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Gwangjuboy
Joined: 08 Jul 2003
Location: England
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 Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:19 pm Post subject: being called by your first name in front of students |
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| Today I was wrapping up my final class of the summer camp when a colleague walked into my classroom and announced that lunch was ready. She called me by my first name in front of the students though. Usually I wouldn't mind this, but I have to repeatedly tell the students not to call me by my first name. When they hear a Korean member of staff do it, they just copy it and assume it's okay. This teacher was a bit older than me, but irrespective of that according to the dictates of her own culture she should call me "teacher" in the work place. The principal manages to, so why can't she? She wouldn't address other teachers who are younger than her in that way. I managed to hide my anger, but this sort of thing really annoys me. |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:25 pm Post subject: Re: being called by your first name in front of students |
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| Gwangjuboy wrote: |
| Today I was wrapping up my final class of the summer camp when a colleague walked into my classroom and announced that lunch was ready. She called me by my first name in front of the students though. Usually I wouldn't mind this, but I have to repeatedly tell the students not to call me by my first name. When they hear a Korean member of staff do it, they just copy it and assume it's okay. This teacher was a bit older than me, but irrespective of that according to the dictates of her own culture she should call me "teacher" in the work place. The principal manages to, so why can't she? She wouldn't address other teachers who are younger than her in that way. I managed to hide my anger, but this sort of thing really annoys me. |
I really don't think that was an important incident worthy of anger. Do you have respect issues? |
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jinju
Joined: 22 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:28 pm Post subject: |
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| easily solved, call he by HER first name. Ask her of she likes that. |
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captain planet
Joined: 18 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:34 pm Post subject: |
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i just tell the kids that's how we do it at home, so they should, too.
however, since i don't have any punishment authority or the ability to give out grades or even communicate in ways that i haven't taught, there's no real point in taking myself too seriously. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:37 pm Post subject: Re: being called by your first name in front of students |
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| eamo wrote: |
| Gwangjuboy wrote: |
| Today I was wrapping up my final class of the summer camp when a colleague walked into my classroom and announced that lunch was ready. She called me by my first name in front of the students though. Usually I wouldn't mind this, but I have to repeatedly tell the students not to call me by my first name. When they hear a Korean member of staff do it, they just copy it and assume it's okay. This teacher was a bit older than me, but irrespective of that according to the dictates of her own culture she should call me "teacher" in the work place. The principal manages to, so why can't she? She wouldn't address other teachers who are younger than her in that way. I managed to hide my anger, but this sort of thing really annoys me. |
I really don't think that was an important incident worthy of anger. Do you have respect issues? |
She is showing a lack of respect. It is rude. Like Mr. Gwangjuboy said, she wouldn't address other Korean teachers that way, even if they were younger. When it comes to basic courtesy why one set of rules for Koreans and another for foreigners?
That said, I wouldn't get angry I'd just take her outside and explain to her that I wish to be called Mr. Myth.
Last edited by TheUrbanMyth on Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:37 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Newbie
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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Why so supset? Aren't we all called by our first names here?
This year at my new school I tried to introduce our naming system (Mr.X) to our students but after about a month it failed. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Newbie wrote: |
Why so supset? Aren't we all called by our first names here?
This year at my new school I tried to introduce our naming system (Mr.X) to our students but after about a month it failed. |
Do you work at a public school or hakwon?
At a hakwon it doesn't matter. At a public school it's a different matter. All my students call me Mr. Myth (my actual last name is 10 letters long, and even the Grade 1's have learned to pronounce it). You just have to keep after them. It took about 4 months of practise with the students and about 1 month with the teachers. |
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Doogie
Joined: 19 Jan 2006
Location: Hwaseong City
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| Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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| I don't think any of my colleagues even know my first name. They just call me Mr. and my last name. It's interesting though, our school had a school function recently and the Principle called me by my last name only (no "Mr." first). A few of the other teachers were horrified and apologized to me profusely. To me it was no biggie. The Principle didn't mean to be disrespectful. He speaks zero English and just doesn't know any better. I guess that's just part of the cultural difference. Some of the things that they find hugely offensive are just no big deal to me. |
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red dog
Joined: 31 Oct 2004
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| Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:52 pm Post subject: Re: being called by your first name in front of students |
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| Gwangjuboy wrote: |
| Today I was wrapping up my final class of the summer camp when a colleague walked into my classroom and announced that lunch was ready. She called me by my first name in front of the students though. Usually I wouldn't mind this, but I have to repeatedly tell the students not to call me by my first name. When they hear a Korean member of staff do it, they just copy it and assume it's okay. This teacher was a bit older than me, but irrespective of that according to the dictates of her own culture she should call me "teacher" in the work place. The principal manages to, so why can't she? She wouldn't address other teachers who are younger than her in that way. I managed to hide my anger, but this sort of thing really annoys me. |
Was she speaking to you in English or Korean? Do you talk to the kids exclusively in English, or in both languages? I don't speak Korean so I can't say whether I'd be offended or not if the conversation was in Korean. But in English, I'd find it very irritating to be addressed as "teacher." That's such a Konglishy expression. I've never asked anyone to call me Ms. Dog and prefer just red.
But "red teacher" was company policy at my first hagwon, and it was easy to get used to. I didn't actively encourage it because that would be like teaching Konglish, but I couldn't very well go against it either. The Korean teachers all had nicknames and the kids called them Meg Teacher, Jenny Teacher, etc. I think it would have been awkward for foreign teachers to insist on Mr. and Ms. under those circumstances. |
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red dog
Joined: 31 Oct 2004
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| Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:55 pm Post subject: Re: being called by your first name in front of students |
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| jinju wrote: |
| red dog wrote: |
[I've never asked anyone to call me Ms. Dog and prefer just red.
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is the b word ok? |
Can I call you the c word? |
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Gwangjuboy
Joined: 08 Jul 2003
Location: England
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| Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 11:18 pm Post subject: Re: being called by your first name in front of students |
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| red dog wrote: |
| Was she speaking to you in English or Korean? Do you talk to the kids exclusively in English, or in both languages? I don't speak Korean so I can't say whether I'd be offended or not if the conversation was in Korean. But in English, I'd find it very irritating to be addressed as "teacher." That's such a Konglishy expression. I've never asked anyone to call me Ms. Dog and prefer just red. |
Noone at my school speaks English. All conversations are conducted entirely in Korean which makes it even more frustrating. The teachers don't even call the bus drivers by their first names. I think it's quite deliberate. It's extremely rude. |
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Gwangjuboy
Joined: 08 Jul 2003
Location: England
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| Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 11:25 pm Post subject: Re: being called by your first name in front of students |
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| eamo wrote: |
| I really don't think that was an important incident worthy of anger. Do you have respect issues? |
It was obviously deliberate. If by "respect issues" you mean do I expect to be treated the same as my Korean counterparts when it comes to common courtesy then the answer is absolutely yes. Considering that these conversations are conducted entirely in Korean they have no excuses. The woman should never address me like that according to the dictates of her own culture never mind the fact that she did it in front of a group of 6th graders. |
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laogaiguk
Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Location: somewhere in Korea
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| Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 11:27 pm Post subject: Re: being called by your first name in front of students |
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| Gwangjuboy wrote: |
| red dog wrote: |
| Was she speaking to you in English or Korean? Do you talk to the kids exclusively in English, or in both languages? I don't speak Korean so I can't say whether I'd be offended or not if the conversation was in Korean. But in English, I'd find it very irritating to be addressed as "teacher." That's such a Konglishy expression. I've never asked anyone to call me Ms. Dog and prefer just red. |
Noone at my school speaks English. All conversations are conducted entirely in Korean which makes it even more frustrating. The teachers don't even call the bus drivers by their first names. I think it's quite deliberate. It's extremely rude. |
One, before getting angry, which you can't take back, talk to the teacher and ask her/him to call you teacher. This will most likely solve all the problems. If it doesn't, tell her it is rude and you don't like it. If for some God awful reason that doesn't work, go to the principal. I am sure he/she won't like that at all.
But most importantly, start off by just asking them not to, incase it was just a mistake. |
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Gwangjuboy
Joined: 08 Jul 2003
Location: England
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| Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Newbie wrote: |
| Why so supset? Aren't we all called by our first names here? |
No. If a Korean is calling you by your first name at work, but addressing everyone else with titles it is a deliberate act of rudeness, and you shouldn't tolerate it. In fact, if you took a beginners class in Korean, right after learning to read hangul and numbers you would be taught this. Ask your students if they call the teachers by their first names. Can you imagine that? Koreans (especially in public schools) like to remind you how serious the business of teaching children is yet they often treat their foreign teacher like a fool. Maybe we should just wear a badge with a smiley clown face on with our name in block capitals. |
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red dog
Joined: 31 Oct 2004
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| Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 11:50 pm Post subject: Re: being called by your first name in front of students |
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| Gwangjuboy wrote: |
| red dog wrote: |
| Was she speaking to you in English or Korean? Do you talk to the kids exclusively in English, or in both languages? I don't speak Korean so I can't say whether I'd be offended or not if the conversation was in Korean. But in English, I'd find it very irritating to be addressed as "teacher." That's such a Konglishy expression. I've never asked anyone to call me Ms. Dog and prefer just red. |
Noone at my school speaks English. All conversations are conducted entirely in Korean which makes it even more frustrating. The teachers don't even call the bus drivers by their first names. I think it's quite deliberate. It's extremely rude. |
OK, I wasn't clear on that. Yes, it does seem very odd for them to address you by your first name in Korean without even adding "seonsaengnim." |
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