Korean Job Discussion Forums

[xCustomx]

I'm taking a 3 week vacation back home this Sunday. I told all of my classes about a month ago that I was going back for a vacatin, and they would have a substitute for 2 weeks, because our hagwons 1 week vacation is also during that time. I got a new class last week consisting of twins (boy and a girl). I told them today that I will not be teaching them next week, that I'll be going to America. About an hour later, my boss comes storming into my next class 'did you tell the babies (thats what she refers to 9 year olds as) that you were leaving?'
me: 'i said i was going home, but that i would be coming back. i never said i wasn't returning'
her: 'their mom is on the phone going crazy, that you're leaving....you shouldn't be telling any of your students that you're leaving. why would you do that?! and you dont need to tell these kids either (as she points to the 3 students in my class'

a lot of them know that i have been at the school for about a year, so they've been asking me when i'll go back home. so my boss expects me to lie, or just not tell them at all, and then when i leave they suddenly have a surprise supstitute for 2 weeks with no warning? that's a bit deceiving to the parents as well, don't you think?

the funny part was that i got a new student today, whom I met 1.5 weeks ago. I also met his father at that time, and it turned out he is a professor from my university, and his home in the States is about 10 miles from me. I told him I was going back there in a few weeks. So he asked about it again, and I didn't know whether or not to lie, as my boss told me to do. But I didn't care and told him the truth.

Was it right for my boss to say what she did to me in front of my students, and tell me to lie?

[Karabeara]

You do realize what happened here, right?

The owner made a big speech about having you, the great white teacher, and why they should join the school because of it. It was part of the sale. And then you unknowingly went and told them you would be leaving.

The parents probably called and threatened to take the kids out because they weren't getting their dosage of white-boy, as they were promised.

[jacl]

Yes, it's deceiving.

If you're having English conversation with the students then things like you taking a vacation are bound to come up. If the owner tells you to not tell anyone beforehand then she has a reason, in a way, to get all wacky on you for telling them. Since this wasn't the case, it's her problem. Even if she did tell you not to tell anyone, this also makes you a deceiver of sorts if you keep your lips sealed. But not so bad.

[JongnoGuru]

It's at once depressing and reassuring to know that the crap I sometimes have to deal with isn't unknown in the ESL industry. No, I never once seriously thought otherwise. It seems to me that Koreans ... no. better not.

Korea is a unique land. How's that? PC enough for you?

Damn, this board is stiffling sometimes.

[chiaa]

I would let her know that the next time she wants to have some kind of story made up about something in your life, she should let you know about in advance.

[Ya-ta Boy]

It looks to me like the boss is thinking 'business', as one of the other posters said. Telling the students in advance you will be gone for 2 weeks might lead the parents to enroll their kid in another hakwon.

If I were you, I'd ask for a private conference with the boss. I would ask why he/she was upset. Get an explanation and sympathize and say I now understand and will try to not let it happen again. Then I'd tell her that being criticized (rightly or wrongly) in front of students was not acceptable behavior. With any luck, the boss would understand my position and not do it again. If there is no sense of understanding on his/her part, I'd start keeping an eye out for a different job.

When students ask when you are going home, they typically are not asking about a vacation, they are asking when you will permanently leave Korea.

[fusionbarnone]

The verb "to go" means to depart permanently in Konglish. Translation to hogwon owners; cashflow disruption.

[xCustomx]

I'm not even going to bother apologzing to her after what she did. She can think about business all she wants, but she should be honest with the parents and let them know I will be gone, rather than having it be a big surprise when I don't show up for their kids' classes.

When the father, which I posted above about, asked me when I was leaving, the secretary looked at me like she knew I was in a tough position because I'm positive she heard what my boss said.

I can't wait to piss off my boss even more when I tell her I want my severence payment today, and my plane ticket money that she still has not reimbursed me for, even though I gave her the receipt more than 3 weeks ago

[I-am-me]

I think this is another part of korean behaviour that is hard to understand. I have worked with other korean teachers that are there for months then one day are gone. Nothing is said about their leaving. Maybe the same applies to your vacation. Nothing is expected to be said about going on vacation. Korean are good at spinning stories though. I was dimissed once from a school where parents and kids liked me. Owner told them I had to go back to the US. Too bad for them I had the kids emails addresses and told them I was only in Suwon. I even had lunch with several....lol!!! Not surprisingly...school closed about a year later.

[xCustomx]

After I told the dad that I was leaving for 3 weeks, he asked who would be teaching his son. The assistant told him it would be a Korean teacher, who can speak English. The only problem is that I haven't seen her for 3 weeks, and the secretary has been covering her classes, which probably means she was fired.....that was another coverup

[PaperTiger]

I think you'd didn't mess up...except by Korean standards. It seems like Koreans prefer to break what could be bad news at the last minute so that you have no time to think about it or complain. I think it just adds up "I know you won't like it, so this is less time I have to hear you kvetch about it."
Besides, "honesty" in business...where MONEY is concerned??? Major faux pas, buddy.

[buymybook]

[Homer]

Bad side of many hakwons being run as businesses first and schools second....he feared for enrollment and by extension for revenues.

You did nothing wrong there and in fact you did right by your students which is what matters most.

[elynnor]

...

[Dan The Chainsawman]

My suggestion:

Boss is twit..

Get a better job when at home. God bless computers. Come back and tell him or her to blow it out their ass.