Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wylies99]

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/05/117_44427.html

05-06-2009 15:52

12% of Native English Teachers Dismissed at Schools in Ulsan

By Bae Jong-hyun
Intern

As many as 17 native English speakers _ or 12.4 percent of the total 137 _ have been expelled from primary and middle schools in Ulsan for alleged poor teaching methods, demeanor or other reasons, the local education office reported Wednesday.

The office said that it has not renewed their contracts after judging their methods to be inappropriate for teaching students in English.

A written survey was conducted to determine how many acted decently, how faithful they were to their duty, how well they guided students and how well they taught English.

Among the dismissed were those who often yelled at students, argued with Korean teachers assisting them and wore indecent clothes. Some had to visit hospital too often for weight problems and some refused to teach after school, according to the survey.

"Most native English teachers manage conversation classes well with a high level of ability, creating friendly competition with other Korean teachers," an official said. "Some, however, have been dismissed through non-renewal of their contracts on grounds that they had made trouble as a teacher."

[wylies99]

[bogey666]

another article written by a non native speaker who doesn't have the necessary knowledge of the English language to use words like 'expelled' and others.

if you consider the circumstances, that any Elmer with any degree from ANY supposed "college" (of which Western countries are full of now, many of these "colleges" being worthless in the real world)

a 12.7 % "failure rate" is remarkably small.

[DrOctagon]

[Kurtz]

The article sounds perfectly reasonable to me from my observations of FT's in my own city. Can't comment on teaching methods as I really don't know myself what is good and what is bad.

A mistake in spelling/use of the wrong word...crikey! don't let the majority of Dave's posters write an article without a dictionary and spell check enabled.

Don't get so upset about every little article that is written about us. Just keep your own nose clean and learn to laugh more mate

[bogey666]

[CentralCali]

Seems to me that the article quoted some government functionary who said that the FTs were dismissed via not receiving a renewal offer.

I also noticed that there was no survey conducted of the foreign teachers.

[GoldMember]

So we have a system whereby:

Korean Teacher assigns grades and hence has some leverage over students

FT doesn't do grades so has no leverage.

Korean Teacher can punish students who misbehave.

FT can't punish students.

Students have more respect for the Korean teacher than the FT as FT doesn't fit into the Korean hierachy.

The system is designed to ensure the FT "fails".

[Rory_Calhoun27]

I wonder, can they ID the teachers having problems, or do they just wait until the time to consider renewal, decide they want more grist for the mill, and cut bait and run?

[Rufus]

Does the Korean Teachers Union allow their own to be not renewed for poor performance. I would say that not being able to speak the language you teach to be very poor form and would hence disqualify the majority of Korean English teachers I have worked with.

[Adventurer]

I really take what is said with a grain salt. Why? Well, once I was going to replace a teacher who the school claimed was a bad teacher. I was expecting some fellow who was a recent graduate and maybe an idiot, but I, instead, encountered a nice fellow from the U.K., and he reminded me of a smart departed friend. I couldn't see he could have been a bad teacher.

If for some reason a school doesn't like you, then they will say you are a bad teacher. Also, as far as that part about yelling students, what were the co-teachers doing to assist those teachers? Sometimes, I've heard that some teachers don't get much assistance. And how qualified are all the Korean teachers? One lady at an Ilsan school, according to a friend, didn't know how to use the dictionary properly.

I can understand that some would be viewed as very poor teachers, but
I am not sure how many I would personally evaluate to be so poor in accordance with the environment of their individual schools.

I am a very skeptical when someone says that someone is a bad teacher. Probably, in some cases the teachers were horrible in terms of not being committed to teach, but I wonder how much back-up these guys all had. Also, sometimes when they want to change teachers for whatever reason they could make up stuff and say you robbed Buckingham Palace.

I would much sooner believe some random person on Dave's than the [u][u][b]Korean Soju Times LOL Now, that's bad! [/size]


You also have to support and retain teachers. Korea has not demonstrated that it values credentialed teachers. Teachers who are less credentialed or have less years of experience in Korea or abroad, will tend to have more problems percentage wise.

[crosbystillsstash]

You get what you pay for.

[gangwonbound]

[semi-fly]

[ED209]

12% of Native English Teachers Dismissed(didn't understand Korean culture) at Schools in Ulsan