Korean Job Discussion Forums

[naturegirl321]

I've been told that renewing my contract is largely dependant on student surveys. I've had student surveys in the past, but Peruvian students are very different than Korean ones.

Any ways to get good marks on the survey?

[ponyo]

so this is an end-of-the semester anonymous evaluation? is it mandatory? also, what type of courses are you teaching? are courses electives, compulsory, or a mix? unfortunately, i find that getting on the students good side (i.e. not killing them with homework or busting their nuts in general) works well with the compulsory, freshman-english type, course. in elective courses you might get students who actually who care about what they get from the course. either way, making personal connections with your students will benefit you, in my experience.

[naturegirl321]

Yep, end of the semester, mandatory. It'll be composition and presentation courses. Cumpulsory.

Thanks for the tips about work and homework.

[Sadebugo1]

[Chaucer]

Solid instructor is fine, as is building rapport, teaching to student needs, but Korean universities are now A+ factories, and giving lower grades can be disastrous for you. Given, the students will not know their grades when they do the evaluations, but if you show concern for grade inflation and even go over student grades beforehand, you'll do better on evals. Terrible, cynical thing to say, I know; it's the same in the US now (go to one of those "rate my professors" sites and you'll see the category "easiness" is a principal one). But if you want to stay your three years, or whatever the limit is, it's best to take heed. My office mate was not renewed after one year due to low evals.

[Hyeon Een]

[ytuque]

[FistFace]

Another poster here and I work at the same institution, and he may have mentioned this. It used to be that teachers at our university could see the student evals come in as they made them (during the "grade challenge period"). The some students complained that they were afraid to give negative reviews of their professors because it could lead to a lower grade. The school scoffed, but many students complained that their grade was lowered after they turned in their reviews. Our school did a study, and it turned out to be true! Some Korean professors were indeed lowering the grades of the entire class if there were too many bad reviews. Since that time, professors aren't allowed to see reviews until after the final grade change day.

[Sadebugo1]

[livinginkorea]

Just got mine today. Out of 5 classes (25 per class) I ranged in the high 80s to low 90s and averaged at 90% exactly. Students have to evaluate their professors before they can view their scores and their evaluation can not be changed afterwards. We have to get more than 70% to get our contract renewed. It's a fair system I think.

Being strict in class has always worked well for me with students who are serious noticing that I am making an effort to help them learn. The minority who are lazy, busy chatting, skip class usually don't write comments because, well let's face it, they are lazy, busy chatting and skipping class. A couple did apologize for their behavior and I hope they have learned their lesson. Only time will tell.

[ytuque]

Careful with being strict with your Korean students. I know 2 teachers who are quite strict; one is a woman and the other is a big f-ing dude. The students react much differently to these two teachers.

The reaction is much more negative when the male teacher is throwing them out of the class for sleeping or talking rather than the female teacher. From my conversations with some students, the male students respond differently to these two situations.

Cheating is a completely different issue. Busting a Korean kid for cheating is a losing proposition. My Korean colleagues allow them to cheat as long as they are subtle about it.

[Goon-Yang]

[frankly speaking]

Nature Girl. I think that you worry too much. You haven't even started teaching in Korea yet. I don't think that you have even arrived yet. Don't worry about next semesters evaluations.

You will do fine. Make sure that your classes are lively, the material is engaging and that the students are active. Make them feel that they have made progress and don't worry. Korean students are critical but not that bad. Don't do anything to the students that would embarrass them and you are ok.

[livinginkorea]