Korean Job Discussion Forums

[morrisonhotel]

[Netz]

The easier solution is to use their real names.

It's not that hard, at least not any more difficult than making up names to give them for your own convenience.

I only give English names to students that really want one, and even then, I use their Korean name when I speak to them. I have found over the years that many of them prefer their birth name. Imagine that.

It also increases the connection you have with your students by using their given name, rather than some arbitrary name that is superficial at best, or creates a disconnect at worst.

Besides, they might start making Korean names for you, and they won't be based on terms of endearment.

[nathanrutledge]

Whatever you do, give them ENGLISH names. I have Juans, Dimitris, a few Catalinas... What's the point of giving them Spanish/Russian/other foreign language names if it's not an English one? The old teacher at my school gave them a cornucopia of names that run the gamut from basic English names, to many Spanish, French, Russian, and one Polish name (Lech - what Korean kid knows LECH?!?), to the made up names.

One thing I will never do - call my high school kids "Sexy ---" because that's the name they chose, (of which, I have 7 students who had names in that format, and not all of them were girls!).

My coworkers are not happy that I have abandoned the "English" names system the former teacher put together. I suggested that if we're going to use foreign names that aren't even English, why don't we give them all Japanese names?

That stopped the whole conversation dead in its tracks.

[Kaypea]

[omniology]

I have a Neo, now, and had a girl named Hammy. Changed that one. Named a girl India , but mom wasn't happy. Oh and one bot got nicknamed Mosquito in class and that stuck for a while

[margaretmary]

[margaretmary]

I had 3 girls in class--very good friends--all with Ji as part of their Korean names. They chose the English nicknames G1, G2, and G3. I loved it!

[meangradin]

[schwa]

[karenology]

This thread is pretty entertaining - I laughed at "Sponge Sofa," the class with all Eunices and Jacks, and I am still laughing at "Beans Cutter"

I asked for my kids' Korean names and English names when I first met them, and many of them don't have English ones. I have a girl named "Devil" and a boy named "Sunny" (who really does have a sweet disposition, so I don't have the heart to tell him it's more of a girl's name). I also have a boy who wrote down that his English name is "Chupa"; urban dictionary tells me that means "suck it." He could also have been referring to the Brazilian soccer player, but who knows with middle school boys...

[Dedeko]

I teach 4,5,6,7 which means they are really 3,4,5,6

I walked into a kindergarten where the kids were already all named, and godbless the pocket dictionaries.

1 classroom I swear this teacher doesn't like the kids at all. It's a room of 5(read 4) year olds and here are a few of the names:

Ethan (say it Athan)
Vivian (that's just cruel to a 4 year old learning her ABC's)
Banny (that's said Bonnie)
Lucy (he's a boy, fairly sure they meant Lucas)
Sophia (say it so-pee-ah)
Zoy (but that's said Joey)
Anssony (fairy confident they meant Anthony)

Most of my anecdotal experience if the parents are allowed to hear/say English names they can arrive at a decent decision. Newer kids that randomly appear (new students) and are named by an outside source are fine, I have an Ivy. Being a culture of group think, I have the top 100 names for the 2003 through 2010, and that is usually all it takes.

I pick my battles and names isn't one of them. I pronounce the names as I would normally. Instead I battle it out hardcore over the letter F, L, and R.

[Milwaukiedave]

One you should def avoid....Almond Tease.

[meaghan]

The English name "Emma" was apparently used in a well-known Korean porno (seems really wierd to me, but every Korean under 35 at my school was horrified when one of the foreigners tried to name a girl that recently).

When I have to name a kid I give them a list of 5 or 6 normal sounding names (usually I use friends' names) and let them choose. If a kid comes to my class with a weird English name, or wants to use their Korean name, I let them do that. I think it's ok to give kids names using hard-to-pronounce sounds, coaching them to pronounce it properly is a teaching opportunity.

The best names I've had are Aloha and Undertaker. I've heard from friends of students named Hipster, Max Power, Lemon, Hotdog, Mos Def, Zeus and Metallica (kind of pretty for a girl?)

[bbud656]

I teach some kids with wacky names (none I gave them). I don't get the wet blankets on here complaining about using English names for kids. I had a French name when I took French class. I wasn't deeply offended, nor were my parents. Its only white K-nights that look for any reason to be smug about all of our "cultural insensitivities."

[bobbybigfoot]