Korean Job Discussion Forums

[rockymtn]

jrwhite82- Don't focus on what Korean school systems are doing. Focus on the techniques you are using in the classroom. There should be a few classroom management tools you can discuss. US schools want you to be able to specify what you can bring to a classroom. Prepare to share a few cultural experiences you had in Korea. How has this cultural experience changed your approach to teaching? I've been on a handful of school interview teams and when you are dealing with many qualified teachers you need to stand out. Your experience in Korea would put you on the top of many lists of candidates but you need to articulate how it makes you a better candidate than the rest.

[silkhighway]

Another thing I like about the schools I taught at in Korea, is that teachers and students had high morale and there was a sense that what they were doing was important. I can already hear the snickers from the peanut gallery, but I actually thought the Korean teachers were very professional and serious about their jobs.

[silkhighway]

[zappadelta]

I like the fact that teaching is a highly regarded profession here.

[Mr. Pink]

Things that I like about the Korean system better than Canada:

1) Teachers get respect by the students
2) Students wear uniforms
3) Students are in a cohort system, which leads them to make good friends as they are typically with the same group throughout middle/high school.
4) Students are taught to work hard, and thus overall have a higher work ethic. I don't know many students back in Canada that studied until 1-2am on a regular basis.
5) Korea focuses on math from an early age and has a better system of teaching it than Canada. It seems that Korea rewards "good" math teachers so that they are able to retain excellent math teachers in both schools and hawgwons. In Canada those good with math usually go into something more lucrative.
6) No drugs
7) The system weeds out those who aren't meant to go to university, and puts those kids into a separate high school. Having studious students with those who will do labor jobs back in Canada usually leads to a plethora of problems, especially for teachers.


Things I am not fond of:

1) no elevators. We had 5 floors at my school and when a kid broke his leg, he had to be carried by his buddies up the stairs. WTF?
2) windows on the wall of the classroom beside the hallway. I always found this annoying and distracting, as someone would always have the windows open and a loud class spreading that sound.
3) heat situation in winter, A/C situation in summer: no consistency and usually it results in staff and students getting sick
4) those free lunches: after a while it gets boring. For the students the lunches aren't free, and those who think they are should ask their students about it.
5) Korean teacher classroom management techniques

[silkhighway]

[jrwhite82]

[silkhighway]

[languistic]

[olsanairbase]

Destroy teacher unions and marginalize the teaching profession to a job rather than a career.


**** This is quickly changing though as the wave of inexperienced, at-will charter schools spread like wild fire laying waste to collective bargaining agreements one after the next.......

[jrwhite82]

[ThingsComeAround]

when droves of non-Koreans come to Korea and get their children educated, then I think your question would hold more weight.

[Seoul'n'Corea]

[NohopeSeriously]

[blm]