Korean Job Discussion Forums

[diver]

[Apple Scruff]

I'm from the mindset of some others here: work isn't everything. My job doesn't define who I am. Unless I'm an ER doctor or the Presisent of the United States or something, I don't think that it makes a lick of difference whether I give 100% or 90% or 50% some days. If I really suck at my job, I deserve to get fired. If I really hate my job, I'll quit. I'll find a new one. It's nobody's problem but my own.

My work ethic is only as good as my personal interest in the work that I'm doing.

[chronicpride]

Sometimes, when teaching some of my adult students who are really keen on learning English, I see how they fawn over the complexities of the language. While it's so natural and instinctual for us, I feel, at the odd time, like Will Hunting in Lambeau's office, when the professor is scrambling to blow out Will's burning paper that he lit and Will is all: "You know how fuckin' easy this is to me? This is a joke!
And I'm sorry you can't do this. I really am. 'Cause if you could I wouldn't be forced to watch you fumble around and *beep* it up."

Sometimes.

[jajdude]

ethic... duh,, what that?

me lazy.

[Cthulhu]

As long as you are financially secure or well on your way to being so a work ethic isn't necessary. It's a nice trait to have, though.

[Zyzyfer]

[metalhead]

English is a pretty easy language, so teaching it is easy, and if something is easy then how can it be hard work to do? Simple pimples if you ask me.

[Fallacy]

Ah, yes: more thread resurrection. Destroyed? More like refined.

[World Traveler]

You only work 8 hours a week? I'm shocked. How'd you manage to pull that one off?

[Fallacy]

University.

[World Traveler]

Do you really only work eight hours a week though? Nothing is expected of you / you do nothing beyond those contact hours? Don't you have to do preparation work for the class and maybe grading? Is there pressure to publish? All things considered I would assume you'd be putting in a lot more time than just the contact hours. It's a sweet deal you have, no doubt, but adding in all you do, how many hours a week is that? What kind of education do you have, by the way? Masters? PhD? (Others on this forum- myself included- are jealous.)

[edwardcatflap]

[Fallacy]

I have a fairly standard 3/2 position: 3 courses in Spring and 2 in Fall. That works out to 15 credit hours contracted for the year. It gets worse. I also get to control the weekly schedule for my courses each semester, so no Mondays or Fridays, early mornings or late afternoons. I have a great deal of unscheduled free time. Research is expected and publication is encouraged, of course. Regarding pedigree, 2 graduate degrees beyond the undergraduate qualified me for hiring. I agree with edwardcatflap that parents should complain about this sort of thing, but as I do not work in the Department of English or even in the College of Humanities, nor teach language courses, but content courses, their criticism would include the entire faculty as well, and end up as an attack on the existing paradigm of all institutions of higher education nationwide.

[cj1976]

I would hate to go back to the UK now and have to actually work for 40 hours a week.

[tob55]

What people do for work here is not rocket science to say the least. I was able to finish a PhD while teaching a full time schedule at my University gig, and it really didn't cramp my time or family obligations. It actually bettered me in a lot of ways, but unfortunately, now all the professors I had in class see me as a threat to their positions, and they are trying to get me out of the University by using whatever excuse they can to terminate my employment.

As to the issue of ruining my work ethic, I have to say what I did as a professional educator in the home country was a lot harder than anything I have experienced here as a talking recorder. I am just trying to move ahead into more content related work now since I have received my PhD, but that takes time and connections to do it.