Korean Job Discussion Forums

[yingwenlaoshi]

Had a grade-two kid this week where it came down to the final straw. I'm teaching in an after-school program and we're not supposed to kick kids out of class. He's just a bit too disturbing for my likes. And he's defiant, but always with a smile. I'm in the beginning stages there and in the process of getting them to keep quiet. That's a no flipping through pages, moving your feet or fiddling with ANYTHING. Takes a while, but they learn pretty quick. Anyway, I won't get into details about what he was doing. He's a kid. But something had to be done. I squeeeeeeeeeeeezed him out the door and locked it, but he banged on the door. So, it was grab you by the arm and let's go for a stroll down a couple of flights to Mr. Principal's domain. It's actually the lunch room combined with a head desk where the vice-principals sit.

The kid was saying, "Chaemi itda (this is fun)" while we started our little stroll. I was wondering at the time if this was proper procedure. But what can you do? There's only so much one can take. Anyway, after the kid mentioned that this was a really fun situation, I just said "Oh yeah. Chaemi itda." He was really enjoying himself until I stopped in front of my destination's door and he halted. Priceless. I slid the door open and one of the vice-principals happened to be standing right there. I just said, "Nooooooooooooooo" in a low voice and Mr. VP said to the kid, "Ilowa."

One of the other vice principals talked to me today and told me that what I did was the right thing. I was told before by my Korean counterpart (we teach separate classes and switch classes every day) that the VP who talked to the child said exactly the same thing. I just said today to not worry about it when he told me that if problems continue with him or any other students to do the same thing. Somehow I don't think it's right to do this all the time, but in this case it worked.

Has anyone else done this or is it forbidden or something. I always thought (don't know why) that this was a forbidden practice for foreigners or something. Just seemd like the logical thing to do. I don't have any magic tricks to suddently make a kid behave if they refuse to. In fact, you'd have to think why a kid like that is in this program in the first place. I don't think the mother was contacted, but they told me that if it happens again that she will be. Apparently the kid broke out crying int he VP's office. Didn't have time to come up with an evil foreigner story. Or he's too young to.

[crusher_of_heads]

Hey man, whatever works. I learned the hard way that showing mercy will be despised. I like taking care of things myself, because odds are I am going to be tougher than any VP or Principal.

Now get your sorry arse to The Tavern this week.

[yingwenlaoshi]

[Dome Vans]

Before I start I'll say that I don't actually have any really bad kids that would act like that but...

I always thought a punishment to suit a crime like this would be to sit them on a chair in my teachers room. Go in, plonk them down and then leave them and go back to the classroom. Leave them stewing with all the other teachers.

I checked with my co-teacher and he said it'd be no problem that if I had a problem with any kid I am well able to do this. He even said that I can put him/her next to the VP and leave him/her next to him. The VP will talk with him/her and wear him down. But as such no problem in doing that. Man that would be sweet. But as you say it's not something that should become a regular thing. It's like an absolute last resort. You've put them in the corridor and they carry on diking around. It's good that you have that support to do something like this.

By the sounds of it you tried everything else. What else can you do? At school I was always scared shitless of going to see the head teacher. Seems that some things never change.

[Bibbitybop]

I was surprised upon coming to Korea to learn the principals don't do anything with discipline. It's up to the teachers. The male teachers, esp. the PE teachers, seem to be the most feared.

If I had a really bad situation like you, ying, I'd be at the nearest male teacher's desk, possibly a principal's. I always wondered what would happen with that, they never discipline. They must be too far up the ladder to deal with that shit.

I never hit the kids, I don't even carry a stick like most Korean teachers at my school, but in your case, I might start.

[yingwenlaoshi]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

At many schools (such as mine) the VPs generally don't see discipline as their responsibility and principals definitely don't except in extreme cases. Most middle and high schools have a teacher tasked specifically with dealing with certain disciplinary issues - I'm not so sure about elementary schools. However, I find that the homeroom teachers are generally the best ones to go to for difficult situations. They know the kids a lot better and the best way of dealing with them. However, this is something I use sparingly. In almost three years at my school I can recall five or six times when I've done this; it's always worked. Generally I prefer to take care of disciplinary issues myself.

[poet13]

I think as YBs said, it's fine when used sparingly. The problem with doing it too much is that the students will begin to think you don't have any power yourself. When they think that, things could go straight down the crapper.
I marched a kid to the teachers room myself on Wednesday. Twice he opened my classroom door and shourted in, "Sexytime" during class. He was from another class and I have no idea why he wqas in the hall. I took him to the teachers room, and I asked his homeroom teacher to translate (also an English teacher). I asked him to tell the student that what he did was disrespectful, and sets a very bad example for the younger students. I said I think he's a good boy, I like him as a student, but I was dissapointed in him. So the English teacher said, "Apologize to XXX teacher."
So I had him do 100 pushups there in the teachers room.

[ibu]

pfff 100 is nothing... make him do 250 on his knuckles!!