Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

Teachers will be graded by students, parents
Beginning in 2007, students and parents will have the right to evaluate teachers and principals. Currently, teachers are evaluated only by their principals. The ministry will provide specific guidelines on the evaluation process to all schools. More detailed instructions will be decided by each school. The new system requires that the principals and teachers be evaluated every semester. Parents will have the option of sitting in on classes.
By Sung So-young, The Korea Herald (May 18, 2005)
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2005/05/18/200505180047.asp

[Zark]

No problem. Good to know what the consumer of your services wants.

Though many will dispute it - I don't believe that teachers should be the autocratic rulers of their own little Kingdoms in which they can operate with immunity.

Parents and students both, I believe, have the ability - to some degree - to see through the bull-jive and know what works well for them - what gets the result that they want/need and pay for.

It's fair and reasonable. Anyone can sit in on my class - anytime.

I know this may not be a popular opinion, but I just wanted to play devil's advocate. I am already subject to student evaluations where I work - and have no problem with it. A little diplomacy - can help these things work smoothly - as in any occupation.

[Grotto]

The only problem with this is that you will get the people who have no clue coming and trying to tell you how to do things properly.

[JennyJJ]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

I wonder if this will even fly. It seems that the government can pass whatever regulations they want and people will just carry on the way it's always been done regardless. Besides, everyone knows that kids act completely differently in front of their parents, so all it will do is make the parents wonder why their little emperor is getting bad reports or whining about his unfair teacher.

[Intrepid]

Zark has a point--I think concerned parents are capable of this--but at the universities at least it leads to grade inflation, the fear of giving a B+ (instead of the requisite A) to someone who never attended your class. And of course now we have a "this one goes to eleven" 4.3 or higher scale in the unis.
And so I'll assert that I don't think U students (and this article is not about them, but they already evaluate teachers in many unis) should get to evaluate their instructors; at least not the binding evaluation (under 70% popularity and you're out, judged on a 1-5 scale with the midpoint 3 a failing grade) that my university had.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[Derrek]

I think what they're trying to combat are the problems caused by Public school teachers who are assured of their positions and aren't easily fired. I am told that, although the better teachers are the ones who pass the Public school entrance test, they also know they can "sit back" once they get a job. The government moves Public school teachers around every 4 years, so if a school gets a crappy teacher, they just have to deal with it for the duration. It's not easy to fire them. Private schools, however, can fire at will. This doesn't mean that we don't have poor teachers in the Private schools, however.

We have one teacher here who is a really nice guy, but apparently can't teach to save his life. My students complained about him, and they wondered how he ever got his job and kept it for so long. He's in his upper 40s, and must know the owners well or something. The students told me stories like how one day he forgot his book, and was very nervous, saying, "Oh no... I forgot my book. I can't teach without my book. I really have no idea what to do. You guys just sit and talk quietly."

[crazylemongirl]

I wouldn't mind if teachers were open to more inspection if the evaulations were just part of a portfolio of evaluations... ideally there sould be education inspectors etc. that come in too.

[FUBAR]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[Grotto]

The problem with evaluations is you should have a set criteria and you should be evaluated by professionals in your field.

What does some peasant from the rice field know about teaching? A salesclerk? A taxi driver? A salaryman? A dentist?

NADA!

People who do evaluations should not be parents with hidden and open agenda's. This is about the stupidest idea I have heard in a long time.

ESPECIALLY HERE IN KOREA~!

The teachers already give inflated marks to the students.

It could be funny though...you need to give more/less homework, there should be more/less games, I think the proper way to teach math is by putting your textbook under your pillow and letting the knowledge seep upwards into your brain while you sleep, children should be eating a dictionaty a semester to improve their vocabulary, all fans must be removed incase of fandeath.

Add on your own comments.

[hari seldon]

It's asinine. Teachers should be evaluated on the basis of measurable changes in student performance.