Korean Job Discussion Forums

[thursdays child]

How much of your own money do you spend on class stuff? How much do you think is too much? How much is not enough to get pissy about?

MY school and I had big plans for for Xmas classes, but now my school has decided it won't help me financially. So I have a dilema of whether to harness the Christmas spirit and fork out or negotiate with the boss or cancel Christmas (the kids already have a whiff of the plans and are excited).

[crazylemongirl]

My school supplies me with:

Blackboard,
Chalk,
Endless photocopying.
TV to hook up to.

I supply
Materials to be photocopied
Color laminated Slides
Candy or any other prize.
Music and DVD player if I need sound
Game material

Another words sweet f all. But I have big classes which gives me less of an excuse to spoil them.

[schwa]

[sheba]

I get text books and the tapes that go with them (sometimes) and photocopying.

I pay for everything else.... but because of that I dont buy resources only rewards.

[Homer]

I get all text books, some multi-media equipment to use in class, acess to a laser printer and a photocopier.

The school buys all the extra material we ask for and I sometimes buy little extra things I need for class.

I do end up buying things for class because I like to try new books sometimes to see if they are an improvement over what we use now.

[fidel]

Nothing comes out of my pocket and why should it? Apart from treats you want to give your students nothing should come out of your pocket either. For goodness sakes if the school won't pay the last thing you should do is pay for it yourself. SCREW the owner, he is the only one (and the kids) who suffers ultimately.

[the_beaver]

This week around 20,000 won for some gadgets and stuff to make an activity (some valves and hose and stuff). Some weeks nothing. Once in a while I shell out more money (the full size jeopardy board cost me around 45,000 won to print and have sewn and the quiz board circuits run around 25,000 each, but I get to use those again and again).

I'm probably on the high side because of the mad scientisting stuff, but for something like Christmas. . . wouldn't spend anything at all.

[mindmetoo]

I maybe spend 5,000 won a week on cookies for my cookie jar. Sometimes I get adventurous and we do puppet shows or something and then I buy the supplies. Unlike Fidel, I don't mind taking a break from straight book teaching, ponying up for some arts 'n' crafts stuff, and doing something different for my own sanity.

[some waygug-in]

last year, I must have spent about ...200,000 - 300,000 won or more on supplies. I had to buy books, cards, music, you name it.

The school had next to nothing and he wasn't going to buy anything. He told me to make my own resources and even my own textbook. I tried that for the first while, but I couldn't really make all the stuff I needed while teaching and preping for 6 classes a day.......it was just not going to happen.

I knew I wouldn't get my money back, but the way I see is this:

With resources that I want, I can be a sort of not too bad teacher and my classes can go resonably well.

Without resources, my classes are boring, and as a teacher I am not achieving anywhere near what I know I can do.


I buy the resources for myself.... to make my life in the classroom easier.




This year, it's the same deal. The director refuses to buy anything, so it's up to me to get some stuff to make my job easier.

I am not going to buy nearly as much this year, I plan on making what I can, but there is still some things that are worth buying.

Cheers

[joe_doufu]

I bought SCRABBLE for my hagwon as a "chuseok gift" because the set they had was missing letters, etc. I buy treats for the kids, mostly pencils and the like, from the 1000won-store in WalMart or Kim's Club. I shelled out a bunch of money at Halloween but I didn't have to. I wanted to. Halloween is my #1 favorite holiday and I often spend more then than on Christmas!

[Grotto]

I'm with Joe here. Spend as much or little as you want to. Dont feel obligated to go all out with your money.

[Dawn]

My school supplies textbooks and everything that goes with them (teacher's manuals, tapes, flashcards, etc.), sizeable resource library (games, story books, videos, music CDs, resource books, etc.), and enough arts and crafts materials to stock a small stationary store. That said, I've still managed to spend an embarrassing amount on extras, and most of the other foreign teachers are in the same boat. We know that the owners invest all they can afford to and then some into the school, and there's no way most of us are going to ask them to do more. At the same time, every teacher has his or her own list of priorities for the classroom. Some teachers want more games, others more books, others neat prizes or stickers and so forth. So we buy the things that are most important to us, share items freely, and count ourselves fortunate to work at a school that pays enough to compensate us for the discretionary spending. Most of what I've spent has gone toward a resource library that I can take with me wherever I go, so I really don't feel like I'm out a whole lot of money.

[Qinella]

I spend roughly 7,000 won every week on candy, but sometimes more. Sometimes I will buy pizza or something for the classes who try hard.

Occasionaly, I'll buy supplies for special lessons. In general, I spend no money on my classes.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[Mr. Pink]

I buy candies and snacks for rewards.

I buy my own pens because I am pecular and I like a specific pen the school doesn't supply - but yes they supply pens.

I think I spend maybe 100k a year on pens and snacks. Not really a dent in the bank as it were and the kids love the candies.