Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bundangbabo]

Hows the new school? - First impressions and all that?

[fromtheuk]

I start next Thursday. Thank you for starting a thread with my name in it.

No publicity is bad..........

[fromtheuk]

I'm settling into the new school.

Is it better than the last school? Yes. Yes. Yes.

1) Apartment - very big, 2 minutes walk from the school.

2) Live on 3rd floor, so neighbours seem to be closed off from me. In Bucheon, the neighbours were openly rude and loud about it.

3) There are 2 native teachers at this school, the other guy is fine, someone to talk to.

4) Co-teacher is relaxed and with me only during class. In the afternoon the co-teacher is not in the same room as us. I used to hate sitting with my co-teacher, every afternoon.

5) My co-teacher wants to control the class and lesson, and so do I. Less work is fine with me.

Downside: I think there is an E-mart 10 minutes away by taxi. I used to live close to Homeplus in Bucheon, that was a real (home) plus.

On my last day at the Bucheon school, I decided to bring in a present for my co-teacher. Overall, she has been helpful.

I said farewell to the P. and V.P. I thanked them and said some positive, diplomatic words. The Principal looked genuinely respectful and the VP looked quite down to earth. They wished me well.

I did receive a few farewell cards from students which I will keep for a while. I ended on a high note. I ignored the rest of the unrepentant scumbag teachers there.

On Tuesday, I had my nightmare grade 5 class for the last time. One troublesome student who shows me disrespect did so again.

I've mentioned on another thread when I ask students to stand in the corner, my co-teacher gently asks them to sit down shortly afterwards.

I have recently seen her make quiet comments of agreement when the students show me disrespect, she seems to enjoy watching them insult me, but pretends to tell them off.

On Tuesday, using rolled up paper, I 'hit' the offending student, my co-teacher was not there at the time. Later in the lesson, I asked that student to stand in the corner, the co-teacher asked him to sit down shortly afterwards.

Without making a scene I asked the co-teacher to leave him there, which she did. Shortly afterwards she approached him again and was about to ask him to sit down. I told her he was very rude and needed to stand for the whole lesson.

She looked suitably chided and didn't object to it. At the end of the lesson, I felt a sense of self-worth, it was good to finally assert myself.

I gave my co-teacher a leaving present, a baskin robbins cake because she gave me a good reference to the new school. She has also given me small gifts of food on a regular basis.

But it was sad to see she also began to resort to displaying some open disrespect. She looked a bit guilty when I gave her the cake. She called my school today to notify me she has sent me a gift. I phoned and thanked her.

My instincts were spot on, she was happy to let the students attempt to 'attack' me.

I have informed the new natve teacher of my co-teacher's shortcoming in this area. Overall, she was the best co-teacher I've been with. She was genuinely helpful, but also a bit scummy.

I am glad I've changed school.

[wesharris]

Finally FTUK has accepted tFSM.
All is well in the world.
Spaghetti is much better than
kabobs or curry.
_+_+
Wes

[fromtheuk]

Curry rules.

Spaghetti and the false deity you worship are not real.

[Bibbitybop]