Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Who's Your Daddy?]

[swinewho]

[isitts]

[Squire]

The CT sounds look a cow. My CT last year was a bit iffy. Very set in her teaching style, which I actually didn't really have a problem with and eventually adopted as my own, and quick to criticise if I deviated even slightly from it. There were occasions when she'd walk over with a sigh and take over the teaching from me. I'd be raging about stuff like that, I wanted to throw her down the stairs at times. I never really felt I could complain though. I turned up with no experience and not a clue what to do, and she eased me in very slowly to her credit. She was also very precise and practically never made a mistake, and never put up with bad behaviour from the kids. I wish I could say the say for my new CTs.

I'm not sure what the point to this post is. I'd advise a new teacher to try their best to follow their CT, but this one we're talking about really does sound awful. KETs need to realise a lot of new PS teachers will be incompetent, I know I was, but that there is a lot to gain for them by bringing the NET along and easing them into the system. By the second semester of last year my CT would be doing nothing for 35 minutes of every class, and I was teaching exactly as she did herself. I think it's a stupid co-teacher who isn't willing to take advantage of that.

I hope things work out for your girlfriend.

[Julius]

[tideout]

[quote="swinewho"]

[some waygug-in]

[Julius]

[luckylady]

I'm surprised no one here mentioned talking to the head teacher about this. You state that her Co-T is the head Co-T - but I'm sure she's not the head teacher at the school. That's really the first step because the head teacher is the liason between the teachers and the principal/vp

Every head teacher I've ever dealt with spoke at least some English and was very supportive of my presence in the school. Your gf just needs to ask any of the other teachers who is the head teacher and then go in immediately and talk to her/him.

This is also a very good networking strategy when it comes to any other issues such as vacation, camps, parents, anything at all. Many Korean teachers complain about the NET not having to follow the same procedures as they do so when you bring questions to the head teacher and follow the same procedures as the other Korean teachers, you are also building respect because this is what they do as well.

give it a go and good luck. Her Co-T is probably pissed as hell because your gf's English makes hers look so pathetic.

[YTMND]

[some waygug-in]

Does she even know who the head teacher is?

It wasn't till my second year at a school that I learned that information.

The next school I worked at, I never did know.

Assuming that the head teacher will speak enough English to be able to understand what's going on is a big leap. Having someone come in who
misunderstands or misinterprets what is going on is not going to help.


It's nice that everyone is giving some advice, but these situations are never as easy as people make them sound.

Each co-teacher comes with their own set of challenges and you have to learn to deal with them as individuals.


I never was one for angry stand offs, perhaps that was my biggest downfall. Every time I tried that strategy, it ended up making things worse.

[luckylady]

the head teacher rarely will introduce her/himself to the NET.

you will find out about them (generally) in a round-a-bout way - because they deal with the Korean teachers as a whole, not directly with the English teachers, be they Korean or non-Korean.

the head co-teacher is NOT the head teacher - the head co-teacher would be dealing with all the other co-teachers and then be under the head teacher, who is over all the other Korean teachers combined.

the head teacher is someone who can directly intervene in these kinds of situations. it's been my experience that the head teacher is the most educated, experienced and generally very diplomatic kind of person, hence the position they are in, to liason between teachers and admin.

virtually all educated Koreans have studied English, btw, and most teachers speak at least a minimal amount. The head teacher would also, and chances are, may speak it very well.

a NET just won't immediately be aware of who does and doesn't speak English in their school simply because it's not the first language of choice. only upon asking, attending various events, and being in groups, over time will one learn who does and doesn't speak English and how well. of course, if there's a teachers' class after school, that helps as well.

again, if the NET in question would like to follow protocol and learn how to deal with professional issues in a Korean school the way the Korean teachers would do (highly recommended) she should seek out the Korean head teacher and speak frankly; take an interpreter if necessary but I'd be willing to bet it won't be.

[YTMND]

I have always been aware and told of who the head English teachers were. I was told the day I walked into the hagwon. That's who I talked with most of the time, and they were the ones who gave me updates.

Chances are, the one teacher communicating the shots to you is the head English teacher, everyone else just stays quiet unless there is material for a class you need.

I never really had someone I thought of as a "head co-teacher". Each class either had a different Korean teacher and the NETs went around and/or we worked with a few co-teachers. If there was a head co-teacher in addition and I never knew about it, it had a null effect on my teaching or working experience.

The head manager working the front desk would be responsible for scheduling, so those were the two main people I worked with at a larger school. At a smaller school, my co-teacher was the manager and spoke to me about 100% of my scheduling issues. If we taught at a location far from the main office, then there was an office lackey who would come to our school and talk to us from time to time to make sure we were following "protocol".

[luckylady]

[YTMND]