| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
jondepoer
Joined: 02 May 2010
|
 Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 9:25 pm Post subject: Constant irritating stream of "small changes"... |
 |
|
Hello fellow teachers,
I have been in Korea for just over a year now (second contract). My hagwon is meant to have a set curriculum, and teachers are encouraged to simply follow it without contributing anything. I have, for example, been told not to explain a/an because it would be "too confusing".
So I have been content to settle in and teach the mediocre curriculum. The problem is that every second day there are "small changes" to things like how we do class records, and the order in which things are taught. They are all completely inconsequential, and forgotten within a week. All they serve to do is upset routine (the kids and my own), and I suppose make management feel "in charge".
I'm sure that the situation is very similar throughout Korea. So, how do you deal with these situations? Do you smile, nod, and ignore? Or do you make an honest effort to accommodate the wishes of management?
Comments appreciated. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Junior
Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Location: the eye
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 9:31 pm Post subject: |
|
|
This is why I always preferred the public schools. The routine doesn't change. They are also regulated.
Hogwons however just change the conditions on a whim, to suit themselves. The terms of the contract mean nothing. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
tanklor1
Joined: 13 Jun 2006
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 9:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Just say "ok" and go about your day. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
DosEquisXX
Joined: 04 Nov 2009
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 9:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| tanklor1 wrote: |
| Just say "ok" and go about your day. |
Basically this. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SteveSteve
Joined: 30 Jul 2010
Location: Republic of Korea
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 10:01 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I feel ya. At my first job (hagwon), the director would constantly change my schedule and ask me to use different books. It was really difficult to plan lessons ahead of time because of the swift changes. It's really frustrating, but I think it's just one of those situations where you have to bite your lip and hope it doesn't happen again. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jondepoer
Joined: 02 May 2010
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 12:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
I'm always hoping that THIS month will be the month that I can just teach my curriculum and be left alone. 7 months in and it hasn't happened yet. Always something new.
So I'm going to follow tanklor's advice (hey Michael!) - feign interest, and proceed as normal. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Senior
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 12:45 am Post subject: |
|
|
| DosEquisXX wrote: |
| tanklor1 wrote: |
| Just say "ok" and go about your day. |
Basically this. |
This.
Just say "yeyeyeyeyeyeyeyayyeyeyeyyeye." Then do what ever you had planned. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Junior
Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Location: the eye
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:04 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Senior wrote: |
Just say "yeyeyeyeyeyeyeyayyeyeyeyyeye." Then do what ever you had planned. |
yep. just give them some token form of respect and forget about it. All they're after is some sort of ritualised acknowledgement that they're the boss. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
David Gerrington
Joined: 20 Jun 2008
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 2:13 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Junior wrote: |
| Senior wrote: |
Just say "yeyeyeyeyeyeyeyayyeyeyeyyeye." Then do what ever you had planned. |
yep. just give them some token form of respect and forget about it. All they're after is some sort of ritualised acknowledgement that they're the boss. |
Yeah, we had a weekly Sky Falling meeting in my last place.
Each week, the boss would announce that the sky is falling because a parent has said it had rained a bit.
We agreed that the sky was indeed falling.
We then went about our daily business, everyone knowing that the sky wasn't falling. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
curiousaboutkorea
Joined: 21 Jan 2009
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 4:11 am Post subject: Re: Constant irritating stream of "small changes". |
|
|
| jondepoer wrote: |
..I suppose make management feel "in charge".
|
Agree |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Fishead soup
Joined: 24 Jun 2007
Location: Korea
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 4:56 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Just Snip Smile nod ignore and proceed. Most hagwan owners are business men who know nothing about education. Also the FGF Feel Good Factor is important too. When you walk in make sure the students are happy to see you. When you leave ensure they were happy to be with you . What happens in between doesn't matter. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
AsiaESLbound
Joined: 07 Jan 2010
Location: Truck Stop Missouri
|
| Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:22 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Junior wrote: |
| Senior wrote: |
Just say "yeyeyeyeyeyeyeyayyeyeyeyyeye." Then do what ever you had planned. |
yep. just give them some token form of respect and forget about it. All they're after is some sort of ritualised acknowledgement that they're the boss. |
A teacher or director making small changes without telling you and then questioning you like you done something bad is when you are being shown who's boss. It happens in public schools too, but rare during the routine of teaching curriculum during the semester. I've only have this problem with camp classes. I guess you can object and call them out on them being wrong for badgering you over not doing something. Like it's break time so you spend 3 minutes using the restroom to find you are being yelled at in the hall like your a prisoner messing up with the question, "Why didn't you go to the classroom? Where were you? What was you doing?" I firmly yelled back that it's break time, I was using the restroom after teaching 1 hour 30 minutes straight, and your bad attitude with me must stop right now. She didn't say anything more for the remaining hour of our day. It might mean oppressing someone by force to object to their abuse, but they deserve to feel smaller and less powerful over you rather than ordering you around with expecting more and more for less favorable conditions.
OP, I would definitely have a direct talk about any screwy issues with the person causing them. If she doesn't back down, then it can get easily lead to a yelling match and contempt, but it's either going to be they treat you right because it's not worth the trouble or you get fired. Otherwise, you are a pushover who accepts substandard work conditions just ignoring it all knowing your pay is nor more nor less on how well you and your co teacher get on with the teaching. Things never improve until you take the initiative to change them and that's tricky stressful work many aren't willing to endure so they just try the SNIP and let the clocks determine an end. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
son of coco
Joined: 14 Mar 2008
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 4:11 am Post subject: |
|
|
Yeah, have this at my hagwon too. In my case it's basically because they have no idea what they're doing and are chopping and changing to try and work it out.
- they change classes and who's teaching them on a whim (foreign teachers swapping when they could teach their own classes and it wouldn't cause a hassle)
- they decided to 'challenge' the students by giving them tests on stuff they'd never seen. They failed miserably. This is why some left I think.
- They then dropped discipline for a while as they were worried students were leaving. Result: students running amok.
As long as they last another 4 months I don't care what they do each day though... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Louis VI
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
Location: In my Kingdom
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2010 4:23 am Post subject: |
|
|
They choose who I teach and when I teach.
I choose how I teach and what I teach.
A successful formula for this hagwon teacher since 2002. Simple and unequivocal. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
