Korean Job Discussion Forums

[creeper1]

"This is a kids school and if the teacher smiles then the parents will think you are a good teacher."

"Look at John. Maybe he isn't the best teacher but everybody loves his smile. Why don't you be more like him"

At my current school I put up with my share of criticism. It could be about the kids's behaviour in my classes, not doing team building exercises in my free time etc.

When I receive this criticism it just makes me so mad. I don't deal with criticism well. It just pisses me off.

How do you deal with criticism? Especially when the criticism of not smiling makes you just want to wear your angry face even more.

[Nismo]

[comm]

[slothrop]

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[jfromtheway]

I also hate criticism, but I think in this country it's best to smile and say "OK, I will do better" when there is a problem, though I guess it depends on the situation. I had an open class last week and was fretting over it majorly. Luckily, only two moms per class showed up for the first three and none showed up for the last two. I had these kids trained like dogs for that monkey show. I got five stars from everyone, but there was one woman who speaks no English who dumped on me, so I'm sure I'll be answering for that for the next week or so. When someone tells me I'm doing something wrong I'm generally apt enough to be able to point out something they do equally or more wrong. In my experience, at my hagwon everyone gave a F and at my public school no one gives a F. I prefer the latter. I don't completely suck at teaching now but I'm in a situation where the kids liking me is prioritized over my English teaching abilities. If I teach more and don't let them destroy fake things on their phones, they like me less, and I lose. So, I wear a happy face, nod, smile, then bow out and go home. I do whatever will strengthen my chances of keeping my easy ass job, and I teach a lot more than the last guy did. Korean moms are an unsettled bunch of pesky parasites. Just be the white monkey, go home, and forget about it.

[detonate]

오 썩소 배리 배리 굿~~~

[PatrickGHBusan]

Bascially teaching kids includes making learning fun for them. This can be done by using laughter and humour as that will typically engage the kids in the lesson.

As doe generally dealing with criticism...well...sorry but you bets get used to criticism as it is part of all jobs! The thing about criticism is that when it is constructive it can actually help you improve. Straight out negative comments with nothing else add nothing however those can be frustrating. At the end of the day you just need to learn to roll with the punches. Getting angry about it won't solve a thing.

[luckylady]

believe me, being from Texas originally, there is absolutely no barriers to smiling and being pissed off at the same time! and once you learn, it can actually be quite an advantage to those who would like to see you scowl.

haven't you ever heard the "smile when you say that pardner" from old Westerns? exactly. chin up, look square at those students and tell them exactly how you feel about them, and smile until your teeth hurt, your muscles ache and your eyes bug out. then top it off once in a while with a big wink.

oh yeah.

[Steelrails]

Its important to smile because positive examples are better than negative criticisms, which according to the OP, he is not too fond of.

Your outside emotions are reflective of your inner feelings. If you aren't happy or don't "believe" in what you are teaching, and that gets carried up to your face, then that will be perceived by the students.

[sml7285]

[Zyzyfer]

I dislike this particular criticism but I got it a lot more back in the US (and teaching kids in Korea). I just can't put on a smile and look at all natural, I just look weird. Well maybe that's always the case lol

Anyway, I don't think you need to run around like a grinning idiot, but if they're commenting about it then students have probably said you seem a bit intimidating or something. I wasn't good at *teaching* kids so no advice but it's worth asking around for pointers.

[tideout]

I guess I smile a lot in my elementary school job as I get a kick out of the kids.

I have to laugh though at Koreans telling a foreigner to smile as this is about the least happy looking country I've ever seen (maybe in a tie w/ Budapest which ranks, I think, last next to Korea for life satisfaction in the developed world).

[cedarseoul]

What I have found frustrating (but have more or less grown to accept over the past ~4 years) is the inconsistency. Today, teacher is too scary and should smile more. Tomorrow, teacher should be very strict and make the children learn. On Friday, teacher should have more games and activities to make class interesting. On Monday, no--teacher should give a thoughtful lecture, and the students should take notes. On Tuesday, lecturing is bad because the children are young. Have many fun and diverse activities.

Etc.

I think this is perhaps more of an issue at hagwon than at PS. IDK. Instead of developing reasonable/sensible policies and enforcing them consistently, the entire handbook gets rewritten every time a mom calls in.

But such is the nature of the game.

[tideout]

[Who's Your Daddy?]

Don't take the job so seriously. Really. You are only the kids teacher, you aren't their parents, you're only teaching them maybe one hour a day or whatever. Don't think you are so important in their lives. They probably have 10 teachers.