Korean Job Discussion Forums

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

Did RR get around to posting the link about the New York guy who was a Konkuk university professor with a faked degree? I had to laugh and fully expected to see an RR link about it to buttress his on going theme that Korea is no place a person should want to live, unless you came from the hometown RR came from. Apparently the guy was a high school grad and former bell hop. To line his pocket with extra cash, since Korean universities give profs bonuses for publishing papers, he would publish his papers on some web journal, which upon investigation they found out he himself published...

Oh tragic stuff and clearly yet another reason to get on a plane right this minute and let RR be the only white guy in Korea so he can a) get paid more b) score more Korean hotties.

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

"To line his pocket with extra cash, since Korean universities give profs bonuses for publishing papers, he would publish his papers on some web journal, which upon investigation they found out he himself published..."

Yes, Korean universities give bonuses and promotions for published papers.

A professor of engineering said it was common for there to be up to ten co-authors on a paper, most of whom have had nothing to do with it. Last year, Professor Han at "E" University who had failed to be promoted managed to do so after his name was appended to his student's paper.
by Choi Won-seok
Chosun Ilbo
http://www.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200204/200204251020.html

MixtecaMike · Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2004 5:31 am Post subject:

If you really want to be a professor (albeit with only one s) get a job at any institute in Latin America, your title will be Profesor Xxxx, and if you are friendly your students will call you Profe. If you're not they'll call you pinche gringo, at least behind your back.

Maybe the word professor in these cases is not the same as in the US, but is just Konglish for university teacher, so if you are one, then you are.

saharzie · Joined: 22 Jan 2003

hahaha...I know that guy. Hes a lunatic...used to do yaba in Limelite in Itaewon and throw cash around a lot. Make trips to Thailand to get more, even his wife didnt know...

dzeisons · Joined: 14 Oct 2004

to the bobster

when i wrote TESOL is not a meaningful subject i should have added a Shocked

- i was incredulous that anybody (probably a "teacher")could be such a galah to make such a statement.

i taught for 2 years then got a TESOL cert, taught for 2 more years and have recently completed a M. Ed (TESOL). teaching without any training for me felt like a man just stumbling along in the dark so i wanted to do a cert tesol which i did and it i'm certain it helped me become a MUCH better teacher. after doing the masters again i'm sure i have become a better teacher because i am more aware of all the theoretical and practical considerations of language learning. i am surprised at people who say cert tesol or masters (tesol) does not help you to become a better teacher when they have not even done it. having said that it is beyond me how a PhD outside of tesol (and in some ways even TESOL PhDs) can help you become a better teacher.

Intrepid · Joined: 13 May 2004 Location: Yongin

The theory is important--gives you the ability to understand language issues and explain them to students. The practice teaching is invaluable, especially the mentored experience of a "bricks and mortar" university.
Ridiculous to say that an MA TESOL is some sort of universal joke.

ajstew · Joined: 04 Feb 2004 Location: Korea

I have no doubts that at certain levels of teaching or jobs, having a M.A. in TESOL would have it's benefits, especially when teaching children or beginner adults who are learning the language.

I don't think it offers much of an advantage than any other M.A. at the university level (where M.A's in any subjects are needed), especially when one is teaching English Conversation courses. This is because, from my experience again, higher year English students are not beginners any more, and I believe they benefit best from simply engaging in conversations.

The Professor in these situations acts as a guide, or as more of an observer, helping to keep the conversations flowing. My goal in such situations is to try to maintain a comfortable atmosphere in the classroom, and having an M.A in TESOL rather than my own M.A. (and with my 5 years of any teaching experience) is likely to be just as useful.

Now if you've never taught in a university and you have an M.A. in TESOL, I could understand why you would want to justify using your money for that M.A., but I believe my own money in my M.A. was well spent, and that I'm every bit as effective at teaching English conversation classes in university as anyone with an M.A in TESOL would be. I think most of the people and students at my university would agree.

So, I'm not saying that M.A.'s in TESOL are not useful... only that they are probably more useful in hagwons teaching children or teaching beginner adults for companies and such. Wink

TECO · Joined: 20 Jan 2003

Interesting points,

I don't think I'm necessarily a better classroom teacher because of my M.A. - but I understand SLA processes now, where before I didn't.

Again, my CELTA gave me the tools to be a better in-class, practicing teacher. My CELTA gave me the opportunity to be observed by other teachers and to receive feedback from these experienced teachers after I taught my lessons.

There were no peer feeedback sessions or observed teaching opportunities in my M.A. program which, in my view, is a huge weakness of the many M.A. TESOL programs offered in Australia.

M.A. TESOL prorgrams are, for the most part, still tooo theoretical for the average practicing classroom teacher, in my opinion.

Keepongoing · Joined: 13 Feb 2003 Location: Korea

I worked with a teacher who had an MA TESOL and did CELTA, she stated that the CELTA course was more challenging for her than was the lengthy thesis she had to write for her M.A. Maybe someday I will do a CELTA??????????????????//

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

J.B. Clamence · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Yep, the CELTA is a 120-hour course. The intensive program (about 9-5 daily) lasts 4 weeks. It's not very difficult, especialy if you've already been teaching for a while, but it is a lot of work, and the trainers are quite serious. In grad school I never got less than a B+ in a class, but in my CELTA class, for the first time in my life, I had to rewrite a paper (two papers actually!) because it "didn't complete the assignment"! Shocked

Very few people ever actually fail the class, but I found it to be very demanding.

Keepongoing · Joined: 13 Feb 2003 Location: Korea

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Shadow · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Pusan, South Korea

I only have a BBA and am teaching at a low-ranking university. I wouldn't dare call myself a professor of English unless I had at least a Master's degree in English. I am working with foreigners who probably have less education than myself and who have the audacity, as well as arrogance to call themselves Professors. I don't know where this arrogance comes from but I wish they would leave it at home. It's just another job! I feel sorry for those of you who have a Master's in English and are receiving low pay (chump change). You deserve better! Take it easy and Happy Remembrance Day.