Korean Job Discussion Forums

[poeticjustice]

I was just wondering this. I'm on my second year in my public High School. In my first year few years in Korea, my age kept me from feeling like part of the group simply because I have always been about 5-10 years younger from the mean age of the average teacher at my school.

These days, though, we seem to be getting a lot of new teachers who start off at an age similar to my age now (23/24/25 Western age).

The other day one of my co-teachers innocently mentionned something which was okay for me to do that was not okay for "normal teachers" to do. I always knew I wasn't a "normal teacher", but I also sort of wondered where I was in the big scheme of things.

Since Korea is a country full of hierarchies, where would NETs fall in the public schools?

Considering we are not teachers, we are "native speakers" (완아민) and rarely am I referred to as "teacher" by the students and faculty, does that mean I am considered to be lower in the hierarchy than all the other teachers? Or are we on the same page as the new teachers who just started out (below homeroom teachers)?

If you spend ten years in Korea and build up a wealth of experience (that shows), are you still considered as being at the bottom of the hierarchy if you teach in a PS?

("Native Speaker" is nothing to write home about... It's the same as labelling someone as "he was born and has the ability to communicate").

[Demophobe]

You typically fall between the cracks. Part of the lowerarchy.

Seriously, there are too many variables in the equation. The principal, staff and you; these can make you a respected part of the team, a marginalized nobody or somewhere in between.

Native speaker means you have a first language and speak it. Save perhaps feral children, everyone is a native speaker.

[andrewchon]

Here are plus/minuses for your pecking order

Your Age: Koreans will respect older person +
Years spent at school: if you personally know students due years spent at school, if you know brothers and sisters, even better ++
Do parents know you? inside the school?+ and outside the school. ++
Paper work: NETs don't do much paper work for ministry --
Are you like a son/daughter to Principal/VP? +
Speak Korean? +
Friends with supporting staff? (cleaners/lunch room staff/admin staff/ bus driver/part time teachers) ++
Know Korean history/current events +
Have a Korean spouse? Does the spouse do any volunteer work at school? ++
Do the students like you? +
Do you old-boy network with powerful people? +++

Personal experience: One day 4th year teacher-wannabes came for practicum. After we were introduced, they were scolded for not getting up to bow to me. You can make what ever conclusions from that. I'd say my in-school respect is up but outside I am not.

[Demophobe]

[poeticjustice]

[lifeinkorea]

[Mr. Pink]

To poeticjustice:

Your official title is assistant teacher. I know, I know, you and others might teach the whole class. I think there is something in the law, that only Korea certified teachers can have the title "teacher".

Once that girl is done her practicum, she will get certified, and she will be above you in status. As a 4th year student though, she shouldn't have been so cocky. That surprised me quite a bit. When I dealt with student teachers at my old school they were always very respectful and never insulting to the foreign staff.

[poeticjustice]

[Rex Jacobs]

You're on par with the cleaning ajumma or cafeteria ajumma in terms of respectability.

[Koveras]

[Rex Jacobs]

[Elvis Gratton]

[Mr. Pink]

[poeticjustice]

[Hyeon Een]