Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Corporal]

So I'm bored, and GWOW's post got me thinking. What kind of negative stuff (bogus or not) have your kids/boss brought up against you in the past?

My manager observed me in one class after the kids had been complaining. I thought the class went pretty well. Afterwards when we discussed it she said "You didn't show enough love when you handed them their books." WTF?

I also got a letter from my manager once wherein she described my flaws:

-my kids were complaining because I had occasionally eaten in class. (never mind all the times I had to pry gum/candy from THEM.)
-I put my feet up on the desk once. (Oh sin of sins).
-I scared them. No details given.


It's all just BS, but every once in a while these random stupid complaints would get on my nerves.

Anyone else?

[tomato]

Hello, Corporal!

When I was on a field trip with the kindergarten class at Che Yoon Hi School in Kumi, the parents complained that I spoke Korean to the kids in the van.

I brought up the fact that Korean teachers speak more Korean in the classroom in one day than I do in a whole year.

Not too much pettiness where I work now, though.
I don't put my feet on the desk, I sit on the desk.

[humanuspneumos]

it's an ignorance is bliss situation- I can't remember anyone I ever taught for directly (University to Kindergarten) saying anything bad about my time in the classroom- again- maybe it's an ignorance is bliss situation. I do remember expressing frustration and having one guy tell me- "You must love them." I did. I did.


However, I did have an ______ite trap some new teachers in a veeeehickle and used the good ol "Conquer and Divide" trick and told them I was a lazy "bstd" and another group of teachers that I had been fired 3 times prior to that job- heee hee Sorry- not true. It hurt my feelings though and made me angry. I could never figure out why the group had suddenly turned hostile. Eventually the director got a bit distant. Each, after a few days, came to me and told me what was said. I suppose that all my overtime prior to/after the __________ites arrival went unnoticed. I used to donate a lot of free hours a month. Anyway, not trying to make myself out to be a hero- just- I really got burnt and it hurt. In more than one way.

[djsmnc]

"He looks tired, he must be teaching privately at night"

"I think he goes out with his students, which the contract says not to do"

"His job is too easy, teachers should clean the rooms here too"

"He needs to teach class like this..."

"If the student doesn't sign up for his class again next month then I can't pay him fully next week"

"He should freetalk in the class and not use the book"

"He should use the book in class and not freetalk so much"

"He shouldn't test the students so much, the class should be fun"

"He should test the students more and make the class challenging"

"He's a handsome guy"

[Zyzyfer]

I've had a couple of dumb ones, but the best one was the scissors story.

I come into work one day, prepare lessons, and grab my basket to go to class when the bell rings. Halfway to the class, the director stops me and mentions that I had received a complaint from a parent, which entailed me throwing scissors at a child.

I was upset and pissed off. I'm not really good with teaching criticisms(even when the other person's right) so I was angry the entire class, since I couldn't defend myself properly when I was expected to go to class. Come break time, I confronted my director and asked for a more complete story. She repeated the same business as before, and I told her that I wouldn't accept the complaint as valid unless they looked into it a little more. I go on with my day.

The next day, the director comes up and says that the owner had called the mother and discussed it more. Turns out that the kid was upset about the class, because the material was too hard for him, and wanted to get out of class. He took a few little things that I had done(in good jest, I had made clear) and blew them out of proportion. Dotting the 3 kids(unruly little bastards) with my marker suddenly turned into me becoming a lethal, scissors-weilding maniac. Classic.

Since then, I really could care less about complaints from parents, though I do listen and heed them. I just don't give a damn about what's actually being said.

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

THROWING!

I used to get that all the time!

I pass the marker to someone, and kind of NICELY underhand throw it to them.

Next day "You throw at student, make student sad"

WTF!

[Cthulhu]

In that situation I'd show the boss the difference between the two. First I'd gently underhand the marker to the him (manager director etc.) and then I'd whip the second one at his head. Then I'd ask him if he could tell the difference.

(depending on how much you hate the place you could aim slightly above his head if so inclined)

[humanuspneumos]

got in trouble for a game of "Duck-duck-Goose" using a 2 L platic bottle and lightly tapped the students on the head to play. One student came to school the next day complaining of a bump & the mother phoned.

[Teebird]

I get the...

"You are not happy enough..(although I am babysitting and dont have the same engery level as a 3 year old.)"
"Colouring is not interactive, (even though its on my lesson plan)."
"Wear nicer clothes....(Buy me some)."

Today was open class and the mothers who have no life came to join my class. So I figure I will receive some complaint, if not today but at the teachers meeting.

There is no. "Good comments" given in my school.

[Corporal]

Oh yeah, I forgot, I got in trouble for speaking Korean too. Which brings me to something else, why is it okay for the Korean teachers to constantly speak Korean to them, but not okay for me to say "Wait" or "sit down" in Korean or something of the kind once in a while? Nice double standard...

[humanuspneumos]

Many schools, when they sit little Mi-sook's parents down to sell the program, promise immersion. "English Only" is the promise and "Here are our Native Speakers." There's a lot that goes on behind closed doors we don't know about. As for the others, the Korean teachers- the parents know well what to expect from them- Konglish- hee hee.

That's one reason I've seen.

Second: The concept of immersion itself has flooded the market. It came from the top down and became popular as though immersion is like osmosis. Well, papers have illustrated quite well that- it aint! Anyway, the more strongly owners buy into this theory- the more they will scold you. They don't see the Korean teachers as having anything to do with immersion.


Third: Case by case schools. Some owners, places, programs loved it that I was able to say- "Anja." Other places are a little more stuck on the above promise of the foreigners immersing the students in "only English."


Also, sometimes the less paid Korean teacher is over-looked when it comes to using Korean in class. I suppose that they come with no warranty of English only, are cheaper, and aren't expected to em-bare-@ss themselves by trying to use English only. Could it be too that there is a shortage of Koreans who are fluent enough in English to maintain the standard of "English only" and so it's all looked over?

Anyway, the double-standard can be irritating if you get treated with criticism by those who have totally bought into the immersion idea. I just got to the point where I didn't give a c r a p after a while that I was pushing for "English only" and the Korean teacher wasn't. I suppose, if I was scolded, I would have been irritated.

[schwa]

I mostly teach teachers, who selfadmittedly like to complain, & I've worked out a small strategy to defuse a lot of the inevitable grumbling (you cant please everyone).

About halfway through a semester or workshop, I'll have an 'evaluate the teacher' session & invite them to criticize my teaching. Being openly critical to a teacher just isnt on among Koreans (Confucianism & all that, but they'll tear anyone to shreds behind their back). No one will speak up of course so I start the ball rolling with a few self-criticisms, like "I've been told before that my classes are too laidback" or "I know I can be a bit disorganized" or "Some have complained about blah blah blah" & then invite comments.

In my experience, some of the braver class members will start to open up at this point & give an honest & respectful assessment. I try to get everyone to speak. I think its refreshing to them to have a chance to vent their opinions & I learn a great deal about the real impression I'm making. It helps me individualize a course to my class's wishes & I've also been given some valuable pointers to improve my general teaching style.

Works for me. I think it might be effective with any reasonably mature & articulate group.

[schwa]

Re: 'throwing things at students.'

I was sitting around a table this afternoon with a small group of middleschoolers, kids I like & have a friendly relationship with. I was sharing out some candies & innocently tossed one to a girl at the end of the table. She seemed offended, but she wasnt able to express why. In hindsight, I'm wondering if the rituals of handing something to someone here include some kind of subtle prohibition against throwing stuff to someone. Might explain sensitivity to westerners chucking stuff around the classroom. Anyone know?

(A friend last night related the story of her intro to efl teaching, observing a 15-year veteran who frequently screamed "Shut the f*** up" & used a well-aimed golfball (!) to control her students.)

[rapier]

"You have some,err, illegal things in your class"
"we want you to try harder"
Next time we want a teacher who is ..healthy"

[captain kirk]

yes, the gently handing out of items with care has a corresponding aversion attached to 'chucking things'. so when i hand out copy sheets i 'frisbee' them to the kids at the far end of the table. some kids complained they thought it was anger/rudeness and the boss said 'he moves with quick and strong movements, he is very fast; i am slow'. if you throw things, even garbage into the wastebin, you 'seem angry'. slam dunk!, anyway.