Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Zackback]

I hear this a lot from my students (hagwon). Does anyone else? Why are these kids hungry so often? Don't they eat?

[Juregen]

They have irregular eating sessions and little kids are always hungry anyway.

[tomato]

I hear it too.
But I'm afraid nobody can stand my cooking but me.
I say, "Sorry, that's not my line of work."

[happiness]

dont worry, theyre probably not starving urchins, theyre just kids..

[Dazed and Confused]

Kids are always hungry especially when they hit a growth spurt.

I always tell them "Bring some fruit, cheese, peanutbutter, crackers, etc. Write your name on it and we'll put it in the fridge. Then you can eat it at break time everyday." I have yet to have a student bring something even after a year of saying this everytime someone whines about being hungry. When I point this out they always respond "Teacher! I forgot tell my mom." My thoughts are-GO HUNGRY THEN!

[Zackback]

Ok ok because I have been feeding them.

[earthquakez]

Zachback - a lot of Korean kids have to get up earlier than usual because school starts fairly early and some of the schools I've worked in finish at 5pm. Something that doesn't happen in my home country unless you're doing sports or whatever after school.

They or their Mothers are disorganised and so there's no time to eat properly before going to school and let's face it, while I've been at some schools with great school lunches generally Asian food seems designed to make you feel hungry not so long after. I found this in Japan too. No matter how much I filled up on at lunch time, hunger came back not so long after. Then the kids get shunted off to hagwons and apart from snacking or those who have time to return home for a meal, other kids turn up having had no or little breakfast, a lunch that makes them feel hungry again not so long after and no tea/dinner.

Some good advice - don't give Korean kids food. A wise poster here talked about the law of diminishing returns in Korea. The more you give out of you own pocket, the more will be demanded, lines will be continually crossed. Yes I think it's a cultural thing here.

For every foreigner married to a Korean that gets upset and splutters on this and other forums how 'generous' Koreans are, many more who do not have family ties to Koreans will find that unless they let Koreans know they expect something back then Koreans will happily take and take. In my culture (Brit) 'using' is discouraged although some will be that way. Paying your due is very much part of my upbringing and most Brits I know.

In Korea I haven't found that. In Japan favours I did for Japanese kids/people was often met with generosity at unexpected times when I'd completely forgotten what I'd done for somebody. Japanese kids/adults I taught some time ago still send me a card and/or gift every year for various thing I did for them.

I find the reverse in Korea.I've done favours for, given special treats etc to students and have never been acknowledged by their family in any way. I know at a few schools I taught at when there were out of school activities like school club kids performing somewhere, it would be an activity for some hours and I'd bring snacks. I'd be pestered by my students for snacks and drinks WHILE their parents were present and hadn't bothered to provide (these were not poor schools) and at no time told their kids to stop bothering me for things they should have provided.

Remember always in Korea - The law of diminishing returns applies to foreigners.

[conrad2]

Don't feed the kids. Just like pigeons or stray cats and dogs- if you feed them they will never go away and more will come.

[chellovek]

Back in the day I made the mistake of feeding hungry kids. It generally isn't appreciated, either by them or anyone else. They will just see you as someone to tap some food from when they're hungry.

[tomato]

I have two possible explanations:

Number one:
Maybe they see us a parent figures.
Parents feed them, so they expect us to feed them.

Number two:
It seems to be part of Korean culture for people to feed each other.
They're always giving us food, so they probably expect the same thing in return.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Kaypea]

Sometimes students ask for a candy because they're "so hungry", so I don't know... I don't think a candy can fill anybody up. I think maybe a candy can give the psychological feeling of "eating something", which is satisfying.

That being said, they aren't really *that* hungry/starving, but they probably should eat more often then they do. It still isn't your responsibility to feed them, but if it's just a small group, I guess it doesn't hurt to prepare a small snack for class if you want to do so. I used to do that with a small class I taught. The kids were nice and sincere, and always said "thank you".

[Illysook]

Acknowlege them and tell them that you too are hungry. It was always true of me when I worked at a hagwon. The food was terrible and it was in the middle of a farm so there was nowhere else to go. A bowl of rice had to suffice. Now that I'm at a high school, there's a vending machine for hungry students.

[TheresaTheresa]

[Troglodyte]

I think that the candy is part of the problem. It doesn't fill them up. It gives them a short energy burst, and then you're stuck with them when them come down from their sugar high.