Korean Job Discussion Forums

Privateer · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Location: Easy Street.

I've been doing this for quite a while now and, I feel, getting better and better at it, and doing reasonably well out of it too. Lately, however, I've been feeling really burnt out and brassed off with it. Everyone goes through bad patches of course, but this seems like it's more than just a patch, so it's probably time to think about a change. I don't think I'm going to like teaching significantly better anywhere else either, although I could be wrong about that of course.

So I was wondering how other people feel about teaching - and I mean the actual teaching part, irrespective of any side issues you may have with your particular place of work, or with Korean cultural foibles. I know some people can't get out fast enough, and, at the other extreme, some (claim to) love it. Let's see what sort of spread there is.

P.S. If you don't like my poll design, sorry. I know it's not perfect. Feel free to design a better one!

polonius · Joined: 05 Jun 2004

Teaching is a career for me. I will return to Canada and teach in the elementary school system. I am bilingual, and this added to the fact that I am a man, I should be able to get a job very easily. If I teach French, I would teach core French rather than immersion, as the immersion program in Ontario needs to be revamped.

Otherside · Joined: 06 Sep 2007

I voted "same days I hate it, some days it's tolerable".

I think this has a lot to do with me teaching Elementary. I have to teach gr1-6 and I find I teach better and the enjoy the classes more as they get older. Perhaps if I tried middle or HS I'd enjoy it alot more.

Rusty Shackleford · Joined: 08 May 2008

I like it more than I hate it. I voted it's a good job but I wouldn't want to do it forever. Teaching is my vocation, and I will probably go be a real teacher in my home country, at some point.

ChinaBoy · Joined: 17 Feb 2007

Some days I think I would rather be in prison than have to teach another class.

And I only think of prison because I'm not brave enough to try to kill myself.

I guess you could say I don't like teaching.

VanIslander · Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 2:18 am Post subject:

most days i love it Very Happy

if i'm feeling under the weather i wish i could call in sick or get a temp replacement, but alas, i am expected to go to work sick and thus do

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

I stumbled into teaching at age 46 & 10 years on I kick myself for not having discovered it earlier. Its me. I checked the first poll option.

Theo · Joined: 04 Jul 2009

I wanted to participate in the poll, but no statement truly reflected (or came close to reflecting) my feelings.

I wanted to choose the first option, "I love it..." but the problem for me is that after five years in China, and one year in Korea, I had endured a string of lousy employers and managers. I find the EFL business in those countries to be corrupt and highly exploitative. (I always worked in adult schools, as my previous home country teaching experience was in universities).

So yes, I love teaching university-age and older EFL students, but I loathe the EFL business which I consider almost completely devoid of academic intergrity and decent business ethics.

Love the work; loathe the industry.

samcheokguy · Joined: 02 Nov 2008 Location: Samcheok G-do

I hope I can get my MA in Linguistics and do this forever...

Privateer · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Location: Easy Street.

^ Well I really wanted to make this about teaching, not about the industry, although I realise it's hard to separate them. So I guess we can put Theo down for option 1.

Theo · Joined: 04 Jul 2009

bobbybigfoot · Joined: 05 May 2007 Location: Seoul

Theo · Joined: 04 Jul 2009

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

The problem with the poll is the EFL emphasis. I love teaching, I just get tired of teaching EFL. My whole purpose in getting certified as a teacher was so I could teach other subjects in ENGLISH. I loved all the students I had when I did EFL, but it gets to me not being able to communicate at a certain level of English day in and day out. Also, I find my level of English goes to the crapper when I am dealing with EFL students. I lower my level of English too much to get them to understand me.

andrewchon · Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 2:14 pm Post subject: teaching?

According to my VP I'm not teaching but a pleasant time spent with an englishy person i.e. if students learn anything then it was purely by accident and there was no intent in my part. I guess it's another vote for "love teaching, hate the job".