Korean Job Discussion Forums

Tiny_Tibbo · Joined: 21 Apr 2005 Location: In My Skin

I'm just wondering if this is a normal thing here......i'm tryin to get used to the harsh use of language, but the other day i was told i didn't play a phonics song by my supervisor, so i said that i forgot bec i had many things to accomplish in the class but i did play it in all the other classes. I guess that wasn't the right answer bec i was then scolded like a child (not the first time but i've been tryin to "accept" it) and given a subtle threat of "i don't want to repeat myself"..... i really don't know if i'm suppose to say "yes mame, it won't happen again mame".....or explain myself...however that seems to upset her more. so i'm perplexed.....but thats not what really got me. the next day i was called into a meeting with the director (who has always treated me kindly but speaks very little english) and was scolded by my supervisor for a half an hour on all the things i do that aren't perfect that we have already gone over and things i didn't even know were a problem...after we discussed them and she said i could do it that way........oh and then finally about me not playing the phonics song bec real teachers don't forget to do things.....i mean she ripped me from limb to limb....and all my responses were discounted as irrelevant.....i have no problem addmitting defensiveness in this conflict however i have never been so humiliated and attacked in my whole life.....and then to be told to think of it as never happening.......so i really don't know how to respond when i'm being treated like child...is it normal to be talked to like a child or is it just my situation? does it come with the territory here or is it a launguge thing?.....and I was just wondering is it normal to have thorough scoldings in front of the director? And i do mean scoldings..... Shocked

i'm sorry for bringing my troubles here...i'm the only foreign teacher at my school Rolling Eyes

dulouz · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Location: Uranus

Plan on leaving there ASAP.

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

Managers and supervisors here like to get in a power trip. The important thing to remember is simply put them in their place. Scold them right back. Are they paying into the pension plan on your behalf, are they paying medical insurance, has your pay ever been late, and so forth. Any irregularities give you ammo. It's either that or get ready for more scoldings

Scolding you for not playing a song is just plain silly. I'd have gone ballistic on them if I'd been in your shoes.

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

LOL time to open big ol can of whupass!
Scold you over a missed song Rolling Eyes

I wouldnt stand for it for a single second.

Tiny_Tibbo · Joined: 21 Apr 2005 Location: In My Skin

so what do i do? I mean i do usually get talked to like a child...i look very young for my age...this isn't new to me...but she seems to think i'm totally incompetant of doing anything but offers me no help...she just like s to constantly stroke her ego of how she's accomplished her goal in life of being a good teacher and i must not know anything about teaching bec i haven't worked in a school before...ok...now i'm rambling.....i'm having a major personality clash here and i'm fine with everything else at my school....i don't see any red flags....except for a supervisor with an extremly huge ego thats stompin the all the hippie energy out of me.... Shocked

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004

next time you see your supervisor, ask to speak with her privately.
tell her you have been thinking about what recently transpired.

make it clear that your aim is to do your best and that your intentions are solid. then, tell her if she has a problem with your performance, you expect her to speak to you respectfully, as you respect her.

tell her that adults do not respond well to shouting ar being talked to like a child. if she hopes to obtain the best from you, it is in her best interest to keep that in mind.
don't take any of that 'it's the korean way' crap. it's 2005, and the korean way is proving obsolete.

give her the old brown nose, but at the same time, make it clear that her behavior will not be tolerated in the future. if it happens again, turn around and walk away from it.

Saxiif · Joined: 15 May 2003 Location: Seongnam

Paragraphs are your friends!

Tiny_Tibbo · Joined: 21 Apr 2005 Location: In My Skin

thanks..... Wink

Pyongshin Sangja · Joined: 20 Apr 2003 Location: I love baby!

hellofaniceguy · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: On your computer screen!

I'd be more direct and absolutely no doubt..... "I'd have told whoever to f*&% off!"
Don't you scold me...let's talk about this like adults...if you can.
Even if there is a "reason" to scold someone....no need to belittle them, yell, etc...

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

Two ways to go:

Calmly and firmly tell her that you will not stand for her abuse in any way shape or form. If she starts up tell her STOP and walk away.

AAAATTTTTTAAACCCKKKKK. Get right back in her face. Tell her that she is an unprofessional dumbass and if she ever raises her voice to you again you will walk out and never return.

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

Two ways to go:

Calmly and firmly tell her that you will not stand for her abuse in any way shape or form. If she starts up tell her STOP and walk away. If she persists leave the school.

AAAATTTTTTAAACCCKKKKK. Get right back in her face. Tell her that she is an unprofessional dumbass and if she ever raises her voice to you again you will walk out and never return.

While the second one sounds like more fun the first one is probably the smart way to go.

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

That is a terrible situation but put a stop to it....make sure you rip it right back into them and they will probably back right off...

Just remember,
You are more important to them than they are to you........you have much more power than your employers do.

If you decide to leave or threaten to leave they will back right off, it costs them a lot of money to find a new teacher plus the hassle involved and the problems created for them.... a lot of people here don't realize the power they have to control their employesr circumstances, if it wasn't for you the hagwon would be no where near as big, you are the drawcard.

If after that it continues, I would leave........

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

If you're putting in such effort to teach kindie and your boss doesn't appreciate it you should just tell her off and threaten to quit once, and then quit the next time it happens. Think it through first but when it happens, march off to the nearest computer and come back with a resignation letter. The more Koreans who know that Westerners won't put up with certain shit the better. The look on my boss' face when I handed him my letter of resignation was just priceless - he looked like a child who had just been caught uttering a swear work by his mom, with his hands covering his mouth and an embarrassed grin.

On the other hand, if you really like everything else about your job just go about doing it your way and completely ignore her. Deep down inside I think that even Koreans know the difference between reality and utter bull shit.

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

I love when so-called ESL teachers can't cobble together a coherent post. If your ability to write clearly among your peers is an indication of your teaching ability, I would say whatever your director yelled at you about was probably justified.