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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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 Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 7:36 am Post subject: |
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| I agree with what you are saying, but my problem is the person who is having control of the cameras, moreso than the cameras themselves. |
I understand what you are saying but seriously, you have very little say as this is school policy. I do not think this issue will impact you negatively unless you are not doing your job in class or grossly misbehaving in class.
Still, good luck with whatever you choose to do and I do hope it works out well for you. |
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Son Deureo!
Joined: 30 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 7:50 am Post subject: |
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[quote="DomAndJenny"]
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Goodbye. Too bad you didn't give Korea or Asia a more "warming" try. It really isn't as bad as you are projecting it to be. |
Naw man I love Korea. I love the food, my students, and most of the people I have met. Love the countryside and all the things to do and see. Korea is not the problem. 100% of mine and everyone else's problems are stemming from one person. |
Then why are you letting that one person drive you out of the country? Have you and your co-workers tried talking to the owner of the school about her? The owner might not be so happy to hear that the manager he hired is lying to staff, treating them rudely and yelling at them in front of students. Turnover is bad for business.
If that doesn't work, and the environment is intolerable (and it sounds pretty bad to me), then by all means quit and find another job here. Since you're in country you shouldn't have much trouble as long as you switch to a D10. There's plenty of info on this board about how to do that.
I agree with what Patrick and others have said about the cameras, you should probably cool your jets about that. You don't have any authority to prevent them from putting them in and using them, and they can't really be used against you as long as you're doing your job properly. I've worked at a few places that used them and 95% of the time no one seems to be paying much attention to them. Boss/parents treat them like a new toy for a few weeks, then discover it's really boring watching classes all day with no sound on.
Anyway, try not to let any of this get you down too much. It's not that unusual to have problems in your first job here. If you want to stay, it shouldn't be that hard for you to find something better. You have options. |
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JustinC
Joined: 10 Mar 2012
Location: We Are The World!
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| Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 8:18 am Post subject: |
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| Yeah think of it as for your benefit as much as the students'. |
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lithium
Joined: 18 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:58 am Post subject: Re: Advice appreciated |
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| DomAndJenny wrote: |
Hi. I work at a hagwon that only hires people with teaching certificates. The job was going very well until the owner hired a new principal to boost profits. The new principal starting making major decisions which affect our ability to teach and work. Myself and another employee approached her about giving us due notice on things that majorly affect us and she said that it's great to have concerned people on staff and that she would keep us in the loop.
2 weeks later she informs us there would be a summer camp. She never told us, but all the kids had already enrolled. There would be no pay and it was mandatory. The previous year they school paid the employees for the extra work and it was a voluntary experience.
We refused to do this, as it was not fair to ask us to work all these extra hours when we are already teaching at capacity. She later comes back and says that she can tell us to do whatever she wants within the 9-6 time frame. We still refuse, and she then gets our head teacher to tell us that she was planning to pay us all along, and wants an apology.
After this debacle, she refused to speak with us, would not extend professional courtesies, glared at us openly, told other people she would punish us if we were her children,etc. I tried saying hello to her the first few days but after a couple of tries, I just ignored her too.
Then came another incident where she changed all of our afterschool classes with no warning/rationale. This was not a huge issue for me, but there were some teachers who had planned long (3 month) book studies for the kids who were told 6 days in advance that they are getting new schedules/new classes.
Two weeks ago, she tells us about 4 days in advance there will be cameras installed in our school in the hallways and stairs. We say ok no big deal. Then it turns into there will be cameras in the classrooms, but they will not be turned on. Then she finally admits the night before they are going to be turned on. I said I don't feel comfortable with it and I do no want to be recorded. My main issue is that I do not want someone in a position of authority who is outwardly hostile towards me having a digital recording of my every move.
So today she walks in ( I was on bus duty) and she says good morning to me ( the first time in about 2 months). I do not return the courtesy. She then literally SCREAMS good morning at me two more times like I'm stupid. She does this in public, in front of other teachers. Then they come in and turn my camera back around, and I say I can not accept being video taped in the classroom. I gave them a couple of hours to get someone to cover my afternoon classes, and I left at lunch time.
I got a phone call this afternoon from the head English teacher asking me to come in for a meeting. I declined because I had nothing else to say. She then called back and said if you don't want to be videotaped, you will have to quit, because the cameras are staying. They then called back and asked if I would be giving notice, I said I would stay for the notice period as long as I wasn't being filmed in my classroom during that time.
So I don't know what their answer to that will be.
TL/DR: job was going well, they hired new principal who has significantly changed the nature of the job so much that I would not have come to work there had this information been available from the beginning. As well she has created a toxic environment for all staff in her 4 months on board.
P.S. All staff is unhappy. Foreigners and Koreans (one foreigner who doesn't care) and the other staff, even the cleaning ladies.
Should I book a flight out tomorrow? Will staying around just be giving them time to screw me? What can they potentially do to me based on what I have already said.
Any advice on the situation would be appreciated. |
It sounds like this is your first job out of University. You will never make it in the corporate world if you are not flexible and possess a personality type that can relate with others. I would suggest that you be the adult and confront the aggressor like an adult. |
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MetaFitX
Joined: 23 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 8:43 pm Post subject: |
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OP you come across as unprofessional sorry. You should just be glad that you have a job in this economy. Your superiors can ask you to do anything that they'd like. They are above you. Don't like it? Quit. Or bust your arse and later be the employer and not the lowly employee.
Sounds like you can't even do this "half-professional" job right. Good luck in your corporate future. |
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PRagic
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
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| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:10 am Post subject: |
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In a nut shell, she told the owners that she would get you guys to work a free camp and that she'd install cameras, both geared toward profits. You guys raised a stink, she had to back peddle, and she lost face. Period. So you guys made the list.
She'll make it miserable for you if you decide to leave, so count on them sticking you for any incidentals, including plane fare, that they can, no matter the wording in the contract. You'll also probably have to take them to the labour board for last month's wages and anything else owed to you (e.g. cashing out accrued vacation days, depending on what it says in your contract).
The non-compensated camp was a deal breaker, but they recinded. As other posters have inclined, the cameras are not a biggie here. If you quit over that, they win IMHO. |
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Moondoggy
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 10:57 pm Post subject: Re: Advice appreciated |
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| DomAndJenny wrote: |
Hi. I work at a hagwon that only hires people with teaching certificates. The job was going very well until the owner hired a new principal to boost profits. The new principal starting making major decisions which affect our ability to teach and work. Myself and another employee approached her about giving us due notice on things that majorly affect us and she said that it's great to have concerned people on staff and that she would keep us in the loop.
2 weeks later she informs us there would be a summer camp. She never told us, but all the kids had already enrolled. There would be no pay and it was mandatory. The previous year they school paid the employees for the extra work and it was a voluntary experience.
We refused to do this, as it was not fair to ask us to work all these extra hours when we are already teaching at capacity. She later comes back and says that she can tell us to do whatever she wants within the 9-6 time frame. We still refuse, and she then gets our head teacher to tell us that she was planning to pay us all along, and wants an apology.
After this debacle, she refused to speak with us, would not extend professional courtesies, glared at us openly, told other people she would punish us if we were her children,etc. I tried saying hello to her the first few days but after a couple of tries, I just ignored her too.
Then came another incident where she changed all of our afterschool classes with no warning/rationale. This was not a huge issue for me, but there were some teachers who had planned long (3 month) book studies for the kids who were told 6 days in advance that they are getting new schedules/new classes.
Two weeks ago, she tells us about 4 days in advance there will be cameras installed in our school in the hallways and stairs. We say ok no big deal. Then it turns into there will be cameras in the classrooms, but they will not be turned on. Then she finally admits the night before they are going to be turned on. I said I don't feel comfortable with it and I do no want to be recorded. My main issue is that I do not want someone in a position of authority who is outwardly hostile towards me having a digital recording of my every move.
So today she walks in ( I was on bus duty) and she says good morning to me ( the first time in about 2 months). I do not return the courtesy. She then literally SCREAMS good morning at me two more times like I'm stupid. She does this in public, in front of other teachers. Then they come in and turn my camera back around, and I say I can not accept being video taped in the classroom. I gave them a couple of hours to get someone to cover my afternoon classes, and I left at lunch time.
I got a phone call this afternoon from the head English teacher asking me to come in for a meeting. I declined because I had nothing else to say. She then called back and said if you don't want to be videotaped, you will have to quit, because the cameras are staying. They then called back and asked if I would be giving notice, I said I would stay for the notice period as long as I wasn't being filmed in my classroom during that time.
So I don't know what their answer to that will be.
TL/DR: job was going well, they hired new principal who has significantly changed the nature of the job so much that I would not have come to work there had this information been available from the beginning. As well she has created a toxic environment for all staff in her 4 months on board.
P.S. All staff is unhappy. Foreigners and Koreans (one foreigner who doesn't care) and the other staff, even the cleaning ladies.
Should I book a flight out tomorrow? Will staying around just be giving them time to screw me? What can they potentially do to me based on what I have already said.
Any advice on the situation would be appreciated. |
think positively, it's a good opportunity to show them how good you are.
remember you're not running your own business. you will have very hard time keeping your job in the states.. so you'd better think about running your own show. |
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PRagic
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
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| Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 12:05 am Post subject: |
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| One more time there, Moondoggy. That post made no sense. |
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