Korean Job Discussion Forums

ambvalent · Joined: 25 Feb 2005

I suppose, what I picked up from your post is your feeling of having lost control. And I wouldn't regret your post if i were you; it certainly put some "useful" fear in me...i forget that Daves is first and foremost a place for release to teachers, and that certain practices amongst children are in a cultural context and not entirely understood by me. I will learn myself how to deal with this...but tell me, did a kindy age child in your school commit suicide?

ambvalent · Joined: 25 Feb 2005

ah, I just saw the last line of your post about how it wasn't a kid from your Hakwon. That changes perception a lot.

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

guangho · Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 6:07 am Post subject:

Kids are under far too much pressure and from too early on and for what? I had a student whose schedule went like this:

8-3 (or 4)- elementary school
4-6 piano lessons
6-9 English lessons
9-11 Math lessons

The kid is what 12, 13 years old? His parents spend a fortune on all the private schooling and (I assume) push him relentlessly. It's no wonder that some little kids can't handle the pressure. If Korean parents wanted their kids to have better emotional lives, they need to actually be parents and care about and for their children rather than to fork over a small fortune to have private schools raise their kids for them. Too many Korean parents could care less about their kids and want haggies to raise them while tripping over the power they (their purse) has over the director.

JongnoGuru · Joined: 25 May 2004 Location: peeing on your doorstep

guangho · Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 7:02 am Post subject:

JongroGuru, I just get the sense here that APPEARING OR LOOKING LIKE you're doing stuff is more important than actually doing it. My haggie features "exhausted" teachers sleeping at their desks for hours at a time. Kids go through the motions but learn zilch. And the best/worst part is that we're all pretending to be very serious laboring away in a laughable paradigm. I've never been in a more superficial country. My uncle in Tel Aviv would be laughing his ass off.

Pyongshin Sangja · Joined: 20 Apr 2003 Location: I love baby!

Dan The Chainsawman · Joined: 05 May 2005

I just love it when people start calling each other names.

Anyway onwards!

I would be concerned if a school, parents, or community at large did not spaz out over the suicide of a young child. A child suiciding at that age is clearly a call for some serious discussion, and soul searching by the family, and community at large. Mind you such discussion and soul searching is most likely overlooked in the stampede to lash out at what is felt to be the primary contributors to the youngster's suicide.

It should be important to note that the over-reaction will pass in time as the painful memory fades. Sickening to me that the tragic loss of a child should be forgotten, and passed off as cowardly. I would have to agree that a full grown adult of reasonable mental facilities to commit suicide is cowardly. While the community is in shock, and grieving for the loss of this child, do you not grieve yourself Wrench?

Perhaps while the parents are in shock, and are going to the extremes in all the wrong directions to address the root causes of this tragic incident, could it be possible that Wrench is in shock as well? The dehumanzing of the event could be an indicator to his subconcious attempt to distance himself from the emotions he is feeling regarding the death of a student.

Wrench I really think you need to step back and take a look at what your feeling. I refuse to believe that your subhuman. I suggest arranging for a bit of personal time, and reflecting on your own feelings regarding the incident. This is one of those things that a competent mental health professional might be of assistance.

Either way, Good Luck.

ps. I think nicknames rock.... I personally give out the real cool ones to the little ones who act the worst. Me being nice to them all the time and smiling at them when the are kicking and cussing me seems to really confuse them. It must amaze them when after i kick them out of class I smile at them and say, "Yall take care now yah hear!" Funny how they have calmed down enough to actually run a class where they learn nothing, retain less than anything, and spend their parents money learning great southernisms like, "Yall" and "Them there polecats."

Bozo Yoroshiku · Posted: Fri May 06, 2005 6:29 pm Post subject:

Bozo Yoroshiku · Posted: Fri May 06, 2005 6:39 pm Post subject:

guangho · Posted: Sat May 07, 2005 4:27 am Post subject:

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

guangho · Posted: Sat May 07, 2005 5:13 am Post subject:

Late 20's? Somehow I thought you were older- you gave off that mature vibe. Smile

Anyhoo, most people, especially young people, don't want to be parents. We are still immature, with unformed careers, desires etc. This is the time to put all our ca-ca in one managable pile so that LATER we would be ready to have kids. If we wanted to. I hate nothing more, as a teacher, to see piles of kids day after day who are obviously unwanted and are smart enough to realize it.