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Any tips on how to irritate an irritating co-teacher?
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andrewchon



Joined: 16 Nov 2008
Location: Back in Oz. Living in ISIS Aust.

PostPosted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 5:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't know about teachers but entertainers do practical jokes.

Actors when their back is turned to the audience or camera, they make funny faces like cross-eyed, monkey face, or stick the tongue out.
Before kissing scenes they chew raw garlic.

Terry Wogan in his biography said when he was working at BBC radio (not television) he'd set newsreaders paper copy on fire whilst they were reading it. He'd also unbutton lady announcer's blouse while on air. They have to keep on reading like nothing else is going on.

Once an opera tenor (with obligatory huge ego) threatened a walk-out mid performance because the diva (with equally huge ego) was up-staging him. Director talked him out by suggesting that he, in the next act's kissing scene with his back to the audience, bite her ear. The tenor couldn't get the devilish grin off his face but he didn't actually go through with it.
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Waygeek



Joined: 27 Feb 2013

PostPosted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 5:36 pm    Post subject: Re: Any tips on how to irritate an irritating co-teacher? Reply with quote

Skippy wrote:
Waygeek wrote:
Scorpion wrote:
Sooo....I'm trying to think of ways to annoy / irritate /
confuse / bother my co-teacher without it being overtly obvious.


OR... now this is just a suggestion mind... but you COULD just act like an adult instead?


And so could the teacher.

A good one is to use large, obscure, or/and fake vocabulary. Or even consider using fake words when talking with them. Do double check that they understand. Some will never admit they do not know.

The sky is the limit. Check for some revenge sites.

Start something small. Like just opening her desk drawer. That is it, just open it. Get her wondering if someone is stealing from her. Move her hand phone. If she charges it, unplug it.


To be honest she might be the nicest woman on the planet, and the problem could be scorpion. In fact judging from my time here, that's where I'd put my money.

And also what you suggest he do is the height of immaturity. How the hell people so juvenile are allowed to teach young kids I'll never know... I'm thoroughly ashamed to be in the demographic of ESL teacher... there is so little for our kids to look up to...
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Nolos



Joined: 23 Oct 2011

PostPosted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 6:05 pm    Post subject: Re: Any tips on how to irritate an irritating co-teacher? Reply with quote

Waygeek wrote:
Skippy wrote:
Waygeek wrote:
Scorpion wrote:
Sooo....I'm trying to think of ways to annoy / irritate /
confuse / bother my co-teacher without it being overtly obvious.


OR... now this is just a suggestion mind... but you COULD just act like an adult instead?


And so could the teacher.

A good one is to use large, obscure, or/and fake vocabulary. Or even consider using fake words when talking with them. Do double check that they understand. Some will never admit they do not know.

The sky is the limit. Check for some revenge sites.

Start something small. Like just opening her desk drawer. That is it, just open it. Get her wondering if someone is stealing from her. Move her hand phone. If she charges it, unplug it.


To be honest she might be the nicest woman on the planet, and the problem could be scorpion. In fact judging from my time here, that's where I'd put my money.

And also what you suggest he do is the height of immaturity. How the hell people so juvenile are allowed to teach young kids I'll never know... I'm thoroughly ashamed to be in the demographic of ESL teacher... there is so little for our kids to look up to...

I doubt she's the "BESTEST co-teacher/nicest person" ever but you are right about Scorpion being a little immature and probably caused this situation.
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Smithington



Joined: 14 Dec 2011

PostPosted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 8:12 pm    Post subject: Re: Any tips on how to irritate an irritating co-teacher? Reply with quote

Waygeek wrote:
To be honest she might be the nicest woman on the planet, and the problem could be scorpion. In fact judging from my time here, that's where I'd put my money.


Fella, "judging from my time here" I have detected a very consistent theme in ALL of your posts. Blame the foreigner! Even though you don't have an information whatsoever about the OP's situation your instinct is always the same. Blame the foreigner! Defend Korea at all costs! Great masses of foreign teachers have had problems with Korean co-teachers. Threads on that very topic break records on Daves for the amount of contributions to the discussion. These can't all be the OP's fault. Sure there are good Korean co-teachers; I've worked with them. But I've also worked with my share of bat crazy, bitterly resentful, pain in the ass co- teachers from hell. Hundreds of other Westerners teaching here have, too - but in your mind the foreigner is always to blame.

I don't know the OP's situation; you don't either. But that has never stopped you from allocating causation or blame in any of your posts. You need to chill and let Steelrails continue to defend all things Korean. Believe me, he's got things covered. Confused
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goat



Joined: 23 Feb 2010

PostPosted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 8:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

[quote="LeaforKorea"]I'll preface my response by saying I have no experience whatsoever in Korea since I'm still in the process of setting up for my 1st year teaching ESL in Korea.
However, I do have experience working with co-teachers at a high school on an Indian reservation which is something like working in a foreign country.

No, it's probably not really something like working in a foreign country. I'm guessing you have 2 years of teaching experience, have never worked abroad, but now you know everything about both.
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young_clinton



Joined: 09 Sep 2009

PostPosted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 10:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No more reason to add more wood to an unwanted fire. Koreans have their system and their way of doing things, it would be better to accept it. Also as a NET in Korea you are supposed to act as sort of an ambassador. I don't think it's good to make things more crazy.
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le-paul



Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Location: dans la chambre

PostPosted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 10:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i really, really think sometimes, foreigners and koreans are just not meant to mix - period.
I cant count how many times I've heard foreigners say 'I don't have any korean friends' or ' my wife is driving me nuts' or 'my co-teachers are doing x and its annoying the crap out of me' (usually on fb).
However similar we seem on the surface, koreans are very different from other cultures. They're not worse or better, but we are different.
Maybe the OP started this problem or maybe it was unintentional, may just be a clash of culture/personality types.
She may be nice, Op may be nice, just together = not nice. Seen it plenty of times.
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le-paul



Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Location: dans la chambre

PostPosted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 10:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

young_clinton wrote:
No more reason to add more wood to an unwanted fire. Koreans have their system and their way of doing things, it would be better to accept it. Also as a NET in Korea you are supposed to act as sort of an ambassador. I don't think it's good to make things more crazy.


amen
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andrewchon



Joined: 16 Nov 2008
Location: Back in Oz. Living in ISIS Aust.

PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 12:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

le-paul wrote:
i really, really think sometimes, foreigners and koreans are just not meant to mix - period.
I cant count how many times I've heard foreigners say 'I don't have any korean friends' or....


My personal experience is more often than not, foreigners do not want to be friends with me. This only happens to me in Korea, I had no problems back in Oz. I'm only talking about ESL crowd, of course. I've spent all my time in rural Korea and non-ESL foreigners tend to be East Asian immigrants who don't speak English. I'm not talking about them. My theory is that there's an unnatural proportion of people who are 'choosy with friends' in ESL Korea.
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le-paul



Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Location: dans la chambre

PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 1:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

andrewchon wrote:
le-paul wrote:
i really, really think sometimes, foreigners and koreans are just not meant to mix - period.
I cant count how many times I've heard foreigners say 'I don't have any korean friends' or....


My personal experience is more often than not, foreigners do not want to be friends with me. This only happens to me in Korea, I had no problems back in Oz. I'm only talking about ESL crowd, of course. I've spent all my time in rural Korea and non-ESL foreigners tend to be East Asian immigrants who don't speak English. I'm not talking about them. My theory is that there's an unnatural proportion of people who are 'choosy with friends' in ESL Korea.


sorry to hear that
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turkey12



Joined: 27 Jun 2011

PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 6:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

peachKitten713 wrote:
le-paul wrote:
strange, but the best way I've ever found to irritate someone, is to be really, really nice to them. This works especially well if they hate you.

its sort of a 'brain does not compute' response.


I agree with this. Just kill them with kindness. It'll get them back passive-aggressively, reduce your stress levels because you won't be making yourself frustrated trying to think of some diabolical plan, and anyone who is watching will see you being nice and sweet and the co-teacher treating you unfairly. That will make the co-teacher look bad. If possible, I would also try to let others, especially the principal, see me being sweet to her and her being rude.

And when you don't even feel like doing that some days, just straight up ignore her. As long as you're getting paid and no one is hurting you, is that person really worth you taking the time to worry over them?


I totally agree with the "kill 'em with kindness" approach! Who knows, she might even turn around and be nice back to you. Years of being a camp counselor taught me that you have to be like Mickey Mouse not only with the campers, but with your co-workers, too. It can be contagious, and I've never known of anyone getting in trouble for being too positive at work.
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LeaforKorea



Joined: 29 Jun 2013

PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 7:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

goat wrote:

No, it's probably not really something like working in a foreign country. I'm guessing you have 2 years of teaching experience, have never worked abroad, but now you know everything about both.


Really?
I've actually both worked and lived abroad in Europe and the Middle East.
Have you lived on an Indian reservation? Do you know how much it is or isn't like living in a foreign country with it's own customs and language?

And why exactly am I being attacked? I was trying to give someone advice on the positive effects of kindness based on my own personal experiences. Where exactly in my post did I say I knew everything or even anything about teaching in Korea?

Seriously. If this is what other waygook ESL teachers are like in Korea, I'm am so not surprised that you are getting treated with contempt. Rolling Eyes
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NohopeSeriously



Joined: 17 Jan 2011
Location: The Christian Right-Wing Educational Republic of Korea

PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you're a gyopo, just taunt your co-teacher with the latest news about Korean criminals doing this and that and say that "you are a proud Korean and you should feel bad". That's how I deal with some teachers in my hagweon and it works rather well. Take advantage of their collective "holier than thou" attitude.
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goat



Joined: 23 Feb 2010

PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LeaforKorea wrote:
goat wrote:

No, it's probably not really something like working in a foreign country. I'm guessing you have 2 years of teaching experience, have never worked abroad, but now you know everything about both.


Really?
I've actually both worked and lived abroad in Europe and the Middle East.
Have you lived on an Indian reservation? Do you know how much it is or isn't like living in a foreign country with it's own customs and language?

And why exactly am I being attacked? I was trying to give someone advice on the positive effects of kindness based on my own personal experiences. Where exactly in my post did I say I knew everything or even anything about teaching in Korea?

Seriously. If this is what other waygook ESL teachers are like in Korea, I'm am so not surprised that you are getting treated with contempt. Rolling Eyes


I've lived and worked abroad in South America, Europe, and Asia. My grandmother is a Native American Indian and I have spent some time on an American Indian Reservation.

I'm not being treated with contempt here.

Anything else I can enlighten you on?
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byrddogs



Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Sat Jul 06, 2013 12:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

robbie_davies wrote:
My pal and eslcafe legend 'fromtheuk' will be along soon to solve your problem! Very Happy


Oh, I could only hope for that. All of the interesting posters seem to have vanished.
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