Korean Job Discussion Forums

Guest · Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2004 4:23 am Post subject: korean co-worker

okay, my first little rant. work-related. today i;m at the computer, we have 5 minute breaks between classes. i;m sitting there with an eye on the time, and my korean co-worker says "its time to go teach your class"..and a little surprised i said "sorry?" and he said it again. by my watch there was still 2 minutes. i laughed and walked out, but jeez man, i work my ass off at the school. i don't need someone implying that i'm not. what garbage, i would never say that to another teacher. Mad

cacheSurfer · Joined: 07 Dec 2003

Skippy · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Daejeon

Do the same to him or her. Be a bit tounge in cheek about it. Comment that he has to go teach a class. Tell him to hurry up. Try to keep a straight face.

Also be careful. Koreans can be quite literal with comments and such. Just saying stupid or inane comments that do not really mean nothing. Like "did you get a haircut" or "you need to loose weight", or "is that a cat?". They sometimes mean nothing by it. yet those comments can really jab you in the stomach.

Another comment. Some places are really stickler about time. They want you in the classroom when the bell rings. So that means you leave for the classroom a minute before the bell rings. Personally I hate that kind of rule. Does anybody have to do something similar?

Skippy the "Yes it is a cat" Person

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Don't hold back, or play some game of trying to wind them up as well. Just tell them where to go straight off, it won't happen again. Laughing

I've learned that koreans are abrupt and say whats on their minds...I give it straight back to them nowadays, no beating around the bush.

shawner88 · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

Hahaha...great post. This happens to me all the time. The Korean teachers will be sitting there gabbing away and I'll go into class on time, them late. Then other times they go in early and one will always say to me, "Shawn! It's time for class!" implying I'm out of my mind. I just ignore them at this point and continue whatever I'm doing and then go to class late.

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

There used to be a head teacher at my last hagwon and he would be on my back with 3 minutes to go(we only had 5 minute breaks) that its time for class.
I told him one day he should fix is fucking watch because I still have 3 minutes left by my watch Evil or Very Mad

. He never told me time for class again.
He wasn't like Skippy described, he was just an absolute pain in the ass.

Medic · Joined: 11 Mar 2003

Work at a hogwon part time, and have had several co-teachers work with me in my classes. The owner of the hogwon used to send her part timers in alone, and the classes ended up in mayhem. Anyway I've been with about 10 different co-teachers in the 7 months since I've been working part time, and have evaluated many as excellent, and others as so,so.

Found that those with a technical background such as electronic engineering, or mathematics to be the best. Why? They cottoned on to what I was trying to do quickly, and were then able to to jump in and do their bit. A few others liked what I was doing, and would actually try to take over the class completely. When that happened it was wonderful.
Others I had to help.

Fortunately I am a part timer, and I get along with the owner. Therefore none of your full time problems. Of course if I didn't get along with the owner I'd be doing part time work elsewhere.