Korean Job Discussion Forums

[c_malinow]

Hi, I have been working for Gepik for a couple of months, and I do multiple lesson plans of the same lesson that constantly gets rejected. Sometimes for no reason. On multiple occasions she doesn't even look at the first page and says: I don't like the topic, and she will never give me a direct answer about what I should do instead. Last week I needed to re-do lesson plans 3 or 4 times and was not able to make the Thursday deadline that she set because of the redo's and wanted me to come on Saturday, but my contract says I don't work Saturdays. Today I found out I am on probation and am on my way to being fired. They tell me my lesson plans are no good because the kids don't behave in class because of my lesson. This doesn't make any sense to me. Has anyone ever been fired from Gepik for this reason. It seems very unreasonable to me.

[ThingsComeAround]

My co-teacher gave me the same Shyte.

You could reverse the situation and ask her silly mundane questions (this is what she wants, to be glamorized and sought after for skills that don't exist)
When she runs out of ideas/opinions, lightly suggest yours. I'm not saying this is good, but it is a way to get around the volatile situation she is giving you.

Another thing, talk to her higher-up (VP or P). Get someone else who can speak on your behalf to an authority figure and make sure you let them know she is threatening you.

[andrewchon]

Contact your district coordinator about your situation.
What I've read so far sounds very un-reasonable.
Where are you? What city?

[c_malinow]

Hey, thanks for the response. I am in Daehwa, at the Daehwa middle school in Ilsan. I've tried the Goyang coordinator, but no response. I haven't even been to orientation yet. Yeah, I tried the dumb question thing, that is when I started getting threats of being fired. It's tough to make a deadline when your lesson plans get rejected without any reason. She is notorious for this with other previous teachers.

[c_malinow]

there doesn't seem to be any logic around the lesson plan planning. It seems completely random and frustrating.

[andrewchon]

Well, do the kids misbehave in the class?
What does the co-teacher do during the lesson?

[c_malinow]

non of my co-teachers seem to have a problem and help to discipline the students and are very helpful, but one co teacher who is the supervisor gives me problems and points out the problems with the lesson plan during class, which is helpful, but points at me when the kids act up instead of disciplining them. It's very difficult, especially since there is 40 students per class. Im sure non of the other co teachers would side with me though since she is the supervisor.

[c_malinow]

Are there a lot of people that typically get fired from GEPIC for this reason. I though at least the co-teachers might be more helpful with the lesson plans. It seems like most of the time they are the opposite and want to spend the whole class teaching English in Korean instead. I think GEPIK might have a real problem if they fire English teachers for this reason.

[c_malinow]

Has anybody ever been on probation before for this reason?

[andrewchon]

I was on probation but for teaching in Korean and giving boring lessons.
I'd say relax. Try contacting your coordinator, again.

Do the students like you?

[c_malinow]

Yes, the students love me and I really like them, but when I get put on probation and threatened and curves my mood and it affects the way I interact with the children (obviously). She tells me the students don't like me, but I don't see that that is the case. She said the students gave me a bad evaluation.

[c_malinow]

If I could make lesson plans that are interesting, that would be ideal. I did some good ones with cooking, postcards and action heroes that they really liked, but recently any good idea I have gets rejected before I even finish the plan.

[I'm no Picasso]

OP, I'm really sorry about this situation. Unfortunately, this is the result of the luck of the draw that is teaching English in Korea. It sounds like you are really doing your best, and you have an awesome attitude about the whole thing. It's not easy to be told no, no, you're wrong and then have the same person refuse to give you any guidance. It sounds like your co-teacher is power tripping, to the max -- like she has a problem with the very fact that you are there to begin with. Especially the handing over the discipline to you in class and refusing to do anything about it herself.

When I complain about having a hard time keeping certain classes under control, my co-teacher's reaction is to ask me what the Korean teacher is/isn't doing, and to tell me that if I don't think I can handle it myself, I can always bring the unruly students down to her office for her to deal with. She understands that I don't wield the same power as her, because I can't give the students demerits, as she can.

I don't really have a suggestion for you, other than to try and see if you can't get a little closer to some of your more reasonable co-teachers. Not in a snake-in-the-grass kind of way, but just in general. Once they get to know you a little better, you might be surprised to hear them start making complaints about this particular teacher as well. When she goes to try to make a case to the VP and P for losing you, your other co-teachers are going to be the support network that makes or breaks you.

Good luck and I hope things get easier for you in the very near future.

[c_malinow]

Yeah, your right about that. It is the situation, I have been sort of close to the other co teachers after working there for a couple of months, but then the supervisor told them to evaluate me, so I am not going to have any luck there. Oh well, maybe teaching in Korea isn't my thing. I just hope I can get my housing deposit back. It seems like there is some major systemic problems within GEPIC and it's bad for the kids.

[c_malinow]

I originally thought that teaching with GEPIK would be more reasonable and stable than Hagwons. I guess that this is not true.