Korean Job Discussion Forums

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

I've based all of my winter camp lessons on having 15-20 kids in a class.

Now I find out that my first grade winter class has almost 40 kids and there are only 7 for my 2nd grade class. When I suggested that we break up that big class and slot the second graders in to a class if they still want to go but the kids won't stand for it. I then suggested that we just cancel the second graders and just have two first grade classes, but the school won't let me turn away those kids.

I've got a number of days where I just don't have the materials for 40 kids (for instance board game day, cooking day) and since the school won't cough up with any cash for my camps I'm very resentful of having to spend my own money on this.

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

marcus · Joined: 12 Sep 2005

40 kids. Not much you can do in a situation like that except for pick favourites and only let the kids you like play with the board games and cook food.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

In my first several weeks at my current job I planned my lessons and then re-planned them when the principal changed the 'program'. I did it four or five times. Each time I smiled while gritting my teeth.

It was no real surprise when I asked when my winter vacation was scheduled and no one knew.

In a system where almost no planning is done, the powers that be don't understand the problems they cause to people who do plan.

Aggravating as crap, isn't it?

Francis-Pax · Joined: 20 Nov 2005

My school is doing a combined English camp with three schools over a three week period. That means that I am teaching at our camp with three other foreign teachers at three different schools in my area. We were told by our 'co-teachers' (and I use that term very loosely because I am not really respected as a "co" teacher) that we had to create a book for this camp. The only problem with that was that we were given three days to do it. In fact, we had to create the entire curriculum in three days. I have been working from 8:30 to 12:00am since Monday with the other teachers to finish our planning. Can you imagine putting together a 120 page book in three days? This is insane but we did it! Will I get paid for that time? NO!

I cannot understand why the Korean teachers waited three days before the deadline to give us the information we needed to do our job, especially when they have known about this camp since September. This is so typical of this country.

What makes me upset is the fact that the Korean teachers are not phased by our complaints. They don't care and it does not matter. When will these people wake up?

To end on a positive note: My school has a huge budget for the camp. At least that is one good thing.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

I'm supposed to do a 9-lesson remedial course with my grade one HS students. I think it's a really good idea but I'm sure it will be really challenging, as it's with 18 of the students who have the lowest marks on the listening tests. Then I'm apparently seeing 14 or 28 or 42 of the grade two students a certain number of times that I can't get adequately specified. The KT was really trying hard to explain to me what I'd be doing but I just couldn't understand what the hell he was trying to say.

Oh well, always be prepared for anything has been my moto at public school and I'm sticking by it all the more during winter break.

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

Cooking day?

Game board day?

I'm just doing the regular lessons that I would be doing otherwise.

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

They tried to make me accept more students in the winter/summer camps than I wanted.

I just told them that the maximum amount of students per class would be 20...any more than that who show up will be sent home! They may not have liked it but they accepted it.

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

Had yet more 1st years sign-up so they split the class up and have stopped reciving sign-ups.

thursdays child · Joined: 21 Sep 2005

Yeeeaahh, was told that I would have no more than 15 a class (1 class =3 hours) and had to submit all lesson plans and materials.... no problem. So did that, then I'm told that each class has 40 kids! So more lesson plans to submit....

I was fuming, but I kept my cool, what-to-do, I made a plan, I knew I could get out of it, crossed my fingers, smiled sweetly and hoped it woudn't blow up in my face...... I suggested that we split the 40 in half and I would do double classes to ensure a 'better educational environment'. 'They' lapped it up (my sincerity that is) and halved the class and insisted that we make each class 1and a half hours instead of three - so i could still go home early. Fabulous.

I wonder what would have happened if I had approached the situation in my usual "what the *&%( is going on" attitude???

Sorry for the long meandering post. Laughing

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

Return Jones · Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 2:52 am Post subject:

All of you guys gotta chill out about this camp stuff! 40 kids may sign up, but only half will likely show up. As the days progress some new kids will show up and some of the original others will disappear. Some will come one day, disappear, and then re-appear four days later. I've been doing these camps at elementary school for 2 years now and have found it always to be so. My first summer camp almost 2 years ago I made an amazing hardcore curriculum with all kinds of props, videos items, games, activities, etc. only to experience kids coming late, leaving early, not showing up at all, etc.

It sounds as though you guys are planning some sort English camp case-study. I'm not saying be slack, but just be flexible and enjoy the half- days your school is giving you. Have fun with the kids. If they're tired, watch videos, if they're attentive, study hard. If they're boisterous, play games! Flexibility! The kids' families will regard English camp as free drop-in daycare - not bootcamp! No matter how good your lessons are, kids will come and go. It'll be difficult to have each class build upon the previous day's class because of the constant turnover.

Again, have fun and be flexible. You're in Korea!

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

Return Jones: perfect advice!

My supervisor's been too busy to sit down with me & talk about vacation schedule. Now I suspect its too late to get anything organized -- documents should have gone out 2 weeks ago. Meeting tomorrow. I've arranged teachers classes on my own but I think I may get a free ride on teaching kids. A bit regretfully, in fact.