Korean Job Discussion Forums

[iggyb]

I teach Korean teachers.

I can't give them a low grade. I also don't have the opportunity to give written feed back of any kind to go with their final grades.

(They get to fail me and write positive or negative comments that are seen by my superiors at the end.)

So, I do a good bit of informal assessment.

Today, I checked their class folders which I use to give them handouts and supplemental material:

45% of my secondary school teachers do not take the material outside of class.

Elementary teachers are generally more motivated and active, but I noticed that several folders were missing. That means they have not been getting any of the material I put together for the class beyond our primary textbook. Add with the few who do not take material out of class:

42% of them are not using the non-textbook material.

I handle individual differences and student demands with supplemental material in the folders - like "useful vocabulary" they want to memorize which I do not spend class time doing.

This is why I need to switch to teaching kids again:

When teenagers in the U.S. resist doing work, I let it go much, much easier: It's their job. I am less forgiving with adults - especially people who are going to teach....

[lifeinkorea]

Well, the subject header is a bit misleading. It's not so much teaching, you seem prepared, it's their lack of participation.

Have you brought up these issues with the head English teacher or co-teacher?

They might "clean house" and keep certain teachers. If not, make it clear to the higher ups that if it continues like this you will only have a few teachers who will learn and give honest feedback.

I had to teach Korean teachers also. After 2 months, many of them just stopped going when the principal stopped enforcing it. They didn't want to be there from the start, and they never tried to engage in conversation.

At least kids will talk to you in Korean (their language) so if you know the language you can still talk to them in English. The Korean teachers must feel cheated that they have to go to your class, but you don't have to attend theirs. So, who better to take it out on than "the outsider".

[oldfatfarang]

Mate, get real. many Korean adults don't want to learn Englisheee - or speak it (they're probably being forced to attend your classes). Just teach the ones who want it - and ignore the rest.

I had a great welcome to my new PS. A co-teacher told me that the teachers had conversation classes with the GET last year - so the VP was trying to make them have them again this year. However, she said: "The teachers don't want to talk to the Native Speaker." Welcome to Korea.

[SteveSteve]

I'm a teacher trainer, and I have a lot of adult students who are really motivated to learn and eager to read the supplementary materials and do the extra work. Unfortunately, I have many more who plagiarize (and later complain when I ask them to redo the assignment) and complain to me for a low grade on an assignment. They even bother me when their classmates get a low score! "What do you mean she got a C on her presentation? She was only 2 weeks late and has to babysit every evening!"

I hate how the students and my directors expect me to give them high grades regardless of the quality of their work. Several students have even approached me and said, "I don't accept this grade." Do they really think that their grades are negotiable!?

[SteveSteve]

Just realized you made a post about this topic (to which I replied) several weeks ago. Guess your job hasn't improved at all. Hang in there.

Despite that our jobs teaching adults really suck sometimes, I could never teach children.

[iggyb]

The setup gears feedback from the students not me. How they think the class should be taught is more important than how I think it should be taught.

The fact the are able to give feedback and any grade to my teaching - while I can only give high grades and can't give positive or negative written comments - shows that the department supports the students, not the teacher...

...another key reason while I'll be relocating at the end of this contract...

[iggyb]