Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Justin Richard]

What would you do if you taught a famous Korean sports player and his not so famous teammate and they suddenly decide to not have English lessons anymore but don't tell you anything about it?

In fact, it is just the opposite with this particular individual who did say more than once in person and over the phone that he would call me and continue the class when he returned in Korea. My calls to him and his manage go unanswered. His wife says he has some changes in his career plans and said that she would tell him to call me but he hasn't.


In meantime, I found two privates who are not at all famous but are very friendly and have never cancelled yet.

My point is not losing the class but the fact that someone would just not say anything.

It just bothers me and disappointing because they always gave me a very positive impression.

[Justin Richard]

I would like to go to his next game and hold up a huge sign that would reads......."Hey (his name).. WHEN IS OUR NEXT CLASS (an adjective)"?

[Wishmaster]

I wouldn't give two sh....s

[gwern]

Infer that this is another instance of that fun 'face' thing and assume he will never be coming back for a lesson?

[RMNC]

Congratulations on your (likely) illegal business venture falling through.

[thegadfly]

That is the nature of private lessons -- whether legal or illegal. People cancel with no notice, for reasons that may or may not be clear. The fact that your student is an athlete has nothing to do with anything else -- it is like saying he has short hair (an interesting detail, perhaps, but one that holds no bearing on the subject being discussed).

Sorry that your class cancelled on ya, but get used to it -- if you keep teaching private lessons, some will inevitably cancel, and often without notice.

[languistic]

[bliss]

It happens often with private students, the exact situation that you described.

Don't ever get too close or friendly with or trusting of private students. Because you never know when they will quit without notice or even a courtesy call to say thank you.

I've experienced it myself.

[northway]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Justin Richard]

Yes it is true. My wife is Korean and I am proud to say it. I have been married for 9 years. All my pay goes to my wife actually.

Bliss's comments were the most the most helpful. Bliss says that I should not have too close of a relationship with private students and I think this is my problem.

Plus I always expect the class to continue or at very the least have one month's notice that the class will stop.

I have been teaching privates since 1998 and all either cancelled or stopped at one point but they or sometimes I gave notice that the class would cancel.

When I moved back to Korea this year I gave a good 3 months notice to all my privates. I had about 4 private students and two businessmen.

One businessman who I very much call my friend I still teach using Skype. We actually Skype in Taiwan even though we lived in the same city but he said if the sound quality is good then we can continue. It has dropped recently but it continues.

I think my point was that I would have appreciated a call explaining that they did not want to learn English anymore. But they said nothing.

Somebody else said that my mind is too fragile. Maybe this is true. I don't know. I just believe that people should respect each other's time and schedule.

Of course maybe there was something he did not like about my class and did not want to say it.

Anyway, Thank you for your comments whether thoughtful or not.

[northway]

[Justin Richard]

To teach privates you must regrister your degrees, ARC and criminal record check with the Education Department in the city or town where you live.

My wife and I did this. We were told that the government does not want 20 kids coming to our apartment to learn English. That is the problem.

Also they do not want Korean parents to pay a lot of money to learn English. Some parents can pay 40,000 an hour but many can not. So this is why they try and control.

I was told that it was legal for me to teach privates. The government does want you to have classes at your apartment though.

I made business cards and even went to the city hall and passed they out two months. I even gave one to the mayor.

There are no problems to teach privately if you are regristered where you live.

[Aelric]

I'd say the dude is a celebrity, being rude is something they do, and shrug it off. You got paid up to your last lesson, right? That really is all he would owe you. Courtesy is nice, but not mandatory and probably not something he even thinks about much given his position. Perhaps he found another teacher that he gels with and just hopes that not contacting you will make you go away, maybe he just doesn't like English anymore. Just move on.

[Justin Richard]

Yes you are right. I will move on. Life goes on.

I think he just wanted to brush on his English before the world cup but I just wanted a stable private class.