Korean Job Discussion Forums

brucefox · Joined: 23 Jan 2011

In your office?

I noticed that the previous teacher was allowed by principal to bring his Play Station to school and play it in his office during the desk warming periods.
So I downloaded and installed World of Tanks to play some quick fixes between classes and downtimes. Nobody seems to be raising an eyebrow.
I dunno, is this kinda normal here? Anyone else allowed to just slack off like this? (Well, to me this is not slacking off... this is.. recharging... for more productivity)

I know I should be working on my Master's now.. But the bachelor's debt is still there and I want to get rid of it before I take on another financial burden.. So I blow up some polygon tanks!

jcan · Joined: 08 Oct 2006

I play Super Mario 3 often at work. I sit between two co-teachers and neither of them care. One laughs sometimes when I get really into it. Just google "Super Mario 3" and it's halfway down the page, flashgamesite.com or something like that. Surprised

Steelrails · Joined: 12 Mar 2009 Location: Earth, Solar System

I know in the male staff room they'll either be watching movies or sports on the PC. That and everyone else is internet shopping/browsing.

Heck if your principal is cool you might be able to watch some NBA with him in his office or something, chill and have a beer and some snacks and a broken English conversation and then go out to the playground for a smoke. I'm not kidding about that. Some people may say that's what makes Korea terrible, I think that's what makes it great. If that happened back home there would be cops and the media and lawsuits.

nathanrutledge · Joined: 01 May 2008 Location: Marakesh

Sure, you can do what you want, UNTIL YOU TALK ABOUT IT ON AN INTERNET FORUM AND SOMEONE COMPLAINS.

Seriously people, have we learned nothing? Some of us can sit around in our underwear, others have to write lesson plans we will never ever use - whatever we do though, when we have a good deal, we don't talk about it online lest someone complain that their deal isn't as sweet and we all get the shaft.

furtakk · Joined: 02 Jun 2009

my old job (hagwon) had a lot of down time where we had to sit around with nothing to do.

my boss was awesome and would let us do virtually anything minus leaving for very extended periods of times. it was great the first 6 months, but it got old fast. i learned a lot of korean, read a lot of books and played a lot of fifa that year.

myenglishisno · Joined: 08 Mar 2011 Location: Geumchon

I'd say do what you want if you're deskwarming for an extended period of time but if it's during a normal semester and you have a normal class schedule, don't get too comfortable. My rule of thumb was that I sat up straight and "looked busy" during the regular semester even if I wasn't busy (which meant no games unless they weren't obvious like browser games) and when I had deskwarming I did whatever I wanted.

DaHu · Joined: 09 Feb 2011

Just being THERE makes it unbearable for me. I don't care if I could sit around and play games, the feeling of not being able to leave and having to be there for no reason whatsoever is incredibly frustrating.

The Korean custom of being at work for long, long hours but not actually working for most of them doesn't sit well with me. I'd prefer to be efficient and effective and get out of there early with a job well done.

In college I signed up for a class taught by a visiting Korean and the first day he said he wanted students to work longer, not smarter. Seriously, that's what he said. I dropped the class immediately after that.

myenglishisno · Joined: 08 Mar 2011 Location: Geumchon

rickpidero · Joined: 03 Sep 2009

Kaypea · Joined: 09 Oct 2008

I'm so curious about these schools with sleeping rooms ^^

We're too busy at my school... but when there's downtime, there's obvious tv drama watching on computers, stuff like that.

Sometimes I consider working out in the English Zone when I have down time. Haven't done it yet, though.

Steelrails · Joined: 12 Mar 2009 Location: Earth, Solar System

yeti08 · Joined: 04 Nov 2009 Location: Anyang - Pyeongchon

I offered my boss that I take a small paycut if I am allowed to leave early on Fridays. My last class is at 7pm yet I am scheduled to be there until 9:30. I offered paying for 2 less hours a week and I'd leave at 7:30. She said it's very important that I am there for those 2 hours.
Whatever I'll take her money to do absolutely nothing. My Kindle can't read itself.