Korean Job Discussion Forums

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

It's pretty obvious that Spinner = Asianmind.

What a pity his or her parents didn't use contaception that drunken evening.

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

ifa79 · Joined: 29 Dec 2004

Lesson plans are made to be stolen. Everyone steals everyone else's lesson plans and adapts them to their own teaching styles. Everyone allows their lessons to be stolen because it's called sharing. In Teachers College, they call it "appropriating." All teachers should share any good lessons they've made. That's what it's all about.

My co-teachers are pretty good. They let me plan any kind of lesson and I teach all I want. They usually hang around the back and help me whenever I ask. I wouldn't complain about any extra help you get in the classroom. A lower student-teacher ratio is always better. I'm just glad all my co-teachers give me creative control. Sounds like some people are in some bad set-ups. Hope things don't change for the worse in March when the new semester starts and some of the school staff changes.

spinner · Joined: 24 Jan 2006

You guys can rant and rave all you want you're not going to change my perception on things, no matter how much you enjoy co-teaching and think it's effective.

I don't agree with it and that's final. Ofcourse some of you don't mind because you're thinking about teachers you have "in mind" that you happen to like. I am allowed to express my point of view and yes I have taught abroad before and had many many students. I am far from a newbie. I don't care what anyone thinks, if they agree they agree if not, too bad for them. I never needed a co-teacher and never will. I am a good teacher, so I don't need them and don't want them.

I can't understand why any teacher would want interference, while teaching a class or being monitored. Who knows what kind of co-teacher you're going to have and what kind of a loony she is going to be. I don't think anyone is out to get me that's just crazy. I don't care! I just don't want a co-teacher in my class, simple. So make sense of it all, have a blast. I don't like anyone cramping my style.

I don't consider you guys real teachers anyway. Just by your philosophy I can tell you're naive, if you can't see where co-teaching is going to lead ESL teachers in the next five years than you don't deserve to even teach abroad. Then again I don't expect most teachers to think like businessmen/women anyway, and if they do Kudos! That's what this is, in Korea.

No i'm not an idiot whoever thinks that is crazy. I'm not just a teacher i'm a business man. Just like I wouldn't share my contracts with other colleagues i'm not going to share my lesson plans. The kids have me to teach them and they shouldn't be translating anything in Korean it's an English class. When I was learning French I never had a French teacher talk English in class, what is this business?

If the school has to have a Korean teacher by law than it's one thing but if they don't and request a Korean teacher in your class maybe you need to look at yourselves as teachers.

I was even told by one school that it will depend on how good of a teacher you are? How's that?That is a reputable school from many sources. So don't sit there and talk nonsense. Now they are starting to show videoclips to try and convince us of how effective co-teaching is.
Give..me...a....break!

It's sad that I have to see how much you people really care about the future of ESL in Korea, might as well go home now because you're going to saturate this market in no time and it's already happening daily. Taking crap contracts, agreeing with everything that comes along and generally excepting whatever comes your way because you feel vulnerable in a foreign society.

Than again I don't expect much from regular posters on Dave's. I love kids and love teaching but when you forget it's a business, it's time you go home, and you guys can quote me all you want and try to get me to argue, but this is the way it is nowadays.

I know there are smart ones out there that won't even bother posting because they know what I am talking about. We all know that people only come on Dave's to rant anyway, there are more silent lurkers that know what time it is. If you guys who post here on a regular basis don't understand than get new jobs. In the end everyone wants to get paid so yes it is a business guys!

Sorry I don't agree with anyone here. I don't even know why I waste my time. Too all silent lurkers don't listen to these people most of them are just bored, and need to pick a beef. Don't worry when their contracts are up hopefull they will leave Korea and never come back to Dave's again. Than we can start making 4,5 thousand a month like it used to be in Korea instead of 2 and a half. I hate to see how many teachers in the past few years have been skipping out with airfare in China, Japan, Thailand etc.. it's disgusting, and thanks to some of the posters here native speakers can't be trusted like we used to. Anyway If you see the number of lurkers are opposed to postes I can safely say the odds are way in my favour on this. I said it all. So nothing more needs to be said. Just a few disgruntled arguementative bored teachers, maybe just like 10 out of how many lurkers? Thank you. You guys have no case you can't say nothing to me.

What are you going to do now hit me on my grammar? Pfff...pls go right ahead cause that's all you got.

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

Interesting to note that on the GEPIK official website, both co-teaching lessons and non-co-teaching lessons are avaliable for download, printing and use.

I wonder why they would provide lesson plans based on a "solo" method for the foreign teacher if it's against regulations?

Seems to be another case of misinformation. Some people think and heard "A", while others think and heard "B", while still others heard "C", "D" and "E".

This is typical here...the institutions are so non-transparent that even the people who enforce the rules aren't aware of them.

Anyways, I say that teaching without a co-teacher is not against the rules at all. If it were, the governing body wouldn't provide plans that aid in such activities. Like the police giving away crack.

peppermint · Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2006 5:37 pm Post subject:

I asked about this on EFL law ages ago, and was told that at least at the elementary level, native teachers aren't supposed to be solo in the classroom, but that the teachers union has strong reservations about co teaching as well.

UncleAlex · Joined: 04 Apr 2003

For the past seven years I have had no serious problems with my Korean
co-teachers. Occasionally I have had to ask a much older teacher to stop
interrupting me all the time by translating every single thing I say, but that's
been very seldom: one out of seven teachers. Again, the Korean teachers act
more like monitors, although we foreign teachers are classified or deemed
assistant teachers. Yet we are the ones who are expected to plan and conduct
the classes. When I begin at a public school, I meet with my co-teachers to discuss
what it is I plan to do and how I am to lead the classess with them present.
For I have encountered a few Korean teachers who at the end of the year complained
to the principal that I failed to get them involved in teaching with me, although
they seemed to be quite content with looking out the window or playing with
their cell phones in a back corner. I appreciate the time the Korean teachers
take to basically keep 35 to 40 students in line by just being present. Most
Korean teachers are content with that role, but are eager to get involved in some
helpful way. ( I have tried role-playing model dialogues with co-teachers in front
of the classs, but as soon my Korean colleagues speak English the kids roar
with laughter. So I don't do that anymore to spare the staff embarrassment.)
I usually have five to seven co-teachers in a school, so actual team-teaching
can be difficult to properly co-ordinate with so many different teachers and
conflicting class schedules. The Korean teachers are sensitive to the logistics
of team teaching and so are prepared to give the floor to the foreign teacher.
Meanwhile, he better do a good job, for the Korean teachers are asked by the
principal to assess the foreign teacher's ability and agenda pending a contract
renewal. Cool

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

YBS,

They were not talking out their ass and it was an official meeting. The regulation is across the board, in all school districts and for all grades.
It is similiar to any developed country whereby the only "legal" and responsible person in the classroom is an accredited, Korean trained education/teaching graduate.

It is not enforced at all. I suspect this is because a) the way the system/Koreans work b) the dynamics of / demands of, English language teaching in Korea (it just wouldn't be practical) c) the weakness of Korean teachers/unions vis a vis the administration (they don't have much say in protecting their jobs like in many developed nations) d) discumbobulation (covering all of the above points).

I do see a day, once Korean teachers become much stronger in representation when they will demand such...........as a means of protecting their jobs. They would not want foreign (even accredited) teachers coming in and replacing them. This isn't occuring at present (because foreign teachers do not take jobs ...... they all are paired with other teachers) but if the administration were to start going the other way (to save costs), you'd see a lot of labour action, disruption and organization regarding this issue.

DD

spinner · Joined: 24 Jan 2006

TTOMPATZ wrote:

jaderedux · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Lurking outside Seoul

In my experience I would NOT teach without a co-teacher. I am not a dancing monkey or human tape recorder.

I use the book and follow roughly the same curriculum. It has been an evolutionary process. While the lesson plan is of my creation the Korean Teacher is there to support me and help explain more difficult concepts.

Because I have questions on each of the students finals it is important the we collaborate and make my classes relevent to the cirriculum. Working with the teachers has given me alot more freedom than not and has made my classes far more manageable and fun.

THERE IS NOTHING AT ALL SPECIAL ABOUT ME SPEAKING ENGLISH! However, when the Korean teacher is asking some follow-up review questions in English it has a great impact. The questions and worksheets are developed by me but I incorporate the Korean teacher when we ask for answers often in a tag team type situation. (All in English)

The dialogue is presented first with me and the korean teacher reading the parts. Students like this as it shows that the korean teacher can have some fun with the dialogue. I am all about over acting with the dialogue and it lets the Korean co-teacher have some fun too.

We work as a team but the class is designed by me. Because of the mixed level in the classes it is imperative to have the korean teacher to help bring along some of the lower level students and keep low to mid level students in the game. I find I keep more students interested and our test scores have improved for the students on the low end of the bell. That makes me feel like we are doing a good job.

Differentiated learning is not hard in small class sizes but when you are talking 43 middle school boys it is a formidable task. With the co-teacher in the classroom it becomes more possible. We do our best to use only English but it isn't always possible.

Since my students see the korean teacher and I both communicating in English and the Korean teacher communicating in mostly English it works really well.

I don't use much Korean in the classroom but am not a fanatic. Sometimes it helps. I prefer the students talk to me in English and it is rewarded. The Korean teachers are now starting to insist that the students pose questions as much as possible in English.

The thing that has suprised me most is that the co-teachers are even encouraging the students to speak english to them outside of class.

I have been given alot of leeway in this school because I do WORK closely with my co-teachers. I give speaking tests( twice a year) that are graded and each test I have 5/6 questions that are written in english.

This kind of cohesiveness takes respect on all sides. It did not come easy but I picked the battles and so far am winning the war.

The thing is, and I can't stress this enough, is the power of role models. For students to hear you speaking English MEANS ZILCH. When they hear/see their Korean teachers communicating in english, speaking in english and talking to them in english it makes a point. My class is where they get to see that.

I am a bit of fanatic about this point. I have respect for those who prefer not to have a co-teacher. I don't know how you can do it with such large classes and bring all levels on board. I work within the given cirriculum and I prefer that my classes are relevant to my students. They know my class is means something in the scheme of things. I effects their grades. I have questions on all finals, give speaking tests and the students, thanks to the korean co-teachers, are frequently graded up and down on attitude in my class.

I can't say it works everywhere but it works for me and I wouldn't have it any other way. Is it easy? NOPE! It took alot of hard work, relationship building and there were snags along the way but so far it is working!

Small note on lesson plans...holy cow thank god for friends, other teachers and websites that give away lesson plans. Anyone want a lesson plan from me feel free to ask. I will help you whenever I can. I am not so arrogant to think every thing that drips from my mind is gold so I share in the hopes that others will share also and help me improve my style. Whatever helps the students is my theory. Unless you are writing a book or something I see no reason not to share ideas. But that is just me.

I have a good friend and we share all the time. She rocks at assessment I rock at presentation. We meld our lessons and constantly trade information and lesson plans. What comes out in the end is great lessons and great assessment.

So I vote for sharing...unless you are writing a book or something then it is understandable. I didn't start teaching so everyone would think I am such hot stuff. Corny as it sounds, I do it because I love teaching and I love my students. Nothing else matters in that classroom but them!

My 5 cents.

Jade