Korean Job Discussion Forums

ryleeys · Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Location: Columbia, MD

One of the poor Korean teachers at my school (the only young one that isn't a married ajumma) has been catching sh*t from my director for all this random stuff. I can tell she's really unhappy, but she only ever talks to me about it a little. Well, today as I'm finishing up my work and about to head home, I see that she is horribly sick with the flu. So, I walk up to her, grab the mop and tell her to sit down... I'll clean for her. So, I finish up cleaning her room. I walk into the teachers' office where my wonjongnim is yelling at the teacher for "making" me clean her room. Neither of us could convince the director that I had done it out of kindness (a foreign concept to wonjongnim these days).

Then, my director blew me off when I asked about taking vacation... grrr.

Tomorrow, Ryan will rain fire upon the entire city of Icheon. (today I was just happy to head out and get some dinner... friggin' starving)

kangnamdragon · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea

sorry about the bad day....maybe something is happening at home and he is taking it out on "easy targets".

ryleeys · Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Location: Columbia, MD

Today was even worse for the Korean teacher... she was reamed out for a good hour before school. I'm standing there making copies while this is happening and the Korean teacher is just putting her head down and taking it. I'm used to a type of job where employers get angry at you (without speaking Korean, I don't know what the problem was), but they never verbally berate you as if you were a child. I feel so bad for this teacher as I've never seen her do anything other than bend over backwards for the hogwan... including feeding the kindy kids lunch every day. That ain't a treat.

I'm trying to figure out how to help her out without making things worse for her.

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

A stick...a big stick.....crack the director right between his beady little eyes..now that you have his attention calmly explain that it is upsetting to the rest of the staff for him to masturbate publicly like that....masturbation should be done in private Wink

It is obvious that he is getting some kind of jollies by berating her in front of others....tell him 'ANIO' Exclamation

I dont put up with it no reason anyone else should Exclamation

tokki · Joined: 26 Jul 2003

ryleeys · Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Location: Columbia, MD

Well, she's single. I'm the only person that has even remotely tried to stick up for her.

margaret · Joined: 14 Oct 2003

My wonjang was really nice to me and the other English teachers, even the Korean ones. But she also targeted one of the Korean teachers and publicly humiliated her. Well, I had a bad temper too, so I yelled at the wonjang the way she yelled at the teacher. But it didn't do any good, I only succeeded in upsetting myself and never even tried to make the point about the other teacher. The one thing I did right was I was really nice to the other teacher and let her know I liked her. If the same thing comes up I would first speak to the wonjang in private about speaking to the teacher in private. Then when she persisited I would yell at her in public and say "how do you like being publicly embarrasses." But she might not have understood anyway. We had many misunderstandings. Her English comprehension skills were poor but she could speak fairly well so she pretended to understand and didn't.
margaret

phaedrus · Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Location: I'm comin' to get ya.

My old boss was a total bi**ch.

One of the teachers came in late one day so the next day we were introduced to the new school policy of minutes counting and sad faces for teachers.

I had never been late my whole time there, and wasn't going for that. I 'publicly' displayed my disapproval.

The next day I was called in to the office and given a you are a bad teacher and many parents are complaining about you and maybe if you don't shape up we will fire you speech.

They didn't think that three months before when they were resigning me.

That's the last day I gave any effort to the school. I left with all my money and a release and a better job not long after.

canukteacher · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul, Korea

We are not in the West anymore. Unfortunately, Korean owner, bosses, managers, whatever you want to call them still believe in the punishment theory. This type of management died in the West at least 25 years ago (probably longer). I am thankful that my employer is enlightened and we don't put up with the intimidation, screaming and punishment crap. If your not prepared to wait for these guys to change (50 years should do it) then look for a job in another country. If that is not an option, then learn to stand up to whoever is in charge. In my experience Koreans are basically cowards when someone stands their ground with them. I have a name for these types of Koreans, but I would get beaten with a stick if I printed it here:)

CT

Arthur Fonzerelli · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Location: Suwon

ryleeys · Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Location: Columbia, MD

I don't know what you're talking about Fonz, but my director is a woman. I am the only man involved in this situation and I have no intentions of beating up a woman or myself.

Furthermore, I don't resort to violence in my personal affairs... I prefer to make the other person look foolish. That is much more humiliating and less likely to get my ass thrown in jail.