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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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 Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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lack of advanced notice regarding changes... a korean tradition
(along with not preparing beforehand and rushing to do things last minute)
the biggest cultural difference i prepared myself mentally for back in 2002
and it has helped! now i'm just as likely to say "Ahssa!" at finding out at the end of the day that tomorrow is a day off as I am to  at class changes told one minute before class or cake suddenly delivered for the students in the middle of class
get used to it. it ain't gonna change anytime soon. |
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jacl
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 6:15 pm Post subject: Re: Being informed about things at public school |
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| In the public school system as well as hakwons, last minute cancellations and changes are normal. Be thankful that UNLIKE hakwons, in the public school you do not have to make up for canceled classes. |
Just how do you make up for a cancelled class in a hagwon? |
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zappadelta
Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
In the public school system as well as hakwons, last minute cancellations and changes are normal. Be thankful that UNLIKE hakwons, in the public school you do not have to make up for canceled classes.
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I have to make mine up almost every time. |
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Hater Depot
Joined: 29 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:12 pm Post subject: |
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| I've never had to make up a canceled class. Nyah nyah! |
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seoulsucker
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Location: The Land of the Hesitant Cutoff
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:29 pm Post subject: |
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The public school I worked for last year was absolutely HORRIBLE about this.
The weekday here, class here and there didn't bother me that much. The one thing that DID drive me nuts was that no one could ever tell me when vacations started and ended.
Teaching in a public school has a few benefits, but none greater than 3 months PLUS time off. I can understand that about 50% of the staff has family and isn't planning a vacation outside of the country, but still...
I basically determined the start of vacation by telling my supervisor and principle that I had purchased 1.5 mil non-refundable tickets to the US to go to a family member's wedding. They kind of shrugged their shoulders and said, "Well, I guess we can start then."
Unreal... |
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jacl
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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| zappadelta wrote: |
| Quote: |
In the public school system as well as hakwons, last minute cancellations and changes are normal. Be thankful that UNLIKE hakwons, in the public school you do not have to make up for canceled classes.
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I have to make mine up almost every time. |
How did you make them up? Overtime? I don't understand making up a class. I just start from where I last finished the next time I see them. |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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| So it turned out I was going to watch a teachers' volleyball tournament, not go on a field trip with my grade 1s. I was loaded in a car with the computer teacher and I figured this out as we were arriving at the school where it was taking place. Life at public school - we'll see what happens tomorrow. |
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Unreal
Joined: 01 Jul 2004
Location: Jeollabuk-do
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| Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 11:05 pm Post subject: |
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Last Thursday was a field trip and was asked if I wanted to go as I was leaving school Wednesday night. I didn't even know where they were going and wasn't told...just asked if I wanted to go. I refused.
Last Friday was sports day for us. We were supposed to be at the school early. Apparently all the Korean teachers knew and only the five native speakers didn't know. I showed up in the middle of the pin-a-flower-on-your-teacher ceremony looking like a lazy, ungrateful teacher, although I was the first natvie speaker to show up.
At my school usually the Korean teachers find out what's happening the morning of a big event, while the native speakers find out moments before...or quite often after the event has started. |
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jacl
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 12:32 am Post subject: |
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| Yes, they be ignant. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 3:12 am Post subject: |
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| Mine writes a calendar of the events about 2 months ahead on the white board in the staff room, so I manage to keep up to speed. But yes, asking for a school calendar is a pretty good idea. If you don't read Korean, get someone to translate. |
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SirFink
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 3:19 am Post subject: Re: Being informed about things at public school |
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| tiger fancini wrote: |
| Thankfully my students are very helpful in this respect, and are pretty good at telling me where they're up to, but is this what I have to look forward to for the next 50 weeks?? |
I'm in the same boat. I'm learning to just roll with it. But try asking a bunch of first-graders who know only the alphabet "what page are you on?" Blank looks all round. It's not like the books, especially at that level, are much help. "A is for apple." Crap like that I can just make up on my own and frankly do it better than the books. |
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riley
Joined: 08 Feb 2003
Location: where creditors can find me
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 3:30 am Post subject: |
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my favorite bit of not getting info is when you aren't told that you have a special needs student in your class.
My first day at the school I was wondering what was up with this one boy. He couldn't do anything (literally) would constantly need to go to the bathroom, and such. Finally one of the other kids mention that he's "special". Turns out the boy has mental retardation. Later on, I had another class with a boy who was twitching and giving little shrieks and yells and even saying weird words. Because of the first boy, I was clued in on him, but until I asked his teacher if he had tourrette's no one told me about him. Those are such fun little surprises for the foriegn teacher. |
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jacl
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 4:23 am Post subject: |
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| riley wrote: |
my favorite bit of not getting info is when you aren't told that you have a special needs student in your class.
My first day at the school I was wondering what was up with this one boy. He couldn't do anything (literally) would constantly need to go to the bathroom, and such. Finally one of the other kids mention that he's "special". Turns out the boy has mental retardation. Later on, I had another class with a boy who was twitching and giving little shrieks and yells and even saying weird words. Because of the first boy, I was clued in on him, but until I asked his teacher if he had tourrette's no one told me about him. Those are such fun little surprises for the foriegn teacher. |
Isn't that nice of them to tell you? Such thoughtful people. |
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jacl
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 4:29 am Post subject: Re: Being informed about things at public school |
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| SirFink wrote: |
| tiger fancini wrote: |
| Thankfully my students are very helpful in this respect, and are pretty good at telling me where they're up to, but is this what I have to look forward to for the next 50 weeks?? |
I'm in the same boat. I'm learning to just roll with it. But try asking a bunch of first-graders who know only the alphabet "what page are you on?" Blank looks all round. It's not like the books, especially at that level, are much help. "A is for apple." Crap like that I can just make up on my own and frankly do it better than the books. |
If you roll with it too much without complaining, they start to throw you around too much. I can't stand it when I get a "Ok, you have this class now" or you have a new student whose not introduced to you. I get a little irrate.
People, on the whole, are just not that thoughtful. It's getting close to a good month since the desks in my classroom (and probably the floor, too) have been cleaned. If there were a hose, I'd use it. Trust me. |
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cornie_man
Joined: 31 Jul 2005
Location: Sparkling in Korea
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| Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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Don't worry. When I am actually informed of things at my school, I kind of wish I hadn't. Apparently, there was a school inspector heading along specially to see a "co-taught" class this week. Nothing else was said and lo and behold, after much expectation, it didn't happen.
Today I get told it is next week. I see the man whose class it is frantically scribbling away at a plan. Just for this class, he wants to change our ENTIRE routine that we have followed for all this year, just to impress this amn. I reckon (from past experience), the kids will freak, will forget all their english and the teacher will stand back bemused.
It's in my head playing out in slow motion...
Oh God. |
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