Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Blue28]

Thanks to all of you for your advice. I would especially like to thank Unposter for your well-thought-out post. Your advice helps me put my situation into perspective.

The main things that seem to be coming up are taking a break, setting long-term goals, adding more fun to class, and pursuing hobbies and activities outside of teaching.

I agree taking a break seems to be the first thing to do. I intend to plan some trips for the end of this year that will allow me to get away. I think a large part of my experience of burnout is getting �stuck� in the routines of my day-to-day teaching schedule. More frequent breaks, even for a weekend away, will hopefully give me some breathing room and not make my job feel like the main thing in my life.

As for long-term goals, I think it will help me to keep in mind the benefits of staying another year and saving some money compared to taking my chances back home in an uncertain job market. It is easy to forget about the bigger picture of why I came to Korea in the first place and the benefits of my job such as the vacation time and opportunities for travel.

I will also work to keep in mind that being in Korea is only a temporary situation for me. In one more year I can move on knowing that I accomplished everything I set out to accomplish here and take the next step in my life, probably in a direction away from teaching.

I also think adding more fun to class can help. Part of the difficulty I have been experiencing lately is that I don�t have the energy to deal with younger students as much as I used to. I have actually come to realize I don�t enjoy and am not particularly well-suited to teaching young children. This will perhaps be the hardest area to work on.

And, as for pursuing outside activities, I think I can certainly do more of that. What I have experienced is that as my energy levels have declined, I have felt less able to use my energy outside of work. So, I think I will need to work on creating more balance in my life and spending my desk-warming time at work to pursue things that are meaningful to me.

Regarding relationships, while I would certainly like to get to know my students more, I also recognize that the language barrier and the short time I spend teaching my students limits this in some ways. I also question how the students perceive me and other foreign teachers and wonder how interested they are in getting to know us.

Unposter, I liked your advice about imaging the students as adults and the opportunities learning English will provide them later in life. I will work to keep that in mind more going forward and worry less about the students that come and go. That way I can focus on teaching the students as best I can without be so concerned with the immediate outcome.

So again, I appreciate the feedback. I don�t just want to complain about my situation, but to find ways to change my approach and my way of thinking to move in a more positive direction. I don�t expect my feelings of burnout to go away suddenly, but I think there are many things I can do to improve the situation. Now it�s up to me to do those things and make the most of my situation.

[big_fella1]

There has been a lot of great advice here.

I just studied Organisational Behaviour and GAGing was mentioned, Going Against the Grain.

There is a book about this I found here , https://hepg.metapress.com/content/q671413614502746/resource-secured/?target=fulltext.pdf&sid=cuehtapzf3mpwy5ozzz45301&sh=her.hepg.org

but I haven't read it. The reason I link it is so that you realise, it's not that you're a bad teacher, it's just a lot of what we do, talk to each other informally, don't study grammar rules and if you want to learn vocabulary use the words in sentences rather than trying to memorise them goes against the grain of what Koreans believe learning is.

A holiday would do wonders, but why are you still here? If you have a goal that you can achieve by staying then stay, if you don't go.

I'm currently doing a Doctorate in a non-English field as part of my attempt to move home.

Good luck!

[transmogrifier]

[mzeno]

sorry 'bout that man. lost control for a minute.

but honestly, since working in Korea I've come to the conclusion that it does matter who you are teaching.

[Hotpants]

I feel for you, as I also find myself typically burning out by the 3-year mark. I don't think you should force yourself to go on in a situation where you are feeling increasingly negative. It will just lead to the downward spiral of depression and resentment toward others, which is the last thing you'll want.

I'd say that if you want to sustain something for the longer term, you need more vacation even if it means a pay cut. You need to have more time to build your own interests and develop longer term people networks. (Yes, one of the saddest things about TEFL is how transient people can be.) Sounds like you are working in a kiddy hagwon - you maybe get a couple of weeks vacation per year? That's nothing for recharging your batteries properly. Teaching IS exhausting.

As unis are hiring now, try your luck and apply. You say you only have a BA, but who knows your luck if you put in a sincere application. It sounds like you have the right intentions toward your job.

Make a plan and go for it, and don't let your situation as it is now continue for much longer.

[byrddogs]

I think burnout comes with the territory when teaching. I did the hakwon and public school thing in Korea. I felt much less burned out in the latter. I did the language center (Chinese hakwon) thing here for a very short time in China prior to my current position. I hated it and immediately started looking for another job after arriving. Fast forward a couple of years:

I deal with it by working a relatively high paying job with only a 190 day school year. I still feel the burn nearly every term. As time goes on during the term the students and the office dynamics take their toll. The money is good, but just knowing that a long break is right around the corner is key to me. I come into each new term refreshed and with a great attitude and energy.

[isitts]

Sometimes you can't go about teaching like you were a machine. If you're using the textbook all the time, try to take a day or two off and do a tangent lesson (like a project) or something completely different (like teach some pop song from back home or a cultureal lesson).

For songs, I've taught them a couple Weird Al songs (Fat and When I was Your Age). I've also taught some They Might Be Giants songs. You can make a handout with the lyrics with some parts left blank...put the missing words in a word bank.

Cultural lessons, I just make them personal. Like I made a PowerPoint presentation of a day in the life of...me when I was in the same grade as them. Scanned photos of my old year books and other pictures I could find. Then quizzed them on it afterwards.

Also a reward system where after they get enough stickers, they can have a snack party during one of the class sessions. They can watch a movie and have snacks.

Anyway, can't just go trucking through the citricculum for a whole year. You'll run yourself (and your students) into the ground.

[byrddogs]