Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Qinella]

Possibly even five.

The reasons were some or all of the following traits:

- showing up late
- being absent too often
- not doing the homework
- persistently speaking Korean in class
- not participating in class

His general summation was that the students "don't respect the class".

That's awesome. Three of them were finished on Wednesday, and the Friday class without them was a thousand times better. The remaining kids, who were so shy and untalkative, have opened up and the class is much more enjoyable for all of us.

The other two kids had their last day Friday, and on Monday the remaining one student in that particular class will be absorbed by another class.

This is my favorite thing about where I work. Everyone's serious about education.

Q.

[Alias]

Dude, you have found a gem!

[ontheway]

Congratulations.

One bad apple can spoil the whole barrel ... as we know. We do the same at my hogwan. We kick out kids for all the reasons you listed, as well as for discipline problems. We also kick out bad mothers, that is, if the mothers do not support our discipline and study policies, we will kick out their kids. Very often the kids make trouble or don't study because one or both of their parents is not supporting the school policy at home.

Classes are always much better after you kick out one of these troublesome students. The mothers of the remaining students are grateful and tell us so. This is one of the great advantages that private schools and hogwans have, if they use it.

Sometimes, however, I find it heartbreaking to kick out certain kids. There have been some I really cared about that we had to kick out. One middle school boy cried like a baby. His mother cried on the phone and beat her son. He came and begged to be readmitted.

There is one young boy that the wonjangnim has wanted to kick out several times. We did give him a suspension at one point. His mother has to come now and sit outside the classroom to help keep him in line. He's only still at the school because I like him. He's been my student for more than three years and I'm willing to give him one last chance. Still, I know he's just being a boy. He's young, only third grade, very enthusiastic and likes to have fun. He just doesn't know when to stop.

Qinella, do you have a system of warnings you give out before the final expulsion? We have seen improvement from some kids by giving warnings to the mothers.

[pet lover]

This is something I'd like to see at my school.

[Hater Depot]

I have four boys that I don't want to kick out but would like to split into another class. The times they weren't in class were far, far better for the other kids.

[Snowkr]

My director does the same thing. It makes a huge difference. I wouldn't have lasted this long were it not for his policies. I didn't come here to be a babysitter like many of my friends here working in hogwons.

[jacl]

We don't have any such policies at my hagwon. I have, however, got rid of some students.

One time I told a middle school girl that if she didn't like it here that she could go to the other hagwon. Never saw her again.

[crystal]

sounds like you are lucky with your hogwan and it's a policy more should adopt, I have one kid who could do with being expelled - terrible attitude, disruptive, all round poor student but my boss is more interested in enrollment figures than weeding out the problems. The boys sister is also a student so god forbid he should lose their fees. He doesn't seem to realise that kids like this are bad for the school and the class because it's hard to make progress when one kid spends the whole class being loud and disruptive, one kid already left because of him, more will follow. When he is absent though this class are wonderful and we can make so much more progress and the others seem happier to be there- sad that money is the most important factor for the typical hogwan owner

[Qinella]

[Qinella]

[ontheway]

Thanks Qinella. We have an informal system, too. It's handled case by case. Still, in class, we have a system that tells them they're out of chances and the next step is a warning to their mother. Kids usually dread the call to Mom more than anything. You can hit them, beat them, make them do push ups, yell at them - no problem - but call Mom? Yikes.
(BTW We don't use any of those physical punishments, just verbal reprimands and warnings.)

Crystal. I've heard this all before. "The wonjangnim only cares about money." The truth is, the wonjangnim would make more money if he kicked out the bad kids. It seems to be more of a fear of confrontation. Maybe it's going against the traditional Korean culture. Kids are not allowed to fail in school in Korea. They have automatic promotion in the public schools. Maybe it's just a lack of business management skills.

[crystal]

[Qinella]

[Lemonade]

[eleruen]

how cool!

Where do you work?

I am currently living in Korea and looking for a job...