Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jen_blue]

Please delete.

[drcrazy]

And I am sure that not one person who reads this letter would ever doubt it had been written by a Korean Elementary Teacher and not by you. And I am sure that everything here is 100% true about you. You might ask, however, for the teacher who wrote this to add, "And she can even walk on water."

[jen_blue]

lol

[ttompatz]

I'd suggest that you don't worry about it.

It is highly unlikely that the person who will get and read it will understand the nuances anyway. If they do then they will know that your k-co-teacher didn't write it. Write what you want and forge a signature.

Alternatively: KISS - keep it simple and succinct.

Jen works well with older students. She is always on-time and has a good work ethic. Her lessons are always prepped and ready.

etc, etc, etc.

[jen_blue]

Please delete.

[drcrazy]

[jen_blue]

please delete.

[schwa]

[jen_blue]

please delete

[PigeonFart]

It's been well established in the world of occupational psychology for the last 20 years that reference letters are a poor predictor of job performance. In other words, they're a waste of time. As an employer you're asking for a letter from someone you don't know to write about someone you don't know.

An interview is the best predictor of job success, and there's a huge amount of evidence to support that.

I'd just get that official certificate of employment (can't remember the korean word, sorry) and leave it at that.

[If they give you a hard time about not having a reference letter send them the latest meta-analysis from the Journal of Occupational Psychology, proving what i just said, and tell them to eff off....well ok maybe not]

[kingplaya4]

I would say if you ever sense reluctance from a potential reference, it's best to realize that it's a lost cause and go from there. I know it's an easy thing to say when one is removed from the situation, but not being involved gives a little more perspective. If they won't smile to your face and say, "of course I'll give you a glowing reference" can you imagine what they'll say to someone on the phone when you're not there?

Korea is a tough market for foreigners who don't enter the room with a lot of energy. (I'm guessing that's why you didn't connect with the kids.) I know as a male they want the typical loud American with a booming voice who doesn't mind clowning it up. You either need to be that type of person naturally or be able to become it for your 6 hours or so in the classroom. Teaching a different age in Korea is unlikely to help, unless you're talking about adults. Middle school students want to be entertained more than any other age here, and hs students are pretty much overgrown middle school students. I'd say you could subtract about 4 years off the average Korean student's age and that would give you a fair comparison with a western student as far as emotional maturity.

You sound like you're serious about teaching, so why not give Japan or some other country a go?

[jen_blue]

please delete

[kingplaya4]

Don't get too overought about it, Koreans can be pretty passive aggressive, even when you do fit their stereotype of what a good teacher is. If you forgot to bow to them once or twice, or they brought you coffee once and you didn't return the favor they might think a westerner is "arrogant". I wouldn't say most are like that, but some are.

A Chinese University or to a lesser extent even a Korean university would likely be a much better fit, give it a shot.

[jen_blue]

please delete

[isitts]

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