Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Airborne9]

I had my second open class at my school the other week. It went well, well at least I thought it did. I planned it as I would any normal lesson that I would have been doing that week, although my co teacher was a bit nervous that I hadn�t planned a game so I planned a short 5 � 10 minute game for the end of the class. (Normally I have two weeks to complete each lesson of the book and in the second week I will play a game with them)

After the lesson in the evaluation part form the visiting KETs, NETs and a couple of officials from GRPIK. Some of the NETs said that my game wasn�t long enough. I explained that what I said above about not normally playing a game in the first week of the lesson. Then the GEPIK official started banging on about some shit like these classes are supposed to be completely normal class and I shouldn�t have done anything different. At this point I got pissed off and told her she couldn�t be serious. Explaining that all the open classes I have gone to over the last 2 years have not represented �normal classes�. That most schools rehearse the open class multiple times and that some schools even hand pick the students for it. This is when all the other KETs and some NETs stated having a go at me telling me I was wrong. Anyway the argument went on for about 10 minutes and then we continued the evaluation and everybody left. A few days later my principal got a call from GRPIK HQ (I think) telling him that I have to go to suwon to explain myself. He refused to send me. He knew about what happened and agreed with me also my school does not receive any funding from GEPIK and my pay comes from the school budget so he didn�t have a problem saying no.

Anyway these open classes are a load of shit. Don�t get me wrong, I am open to criticism. I will always try to do a better job when I can. But to put it simply why do they put on these rehearsed acts that generally never represent an average class?

[ThingsComeAround]

I hear you brother

The point of open class is to show off your fantastic activities for KTs to "borrow" and show up the new teacher if they are unwanted. Since your activity was short, they felt "There's no point in using this in my class, so it stinks!"

Seriously- ask your CT (if you two are on good terms) about the KEPIK daum website and you will see hundreds of open class lessons which could/should be reused- but never are. Noobs are expected to create newer, better ppts and handouts for the KT while they complain about how busy they are

I had an open class and felt it went poorly. My KT hasn't had one with me before, and she got really nervous and talked too much. Sabotaging it, actually. Then she patted herself on the back when I could look in the faces of our unpleased visitors.

What's more, this isn't an official "GEPIK" issue, its just a bunch of teachers (some of whom mean well) that visit other schools to learn. Others just want to use it and go home early.

[Airborne9]

[ThingsComeAround]

I don't like the "show off" aspect of it, but they are great places to network (and have post-class rant with neighboring NETs)

Sometimes the lessons do help. Unfortunately the need to out-do one another ends up destroying the whole thing

[blm]

[blm]