Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kelly]

Ok so heres the deal, I've been teaching in the same school for the past two years, and I've had one kid thats been a major pain in the a**. Of all the students that have dropped he still is managing to hang on. Every time I teach him which is twice a week, its a complete barage of insults, disgusting comments, and foul language. Ok I can just about deal with that, but then yesterday it just came to a head. The little git punched me full force in the middle of my back. He's 14 and no small boy and it hurt like hell. So I kicked him outta my classroom. When I told my boss what happened he just laughed. So anyhow what can one say to that, well I woke up this morning, with a nice black patch on my back thanks to this kid. I hate teaching him, and really don't want to go back into that classroom with him there, what should I do? I mean whenI was teaching high school back home if any kid did something like that they would be outta the school straight away. Anyhows any advice, in all honesty I want to leave the school anyhow but I got 19 more weeks and he refuses to give me a letter of release, Any ideas on what I can with either my boss or that kid????? Seriously I think one more incident and I really might end up hurting someone!!!!!!

[maxxx_power]

I have one class that erupts into either a small brawl or a chorus of "sheebal!" every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. They know better not to send any shit my way but it doesn't seem to stop them from doing it to each other.

I do my best to control them but they're little demons. I don't punish kids, I just tell them to get the *beep* out of the classroom if they want to act like 3 year olds.

I think it would be best just to put the kid's chair outside the room every day until he quits or is humiliated enough to leave you the *beep* alone.

Finish your contract. Show your boss the bruise and try to explain that this kid is driving other students away and is otherwise a bad seed. If he/she thinks that the kid is costing the school money hopefully the little punk will get a shoe up his ass on his way out the door.

[nolin nae]

wow, that's pretty extreme! your boss MUST remove that boy immediately! tell him you will not go back in the classroom with that boy there. if there is even a hint of debate show him the bruise.

if all else fails i say fight fire with fire...

[rapier]

Thats worse than I've evr got out here...I'd say raise the matter with the director, show him the bruise as a matter of seriousness. We are not here to be abused to that extent. if you're upset enough and feel you've nothing to lose, threaten to quit if the brat is not removed or effectively disciplined. Can you call the parents?
One of the worst kids I had here i simply refused to teach, he got assigned to a different class.
Its shocking really. where i grew up you'd be in real trouble, possibly a caning, if you even looked at a teacher the wrong way.
but, yes, i realise times have changed... and discipline is known as "child abuse" these days...

[Gwangjuboy]

[Gwangjuboy]

[rapier]

Gwangjuboy: you're fortunate to work in a school that supports discipline. i certainly don't,- we're not allowed to lay a finger on the kids or so much as boot them out of class.

[Mr. Pink]

I would have punched him back.

My back is OFF limits. I don't care if it is a girl/guy, if they punch me in the back, I punch em back.

We aren't talking little kiddies here...teenagers often don't know their own strength.

Also I tell the kid why I punched them - to show them it hurts and they should respect me enough to know when "playing around" is okay and when a sucker punch to the back is NOT.

[Gwangjuboy]

[katydid]

Is he a child with any sort of disability?
If he's hyperactive or has ADD or even Tourette's there's probably not much you can do about it, but maybe find out from the Korean teacher if he has ADD or something else, and try not to kill him. I know it's hard....the kids who act up the most really act up, but when you find that they can't help it, you have to cut them some slack.
Kids here are treated differently anyways. Lots of "punishment" for fighting or physical misbehavior is: "You aren't going to do that again, right?" and then the teacher gets the kids to shake hands. If you forget your homework, then you get the stick.

[nolin nae]

[lush72]

[Ya-ta Boy]

Go to the office files and get his home phone number. Then call up mom (but dad would be even better) and explain the situation. (Obviously, a fluent Korean speaker would be a major plus here.)

Once you have a parent on the line and have told them the story, tell them the kid is not welcome in your class until he apologizes to you privately, then apologizes to the class.

Whatever you do, good luck.

[JackSarang]

This is one of the situations that pisses me off the most about hogwon teaching in Korea. When the staff/Director gives ZERO support for discipline problems. I have never had problems with being struck, but plenty of swear-words in both english and korean tossed my way and general disruptive behaviour in class. It can totally empathize with the OP. When the Korean Staff/Director just laughs and shrugs it off it makes going to those classes terrible. At my old job when I'd kick a kid out of class and stick him in front of the secretary, he/she would just lie in Korean and the staff would believe the kids over me. It was ridiculous. Luckily at my new the job the kids are either universally angels or if they cause trouble the Director or his Assistant is in the class in 10 seconds and rips them a new one, no questions asked.

In the OP's case my bet is if they retaliate in any sort of manner its the teacher who is fucked and not the child. Kelly would likely end up getting sued or fired.

My only advice is tell the Director to do something about that kid and that shrugging it off is not acceptable. If he does nothing, then don't teach the class, because he's making it impossible for you to teach it anyway. Just show up to class, bring a newspaper and read it for the period. Let the kids run wild. If the Director shows up and asks whats going on, you can tell him the truth -- the little *beep* is disrupting the class so you can't teach it.

[eamo]