certificate.

[hugekebab]

[agoodmouse]

My CELTA really helped my high school teaching here. So I disagree.

[The Grumpy Senator]

Top-Down Processing involves the students' ability to bring prior knowledge into help understanding new material. The student uses prior knowledge to make predictions and how the pieces fit into the whole.

Basiclally, it aims at getting the student to expand their thoughts; and therefore, expand their responses to the material. Is more internal-based for the student- giving them a little information and letting them come up with their own answers and not the tradtional closed-question type lesson.

Top-Down is a great strategy if you are able to encourage your students to think for themselves and express themselves. Allow grammar mistakes (just model the corrections after the student finishes) and ensure they know that every answer is a good answer. Make the class an environment where they are comfortable sharing ideas and opinions.

If the book your co-teacher prevoided (Provided. Wow, what the hell is prevoided?) is not to your liking, find one better suited and present it to her. Discuss why you like or dislike a book and agree to present the material as a team. That is the only way it will work.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

[agoodmouse]

Slideaway77, where did you take your CELTA? Which test center?

[ChinaBoy]

[The Grumpy Senator]

[D.D.]

Part of working in a public school is to muscle your way in. If you are not strong they wiil try and push you into teaching their way. I always take a my way or the highway tactic and they back off and I teach my style.

Just for myself I couldn't do this job if I had to adhere to their insane teaching methods.

So I would just do what I wanted to do and ignore their control dramas.

[icnelly]

[Dodgy Al]

Politely tell her that you are confused about what she wants, and request that you observe one of her classes, to see an example.