Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Summer Wine]

I used to read many stories on here about co-teachers from hell, but didn't really have much understanding of the phenomenon.

Though I am starting to experience my own. Its interesting to see how the attitude is changing and I can even guess the reaon why.

As a co-teacher, the person has been failing badly and its been showing to the other teachers.
- They have failed to pass on pertinent information
- They have failed to provide assistance or planning for school activities

For the past month 'a lot of conversations from other teachers seems to be "didn't your co-teacher tell you?" and then "well, I will have to tell them that they need to start telling you". So I understand that she is catching flak, though I am not laying any complaints.

Her attitude towards me seems to getting more and more snippy and I can see a problem arising in the future.

Its interesting from my perspective as I am not trying to make any waves, but can see the white froth in the distance from thier direction.

Gepik really needs to put as much effort into choosing co-teachers for the NETS as they do making us jump through hoops or determine the rules we must follow.

Some co-teachers should really have not been chosen, as they aren't good enough for the position.

A good one I have found can be a benefit and build a long lasting relationship that will benefit Korea, a bad one will only just drive the NET teachers out from the jobs they do.

[chellovek]

Ditto.

[Ukon]

sounds like my new co-teacher who made it so I couldn't resign after a short time....

Anyway, best advice is to let the head office know and possibly the principal and staff know....try to find out what she wants from you....that way you have an argument that she was un co-operative...otherwise they'll say "how come you didn't mention this before".

Some co-teachers have it in for getting us fired or thrown out....mine is nearing her 10th foreigner! Guess what happened to the others....they sure as hell didn't re-sign for a second year.

[Caffeinated]

I get the feeling that some co-teachers didn't necessarily want the position. Instead it was something dumped in their lap. Mine is a new teacher so the lowest in the hierarchy and while she does an okay job, she can be pretty clueless about anticipating what I may need and need to know.

[Summer Wine]

[Bloopity Bloop]

[winterfall]

[southernman]

Maybe its different at EPIK but my first co-teacher was the same age as me and a good teacher. She challenged me heaps to improve as a teacher and I challenged her heaps to lighten up and smile and joke in class, now we are good friends

My current co-teacher is younger but has good English skills and just lets me plan all the lessons, which I like and prefer. She sometimes puts in the extra yards and ,makes really good or funny games with power points and I'm happy to use them.

At my school at least Korean Teachers have to apply if they want to be the Korean English teacher, its not given to the lowest on the totem pole by any means. Its given to the best qualified English speaking Korean teacher

[Fishead soup]

The more dependant you are on your co-teacher the more power you give them to throw you under a bus. If you are looking towards them like they are your Lord and Master then many of them will set you up for the fall for the simple reason that they have nothing to gain from developeing a good working relationship with you.

Use them as translators. That there role in the equation. Better yet try to work with an intern temp. They have less power over your contract.

[Summer Wine]

Quote:

Maybe its different at EPIK but my first co-teacher was the same age as me and a good teacher. She challenged me heaps to improve as a teacher and I challenged her heaps to lighten up and smile and joke in class, now we are good friends My current co-teacher is younger but has good English skills and just lets me plan all the lessons, which I like and prefer. She sometimes puts in the extra yards and ,makes really good or funny games with power points and I'm happy to use them. At my school at least Korean Teachers have to apply if they want to be the Korean English teacher, its not given to the lowest on the totem pole by any means. Its given to the best qualified English speaking Korean teacher

Well then Mr Speights Man, you are lucky.

But this isn't an attack against teachers as a whole, its an observation that I have now become a member of the exclusive

"Welcome to the Korean co-teacher has a problem with you fan club".

We might let you join, but first you need to feel that your co-teacher has a problem with you.

If not, well then 'lucky you', drop another Macs Gold and we will talk in twenty years about how teaching in Korea really was an interesting trip.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[tanklor1]

I am quite annoyed by the lack information being passed down to me but I am hardly ever surprised anymore and I always have my old stand-by of "Okay" and the ability to shrug it off as nothing. This week alone I had the following happen:

Walked to school Monday only to find four buses waiting in the parking lot. "Must be a field trip" I thought. Yup the third and fourth graders were going on a three day camp.

"Okay"

Had four classes canceled because of it.

My co-teacher and I were about to practice for our open class yesterday when a nurse!? came into our class and stole our kids away for pee tests.

"Okay"

We had our open class yesterday. The VP was sick so it was only observed by two people. The grade 5 homeroom teacher and the principle. They both took a few pictures and left before the class was over.

"Okay"

(I actually felt offended by this; we had put in a lot of effort into it and they didn't even feel the need to sit through it all.)

The best solution that I've come up so far is silence. Any bullsh!t comes up "okay" and say nothing else.

There may be a better solution on how to deal with BS but I haven't found it yet.

Can you say lowest rung of a very tall ladder?

[Pyxis]

[oskinny1]

I am going to sound like an apologist for this, but maybe it's not just the co-teachers. I whole heartily agree that the flow of information is seriously clogged, but for some of the other things we need to look at NET behavior.

Nearly every Korean English teacher I have talked to has at least one freakiest weigook-in thread entry they could make. Just yesterday I was talking to my Korean friend's sister who is a middle school teacher. She said that the past 6 teachers she has worked with all had huge problems, the last one was just arrested for dealing drugs in Busan (I will try to get more details when she knows more). My fellow NET was fired the other week and had lots of strange tendencies (I will write about him in the FWC thread later).

I think that all of these experiences and rumors of experiences have left many Korean teachers annoyed and distant. They think we are unqualified and untrained. They are right for a large percent of us, but whose fault is that since that is what the schools (recruiters) seem to look for?

[Bemused]

From a Korean English teacher's point of view, being the NET handler is very high risk because when the NET inadvertantly makes mistakes, the co-teacher is held responsible. From the get go they will be looking for CYA (cover your ass) opportunities to mitigate any consequences they might suffer e.g. "the NET is crazy, the NET is unreasonable and poorly educated, the NET is not even a real teacher, and the old standard; but I did tell the NET about the class cancellations!" etc.

The key to a productive relationship with your supervising co-teacher is to find out what is important to them and help them achieve it. Take them out to lunch once in awhile or out for coffee after school and really listen to them. If they need a "favor" e.g. you look over and edit one of their friend's papers for grad school for free, do it. You might feel exploited but it will pay off in the long run. Once the co-teacher feels comfortable with you and reasonably certain that you're not going to anything to embarass them, life becomes much easier.