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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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SteveMiddleton
Joined: 08 Apr 2008
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 Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 3:52 am Post subject: |
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| TheChickenLover wrote: |
I wanted to clarify that I left the school @ 1pm ONCE a week on Thursdays. I did NOT leave @ 1pm everyday. I usually left around 4pm.
Chicken |
Some posters might think you are digging a hole for yourself CL. 
Original posts state you had an agreement to leave early for other work etc. A later post states that you were now leaving early due to the stress. 
Unruly classes always test the best of us. I taught at a school in the UK for kids who were classed as Medium Learning Difficulties. I swear to God........if I hadn,t have left after 3 years I would have been one of the following.......
a) Suicidal
b) Valium or Prozac junkie
c) Alcoholic
Hats off to all those teachers who deal with that day in day out.
_____________________________________________________________
Been there done that. China, Vietnam, Thailand. Korea awaits
Chok dee khrab |
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Insidejohnmalkovich
Joined: 11 Jan 2008
Location: Pusan
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| Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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| SteveMiddleton wrote: |
| Lose your temper in class.........and you,ve lost the class. Teacher training not instill that in you? |
Which is why I disdain institutional pedagogical theory:
When I erupt like a volcano and inflict some serious fear of God into the wayward waifs, things become much better.
Afterwards, I usually just need to say to an unruly student, "Please do not make me angry. I hate being angry. Just obey the teacher, and we will all be happy."
Of course, I avoid these eruptions as much as possible: gives me a tremendous headache which ruins the next day.
Also, I teach at a private school, so it is part of my strategy: shower the students with love so they are on my side, and on the other hand dispense awesome judgement on rebels so that they will either quit the school or reform. They usually reform. |
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Summer Wine
Joined: 20 Mar 2005
Location: Next to a River
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| Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 8:23 pm Post subject: |
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Some posters might think you are digging a hole for yourself CL.
Original posts state you had an agreement to leave early for other work etc. A later post states that you were now leaving early due to the stress.
Unruly classes always test the best of us. I taught at a school in the UK for kids who were classed as Medium Learning Difficulties. I swear to God........if I hadn,t have left after 3 years I would have been one of the following.......
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If you have never taught a technical high school in Korea before then you really have no basis of understanding.
Just as teaching a University class in your own country does not provide you understanding of teaching a University class in South Korea.
They can be worlds apart even though in the same area of work. The ops issues I face every day, though on a better scale. I could say that at best he came in more prepared to be a teacher than me and it really cuts you to the bone, when it doesn't work out in the classroom.
If you really want to see what he went through then take his job. The school would be happy to have you. By the way, those who feel those students shouldn't bother with the learning of english should really learn something about them first.
Everyone can improve themselves, even if its just learning how to aim while taking a whizz or putting down the toilet seat. Everyone should have the opportunity for development, you never know where they will finish the race. |
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SHANE02
Joined: 04 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 9:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Summer Wine wrote: |
| Quote: |
Some posters might think you are digging a hole for yourself CL.
Original posts state you had an agreement to leave early for other work etc. A later post states that you were now leaving early due to the stress.
Unruly classes always test the best of us. I taught at a school in the UK for kids who were classed as Medium Learning Difficulties. I swear to God........if I hadn,t have left after 3 years I would have been one of the following.......
|
If you have never taught a technical high school in Korea before then you really have no basis of understanding.
Just as teaching a University class in your own country does not provide you understanding of teaching a University class in South Korea.
They can be worlds apart even though in the same area of work. The ops issues I face every day, though on a better scale. I could say that at best he came in more prepared to be a teacher than me and it really cuts you to the bone, when it doesn't work out in the classroom.
If you really want to see what he went through then take his job. The school would be happy to have you. By the way, those who feel those students shouldn't bother with the learning of english should really learn something about them first.
Everyone can improve themselves, even if its just learning how to aim while taking a whizz or putting down the toilet seat. Everyone should have the opportunity for development, you never know where they will finish the race. |
I agree with the idea that everyone should have the opportunity for development. But I think not everyone needs or wants English education. Plus the school needs to value the language as an example to students That is IF the school wants students to use the language. |
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Kimchieluver
Joined: 02 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 11:22 pm Post subject: |
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| SHANE02 wrote: |
| Summer Wine wrote: |
| Quote: |
Some posters might think you are digging a hole for yourself CL.
Original posts state you had an agreement to leave early for other work etc. A later post states that you were now leaving early due to the stress.
Unruly classes always test the best of us. I taught at a school in the UK for kids who were classed as Medium Learning Difficulties. I swear to God........if I hadn,t have left after 3 years I would have been one of the following.......
|
If you have never taught a technical high school in Korea before then you really have no basis of understanding.
Just as teaching a University class in your own country does not provide you understanding of teaching a University class in South Korea.
They can be worlds apart even though in the same area of work. The ops issues I face every day, though on a better scale. I could say that at best he came in more prepared to be a teacher than me and it really cuts you to the bone, when it doesn't work out in the classroom.
If you really want to see what he went through then take his job. The school would be happy to have you. By the way, those who feel those students shouldn't bother with the learning of english should really learn something about them first.
Everyone can improve themselves, even if its just learning how to aim while taking a whizz or putting down the toilet seat. Everyone should have the opportunity for development, you never know where they will finish the race. |
I agree with the idea that everyone should have the opportunity for development. But I think not everyone needs or wants English education. Plus the school needs to value the language as an example to students That is IF the school wants students to use the language. |
Shane02,
What the school deems unnecessary is not the important factor. The Korean government has mandated that English is a required course for a long time. The problem lies within the fact that starting from elementary, no student is held back for poor grades, not even for a year. The government then counters this by having Technical or commercial schools for the kids who dick-ed around all the way up to middle school grade 3.
I own a car, I can speak OK Korean, but I don't know many of the Korean terms. However, the owner of my auto center knows basic English. He is also the main mechanic. He doesn't necessarily have to know English, but I am sure he has benefited from it. All the foreigners in my town go to him. Not just because he knows some English, but he is trustworthy and honest. Same goes for many of the Korean owned foreigner bars. A little English can go a long way.
If today's students are told that English is not important, they may be facing far more struggles in their futures. |
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SteveMiddleton
Joined: 08 Apr 2008
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:08 am Post subject: |
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| Summer Wine wrote: |
If you have never taught a technical high school in Korea before then you really have no basis of understanding.
Just as teaching a University class in your own country does not provide you understanding of teaching a University class in South Korea.
They can be worlds apart even though in the same area of work. The ops issues I face every day, though on a better scale. I could say that at best he came in more prepared to be a teacher than me and it really cuts you to the bone, when it doesn't work out in the classroom.
If you really want to see what he went through then take his job. |
Oh puhhhhleeeeeeeeese !!
Its similar in most Asian countries so try not to come the " Mr Experienced " routine.
The OP,s experience is a walk in the park compared to technical colleges in the Klong Toey slums of Bangkok. There the kids pull knives on each other with alarming regularity so please spare me the " you don,t know how it is " routine. |
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SHANE02
Joined: 04 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 3:59 am Post subject: |
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| Kimchieluver wrote: |
| SHANE02 wrote: |
| Summer Wine wrote: |
| Quote: |
Some posters might think you are digging a hole for yourself CL.
Original posts state you had an agreement to leave early for other work etc. A later post states that you were now leaving early due to the stress.
Unruly classes always test the best of us. I taught at a school in the UK for kids who were classed as Medium Learning Difficulties. I swear to God........if I hadn,t have left after 3 years I would have been one of the following.......
|
If you have never taught a technical high school in Korea before then you really have no basis of understanding.
Just as teaching a University class in your own country does not provide you understanding of teaching a University class in South Korea.
They can be worlds apart even though in the same area of work. The ops issues I face every day, though on a better scale. I could say that at best he came in more prepared to be a teacher than me and it really cuts you to the bone, when it doesn't work out in the classroom.
If you really want to see what he went through then take his job. The school would be happy to have you. By the way, those who feel those students shouldn't bother with the learning of english should really learn something about them first.
Everyone can improve themselves, even if its just learning how to aim while taking a whizz or putting down the toilet seat. Everyone should have the opportunity for development, you never know where they will finish the race. |
I agree with the idea that everyone should have the opportunity for development. But I think not everyone needs or wants English education. Plus the school needs to value the language as an example to students That is IF the school wants students to use the language. |
Shane02,
What the school deems unnecessary is not the important factor. The Korean government has mandated that English is a required course for a long time. The problem lies within the fact that starting from elementary, no student is held back for poor grades, not even for a year. The government then counters this by having Technical or commercial schools for the kids who dick-ed around all the way up to middle school grade 3.
I own a car, I can speak OK Korean, but I don't know many of the Korean terms. However, the owner of my auto center knows basic English. He is also the main mechanic. He doesn't necessarily have to know English, but I am sure he has benefited from it. All the foreigners in my town go to him. Not just because he knows some English, but he is trustworthy and honest. Same goes for many of the Korean owned foreigner bars. A little English can go a long way.
If today's students are told that English is not important, they may be facing far more struggles in their futures. |
I agree with what you say. I just think it's a waste of time if the student (especially an older one) sees no intrinsic value in it. What I was meaning is that if a school de-values somthing, so do it's students. |
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Summer Wine
Joined: 20 Mar 2005
Location: Next to a River
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:46 pm Post subject: |
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| The OP,s experience is a walk in the park compared to technical colleges in the Klong Toey slums of Bangkok. There the kids pull knives on each other with alarming regularity so please spare me the " you don,t know how it is " routine. |
When did you work in the Klong Toey slums in Bangkok and how much does it pay? |
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mnhnhyouh
Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Location: The Middle Kingdom
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Insidejohnmalkovich wrote: |
Which is why I disdain institutional pedagogical theory:
When I erupt like a volcano and inflict some serious fear of God into the wayward waifs, things become much better. |
I will erupt like a volcano as well, but I do it before I get angry. That way I am in control of the eruption, even if those around me think I am not.
I do this because really losing it reduces my job satisfaction, and that I wont put up with.
h |
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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| Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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| TheChickenLover wrote: |
I have written a general conversation textbook, a living English book and I completed with translation and exercises an Interview English text.
They are things I did for fun more than anything. My interview book was written because I was unhappy with the books that I saw in the bookstore, so I thought about how I would teach the course and wrote a book to accomodate a 20 week course. I never got paid for any of them, I just did them because I found the work rather easy and it's always nice to see your name in print. |
So you work for free and let others profit off of your labor? That's stupid, man. Way to drive down the going rate for textbook writing. Attention all textbook writer/ curriculum developers: charge a massive amount of money for your work/toil/ideas/writing. Don't accept less than you are worth. (As the most important and useful language to ever exist, English is worth A LOT.) |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2013 9:56 pm Post subject: |
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| World Traveler wrote: |
| TheChickenLover wrote: |
I have written a general conversation textbook, a living English book and I completed with translation and exercises an Interview English text.
They are things I did for fun more than anything. My interview book was written because I was unhappy with the books that I saw in the bookstore, so I thought about how I would teach the course and wrote a book to accomodate a 20 week course. I never got paid for any of them, I just did them because I found the work rather easy and it's always nice to see your name in print. |
So you work for free and let others profit off of your labor? That's stupid, man. Way to drive down the going rate for textbook writing. Attention all textbook writer/ curriculum developers: charge a massive amount of money for your work/toil/ideas/writing. Don't accept less than you are worth. (As the most important and useful language to ever exist, English is worth A LOT.) |
You dug up a 6-year old thread for what?
. |
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ssuprnova
Joined: 17 Dec 2010
Location: Saigon
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| Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 1:48 am Post subject: |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
You dug up a 6-year old thread for what?
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Actually, I think it's a good thing... Imagine the newbies' jaws dropping when they read that 6 years ago teachers saw it as their *right* to have a private office and leave before 5pm. Add the more favorable KRW rate and better contract conditions and it paints a stark contrast to today's market. |
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I-am-me
Joined: 21 Feb 2006
Location: Hermit Kingdom
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| Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 3:38 am Post subject: |
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| I wonder how the OP's career is moving along? Hopefully work hours and stress levels were not too much wherever they went. |
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TheMeerkatLover
Joined: 26 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 5:13 am Post subject: |
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I have known the OP for quite a few years. He told me about the posted thread a few years back when he had quit. His description of the school was quite horrific to say the least. I had the chance to meet his replacement. That individual stayed for 3 months before doing a runner.
As for the OP's status, he has been employed at a university for the past few years. The difference between his current workplace and his past could not be more extreme. His current uni gives him 6 months holidays, a large private office and a great deal of autonomy. He has also been teaching major courses and rarely teaches conversation. The way I remember him saying: "At my uni, they say thank you for your teaching. There they spit on my car!".
AFAIK his department has been very happy with his work and he is currently planning to go home for a few months this winter during his winter vacations.
So all in all, I would say he has done quite well for himself. |
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