Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Skarp]

OK - here's the thing...

I work for a big adult hagwon chain. They pay low but the work is easy


We just had a directive down from on high about phoning students who are absent 4+ days on teh trot. None of the teachers in our place are prepared to do this potentially large amount of futile extra work.

This is not in the contracts and we are hardly marketing/sales staff.

We all have varying strategies for how to avoid doing it.

What is the best way to deal with this in your opinion?

The directors seem to think they can make us (as if they could replace us all if it came to a showdown! - remember pay is low and teh won has crashed recently - we are an ever scarcer commodity)
skarp

[kangnamdragon]

When did the won crash?


The best way to avoid doing it is to not let the students be absent in the first place.

[Gord]

[The Lemon]

[batman]

I honestly don't see the big deal about phoning students. On the off chance that a student of mine was absent I would always send them a message to see what was up. Besides phoning there are other alternatives to use (text message, email). Not very time consuming other.
Out of the 100 students registered for my classes perhaps one or two would be absent on any given day. Besides showing the director that I was directly concerned about the health of his hogwan (and thus my job), the students were generally very thrilled to hear from me. In my opinion, phoning students is just a small thing you can do to demonstrate the value you place on your job regardless of the value of the won.
(Hell, I even have a friend who designed, printed and distributed flyers on his own volition just to help out his hogwan.)

[lush72]

I have to agree with batman here- whats a phone call? Would it hurt you?


Its just a call!

[Ya-ta Boy]

Korean teachers do the phone call thing. It is part of how they show interest and concern for their students. Hence, your students would interpret the call as a gesture of concern for them. It may well help to bring them back to class.

[Mr. Pink]

I think those of you saying:

"What's a phone call?"
or
"It can bring you closer"

And other such comments have NEVER done phone councelling.

I HAVE DONE IT.

I promise you it takes up WAY more time than you can ever imagine.

Students with bad English means taking a long time to actually say what you want to say to them.

Students with good English, will want to talk and talk and talk...usually they don't want to get off the phone.

Either way your time gets eaten up badly.

I'd refuse. Contracts are so open to interruptation, jobs are a plenty in this land...if they fire you, well, whatever.

[Crois]

Tell the man it's against you religion. And tell him to screw it.

Sorry my posts are a bit abusive. Listening to anti-American lifestyle music...

[Homer]

If your contract mentions "school related tasks" or some such thing then thats included...sadly.

However, you did say that your job was "easy". In such a case whats the big deal about phoning a few students who are absent...?

If your contract does not have this "school or teaching related tasks" clause then just refuse.

If it does, why not do it?

You just might get something out of it.

[batman]

[lush72]

[Mr. Pink]

[Real Reality]

I tend to agree with Mr. Pink.

What about sending e-mail messages? I have done both
calling and sending e-mail.

Batman and lush72,
Can the number of students be important?
I have taught hundreds of students in a week.
Do you teach three hundred students per week?

[peppermint]

I think if you call a low level student on the phone and they aren't expecting it, they'll feel threatened, not appreciated or missed. If the school forces the matter, try sending texts or e-mails instead.