Korean Job Discussion Forums

[warmachinenkorea]

Last week I found out that my great grandmother had a stroke. Granted she was 98 and I was very close to her. I told my teachers I might have to go home for a funeral they all said sorry to hear it and that stuff. Well, I asked can I go home for a week and she her while she's alive and if she passes while I'm there then I'll go to the funeral. Everyone agrees and they were gonna do a week without pay. I agreed until my wife called and said her school talked to the POE and they would allow us to take our summer vacation early for this. I was very thankful and we went back to Tennessee for a week she passed while I was there and all was good. I came back to work at my HS yesterday and was told my wife and I got chosen to go to DokDo. Yip, free trip and a few days out of school.

Here is the problem. My KT comes to me this morning and says that there is a problem with my paid vacation. She says," If you teach the kids well and with enthusiasm then everyone will agree to give you your paid vacation." I'm a bit confused by this. Then she proceeds to put some lesson plans on my desk and say that she wants lesson plans a week in advance.

No problem! EXCEPT!

I have tried to give them plans in past and they would look confused and say I think you should teach the book. (Last semester my KT never even asked and turned in a bunch of stuff we never taught nor did I make a single plan that she turned in).One day I gave her a plan and we did the plan and after class she tells me the lesson wasn't good and I should use the book. Everytime I have tried to teach with enthusiasm and it always bombs. I have asked to discuss the plans and things with my teachers and...

As you know(a phrase I have learned to dislike here) They are too busy.

In my 22 hours of teaching I have 2 teachers training classes. So what, I love teaching adults, 1 teacher comes and when I ask the others they are always too busy or they have even told me I need to take a rest during that time.

I am a certified Special Ed. teacher and a SPED classroom at home can't hold a candle to this place in terms of surprises and BS. I did a ton of paper work at home.

My teacher thinks I am telling her that lesson plans are too much work. That's not the problem the problem is that when I do the plans they blow them off and tell me to do the book.

The speaking part, which is all they want me to do, might take 15 min. and then I am stuck with nothing. When I bring in my ideas they tell me that they think they are not good and I should do something different.

Book=Sucky for me and the kids
My lessons=Sucky for the KT, hit or miss with the kids,usually hit

Without being' direct she tells me that her report will not be good and if I want to resign then I need to think about what I am doing.

I am a bit upset at the fact that I have tried to meet and have disscusions about lessons and they are too busy it's the same way at my 2 day middle school. I ask the teachers to meet and it's "As you know, I'm so busy these days." I have another MS that I am there for 2 hrs and that's it. I get on a bus and ride 25 mins. teach 2 classes and get on a bus and go home. I don't even have a desk or work space.

Sorry for the rant. Any suggestions?

[Straphanger]

[tob55]

If you wouldn't mind reducing your rant to a one or two sentence specific question for suggestions it might make it easier for people to follow what you are asking. I read through your post and it seems you have brought up numerous things that I could comment on, but I am not really sure which one is the main concern you have.

[Otherside]

[warmachinenkorea]

I am not whinning. It's the fact that the plans have been done and told to my face it's not good. I guess you enjoy doing plans that never get taught.

[Straphanger]

[English Matt]

Well for one, I would not re-sign with this school.

I'd say go along with the request, provide lesson plans a week in advance. Maybe they will say they are not good and that you should teach from the book. Either way, you don't have to care because you won't be staying. I would abandon any intention to re-sign with this school as it will put you at the whims of your coteachers.

[Dodgy Al]

Do NOT go to Dokdo. You will regret it.

[Rory_Calhoun27]

My question is whether the OP is pissed in the original sense, as in drunk, or pissed in the accepted American sense, as in angry.

Because based on the length and content of the post, both usages appear to be within the realm of reason.

And be careful about posting to forums while drunk. My friend and I went to a computer lab drunk while in college, and came within a keystroke of being visited by the Secret Service. Good thing the pres' address is NOT at whitehouse.com.... but that's another story!

[I'm no Picasso]

[warmachinenkorea]

[warmachinenkorea]

[D.D.]

Here is the truth about lessons plans. Korean teachers are required to do them. If they ask you to do them they are delegating their work onto you.

If you are teaching most of the class the least they can do is write up the lesson plans. My co-teachers take notes in my class and makes up the lesson plans.

For after school classes you will be required to write a brief explanation of about one or two sentences.

As for idiots who say just go along with a crappy book or with crappy ideas just to fit it- Grow some balls and deliver quality classes despite what the idiots around you are saying.

The big trick in Korea is to escape the control dramas of your fellow staff. Stand up to them and they will back down. Try and do your job the best that you can.

[LostinKSpace]

The school is trying to exert some control over you it is all a big power trip game and it is up to you how to play it.

When your co-worker says that they are not going to re-sign you unless you do xyz tricks she believes that you are going to work harder and assume the position of grateful servant.

The school actually needs you more than they care to admit, gettin a NET in Korea is a hassle for the school, it is often given to the newset teacher and they often leave everything to the last minute. Do your business, provide plans and when the subject of renewal comes up just say that you are not sure as you have several other offers that you are considering.

You can always leave Dave's job pages open at work and if anybody asks you just say that you believed that you were not going to be re-hired which has made you sad because you really love teaching the students and the school and the VP's cat, so you must look for other options because you want to extend your love affair with Korea. A bit melodramatic I know, you can turn this situation to your advantage.

[Poemer]

They probably never looked at your plans before, just submit the same stuff with different headers. It will get thrown in the same pile of garbage with the rest of the crap people were forced to make that was never used or looked at.