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desultude
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf
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 Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 5:27 am Post subject: |
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| peppermint wrote: |
To answer Des,
I'm not sure when the law came into effect, but I know when I renewed my visa last May, I didn't need them. ( I had brought them just in case though) |
Thanks for the straight, uneditorialized, answer. You're good at that!
I have them, but I think our uni had better let people know if this is the case, or they are going to have a problem times 50.  |
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lastat06513
Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Location: Sensus amo Caesar , etiamnunc victus amo uni plebian
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| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 7:05 am Post subject: |
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I don't have a B of ED either and I have been going at this for a long time also. Obviously I'm doing something right...
But what really gets me is that people who haven't been in a certain situation don't know how to deal with it except "oh well...I'm glad it isn't me..."
But, what happens if it is you in the future?
Unless people take the info for what its worth and try to be more understandable to other's situation, then no one will help them when they get stuck and the person next to them goes "Oh well....."
If one person is not having trouble doesn't mean that no one is having trouble.
This is a really big headache, in regards to time and money. Immigrations doesn't know what its like to have to contact a registrar's office in the middle of the night or having to shovel out $30 or so to process the transcripts and send them express mail. Only to be fired from a job for lousy job performance or quit because it is not the hakwon you want to work for and you hope to find something better, only to realize you have to order another copy of your transcripts for a job that starts in a few days!!!
Those of us on this board are already in their "dream job", but what about the next guy? It is easy to sit back and go "tsk-tsk-tsk..."
But remember, "what goes around comes around..." |
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YoungLi
Joined: 06 Sep 2005
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| Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2005 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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just because wrote:
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| I don't have a B. of Ed. , does that make me a bad teacher?? |
Of course not!
I've been reading this thread that's gone from a simple question about sealed transcripts to a debate about what is the best degree for teaching ESL in S. Korea or just plain teaching students in general. It's a great debate. Although I think it should be moved to a separate discussion altogether, I'd like to include some information that will shed new light on the subject.
I was a Graduate Assistant while working towards my Master's degree in Education at a large university. My work entailed (among other things) sifting over hundreds of applications from prospective MAT students, that's Master of Arts in Teaching. It amazed me how many thousands of people were applying for the limited number of openings we had in that department. Why would someone with a bachelor's degree want to go thru one of the most rigorous graduate degree programs lasting over three years just to wind up teaching at a public school only making 28k per year and that's without a union (e.g. they can fire you at will)!?
Due to the numbers inquiring phone calls, the faculty and staff decided we needed to hold an information briefing to dispense literature and answer questions. At least three hundred eager people would show up every time. The purpose of such a briefing was to dissuade people from applying who would otherwise not be accepted anyway. I had to listen to one horror story after another about teachers being beat up by students and teachers walking off the job. Furthermore, the percent of teachers being burned out in their first year of teaching was astounding.
Why did I mention all of the above? That's because I know a little something about the field to know these things:
1.) The MAT is the standard degree NOW that is required in most states and those people who have only a B. of Ed. have to go back to college for this degree. Believe it or not we OFTEN times turned down applicants for the MAT who have been teaching for years and years. Why? Some of them didn't have enough sense to include a date on their applications! Also, if they were a middle school or high school teacher they needed to have their Bachelor's degree in a specialized field (i.e. math, history etc.). There were teachers scrambling for a second Bachelor's degree just to get into the MAT program!!!!!!!!!!!!
2.) The PRAXIS exam is the be all to end all that determines if someone with an MAT degree will become a teacher. It is the recognized standard that is used to "qualify" someone as a teacher. Believe it or not, there are a lot of students who do great in the MAT program and fail the PRAXIS. I can remember students running down the hall crying their eyes out over this after they failed - sometimes more than once. When I had to go over applications, I could remember the faculty saying to me, "we just need to find people who can pass the PRAXIS, they are soooo hard to find."
3.) Even after a student manages to graduate with a MAT degree, pass the PRAXIS and get in his/her thousand or so hours of required teaching in (to be a candidate for a teaching job) none of that really matters because "teachers are either born for teaching or they are not." At least that's what the faculty told me. They also advised me go teach ESL in Korea!
4.) You will never find a universal consensus that will ensure quality teaching anywhere at any time because if this little thing called "opinions." Nevertheless, degrees SHOULD by all accounts make people brighter, more informed, educated what have you.... which brings me to my last point 
5.) lastat06513 wrote:
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| This is a really big headache, in regards to time and money. Immigrations doesn't know what its like to have to contact a registrar's office in the middle of the night or having to shovel out $30 or so to process the transcripts and send them express mail. |
If only the faculty and staff at my university could read that quote they'd say something like,
"STOP WHINING MORON AND SEND THE TRANSCRIPTS INTO IMMIGRATION  "... or WORSE. |
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lastat06513
Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Location: Sensus amo Caesar , etiamnunc victus amo uni plebian
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| Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 7:34 am Post subject: |
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YoungLi~ maybe...
But where would you be if you didn't work at your university?
Chances are that you probably would be stating some bad experience that would have happened if you worked at a hakwon.
FYI~ I have tenure right now, so I don't have anything to worry about in regards to job security. Which can't be said about the other foreigners I see at my workplace.
But what about the other people who had the idea of trying to stay in Korea but who keep on getting jerked around by their employer with no recourse because immigration is to ignorant of foreigners that they tend to believe the bosses and directors more than the individual teacher.
And because the employer knows this, they tend to exploit it to their full advantage.
That's not kosher, not one bit.
Again...the people who support this might be the ones hurt by it later.
"Never burn your bridges once you cross...you never know when you might have to go across again... |
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R. S. Refugee
Joined: 29 Sep 2004
Location: Shangra La, ROK
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| Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 9:15 am Post subject: |
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| skconqueror wrote: |
| peppermint wrote: |
To answer Des,
I'm not sure when the law came into effect, but I know when I renewed my visa last May, I didn't need them. ( I had brought them just in case though) |
I thought June of this year. |
When I went with the coodinator from my uni to get a blue form back in July, I was told by her that they now require not only a sealed transcript, but also required that once opened that it must have a date stamped on it that is not more than 90 days old. I don't know for certain that this is true, but it is what I was told. I went to Immigration on July 18th and when my sealed transcript was opened, it was stamped April 18th. Whew. Actually that would have been 91 days since May has 31 days in it, but luckily they weren't that picky.
In any event, if what I was told was true, someone who has a sealed transcript that was issued more than 90 days ago could be unpleasantly surprised by this new requirement. |
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lastat06513
Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Location: Sensus amo Caesar , etiamnunc victus amo uni plebian
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| Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 4:55 pm Post subject: |
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Lets just hope China can boost its pay alittle to accomodate alot of the teachers fleeing the madness that teaching in Korea has become.
It seems they want a set of transcripts, sealed with wax that only originates from Mount Sinai, signed or engraved on the back flap with the signature of either the Queen of England or President Bush himself. They have to be dated NLT 2 days after you ordered them and they have to show a barimetric code on it that can be scanned exclusively by immigrations. They also want a picture of a Korean baby that is 2X8X7 mm in size on the upper right hand corner of the envelope next to a portable flashing sign with the name and address of the college. And they want them handed to immigrations by a big-breasted Las Vegas showgirl in a pink and purple tutu.
omg!!!! unbelievable!!!!! |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 2:26 am Post subject: |
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| R. S. Refugee wrote: |
| skconqueror wrote: |
| peppermint wrote: |
To answer Des,
I'm not sure when the law came into effect, but I know when I renewed my visa last May, I didn't need them. ( I had brought them just in case though) |
I thought June of this year. |
When I went with the coodinator from my uni to get a blue form back in July, I was told by her that they now require not only a sealed transcript, but also required that once opened that it must have a date stamped on it that is not more than 90 days old. I don't know for certain that this is true, but it is what I was told. I went to Immigration on July 18th and when my sealed transcript was opened, it was stamped April 18th. Whew. Actually that would have been 91 days since May has 31 days in it, but luckily they weren't that picky.
In any event, if what I was told was true, someone who has a sealed transcript that was issued more than 90 days ago could be unpleasantly surprised by this new requirement. |
Mine was closer to 120 days and they still accepted it. I think this may be yet another case of different Immigration offices=different rules? |
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hari seldon
Joined: 05 Dec 2004
Location: Incheon
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| Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 10:30 am Post subject: |
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| R. S. Refugee wrote: |
| skconqueror wrote: |
| peppermint wrote: |
To answer Des,
I'm not sure when the law came into effect, but I know when I renewed my visa last May, I didn't need them. ( I had brought them just in case though) |
I thought June of this year. |
When I went with the coodinator from my uni to get a blue form back in July, I was told by her that they now require not only a sealed transcript, but also required that once opened that it must have a date stamped on it that is not more than 90 days old. I don't know for certain that this is true, but it is what I was told. I went to Immigration on July 18th and when my sealed transcript was opened, it was stamped April 18th. Whew. Actually that would have been 91 days since May has 31 days in it, but luckily they weren't that picky.
In any event, if what I was told was true, someone who has a sealed transcript that was issued more than 90 days ago could be unpleasantly surprised by this new requirement. |
How many transcripts have the date they were posted stamped on them? Few I suspect. The date the uni issued your degree is on the transcript, not the date they mailed the transcript.
So, the smart strategy remains to either bring along a supply of sealed transcripts in your luggage or have several mailed to you and put aside well in advance .
Of course, if your university is the odd bird that post dates its transcripts, I can understand how this could present a problem with old transcripts. |
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BigBlackEquus
Joined: 05 Jul 2005
Location: Lotte controls Asia with bad chocolate!
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| Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 7:58 pm Post subject: |
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| lastat06513 wrote: |
It seems they want a set of transcripts, sealed with wax that only originates from Mount Sinai, signed or engraved on the back flap with the signature of either the Queen of England or President Bush himself.
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The sickening misinformation on this board, put across by those with tenure, no-less....
I will have you know that President Bush, a close family friend, DID sign my transcripts on the back, and it DID NOT make a difference! Why?!
Because the stupid-ass immigrations officer said, 'We no longer recognize Bush as the president of the United States because less than 40% of Americans approve of the job he is doing.'
So if you're going to give advice here, get your facts straight!
(sorry, I have been drinking, and couldn't resist) |
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Homer
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 6:19 am Post subject: |
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The law passed and now required sealed transcripts.
Some immigration offices might not have fallen in line yet but you should have sealed transcripts anyway. Better safe than sorry! |
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lastat06513
Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Location: Sensus amo Caesar , etiamnunc victus amo uni plebian
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| Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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B.B.E.
Thats why it is better to have 2 sets ready for immigations; one set with Bush's signature and another set with the royal seal of the House of Winsor.
hey...better be safe than sorry...
Make sure the Las Vagas showgirl is wearing a bright violet colored Hanbok as she is carried to the helipad on top of the immigration building in a Chinook helicopter and make sure she repels down while singing "Arirang" in Cholla dialect and waving a banner that reads "Tokto is ours" in Korean, english and Japanese.
As she is called before the immigration officer, please..it is absoluely necessary for her to spin EXACTLY 3 times while beating on a ZZhanggu with a drum stick made from wood of a tree grown on Peaktu Mountain.
I called immigrations yesterday and they told me the tutu was optional, but they must see her credentials as a Las Vegas showgirl (dancers license, stripclub namecard, etc.)
As an "old tymer" in Korea, I guarantee if you do all this, YOU will get your E2 visa |
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