Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dongjak]

For those who have kids in public school here or had kids in Korean public schools, did you also enroll your kids in hagwons? If not, were your kids able to keep up with their classmates?

[northway]

[byrddogs]

I wonder what happens in between the time from top OECD educational rankings to labor productivity.

[Unposter]

Wandering off topic again...

Anyway:

1. For what it is worth, sadly, I have met a lot of right wing, young Americans these days. And, for the most part, the Americans I meet are more likely to be extreme in their politics, whether it is to the right or to the left. But, that is just my opinion, and you can take it for whatever it is worth.

2. I am an American and I am not all that enthused about public schooling in America. I think there is a lot of dumbing down going on and you can see it in the public discussion of politics/role of government. People who do not realize that medicare is a government program or that the U.S. military is given a single-payer health insurance system but the general population doesn't.

3. I have kids who are dual citizen (American/Korean) and I am not all that enthused by Korean schools. My wife is a Korean school teacher and she doesn't want our kids in the Korean public schools after elementary school. She says that Korean students start becoming overly focused on taking the Korean College Enterance Exam starting in middle school and it is just not good for their education, especially if you do not plan to study at a Korean university.

4. American universities are the one part of the American education I have an appreciation for. Tops there. Too bad many of the students, especially in math and science, are foreign students because, well, many, though not all, American students are not properly educated.

5. I am a university Instructor and many (if not all) of my students are frustrated with the Korean education system and they do not think that the Korean economic/political system allows for equal opportunity. I don't even have to bring up the topic; they bring it up themselves. Many have use examples like Jobs and Gates, extremely successful people who never graduated from college, as people who would never be ALLOWED to succeed in Korea. They often use former President Roh Moo-hyun as an example. He never graduated from university but became extremely successful and the old boys network constantly worked against him and insulted him publicly because of his "lack of education."

6. Now, I am probably lifer. I like it here. But, I like it because I am a foreigner and I don't have to behave and live like a Korean. If I did, I think my perspective would be significantly different. If I could get past my yoke of Korean nationalism, I'd be out looking for greener, freer pastures. But, I am not a Korean. Still, Korea has worked very well for me and I am happy to be here. But, I am not afraid to leave if the day comes when it stops working for me.

7. If you are interested in becoming a lifer, my advice is don't. Live your life instead. If it leads you to Korea, God Bless You, if it leads you elsewhere, God Bless You.

Feel free to bicker about meaningless details. Personally, I enjoy all the fights and carnage. To me, it is a guilty pleasure like professional wrestling or Jerry Springer. It is why I would not miss a day on Dave's.

[Unposter]

Oh yeah, one more thing: there are some good Korean writers and artists. I would not judge it by its popular music. It would be like saying the U.S. is the same as Hollywood movies and Top 40 music. Anyone should know that there is a lot more to the U.S. than that. Korea too.

I don't know about scientists but I am sure there are some good ones as well.

[radcon]

Korean schools teach to the test. I don't think that's debatable. If you think that's a good educational strategy, then great. I don't share your opinion.

[The Floating World]

[minos]

[The Floating World]

^^

1. That says more about the plusses of the American school system than it does of the Korean.

2. The reverse will not happen only as - nobody wants to do that. It's not because a western child taught Korean language as a toddler could not perform at a Korean school.

[myenglishisno]

[tanklor1]

I'm about to ease into my sixth year and I could leave tomorrow and not eally miss it. I enjoy all of it's convinces but I miss being home. I find myself staying out of laziness more than anything. I think this next year will be my last but then again I might be posting in these forums in a couple of years time complaining about the rising price of tuna kimbop.

[northway]

[myenglishisno]

[northway]

Your claim that most Americans teaching here are right wingers makes no sense statistically. A large majority of youth voted Obama in and '08, and that's not even specifically educated youth. When you start talking about educated individuals, you're getting even higher numbers of liberals. I'm American, I think I know my people better than you, and I know very, very few young Republicans or conservatives, here or elsewhere.

[The Floating World]

I have to agree, most of the Americans I meet are not right winger redneck types. That could just be because them and I would not be drawn to each other anyhow, so have never talked to each other.