Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jdog2050]

So to cut out the bitching I'll keep this short.

This is the last week of class and the 3rd graders I teach (middle school) only have 2 classes with me this week. So I'm doing an English Play class with them. I looked around for other activities Sunday night, and, while I wanted them to do something kind of free-form and creative, it's hard to find things that fit a 40 minute, 35 student class set up.

I do the class, and it goes fairly well even though it's a bit hard running from group to group to help; but there's ONE co-teacher I have (there's always one) who, I guess, was more or less upset that I hadn't consulted her about this class. However, the way that she communicated that through the head co-teacher was that the class was disorganized, or not organized enough.

I've done a ton of English-play classes in my time here, and for 35 students, this one went fairly well I thought. Would you guys consider a free-form English play class something lazy or do you think this was a co-teacher's passive aggressive way to remind me to consult her? Mind you, I did a slideshow before hand about characters, plot, etc. Another thing is that I'm not trying to use the word "lazy", but that's what unspecifically came through (in my own brain) because the head co-teacher was trying to be as vague as possible.

[chellovek]

[tanklor1]

I'm of the thought: "only give as much information as asked of me." So, if you have teachers who want to be in on what you're doing in a class with their students, I'd say give them a heads up. I know if I had was a teacher in Canada and I had to deal for a Korean teacher teaching my class I'd want to know what was up.

[Senior]

Who cares what she thinks? Are there any consequences? If not just forget about what she said.

[gillod]

Meh. They're always looking for a way to talk you down and secure their place in the food chain. Don't take it personally.

[jdog2050]

[Fishead soup]

I'm assuming you just handed out scripts and had them do role plays.
Anything else would have required a lot more prep work and required that everyone else including your co-teacher was on board.

Drama is a great thing although it should never be done half ass.
If I were to do drama I would want to go all the way and have a full costume skit contest and awards for the best skit.

As for the OP I think what you do was pretty good considering the time of year.

[jdog2050]

[southernman]

I think you did fine as everyone else has said

One thing I do is send out e-mails or put lesson plans on the the co-teachers desks. I know some teachers don't even look at them. But it covers us both, especially me, if anything comes up.

On the e-mails I just say I hope this lesson plan is ok, get back to me if its not. No one has yet gotten back to me with sugestions or changes.

I worked with heaps of office politico types back home..... this is the best way that I have found to avoid hassles and to keep your head down.

[oldfatfarang]

OP. You're just being reminded about who's your senior. Ignore it.
Personally, I only have song or movie classes after test season. Anything else is a waste of time and energy ( and a waste of well planned lessons). Everyone (including the K teachers) know that the kids just turn off after their tests. Most of them are traumatised - and are expecting beatings from their parents for their not 100 % test scores.

Next time - just play a movie.

Good luck.

[crisdean]

[jdog2050]

[crisdean]

[thegadfly]

Did your lesson cut out the Korean teacher's portion, make less of it, or in any way embarass the KT? If your KT is normally more-or-less involved in everything, and you suddenly left the KT out of the loop, I could see how that could upset someone serious about the job...or if someone were observing the class, and not being clued in made the KT look bad...and actually, technically, complaints SHOULD go through the head teacher -- that is a problem either way -- some folks get more upset that a "peer" is "judging" them, and prefer to have someone "higher up" make the suggestions. Other folks feel differently, but I have heard from people in both camps....

Of course, as other posters have mentioned, it could just be a peeing contest, with the KT trying to establish/remind you of the boundaries, but I thought, hey, play Devil's Advocate and offer a somewhat reasonable explanation for such behavior....

[jdog2050]