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Ribs75
Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:14 pm Post subject: Teaching Science (in English) in South Korea |
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Hi,
This is my first post and I would like to know a couple of things about South Korea, as I am going over there in two months. I have about one year's experience in Thailand teaching English, but my degrees are in Science. I would really like to teach science, but have heard that this is culturally very difficult in countries like Thailand and India.
I would like to know if teaching science (on an English Program) in Korea would be satisfying in terms of the students having a good level of interest and not just 'switching off'.
Also, from reading the forum, I understand that it is best not to accept the all-round, all-paid airfair option, but to go out and look for your own job when you get there, taking enough money to survive for perhaps a couple of months.
Any advice would be welcome!  |
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dulouz
Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Location: Uranus
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:30 pm Post subject: |
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Its just like a hagwon, the kids hate you and hate being in school. They hate the class. Its slightly different and somewhat better but not much. |
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zappadelta

Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:19 am Post subject: |
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Most of the kids like science, but only in Korean. The only thing they like about English is playing games. |
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JacktheCat

Joined: 08 May 2004
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:48 am Post subject: |
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If you can get a teacher's certificate from your home country, the International Schools here would give their left *beep* to get their hands on an honest to goodness Science or Math Teacher.
And the International Schools pay well and give real vacations. |
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Ribs75
Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Location: UK
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 1:39 am Post subject: |
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dulouz wrote: |
Its just like a hagwon, the kids hate you and hate being in school. They hate the class. Its slightly different and somewhat better but not much. |
Yeah, something I didn't mention in my first post was that I took a new contract teaching science in a government school in Thailand and the job was on an English Program.
I bought my own resources and books, paid for dynamic and exciting powerpoint presentations (which I ran on a digital projector) and really put 100% into the job. But, sadly, after only one month it was becoming clear that no progress was being made and I left the job.
The kids were from fairly rich Chinese-Thai backgrounds and with the exception of a handful, they just did not want to know. It was a struggle to get most of them to get their books out. No matter what we did, they just switched off. They are not bad kids, just that the culture is ingrained into them and, unfortunately, science does not rank highly.
I've now comitted to South Korea by buying a plane ticket. I just hope this is not going to be a bad mistake. I heard that Korea is better than Thailand, but from what I'm reading, I am not so sure now.  |
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