Korean Job Discussion Forums

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

Mika:

You can tell those whiny *beep* what I told the ones from the first hagwan I worked at.

"It does not matter if it is me, or if it is any other foreign teacher: NO foreign teacher will do these jobs because we are under contract. I am an invited guest of your boss. If I was not here, neither would you be."

[jajdude]

I'm just curious how well Korean teachers understand what a foreigner experiences in this country, and with students of low ability, low motivation and low respect for foreigners. The students always behave better with a Korean teacher. They respect that the teacher can speak Korean properly, even if it is English they are trying to learn, and even if the Korean teacher can barely speak it. The same rules of respect and Confucianism don't apply much to us foreigners.

Also the foreign teacher is the selling ticket. A Korean face does not give the image of fluent English.

Anyway I say we deserve higher pay and perhaps better conditions overall. We are scarcer. And we provide the image they need to make a profit. Don't the parents pay to send their kids to a hagwon where the kids will interact with a foreigner who speaks fluent English?

Not sure how much all the above applies if you only teach adults or uni.

[Bulsajo]

[paul]

I tend to agree with Bulsajo. Although they are subtle, Koreans (especially women), have a discreet way of making you feel guilty about your supposed good fortune. When you are one of only two western teachers, it really gets bad. And sharing a staff room with Koreans has got to be a fate worse than death. They constantly speak Korean to each other AND the children, which causes you to feel they might be talking about you, and simultaneously diminishes the ESL you are teaching to the kids. I've been in that situation and it really sucks!

One thing most western teachers should look for when considering a hogwan is the number of Korean versus western teachers. They can make your life hell if there is 10 of them and one or two of you.

Don't do it.

[some waygug-in]

Do what I do... ignore them. I really couldn't give a rip if they are jealous of me because I work less hours. I am always polite and friendly towards them and no one has ever said anything directly to me about it.
If they ever did, I would just simply explain to them all the reasons why my teaching hours are infinitely more difficult than theirs.
(for God sakes, the kids listen to them! I should be so lucky)
They don't have to worry about leaving the country if they change jobs.
They didn't have to move to an alien country where they can't communicate with 99% of the people.
They don't have to risk deportation if a couple of parents complain.
They don't have to jump through a bunch of hoops with immigration if they want to change jobs.
They can legally teach privates.
There is no reason to feel sorry for them, if they were that badly paid they would just quit and work at the local room salon.
What a bunch of crap.

[The Marchioness]

You might be better off remembering what your purpose here is: you are here to teach English and nothing else. It is well to realize that you are not here to be liked, or even to please other people, but that you are here to fulfill the terms of your contract.

So, don't worry about cranky teachers; it is NOT YOUR PROBLEM. Only concern yourself with what is your problem and you will be ok. Do your job well, do it conscientously, do it to the terms; maintain a positive attitude at all times, and don't let them see you being affected by their problems.

My Korean co-workers are all great; although they speak Korean to one another, and to the students, I don't let that bother me. Not my problem. They speak to me in English, they invite me to all the parties, they order food for me, they help me when I'm ill, and on and on ... I cannot stress enough how kind and helpful and generous they are, even though they know and I know that they earn less money for more work and more stress. They realize that if I and the other foreigner were not here, they would not have jobs because they would not be needed.

TM

[TheUrbanMyth]

[The Lemon]