Korean Job Discussion Forums

[yingwenlaoshi]

I asked one class today. A small group of grade 4's and 5's who do pretty well. We go over every nook and cranny of their workbooks. I asked them if their parents look at them. Everyone one of them said, "No."

I really think that parents, on the most part, don't really pay much attention to what their kids are studying. Or how they're being taught. Much like it was with me when I was growing up.

I'm going to ask all my students. See what kind of feedback I get.

Had anyone else noticed this?

It's like it doesn't matter how much you improve their English. No one seems to say anything. Not my boss. Not the parents. Hell, I never see parents. I could very well go through a hole year without anyone saying boo to me. I guess that's a blessing in some regards, but it can be frustrating.

I guess as long as they're learning something, that's all that counts. It's weird though. No one tells me I have a good idea when I implement it. No one wants to hear about any ideas. Students come and go. Some stay for a long time. Like 2 or 3 years. Some longtime students suddenly are gone one day without anyone even telling me. Poof. Gone.

Strangee.

[WoBW]

I have students who NEVER do their homework, even though parents seem to always be asking for more.

I've long since given up on lecturing these kids about doing it. I just make a note every class who did all of it, who did some, and who did none. Then I write a coment in the monthly report about failing to do homework.

Nothing changes. I've started to think that the rich parents don't really care. sending their kids to a hagwon is more of a child minding service than an education.

[yingwenlaoshi]

[twg]

[Cerriowen]

Something I've noticed is that Koreans never give positive feedback, only negative. If you're still getting paid, that means they think you doing your job well enough. If the parents aren't complaining, thats a compliment.

Something I tried with my elementary kids is... when ever I assign homework, I take each book and write "HOMEWORK... Due (date)" on it. Then when they bring it in, I write "Not Done (date)". The kids who don't do their homework, STILL don't do it. But at least that way, if they ask me why the kid doesn't improve... I can tell them to look at the book. It shows I assigned it, AND checked it, and Junior dropped the ball.

[politicorific]

This is something my Hagwon has done right:

Detentions!

I give them for 1)speaking Korean, 2)not bringing books, or 3)anything that they really shouldn't be doing. As punishment they have to either come before or stay after class for 45 minutes in detention.

The parents love it - in fact I have one student who's parents make her goto detention to get her homework done(otherwise she'd be at the PC bang). This isn't to say that it has solved all my problems. I can't give them to children under 10, which sucks for the kids who's parents think their brilliant and want them in the higher levels despite them understanding only every fifth word.

[twg]