Korean Job Discussion Forums

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

Ok before beaver jumps in... this is mostly geared at people who are teaching them. Do you like kids. Leaving aside crazy co-workers and bosses I suspect that a lot of the source of EFLers hatred for their job comes from the fact that they don't actually like kids...

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

peppermint · Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 7:39 pm Post subject:

Do I like kids- around 95% of the time yes.

Do I want my own- prolly not.

Saxiif · Joined: 15 May 2003 Location: Seongnam

Aside from a few monkey-boys they're great from the time when they learn to stop hiding under the table until the time when the horomones kick in.

VanIslander · Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 8:17 pm Post subject:

They are the best, for me. Saxiif hit the age range exactly, about 8 - 12.

There's real joy in the classroom, in fact, every emotion is apparent and fleeting with the students. Adults put on airs and worry about saving face, theirs and others. Kids are openly cruel and kind, mostly kind, and easily able to follow directions eagerly and happily if the activity is fun or competitive or both.

Teaching children solidifies my lifelong need to have kids of my own someday as well as is preparing me to be a better parent someday.

Like peppermint, there is that 5% of the time... but that's usually when I'm unprepared, sick or hungover.

Dalton · Joined: 26 Mar 2003

The kids are great I have lots of fun with them. I am so glad I came here because before that I had no real experience with them. I was looking for a career change at the time and I lucked out. I can't imagine teaching here and not liking kids with all the all other potential problems. Many people find themselves in jobs they don't like.

prosodic · Joined: 21 Jun 2004 Location: ��

paul · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Taiwan

Sure I like kids. They say the darndest things! Since I went back to teaching kids six months ago, I rediscovered some playfulness and humor in me that I thought was gone forever.

On the other hand, I sometimes have to discipline students and that is probably the only thing I don't like about teaching kids. Sometimes it's my best students who are in need of a goof, swift ****!

But they are resilient, thank heavens! I don't know if I could ever set foot back in the class if they had a memory like adults.

Blind Willie · Joined: 05 May 2004

I like 'em just fine.

Never have one of my own, though. I'm worn out after eight hours with them. I cant imagine it being 24/7.

sparkx · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: thekimchipot.com

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

Mostly besides a few terrors that nobody would like.

They can be very fun

Homer · Guest

Love em.

ryleeys · Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Location: Columbia, MD

I want kids some day... but I certainly can't complete another year of teaching kids that are taught to not respect me and don't speak my language.

VanIslander · Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 3:12 am Post subject:

tomato · Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 3:58 am Post subject:

Korean kids are the only Koreans I can relate to. This afternoon, some kids came into my classroom and sang Korean children's songs while I played the guitar. A little later, some other kids teased me while I chased them.

Yesterday evening, I stopped at the playground to make another of my many fruitless attempts on the chin-up bar. A group of kids crowded around and introduced themselves to me. I said "�� ݰ��ϴ�" in Korean sign language. I then explained that I was studying Korean sign language.

This evening, the same kids came up to me and asked me to teach them to say "My name is ��" and "I am 8 years old" in sign language. (Note that this is Korean sign language, not American sign language.)

I have welcomed several puerile visitors in my apartment. They have shared my interest in sign language and have shown interest in my musical instruments.

One of the children asked me what I do every day. I told her that I go downtown and teach. She asked, "What do you teach? Do you teach music?" This question was very significant to me. In my 4 years in this country, no Korean has ever before implied that I was good for any other job besides teaching English.

Korean adults, on the other hand, see me as nothing more than a Bokanovsky twin with all other foreigners. There is no way possible that I can discuss my interests with them. They are too adamant in their contention that I don't have any. Consequently, the conversation never gets past "Can I help you?"