Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ya-ta Boy]

Many Korean teachers start their classes with the students standing and bowing. I'm wondering if any waygookin teachers do this. I'll be starting teaching in a Korean high school soon and was thinking about insisting on bowing as a way of 'setting the tone'--reminding them that yes, I am the teacher and demand the same proper behavior that Korean teachers expect.

Any thoughts?

[JacktheCat]

Congrats on finding a high school job. It's a great gig if the school's right.

As for bowing, at my high school only the old timers make their students do that. The younger Korean teachers are much more relaxed (to a point).

If you want to get the kiddies to respect you as a teacher, then act and dress the part. But, just don't expect them to treat you exactly the same as a Korean teacher. You are a waegukin after all.

[zappadelta]

I think it's a really bad idea and a majority of the students in the class will not want to do that, which will get you off to a bad start.

[ajuma]

While I feel that bowing is way too formal, I DO expect my students to respond when I walk in and say "hello". Either "hello" or "hello teacher" is fine. With one class (uni) I had to walk in 3 times before they got the hang of it! When I got no response the first time, I said "Ok...let's try that again." I walked out, walked in again, said "hello" ... and maybe 3 students said "hello". "OK...let's do that ONE MORE TIME!!!" FINALLY they got it!

[Ya-ta Boy]

[gang ah jee]

[Gopher]

[deleted]

[gang ah jee]

[jaderedux]

I teach middleschool boys and I absolutely have them bow. I don't like it but if they don't do it...then I am not REALLY a teacher. It is easier for them to keep that ritual than change it for me.

Also, it affords the same treatment as korean teachers. The freaky part is when I see my students on the street.....they bow. It feel strange but what the heck. Even my boys who have graduated to high school do this if they see me on the street.

I don't mind....

Jade

[zappadelta]

[Ya-ta Boy]

[xtchr]

Personally, I think it's a good idea to start off that way, especially at a new job. You can always relax things a little after a bit when they're used to you as the teacher. Some of my classes bow, which initially I didn't like, but have got used to it, and some others just stand and say 'attention', then a big group 'hello teacher'. I didn't initiate any of it, must have been the teacher before me, but it seems to start the class off on a good note.
And speaking of bowing outside of class, one of my wee elementary students bowed to me at the swimming pool. Poor kid almost drowned, he was halfway through a length, saw me in the next lane, and kind of tried to stop, and bowed, (it must really be programmed into them), took in a huge gulp of water and ended up gasping and spluttering. Hugely funny (but of course I didn't laugh at him).

[coolsage]

I endeavor to get the bow thing out of the way as soon as possible. While I'm here to teach English, not culture, the culture is imparted by the way in which I conduct my relationship with my students. They already get more than enough of the tyrant at the head of the class with the 'love stick' (now there's an oxymoron) behind his back. A great measure of getting these kiddos to speak English is to create an atmosphere of confidence. This won't happen if the curse of Confucianism is hanging over the situation.

[Universalis]

The one and only male Korean teacher I had at Yonsei had us do this routine. "Charyut!" I didn't like it much either, but he was the teacher, so I went along.

I say go for it...

Brian

[Ya-ta Boy]

Interesting how perceptions differ. One guys sees tyrants at the head of class with the love stick. I've seen that, but much more often I've seen really good relationships between students and teachers.