Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mrsquirrel]

Some of my kids are absolutely minging.

They stink. Greasy unwashed hair, unwashed clothes. Generally just unclean children.

Have one girl whose family must own a fried chicken place. Come Thursday she stinks the classroom out with that sour stale fried food chip shop smell. Going near her to help her is difficult. No idea how the person who sits beside her manages.

Other kids shirts have never seen a washing machine in months. same stains and spills on them week in week out.

I understand it's not developed country yet but I'm pretty sure most of them have running water of some sort at home.

[Draz]

I have 700 students and none of them are that gross. Sometimes the retarded kids come to school with greasy hair, but that's it.

[KYC]

I work in a very rural area where kids are often out of control. When I get really upset about something, the homeroom teachers always apologize and ask me to please be understanding as these kids are very poor. I fail to make the connection. I was a poor kid growing up but I never misbehaved in school.

And...yes these kids do smell. Some of them are cute as buttons, but I swear they are covered in filth. I understand about the smell when approaching them too. I come over to help but have to basically hold my breath.

Then again..some kids are just that. Country kids play rougher?? They get dirty faster & better lol. I saw one of my student with clean clothes on. By lunch time, he's covered in all sorts of filth.

[WoBW]

Christ, squirrel. Where do you work, in a slum?

I remember a while back you posted about a kid shitting all over the bathroom or something.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

With the odd exception most of mine seem fairly clean.

[mrsquirrel]

[blade]

[Dome Vans]

My schools have no more than 80-130 students. Tiny rural villages, but none of the kids are that bad.

When I find out about some of the students backgrounds it upsets me. I know as a teacher you expect these things. There's one boy; his parents are dead, he lives in one room (including sleeping) with his grandmother and two sisters one of which has got a baby, she's only 17 years old. His clothes are not clean but his English speaking is excellent. I was told that he goes missing at night and hangs around my city. Who knows where. Sad really.

When I find out about these things I tend to make the effort to help them more and be more lenient. There was one boy at my elementary who had no parents, lived with his grandmother. He was aggressive with the other students playing games and struck out a lot. I took time to help him and be nice to him and in turn he used to sit next to me at lunch, so I saw that as a positive thing.

[mrsquirrel]

I could smell Grease Girl before getting into the classroom today and to top it off she sat at the front.

[Cerriowen]

Mine reak of perfumed soap

[TBirdMG]

Some of the high school students I used to teach worked in auto shops and parts factories during the PM shift.

Often, they'd roll into class the next day, their brows, cheeks, and hands coated in ball bearing and joint grease. And their clothes would reek of stale cigarettes.

They were just 16 or 17. A tough future ahead of them. Most of these kids saw little use for English. They were typically nice, but a bit loud and rowdy. Curious about me, but near zero interest in English.

I used to print off pictures of cars and car parts to see if they would study a little vocabulary. The thing is....if you show some interest in them as individuals, and use their names, they will appreciate you and respect you. They may never learn any English, but what are you gonna do.....I think I got them to say motor, driving wheel, and gas pedal a few times. Then the lesson was over.

They ended up giving me a bunch of car parts manufacturer key chains at the end of the school year. I still have them.

[mrsquirrel]

[spliff]

Busting on underprivileged/poor students is, just, wrong..IMHO!

[mrsquirrel]

[TBirdMG]

Just make sure that she brings you those little packets of salt and pepper with the chicken. Korea does have good fried chicken, I tell you....