Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Canadian Teacher]

Where I work is more like a big factory where we take kids in, sort of evaluate them and send them out, never to be seen again but I do remember hagwan days.

Complaint: Ji-sun does not understand.

Translation: Ji-sun is so spoiled he cannot sit for more than 10 minutes without Nintendo. He hasn't done his workbook and when Mom asks "Why is your book so clean?" Ji-sun replies "I did not understand, Uma!"

Complaint: You should pay more attention to Ji-eun.

Translation: Ji-eun is a nine year old princess. She stares out the window and lives in a private, princess, world. Consequently, Ji-eun has learned diddly for English. However, Ji-eun's mother has more money than Planter's has peanuts and the ajuma with the most dosh influences the other mothers' choice of hagwan so give Ji-eun more attention even if she stares at you blankly.

Complaint: "My class is boring," said Min-su.

Translation: Min-su knows that there are video game shops and fish on a stick just outside the hagwan door. He might get one video game in and one stick fish before the van takes him to the next hagwan. At 5:00 pm Min-su is famished and really should be having a nice snack at home with Mommie. However, Mommie is in the beauty parlour bragging to her friends that Min-su now takes nine extra hours of hagwan classes a day and even sleeps with English conversation on headphones which means she is the Best Mommie of the Mommies and if Min-su is hungry he had better learn to like it because in high school he will only eat dry ramyon and chocopies, showing Mommie's endearing love.

Complaint: You are not popular.

Translation: I am a puck bag loser. I managed to sweet talk my in-laws into bankrolling a Brainy franchise before the credit card people come and take me way. I did not really think about the fact that 1) I know nothing about teaching 2) I cannot speak English or 3) there are at least a dozen other hagwans within 50 metres of this one. If the kids are not beating down the door it is because my waygook does not love children. The fact that he looks like Charles Manson, stinks like soju and hates kids has nothing to do with it, I paid a head hunter W2,000,000 for him so he must be a good teacher.

I could go on but the memories are not, fortunately, fresh.

[Morning Calm]

hahahahhahahahahahahahahah

that's one of the funnest things I've read for awhile.

Thanks for getting me in a good mood.

[Canadian Teacher]

[Canadian Teacher]

[Clutch Cargo]

"You need to speak with more of a North American accent." This was told to me by the director just as I was leaving to go out with some other teachers. I had a great day and it sort of burst the bubble. It's my birthday too...boo hoo!

[Ody]

For assignments that asked the kids to describe their teacher, those who selected me as their subject, said I am funny and a little scary. When asked to give their teacher a nickname, I got "Hard-working ***ody" and "Maria" (from the Sound of Music). yes, I am compulsive, a bit off-beat, and I enjoy singing.

[jajdude]

That was good there, Canadian Teacher. Here's my general summary of things:

"We are Korean and English is very hard for us and we expect a lot from a native speaker as though we can magically learn the language just because a foreigner is in our midst. Also, we are Korean and we like to whine and complain, and we certainly love to blame foreigners for our problems. Basically most of us have a chip on our shoulders."

Bottom Line: Take complaints with a grain of salt. I think the best teacher ever to enter this country got a few as well.

[crazylemongirl]

The only thing I've got compliments on is my accent. But I don't think that the school has had anyone from north america teaching there in years which probably explains that.

Although my 6 year olds saying 'teacher beautiful' is great for an ego boost.

But most of my classes call me 'solider teacher.'


CLG