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Korean Job Discussion Forums "The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
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gongbuhae
Joined: 14 May 2016
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Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 12:33 am Post subject: At which Year did you Officially BURN OUT? |
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For me it was cool, even doable for the first 5 years. Then year 6 hit me like a ton of bricks. I hate it now. Get me out of here.
I hate being misunderstood, the freaking noisy kids (so much louder then American kids and more rude), sick of straining to understand their Korean. I just hate teaching ESL now. |
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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J Rock
Joined: 17 Jan 2009 Location: The center of the Earth, Suji
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Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 4:39 am Post subject: |
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I actively started hating it beginning of my 3rd year. The noise, sounds, just kids in general started to piss me off. That's also when I had a kid so that didn't help my stress levels.
The beginning of my 4th year I learned to go numb, I would be present but my mind would be somewhere else. If I had to explain it I would compare it to when a prostitute is servicing a client, she's physically there but during the act her mind escapes because of what she's doing is so horrible.
So yes, I am comparing myself to a prostitute, a poorly paid, unhappy, fat prostitute. |
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gongbuhae
Joined: 14 May 2016
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Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 7:34 am Post subject: |
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J Rock wrote: |
I actively started hating it beginning of my 3rd year. The noise, sounds, just kids in general started to piss me off. That's also when I had a kid so that didn't help my stress levels.
The beginning of my 4th year I learned to go numb, I would be present but my mind would be somewhere else. If I had to explain it I would compare it to when a prostitute is servicing a client, she's physically there but during the act her mind escapes because of what she's doing is so horrible.
So yes, I am comparing myself to a prostitute, a poorly paid, unhappy, fat prostitute. |
lol.
I could always handle stressful events back home, I thought it was a characteristic of mine that I was pretty proud of. I thought it translated well until my 6th year here.
ESL teachers around me were getting burnt out around 3 years like you, but I just kept going and thought nothing of it.
I had one bad school in Chungna, and that was that. Those kids drove me up a wall, and were totally out of control. They made me permanently sensitive to noise. I was feeling jittery and shaky at times. Pretty f'ed up if you ask me. |
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Be Good
Joined: 27 Jan 2015 Location: Earth
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Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 4:36 pm Post subject: |
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I was reading an article on the Player's Tribune written by a ref. He said "I don't who you are, but at some point in one's life, every man lies awake at night wondering if they are making a difference."
I used to have trouble sleeping, but since I committed to having sold my soul to the ESL devil, I am out like a light.
Love the hooker analogy btw. |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 6:01 pm Post subject: |
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I also felt burned out at the three-year mark, although it was more toward the end of that year. I had gone hakwon > public school > test prep academy, which kept me on my toes because the work was increasingly demanding. But some issues with the test prep place just left me jaded and disillusioned about the whole thing, there were some weird interactions around the end that left me scratching my head.
I think the kicker for me is the demonstrated lack of faith in employees, feeling like everyone inherently distrusts you at your job is a severe morale killer. I did do a stint in 2009 teaching adults, but that only made the sentiment worse for me. |
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PRagic
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
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Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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Could be burn out typical of any career. A lot of people have their first actual full time job experience out of university here, so if they do it for a few years, they're bound to get burned out a bit, much as a programmer, teacher, or bank clerk would in their first few years at the same job.
Part of it, too, is the never ending culture shock roller coaster. It never ends, and people deal with it at different times in different ways and to various degrees of success. You're not 'over' culture shock just because you've spent 1,2,3...even 10 years somewhere.
Some of it may be career stagnation, or simply doing the same thing year after year, without mixing it up a bit. 'Just' teaching can get boring, so doing some other related work might help (writing, editing, recording, etc...). Different strokes for different folks.
At any rate, hope it's only temporary, OP. I don't know a single person who hasn't experienced some type of burn out over the course of their careers. For some, it means time for a change (sometimes a different company, sometimes a different career all together), but for others it's a bump in the road. Only you can say. |
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denverdeath
Joined: 21 May 2005 Location: Boo-sahn
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 5:19 am Post subject: |
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19 years and STILL nothing.
Nah, I lied.
It was around year three for me, too. About 2.5 actually. My mom was diagnosed with cancer so had to leave that uni job early, during the summer, according to contract. Pissed me off a bit to hear that the department head at that place black-listed me when I tried to get re-hired because I left early. Whatever, Jerk Kim.
Anyway, no major issues since. I guess.
Comfortably numb.
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 6:00 am Post subject: |
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Those rare few people in uni jobs (old timers who got in 10+ years ago) lucked out. Apparently they had/have an easy ride for the most part. |
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denverdeath
Joined: 21 May 2005 Location: Boo-sahn
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 8:12 am Post subject: |
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World Traveler wrote: |
Those rare few people in uni jobs (old timers who got in 10+ years ago) lucked out. Apparently they had/have an easy ride for the most part. |
Perhaps. Science is apparently the "new" Ministry of Education way now. AND, don't forget the no babies thing. Sko0lz be closing...maybe not that fast, but they are. |
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 11:29 am Post subject: |
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The English villages in Paju and Yangpyeong in Gyeonggi Province signed deals with the Ministry of Education and the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity last month to change into training institutes.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2016/06/116_206298.html |
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PRagic
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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Yup, I've mentioned it in other threads, but if I were in my 20s now, and if I wanted a career teaching abroad that would allow for a possible transition elsewhere, I'd be getting certified in 3D printing. Several governments are chucking money at 3D printing education. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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The article says parents have lost confidence in English villages as a quick fix to improve their kids' English. Knowing a bit about Koreans this won't stop them from looking for a quick fix somewhere else. It's not necessarily a sign that Koreans have lost interest in learning English. Personally there's more work around for me than there are hours in the day, all paid at premium rates. Especially if you convert it into pounds |
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tophatcat
Joined: 09 Aug 2006 Location: under the hat
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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Koreans are still interested in learning English. However, they are changing their locations of learning. English villages are going the way of the dinosaurs. The dancing monkey hokwans are going the way of the dodo bird.
English is in demand. There's plenty of work for those who know where to be. |
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young_clinton
Joined: 09 Sep 2009
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 5:28 pm Post subject: |
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Don't burn out too quickly. Where do you think you're going to go to? If the answer isn't teaching back home, then Korea is about the best place in Asia to teach seriously. Ask those who have left Korea and tried their hand in say Saudi Arabia, the @#!%hole of the world, with in real terms less savings than they could have had in Korea. |
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