Korean Job Discussion Forums

[R. S. Refugee]

I'm not over there yet. I'm looking for a job right now and hope to be there by the end of February. But I have been reading a pretty good book on korean Culture called "Culture Shock -- Korea." Though it's a little old (copyright 1988) I'm guessing that Confucianism hasn't disappeared in the past 16 years.

The point that comes across strongly to me from that reading (and from reading some other sources) is that Korea is a hierarchical society with virtually no equal relationships. And I expect that if Americans arrive there with the consciousness that their way is the best way and that the Koreans will benefit from the American's better way of doing social relationships then this may lead to a lot of problems. But the fact is that I haven't been there yet and I'm just thinking, imagining, and talking out loud. In any event, I'm looking forward to bowing being a part of my normal, everyday interactions.

[kermo]

I'm the first white person most of my students have ever spoken to, and after three months, my entrance into the school is starting to feel less like the red carpet at the Emmys.

They're starting to experiment more, to see how much disrespect I'll tolerate. I think it's sweet when the younger girls call me "saem", but I correct them anyway. I don't respond to the kids who call me by my last name only-- I'd much rather be called Sonsaengnim or Teacher, and treated the same way as they treat the other teachers at my school. I'm not offended at their "rudeness", because I think many of them would genuinely like to be friends with me.

I'm sure it would be different if I were at a hagwon, but I feel as if my co-teachers and I are part of a team, so I want to maintain as much respect as I can muster.

Of course, that doesn't mean I can't disco-dance, or do my very lousy Darth Vader impression if it will help them to spell or speak more clearly. It may take them a while to understand that their rather uninhibited teacher still wields authority, but the classroom will be a more civilized and productive place for it.

[mindmetoo]

[captain kirk]

'This is the one hour in their life (in class with the foreign teacher) where they're not under the absolute control of a Korean adult'.

Woo-hoo, absolutely friggin' true.
The k-teachers say 'yeh-dih-ra this', 'yeh-dih-ra that', and 'yed-dih-ra!!'. Yeh-dih-ra means 'children'. They probably have heaps of other apt mechanisms to get the kids in line. Not that it's easy for them. Maybe, I suppose, the upper years are easier for them, the K-teachers.
Or maybe the class for the k-teachers that most resembles the majority of the experience, across the full age range, for a foreign teacher is 'k-teacher with the young'uns', classes with students aged 8-12. When I see k-teachers putting out a lot of energy, and sighs on breaks. Or exhilarated, depending on the moment/day, but that age takes a lot of energy. Antics, theatrics, it's a total experience.

There are some students I'm 'friends' with, and by that I mean their friendliness is 'unwavering'.
The Mom of one is an English teacher, has been to New Zealand, and their grandmother lives with them. So maybe her mom tells her to respect the English teacher, since Mom's an English teacher herself. And maybe living with Grandma too gives her respect for elders. But now that I think of it that age, 10,11, is all good, really. Perhaps because they're still in the freedom of elementary, have had a good, long run of loose reins? Maybe the 'capacity to be friendly' is 'environmental'. They're free at that age.

[Zyzyfer]

[TheUrbanMyth]

[captain kirk]

In my arrogant opinion the new teacher is making a big mistake 'being too friendly with the kids'. I'm not sniping or 'gossiping behind his back' but the effects are evident. I mean we trade off. He teaches them one day, I the next. I've been at the haggie a year and I've never seen such shenanigans in MY classes because they figure they can goof around like they do in his. He's trying to please everyone. Kids who need to be tamed again for being allowed too much rein is a lot of work. I wonder how many new teachers experience this, being 'too friendly' and ending up with chaos.
Sixth class of the day there are some kids trooping around between classes asking me, 'how old are you?' and laughing like mad, basically calling me a grandfather. It turns out that's the class I have next, that catcalling bunch. I go in and there are papers strewn all over the floor. Three go arms up in the corner, then get one to pick up the papers. The room was ennervated with my voltage bolted out to run class after putting them in line. It was kind of weird. What saved me was being sure in my bones that I like kids, and 'you don't give up on family'.
A new teacher doesn't know any Korean, zero. Maybe the kids get frustrated because there's no bridge/leeway understanding as when the teacher knows enough to 'pigdin the gaps'. And a new teacher is trying to get control of the situation and tells them 'no Korean'. So he goes by the book, very seriously, which is a level the kids already know, already, already. Trying to be friends with them, they're bored, and they get hyped up. There's a real 'zany' vibe to some classes now, like they're in a frenzy, anything goes. Run rampant. The boss has had to emerge/loom and nuke the place a couple of times, 'Yedira!'. I'm not 'blaming' him. Just saying. Notable changes, more madness.

[mindmetoo]

[captain kirk]

Yeah, what is 'being cool'. I used to be part of the 'circle' of an old buddhist nun, been a nun since she was fifty, then ninety, and one day she said, 'what is being 'cool'?'. The way she said it, and knowing her attitude a little I could tell she meant being 'cool' is kind of like that generic 'nice'. Oh, that's 'nice'. It can be kind of impersonal, yet acting like everything's personal, and cool, and you're cool with everything. JUST like the Korean 'group harmony thing'. You know, going along with the flow, which is good, but it can be very blah. And stick up the works, like when something is wrong, needs to be said, but can't, because everthing's got to be 'cool'. So the new teacher, like a 'surfer dude', chirps ecstatically, 'cool'. Like a politically correct lockdown situational 'soma'. You know, 'soma', the sedative in '1984'. Are you cool with this?

[jajdude]

Hard to believe all this fuss over calling a kid "crazy," no doubt in a joking manner. I did that countless times and the result was positive, a smile or laugh. If they called me "babo" or "michin" I never cared --- it's true often enough anyway!

I'd chalk this one up to cultural misunderstanding.

I did once get a reprimand for telling a kid to "shut up," but the little jerk was screaming in my ear. Also I once or twice "hit" kids in reaction to a "ddong chim" or a sneeze or cough directly in my face. No, I didn't hurt them, just twisted their arm or hand or gave them a little smack almost as a reflex, giving them a little momentary pain to let them know doing that to me is not acceptable.

[jajdude]

[cellphone]

captain kirk, logged in today and thought it would be decent to read an update on your co-worker (23 yr old) and how it's going or what you think will go in the near future. so far you explained the detail fairly well so how about an update.

[captain kirk]

To cut the story short, every age, I think, has its own wisdom.
When one is 23 one's mind and body, good looks and vitality, lack of experience and sureness the world's one's apple are a wisdom.
I can totally see myself in that state/wisdom when I treated older people with slight disdain when they gave me gifts, pumped me up because they loved me and wanted me to, with their support, make my way in life. And, like him, I wouldn't say 'thank you' for these gifts. Took them for granted.
And there is probably a huge insecurity behind the bravado of this age/wisdom. This guy with his lack of thanks for things I've done for him, reminds me of how I brushed off my Dad.
I don't think anything is wrong, then. It's just that every age has its wisdom. Pros and cons. Views, vision, worldview, conceived of capabilities, behaviours then.
To get less abstract, work at the haggie, as Freud said about work, is 'love'. So you don't face off. You get to know someone and especially in the fracas of working with kids. You can't really see another until you stop judging, pitching the preconceived labels at them like a crapstorm. He's settled down in that department but it has taken a long time. Part of pitching out grounding anchors like some kind of space probe landing on a windswept planet, I guess. Or part of being 20 percent down the road of life.
I'm heading back home and can now totally relate to how my Dad must of felt when I threw it back in his face so often, knowing he had to put up with it, knowing he loved me. I haven't been able to see this until encountering this co-worker. I'm the 'vet' and he's the 'newbie'. But for a long time he acted like I wasn't something he'd like to be, end up as, think like, be like, whatever. Just incommunicado young arrogance.
But every age has its facets and own wisdom, end of story.
I'm glad he's working here and the school has a good teacher as I leave. Funny how the group mentality/devotion to the cause/institution sneaks up on you.
And if every age has its facets/capabilities/wisdom then it makes me think about acting my age, perhaps, taking advantage of this 'age and its 'wisdoms'' I'm in at the moment. Instead of not minding my own business and being susceptible to a kind of insecurity when the arrogant eye of youth looks my way. Because mainstream culture idolizes youth, and is terrified of reflection, especially on decay. He'll live forever, and I'm over the hill, like. But he's bluffing, and his heebie jeebies seem narcissistic. Do you get what I'm talking about here?
The things you are interested in, pay attention to, like and dislike, love and hate, bother and soothe you, are different but no more or less 'valid' with every age. There's a soul in there and it's having an experience. One soul is 'better' than another? No. Something like this.

[J.B. Clamence]

After reading the thread title, I thought maybe this was the new teacher at your school:

[captain kirk]

While I admit this thread is in need of some comic relief, that wasn't it. Oh well, at least his fly is zipped.