Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Basil Brush]

From looking the at the previous posts, professionalism depends on two connected factors; how people look upon you being a teacher, and how you look at youself being a teacher.

These factors lead to results that are measurable by you or your boss.


_____________________________________________________________

'How do you feel about working with slackards and co-workers (can't call them teachers) who are very unprofessional in their demeanor and appearance?'
Well, I feel people can help them.

'What are you personally doing for professional development? or do you even see a need for it?'
Nothing. External factors are constraining professional development, but professional development is needed to improve the industry.

[indytrucks]

[kimcheeking]

Indytrucks,

good on ya... I agree 100% with your sentiments.

[William Beckerson]

[kimcheeking]

In case you missed it this post I have gone ahead and formed an informal group for professional developement and general teaching theory discussion.

I hope to get a few people interested and have semi-regular discussions over coffee. Everything I posted there is flexible, so if you have a suggestion let me know.

KK

[Corporal]

Beckerson,
Once again I agree 100% with your sentiments.

(golf clap)

[Gord]

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

I'll play. BA Eng lit, Dip ed English. Uni teacher. I don't consider myself superior to a Hagwon teacher, just very lucky. I didn't plan to come to Korea and work in a uni when I did my teacher training, but I got very disgruntled with the working conditions of NZ high-schools ( we call them colleges, but I know that means uni to you n/a's ). Low pay, huge hours, low support, hellish kids, and the system now supports the kids and gives me very little disciplinary power. Basically you feel like you're teaching teenagers "against their will". So I'd like to put in a little note to you all here, both Hagwon and uni teachers ( yes I did my hagwon year so I know the deal ) what we do here be it uni or hagwon is MUCH easier than what I did back home. I don't mean anything particular by that, just a thought to keep in mind when you get down.

I see teaching language as an enormously complex and challenging task, that's why it retains my interest. In a nutshell, I would say that to be an average esl teacher is very easy, but to be a great one is very very hard. It takes skill, knowledge, dedication, and a certain feel for language as well as for learning in general. Extra reading is a big plus. Doing regular prep is a must. Trying different things out and adjusting your style according to the results is great. Caring about your students and relating to them and engaging with them as full human beings ( there goes that term again! ) is also good. I think that teaching children is just as complex and demanding and intellectual if you are trying to work at your peak level. There is a huge body of written work on children's learning, and it's fascinating and useful. Language and language learning is so complex, and small details in the way you run a lesson do make a difference even right down at the a b c level. For example, when you introduce a new language item for the first time, do they hear it or read it first? It makes a difference. Don't ask me, go read a few books. I don't know what hagwon teachers are doing. I'm sure it's easy to be slack if you want to. But I urge certain uni teachers to stop looking down their noses at hagwon teachers. The job can be done at a very high level, so don't presume hagwon teachers are bums unless you have good evidence.

I'm taking my masters online in Feb from one of three Australian Uni's, still working it out. I already have all the texts from one particular course. Got them second hand with a good bulk discount from a guy who enrolled and pulled out. I'm sure that even if they are not the ones for the course I choose they will useful. I read them at night for pleasure, so yes, I'm a bit of a nut, but I'm a lifer and I like the idea of being good at what I do.

However, there are many ways to be a good teacher. Basically if you care about it, and are dedicated, then you don't have to be a rocket scientist to really make a difference, and it's very satisfying.

I also recommend learning Korean as seriously as you can for people who think they will be here for a while. Not only for your life here, and because learning a language is just plain old good for your brain, but it will put you more in touch with your students, and gain you massive respect from them too. Happy trails everyone.

Thanks for coming. Come again.

[kimcheeking]

[BTM]

It would seem that Beckerson and I are in agreement, in general, so I won't bother quoting and thumbs-upping. Gord and I are too, unusually.

But kiwiboy_nz_99 nailed it for me, at least, and gets the official BTM Seal of Good Posting. What he said is pretty much what I think, precisely. Just replace 'kiwi schools' with 'Canadian schools,' where I broke my teaching cherry and was almost scared out of the profession entirely.

(Well, except the 'lifer' bit, maybe. I think I'll be bouncing around, career wise, forever, probably.)

*golf clap for kiwiboy*

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

[William Beckerson]

[BTM]

[Dan]

i was gonna write something insulting, but thought better of it.

[William Beckerson]