Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Yu_Bum_suk]

I just can't get over all the little thoughtful acts of kindness Korean students demonstrate all the time. I especially love hearing stories of what a$$holes Canadian students are and think of how good I've got it made.

[Captain Corea]

A bud of mine teaches at a "secondary high school" back home. man, he's got it tough.

[krats1976]

I taught a year in the States before coming here and sometimes I'm amazed when I think back to what I put up with there. It's no wonder that I had my first white hair, my first wrinkle AND my first migraine (since middle school) that year.

I love my kids here. I'm at a foreign school, but most of our kids are ethnic Korean. They're a nice blend of West and East and I'm love 'em to death. I want to go home to live someday, but I can't imagine giving up my current post to go back to American public schools.

[SPINOZA]

Well said, folks. The more positive views we have on teaching in Korea on this board the better! Or maybe not - I don't want sh1tloads of folks coming over, taking all the jobs and reducing demand!

One or two minor problems with discipline aside, K-kids ROCK!

I felt genuinely sad today - last day of semester - that, aside from their graduation ceremony in Feb and winter camp, I'll probably never see any of the grade 3s ever again. They've been so nice to me, so instrumental in me settling in well and liking my gig. Quite literally - and very sentimentally - an yong hi ka se yoh!

[ddeubel]

I totally agree. It is good to hear the "heads" of this tale.

I taught many years ESL in Canada and loved it. Taught ESL in a middle school and it was "okay". Kids were Korean and Iranian for the most part. They had started getting attitude and all that but were FAR better than other teacher's classes.

Then I took a grade 4 class. Poor neighbourhood. All immigrants or been there as immigrants in the ghetto for a number of years. Principal asked me to and as a friend I took this big task. Nearly killed me. I loved the kids and will remember each one so much (unlike so many students). BUT nearly killed me.

Now in Korea, sure I have the tough case to crack but with a little tough love twisted the right way, those kids come around. Love their attitude and clear headed approach. If anything, I enjoy the kids much more than the teachers and have only great progressive things to say about this country's future. The kids are changing and things will change here.

Nice to see posts which tell and are more than just "bitching"....I know a place to vent is necessary but it does spoil the broth. I got my X-mas present from my coteacher who will retire next year. I think she isn't too great a teacher but respect her because she really does "try"....in her way. Today she told me how she has learnt to love kids again....my X-mas present.

DD

[Real Reality]

[Zaphirelee]

I taught at a school in the Canadian Sub-Arctic. Some kids set fire to the garbage bins in front of our house on the first day. A series of unfortunate events including a teacher having a screwdriver held to her throat led me to decide to get out of there as soon as possilble. I loved my kids too but I loved my sanity more. I came running back to Korea as soon as my contract ended.
Hogwans are a little boring after all that but they are certainly safer.

[SPINOZA]

Real Reality,

Do you just type "drivel+claptrap" into Google and post the first few results?

[ulsanchris]

[BigBlackEquus]

Seriously, maybe we should start some "Korea bad" PR campaign and write articles to all of our newspapers back home about how horrible the situations are here. Includes some of the biggest horror stories. Send them the "Prisoner of Wonderland" pages, and stuff like that. Scare people out of coming here.

Then our wages might increase. hahaha

[Grotto]

The students in Korea are the golden lining in the often murky world of ESL teaching.

I can honestly say that I have been sad when I left each school I taught at.

I am still happy to say that I have kept in touch through email with several of my students from over the years.

[bellum99]

I love my students too but I don't get too emotional about it. They are nice but they also disapppear for no understandable reason. It can't be the class or the rate of progress...they simply don't say goodbye. You can have a student for a year everyday and really like the student and then one day...poof they are gone.
I always remember it is a job and they are customers. I don't get too emotional about things. Nothing is worse than having a mother complain about something stupid after you gave 150% to that student. The more you do extra..the more they demand.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Opened my email this morning and got this:

"hi good teacher~!!

l'm Jasmine... How are you??....
l belive you to know me....
l hope to be your student next year
and l was really happy because l know your e-mail adress
l'd like to send e-mail to foreigner teacher..
these day,, l usually send e-mail to raj... [her English camp teacher]
raj's answer latter is really fast...
today's class is very exellent.. and today's lunch time is so exciting
your korean is really good... l surprised your korean skill(?)
finally, tommorrow we'll have winter vacation...
I'm really happy because lt is so difficult to get up early to me..
yeah~!!! l'm lazy student.. l agree ... my room is .................................................
(do you know what next word is?)
oh~!! l am so sleepy because l do work a lot..
bye ~!!!"


And I have class after class full of students just like her. BTW, my Korean is really pathetic, but hopefully the rest is true!

[kathycanuck]

I have a double block with my seniors on Friday; on the 23rd when I returned to class after the break, the curtains were drawn and the lights out. What gives? The students stepped aside and there on my desk was a cake beautifully decorated for Christmas with one candle; all the kids started singing "We wish you a Merry Christmas". The card said "Thank you for teaching us." Wow. I thought the Korean teachers had put them up to it, but they knew nothing about it; the kids did it all on their own.
One special Christmas present.

[Ilsanman]

I don't much like a good chunk of the kids I teach, but only 2 kids have forced me to feel 'hatred' towards them. And these 2 kids are a frwaking nightmare.

I never had a really super bad experience. Just a lot of little crap that drives me nuts.