Korean Job Discussion Forums

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

In Korea, parents push education
http://www.montereyherald.com/opinion/ci_17706095

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

The article is basically true.

I work at a highly ranked high school and the teachers do almost no teaching of material. They only supervise KSAT prep or organize other tests. It's the students who do all the work.

It's not actually accurate to call my place of work a school.....it's an intensive test preparation center.

hondaicivic · Joined: 01 Jul 2010 Location: Daegu, South Korea

[quote="wylies99"]In Korea, parents push education
http://www.montereyherald.com/opinion/ci_17706095

This is just not a Korean problem, it's Asia in general.

West Coast Tatterdemalion · Joined: 31 Aug 2010

Korean parents push education? Wow, you don't say. I would have never guessed.......

charliebrown84 · Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: Daegu, South Korea

In related news, ice is cold and fire is hot.

ThingsComeAround · Joined: 07 Nov 2008

define 'education'

happiness · Joined: 04 Sep 2010

reft4268 · Joined: 07 Mar 2011

No way!

AmericanExile · Joined: 04 May 2009

Parents do insist kids put in long hours here, but they are not always committed to a quality education. Parents often get in the way.

The following is ridiculous and might be hard to believe, but it is 100% true. One day at my first job in Korea, my boss brought me into his office and closed the door. Then he said to me accusingly, "I've heard you make students speak English. Is this true?" Confused and dumbfounded I responded "I'm an English teacher. That's my job."

As the conversation unfolded, it turned out there was a kid whose English was behind his classmates who complained to his mom. He was embarrassed by his English ability. My argument was that the only way he would get better was practice which meant speaking English.

The kid didn't care about learning. He cared about his pride.
The mom didn't care about his education. She cared about his feelings.
My boss didn't care about his education. He cared about getting paid.
The only person who was concerned with his education was me, the teacher. I think that is often the case. I did my real job, ignored those three, and taught him English.

Ideally you want involved parents, talented teachers, a supportive administration, and students who want to learn. Sometimes one of those is enough. Sometimes it takes all of them. This is yet another article that is trying to find a way to skimp on education. They believe parents are the critical part of the equation, and we don't need to train and pay talented teachers. That is idiotic.

When I have kids, I will talk to every single one of their teachers and say, "as far as I'm concerned, we are a team. If my kid gives you problems let me know and I'll sort it out. If my kid has problems, let me know, and I will get them extra help." As a parent, I will be a good team member to my kids teachers. Teamwork will make the difference.

happiness · Joined: 04 Sep 2010

ThingsComeAround · Joined: 07 Nov 2008

The problem I have with the system in place now is the way we are asked to operate our directive.

(As told to me by my principal)
We must not punish bad students, but give them greater praise
Make English more fun by introducing more games Students should be happy in English class.

Sorry, but it seems my principal is an idiot. I've known this (that he is an idiot) before, but he had to go and ask if I would make my own job more difficult.

Goals, if there are any, are not realistic here. There is a perceived idea of what the "perfect" English class looks like, perpetuated by clowns and sellouts like Issac Durst and his friends on Arirang. There is too much pride within the system for anyone to desire change- and things wont get better unless there is some.

Lately I've been interested in raising my own level of training, pick up a CELTA and later an MA so there is some weight behind suggestions that I believe in.