Korean Job Discussion Forums

[panchotino]

is anyone else getting angry at the lack of respect we get in our jobs? not so much the treatment some get on the street as immigrants but i mean in the actual workplace? i've just done an open class at my school. Normally, i plan all of the lesson which i have no problem with at all and i expected today that i would take a back seat. again, no problem with that but to be pushed away from the board and reduced to picking up the multitude of papers my co-teacher dropped was just taking the piss. I understand we are a commodity here but it was downright humiliating to be told i was doing things wrong and being a bloody slave, interrupted, jokes made about me in Korean, all in front of the board of education supervisor.
just a rant but this is just too much. yes, we are monkeys. yes, we are white so we don't know how to speak english.
just fucking grow up or fire me.
There is just no respect for us waygouks both in work and in our social lives. sorry, i really am, but this place has driven me to be so full of hate for a country, something i never had before coming here. I just wish i had contact with at least one Korean at work who kind of valued me. For *beep*'s sake, i was told to wear a suit and then to mop the bloody floor in front of every teacher in my school. I actually walked out of the 'meeting' we had about the class. i thought these people were professionals. The hagwon i worked at before public school were at least thankful when i came in early. bloody idiots.

[afsjesse]

Well I must say I'm not surprised. I was just notified that I have an Open class in May. Now I usually plan the lessons and the coteacher usually takes a comfortable back seat. But she said she was going to be doing the majority of things and that I would "assist" her. I don't care either way but I will go through what you just did. That's incredibly ridiculous.

I'd go to that teacher and give them a rude awakening. Forget the cultural formalities and just let them have it. Tell them what they are and that you feel very angry etc.....

Good luck and keep this up to date!

[kasain]

[afsjesse]

[kasain]

Hey Jessie, I see your bored too. Sorry to hear your school is making you do an open class. Are we still on for dinner tonight?

I think this guys aditude pushes people away and makes them degrade him some. If you act like a *beep* then people will think you are one.

[kasain]

Where in Jin?

[Michelle]

[afsjesse]

My school is having this teacher dinner at 6 tonight. I'll be in Uljin by about 8. Drinking wine with the guys so I imagine we can get together around 10 when #@% get's off.

I don't think the OP here was being a *beep*. He was clearly mistreated and probably on purpose to make his KT look good. It's a common fact in alot of schools in Korea. So I'm not surprised. But I will not be walked over. We are by law/contract Assistant Teacher's so if anything the KT should be the one in charge. I could care less about credit in my class, I just care about the students learning ability.

[panchotino]

yep, one thing is for certain, we now know how to live as immigrants. When i was a manager back home, my polish staff must have loved me and all i did was treat them and pay them the same as everyone else. I am 30 years old and i felt more valued as a bloody waiter years ago than i do know.
It is taking a lot of energy not to hate Korea at the moment. I don't want to turn into one of those people who proclaims he hopes the country burns in hell. I really hate how i am more of an angry, lazy, and i hate to say it, slightly more predjudice ( sp.) against a people i have become since i came here. It really gets me down as i am not that type of person. This place is sucking me dry.

[seoulsucker]

I've had the same thing happen to me. The principle/director/super comes to watch a class, and all of a sudden the woman who was filing her nails and text messaging all year becomes "Super Teacher" and starts pushing you around in class.

I asked the teacher to step outside for a moment, dressed her down quietly and then took control of the class again.

Sometimes they don't mean harm, they just get so worked up about making an impression that they forget they're part of a team. Now, I always make it a point to discuss this with my coteacher before the class is planned, and once again right before the class begins.

It also helps if you can practice the class with another group, or teach the class together to an empty classroom once to get into a groove.

[panchotino]

been like that all week. practice classes were great to be fair. She just chose a bad time to 'be the boss' in her head i suppose.

[seoulsucker]

Is this your first time doing open classes?

Now you know what to look out for. I would approach your coteach calmly and explain that you felt ridiculed. It's early in the school year and if you want to keep a healthy working relationship you should air this dirty laundry ASAP.

[loggerhead007]

Just started my 3rd contract 2 weeks ago. Mid forties female co-teacher was on me like a drill sargeant every day. 2 days ago I'd had enough. I said "Look lady, if you're going to p.m.s. me every day for the next year you'd better start looking for a new teacher." Point: Don't be intimidated. If you let them rail you from the start it won't stop. Nip it in the bud. She was crying to all the other teachers (literally) and I've come to find out she's not so popular around here. Next day, different person. No problem since.

[Goku]

Respect, It's something we have to work for,

and admittedly we, the weigooks, have to fight a lot harder for it.

My handsome face has already give me a leg up in terms of earning respect with my employers and co-workers. But I have sometimes am in danger of walking the fine line because of certain inevitabilites of culture/value differences.

The primary reason we get disrespected is because of the entire foreigner image in Korea. Some D-Bags do some despicable things like give high school girls drugs and rape them... and the media ate it all up. Now foreigners look like dirty drunk, drug sex crazy physchos. (anyone have a link to that story btw?)

Secondary, I think is the lack of qualifications we hold. Can you imagine going to a hospital and there's one doctor there that didn't go to medical school, and doesn't have a degree? Ha, he would be laughed out. Some people say that teaching isn't rocket science. Of course not, teaching is HARDER. Teachers can choose to ignore the problems, let things slide and be a goofball. Good teachers are aware of the problems and try to not only teach their kids, but improve their lives. Regardless, not having a degree gives us a huge discredit to our abilities. A 4 year degree that isn't in education means jack squat as a teacher. You might be a great teacher, but without a degree no one will believe you. Hey I could be a great lawyer too, and I could argue my way out of arrest a few times, but no one is going to believe me until I have a degree.



The best I find to gaining rapport with my co-workers and earning respect is to

1) Always look busy, have some "organized" clutter of english sheet on your desks
2) Have PPT up or some sort of english worksheet you are working on, obviously right now i look like i'm working, but I'm doing diddly squat atm.
3) Try to occassionally ask for feedback from your co-teachers. This has really magically increased the rapport I have with my co-workers. I respect their opinion. They have more experience than us. Respect it, maybe they don't speak English perfectly but as a teacher, we can learn a lot. I have 1 co-teacher that doesn't speak a lick of English. But she's like a 4 star general. Kids respect her and they learn a LOT about grammar.
4) Always have work on your mind. Ask your co-teachers questions in a humbling way. Be like "I know you have more experience teaching with children, how do you feel about English Immersion?" Questions like these tell your co-workers where your priorities are.
5) Always be serious AND positive. Be serious you look obnoxious and people will avoid you. Be only positive and you look like a clown. A good mix of the both is a recipe for delicious social content at work soup.

It's the same as any work place.
Yes weigooks have a huge disadvangate so we have to work harder. Imagine you work on wall street and everyone's got their BA's in finance and 4-5 years of experience working in accounting. All of a sudden you have a rookie show up with no degree in finance, has no experience, and can't speak or relate to you on the same level. He's different in so many ways. That kid has to take huge leaps and bounds to earn respect. It's the same case for us.

Keep working at it guys. Don't give up!

[Joe666]

Moping the floor - Brother I would have gone nuts!! My school would never do that!! I would have said something! In fact, you should still say something!! Please, for all westerns on this planet!

The power play bullshit - It probably happens everywhere in this country! But to what degree? Koreans are emotional, to say the least and I dispise the saving face bullshit. It's empty/phony through and through, buts that's Korea.

Being white and not speaking the language has nothing to do with how a person is treated. If your American and treated Mexicans as you were treated in your post, than tuoche.

Bottom line, I would nip it in the bud, PHUCKING NOW!! Don't let it fester if it's bugging you!

I agree with you, it's a tough culture if you are not Korean, but this experience, however long it is, can only make you better. My school experience has been really good in comparison to what I have been hearing. 100% respect from everyone. I have 5 female co-teachers. They are all different but each one has my back at all times. Upper management, whoever they may be (nobody tells me shit) have my back!!
I would expect nothing less!! I guess it's the luck of the draw or it's how you are percieved. Shit, it may even be your age.

Whatever happens, Good luck