Korean Job Discussion Forums

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

My boss dropped this gem yesterday. He wants me and the other foreign teacher to do a presentation for the mothers of potential kindie students.

Only prob would be that I have never taught kindergarten (don't really want to) and have no clue what he is expecting.

He wants us to come up with a plan by next week. Confused

I'm of half a mind to tell him to F- off, as this like all other extra curricular activities he expects will be unpaid.

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

I think it would be cute and appealling if you sang a song with lots of hand movements. Something like "I'm a Little Tea Pot".

JacktheCat · Joined: 08 May 2004

Rteacher · Joined: 23 May 2005 Location: Western MA, USA

"Presentations" - and lack of teacher training - is pretty standard at most hogwans, I think. The parents mainly want to check out what the new teachers look like, how clearly their spoken English is, and if they seem "gentle" enough to be around their young kids. Many hogwans depend on good presentations to to enlist new students. Usually, the most concerned and influencial mothers in the community attend these events, and the messages spread by word-of-mouth can make-or-break a hogwan in a tough competitive market...

I think it's clearly in the native English teacher's interest to try to help the hogwan he (or she) signed on with stay afloat financially so my advice would be to welcome it as a challenge. (It might involve working one or two Saturdays a year, but it's usually just for a few hours...)

At my first presentation, I was mainly just expected to introduce myself and I expressed to the parents how much I appreciated the getting the chance to help teach English to their wonderful kids (and how interested I was in learning about the "great" Korean culture) The director - who was also an experienced educator - did the rest...

At later (kindergarden) presentations I brought in some audio-visual aids . demonstrated simple classes that actively involved all the kids, wrote up a few simple plays - using music and dance and colorful props that a talented Korean teacher helped me with (I can hardly remember what I did - it's been a few years - but some of the stuff was really fun...)

deessell · Joined: 08 Jun 2005

Board Slaps. Write the target vocabulary on the board. Two teams. Call out a word. One person from each team runs and tries to slap the board first. Lots of sqealing excited kids. Then do a song.

Don't forget to preteach the vocabulary. Also use lot's of TPR.(use your body to emphasise and give meaning to words).

teachingld2004 · Joined: 29 Mar 2004

Ask your boss what HE would like u to do. This is not a cop out on your part. If your presentation does not go well (like no parents sign up their kids) your boss will not be a happy camper. But, if you give him what he wants, you stand a better chance.

I feel sorry for you, but that is not going to help you.

Some mothers want their kids to have fun, others want their kids to be native speakers in one month.

Is there a kinder classnow? If there is, have the kinder teacher prepare the presentation. If there isnt one, ask your boss what materials he has for the class, because with out materials you can not do anything.

You CAN NOT teach kinder unless u have lots of materials. (at any case, you may noty be able to teach them at all.) Will there be a Korean English teacher with the foreigner?

You can not prepare any thing unless you know some answers.

If you get stuck and really need some help, you can call me and perhaps I can help you.

JongnoGuru · Joined: 25 May 2004 Location: peeing on your doorstep

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

All depends on how much you like your director / hogwan.

With mine, did a presentation after a month, put in a bit of effort, and the boss was really happy.

The hogwan, I believe, usually had a spring parents' meeting, but didn't because, I believe, the director didn't trust me and another teacher - things had really broken down by that point. And I can tell you that me and this other teacher would have done our best to make it a farce if he had.

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Thanks everyone for your responses. I do appreciate them.
There is no kindie class now. He is planning on starting them in the spring, so he wants to do some promoting to see if there's enough interest.

When I signed up for this job, one of the stipulations was no kindergarten.
However, one or two classes a day won't kill me...depending how long they are.

Resources.....well not much really. He's too cheap to buy any.

I was thinking more along the "Itsy bitsy spider" as a theme for the presentation. Or "Old Mac Donald".

I'm all for helping the school out, but it's starting to get ridiculous.
He's got us booked for a weekend trip to Seoul with the kids next month.
(without pay of course) and next month is vacation so we have extra classes and he just informed us that instead of overtime.....he wants to cut back our classes the following month. Shocked

I can see this is going to be a tough year. Uggg!

tomato · Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2005 5:53 am Post subject:

Hello, Some Waygug-in!

Here are a couple of threads which began with an inquiry similar to yours:

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=42796&view=next&sid=19618e91d20bf1f37b3945d72c3c7e3e

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=46659&highlight=

I think my own contributions to these threads were especially brilliant, but of course, I am biased.

Snowmeow · Joined: 03 Oct 2005 Location: pc room

Some Waygugin, as you say a couple of kindie classes won't exactly kill you but you may wonder when these kindie classes are going to be scheduled. If you work only in the afternoons eg 3-9, you may find yourself working both in the morning and at night. And that's one sweet schedule.

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

Learn to say NO.

If you lay down for this you will be walked all over and your boss will laugh his ass off all the way to the bank.

Kindie classes are usually morning...before other classes. High energy needed.

If he wants you to do it...remind him its not in the contract and you would have to be paid OT for it.

chiaa · Joined: 23 Aug 2003

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

In principle I agree with both of you. .......however when it comes to reality. I'd rather do a bit of unpaid overtime and keep the school going than .........not get paid at all, as was the case last year. Shocked

It's easy to sound tough until you are in the situation yourself with not enough money saved to leave.

If it gets too bad, I will leave, but so far it's just more of a pain in the arse than anything else.