Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Jeunesse]

For the most part, I love my students. There are a few bad apples, as there are in any group of children. But this is irrelevant to the subject at hand.

I have a classroom that is using racial slurs� some of them against me. I�m not sure what to do.

The kids are about 7-8 years old, so a bit too young to fully realize the implications of the words they are using.

The slur they are using is �pig� - from what I understand, a derogatory term in Korean culture for both white people (the pink pig, natch) and black people (there is a type of black pig on Jejudo island, apparently?)

They seem to just think it�s funny, and not hurtful.

"Teacher, your skin white.� �Um� yes?� �That means you are pink pig.� Then they proceeded to say Barack Obama was a �black pig� and laugh for 5 minutes about it.

I�m not asking anyone to play the world�s tiniest violin for me being white and experiencing a few racial slurs. Obviously, in the grand scheme of bigotry, this is but a small drop in the ocean.

Instead, I am asking for advice on how to handle this in the classroom.

What is the appropriate thing to say or do in this situation?

I feel like I should put a stop to it but explaining this with a language and cultural barrier feels rife with tension. I�m not going to say racism in Korea is better or worse than America, where I'm from - that is obviously not anything I am experienced enough to make a judgment call on - but it�s definitely more socially acceptable to express racism in public.

Perhaps ignoring it will be the most effective method - but then again, perhaps not.

Would it be overstepping my bounds and my �place� in this society by trying to get them to stop? Would ignoring the slurs be the most effective way of getting them to stop? They don�t seem to really be intending to offend - I think they just think of the words are �funny�; relatively benign. Otherwise, this class is full of affection and love towards me in the classroom. Usually when I leave they�re hugging me and saying �Don�t go, teacher!� So none of this seems to be borne from malice.... rather ignorance.

I�m not sure what to do. I don't want to offend, or overstep my boundaries. And this is not a "Korea sucks!" post. There are many great things about Korea... and this is one sucky thing.

What do you think?

[Manuel_the_Bandito]

Koreans call everyone pigs, whether for fun or to be spiteful. Get used to it.

[blackjack]

A disapproving look and a firm ya, normally tells them they have stepped over the line

[T-J]

"Love Stick" time!

The learning curve is a sharp one!

[mzeno]

Congratulate their use of English. Condemn the namecalling.

[oskinny1]

[Chambertin]

Welcome to Northern Georgabama, otherwise known as the ROK.

Pretend you are a person of color in the late 60's early 80's (depending on location) hired as a mandate to make the school look progressive and satisfy the new government codes about hiring and testing processes.
That should sum it up for you.

The kids learn it form their parents who think its damn hilarious but know when to lay in the jokes without you noticing. In other words they stick to Korean. The kids dont know better and will occasionally do what we teach them to do, use English.

Personally its not their fault, hate has to be taught. Still the message learned is up to the individual. Some of them think its a big joke, others get serious about it as the more they say it at home the better toys they get.

Its the same in many places, and the West is guilty also. In fact there is no culture immune to racism, it just isnt much fun changing sides.
If nothing else take this as a moment to learn more about your own culture and exactly how to not raise your own kids.

In the long run I dont try to prevent it or change minds, but I let them know quick that these words are on the same level as domestic curse words. It dont stop them, but it sure does make my day easier.

Honestly even with the Korean I do know, general live is fun and satisfying. Its the kids who aggravate me more than anything. I cant believe the things they say and do on a daily basis. The only real advice I have is that they respect nothing but physical violence, nothing.

Good luck

EDIT, spelling mistake

[English Matt]

Unfortunately this sort of thinking is taught to and inculcated in the students by other (Korean) adults in their life. I had a class today that was referring to Obama as a Negroe......even though I had the Korean teacher explain to them that this is not an acceptable word to use, they didn't give a damn and kept on using the word and giggling about it.

If racist language is broadly accepted by a society, the kids will have little shame in saying things they hear their elders say. It's very difficult to like some of my students when they start making monkey noises and sounds of distaste and disgust the minute they see a picture of a black person, or refer to the Chinese as dirty. I even had some kids, about a year ago, call me baekinseki to my face.....

At age 8, like other posters have said, I think they are just repeating what they have heard elsewhere......not racism at this point, but just sheer ignorance. As a foreigner who does not spend much time with them and does not speak their language you will, alas, be unable to shift their behaviour as it is most likely being constantly reinforced by their families, their peers and even their other teachers.

[blackjack]

kids are stupid, kids are rude, kids will push boundaries.

Make it clear that it is unacceptable. keep in mind you might well be the first non-korean person that they have had any significant communication with.

keep calm, don't make a big deal about it, but make it clear that it is unacceptable. be an adult

[Troglodyte]

For starters, don't get upset about it in front of them. That will just get them doing it more. Kids insult, hit, throw a tempertantrum or swear for one reason alone - to get attention. If you acknowledge that one of them succeeded in insulting you or pushing your buttons, they will have won. In their mind, they raised themselves above you by finding a way to push you down.

One method that I have found works good with pre-teens (doesn't work so well with teens) is to identify the main culprits and turn the tables on them. Embarrass him/her in the eyes of the class. I'm not talking about something that will put them in tears, but something enough to quiet them a bit while they try to AVOID attention. While they are telling the jokes or humiliating/annoying someone else, the attention fuels them. If the class is laughing at them, you can be sure that they'll stay quiet for a while and avoid attracting attention. Unless it's just a hyperactive kid with low attention span. Some of them will keep at it, especially if they are being encouraged by a classmate (in which case you need to observe WHO and centre that kid out).

Whatever you do, DON'T punish them for the insults or let them know that you are retaliating against them. YOU won't change their outlook on racism. Only their parents are going to be able to achieve that. BUT if you compete with them, you have automatically acknowledged that they are your equals and they will continue to try to push your buttons. Ignore the jokes, and if necessary to punish one, make sure that they know that they are being punished for something like interupting, or not focusing on their classwork or not listening. Don't make it personal. Chuckle at the joke and point out that the kid is chubbier than you, or something else.


And like another poster said, Koreans call everyone "pig". It's a general insult. I've heard the kids call each other "pig".

[Chambertin]

Fighting on equal ground can work, but pick those battles only when certain victory is on the horizon.

I had a kid who wouldnt stop saying bad words in both languages, I did the be quiet, and dont say that method. Even when Korean on him. He just accepted it as the price for popularity. He would even greet me as byongshin sonsang nim in front of the native teachers, the rapping they gave him wouldnt even stop him.

Finally I had enough and the perfect opportunity came up. The other kids were a little tired of his antics, and he said the magic word, the F word.

So I said back to him without a seconds hesitation, BUCK YOU.
Everyone was in shock, as Buck is so similar to the real word, but it also happened to be his chosen english name. Buck. (has a 10 year old seen Deliverance?)

I quickly went through the roster, to hell with proper grammar at this point. Billy you, Katie you, etc etc.
Within less than a minute the rest of the kids got it and every time I went back to him the whole class screamed BUCK YOU!

It put him back in his place and that class went from insanity to manageable, and I even look forward to seeing them on occasion now.
To this day, if he goes out of line at school or at hagwon the other kids say Buck you, and he usually gives up. I had a few of them personally thank me for it as they can fight back against his bullying now.

Moral of the story is pick the battle, the right opportunity will come, just dont lose it before then.

[shostahoosier]

[dirving]

[Cerberus]

[blackjack]