Korean Job Discussion Forums

greene · Joined: 11 Dec 2008

oh god, they are horrible. i work at a hagwon and i don't teach them. i am the only male teacher at the school and one of only 2 waygookin. basically every day these 7 evil little ones run into my room, take my things, call me names in korean and shut off the light to my classroom repeatedly.

what can i do to stop this? i've not been picked on like this since i was a kid. i'm 6'3" but relatively unthreatening looking. when i yell it only encourages them.. the other teachers are aware and try to help out (these kids listen to the other teachers to some extent).

i don't teach them and i think i got off on the wrong foot with them, being very nice and letting them mess with me at first because they are all cute, even when being evil. when i teach i typically start off mean and become more lax as time goes on, after i have their respect.

what will help? sticker rewards for not being evil? candy? cash? ipods?

i just want them to respect and fear me. or respect and love me. either way

halfmanhalfbiscuit · Joined: 13 Oct 2007 Location: Seoul

Oderint dum metuant

Let them hate as long as they fear

poet13 · Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 10:19 pm Post subject:

light switch. put a layer of plastic wrap over the switch and area, and then coat the switch in something annoying like mustard or glue.

Or, make an elastic band gun, and zap the hand that touches the light. I actually made an elastic band chain, hooked it around the edge of the light switch plate, stretched it across the table (no desk, just a communal table), and let it go when a hand reached in the door. The child cried, I swore that I was sitting on the other side of the room....which I was.

Are the dongchimming you? (hands together, index fingers pointed, stab you in the bum.) Grab the hand that offends, and fart on it. Really, I mean it. Force one out.

And perhaps the most useful of my mostly useless advice.

Stop yelling. It only shocks them into silence once. After that it's just another game.

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

A water gun is your friend. Enjoy.

Zulethe · Joined: 04 Jul 2008

Smoe interviewer: "So there's this thing that some Korean children do that some westerners may find offensive." "It's called dongchim." "Have you ever heard of it, and if so, how would you respond if it happens to you?"

"Oh, that's an easy one, I would grab the hand that offends, and fart on it. Really, I mean it. Force one out."

Smoe interviewer: Embarassed

poet13 · Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 11:13 pm Post subject:

I've done it. Never got dongchimed again.

andrewchon · Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2009 11:26 pm Post subject:

If them evilmongers are paying customers then you let them do what ever. If they are not then grab one, demand to see his/her parents and make sure that he's been punished for coming into a teacher's classroom without permission. You do have a duty as a teacher to keep the classroom a safe place to study.

sketcha · Joined: 05 Sep 2007 Location: Seoul, South Korea

it seems you're trying to win them over or rewarding them for not being a monster ...

it should be the other way around, I think ... they're the one that has to win you over

do the cat approach ... that is, ignore them

it seems they do like you, they enjoy playing with you - so it's nothing malicious (they're kids)
and being kids, this is how they act

I wouldnt try to reward them to stop ... I'll just ignore them, let them know sternly that you do not enjoy some of the things they do ... hopefully they'll learn

but yeah, they're the ones that have to win you over, not the other way around

Karea · Joined: 07 Jul 2009

Don't you have a taser?

Straphanger · Joined: 09 Oct 2008 Location: Chilgok, Korea

Lock.

The.

Door.

greene · Joined: 11 Dec 2008

ahhh... thanks sketcha, good idea

i'll try this out tomorrow and see if it works

AgentM · Joined: 07 Jun 2009 Location: British Columbia, Canada

A friend of mine who taught English in Korea for a while said that if a kid dongchimmed him, he would grab the kid and order the rest of the class to dongchim the perpetrator. He said that worked.

sakamuras · Joined: 21 Jun 2003

Change your name to John Mark Karr.

PamPhi · Joined: 28 Jun 2009

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

You will have to learn to ignore most of it, I know it's hard to do tho.

The ddong chim thing... I believe someone already suggested an appropriate solution, grab the offender, bend him ove a desk and have the rest of the class ddong chim him.

I know it sounds harsh, but it's the only way they will take you seriously.