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cj1976
Joined: 26 Oct 2005
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 Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 9:02 pm Post subject: Huge Argument with coteacher |
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Last week I managed to get into a blazing shouting match with one of my co-teachers - in the classroom in front of the kids.
He is late 50s and has been at this school for over 25 years. I guess he's just cruising towards retirement age because he doesn't really seem to have much interest in teaching. His idea of co-teaching is sitting at the back of the class, sleeping or surfing the net - while I do all the actual work.
There is one class of low-level 3rd graders who are quite bad, and frankly I cannot control alone. He says he can't do anything to discipline them because he is not allowed to beat them.
Anyway, long story short, the class was misbehaving and I asked him to do something about it while I tried to teach. He then told me that it was my class, therefore my responsibility and not his problem. I was so frustrated at this point, that I reacted by pointing out it was actually his class and he was ultimately in charge.
He went nuts and started shouting at me in English and then in Korean. I asked him to calm down and we could discuss it later. This just aggravated him further and he started waving his stick in my face. I lost it when he did that and shouted at him to do his job. All this in full view of the kids.
Anyway, the point of this story is; was he right? It is actually up to me control the class, while he sits idly by. I always plan the lesson and teach without assistance, which I'm fine with, but I always assumed crowd control was his duty.
Last edited by cj1976 on Sun Mar 27, 2011 10:15 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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sadguy
Joined: 13 Feb 2011
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| Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 9:06 pm Post subject: |
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i guess u are working for a public school. yeah, of course he's wrong. you're actually complimentary teacher.
and, totally not cool to lose it in front of the students.
my co teacher accused me of lying in front of my summer camp class. sucked. but, it made her look like a be-osh. |
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tanklor1
Joined: 13 Jun 2006
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| Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 9:07 pm Post subject: Re: Huge Argument with coteacher |
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| cj1976 wrote: |
Last week I managed to get into a blazing shouting match with one of my co-teachers - in the classroom in front of the kids.
He is late 50s and has been at this school for over 25 years. I guess he's just cruising towards retirement age because he doesn't really seem to have much interest in teaching. His idea of co-teaching is sitting at the back of the class, sleeping or surfing the net - while I do all the actual work.
There is once class of low-level 3rd graders who are quite bad, and frankly I cannot control alone. He says he can't do anything to discipline them because he is not allowed to beat them.
Anyway, long story short, the class was misbehaving and I asked him to do something about it while I tried to teach. He then told me that it was my class, therefore my responsibility and not his problem. I was so frustrated at this point, that I reacted by pointing out it was actually his class and he was ultimately in charge.
He went nuts and started shouting at me in English and then in Korean. I asked him to calm down and we could discuss it later. This just aggravated him further and he started waving his stick in my face. I lost it when he did that and shouted at him to do his job. All this in full view of the kids.
Anyway, the point of this story is; was he right? It is actually up to me control the class, while he sits idly by. I always plan the lesson and teach without assistance, which I'm fine with, but I always assumed crowd control was his duty. |
I think you should buy a bottle of soju and drink it with him. |
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cj1976
Joined: 26 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 9:13 pm Post subject: Re: Huge Argument with coteacher |
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| tanklor1 wrote: |
I think you should buy a bottle of soju and drink it with him. |
I actually thought about that. At least it was a male co-teacher because we talked about it a couple of hours later, shook hands and just let it go. I apologize if this sounds sexist, but I don't think a female co-teacher would have got over so it quick. Some women know how to harbour a grudge for a long time. |
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tanklor1
Joined: 13 Jun 2006
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| Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 9:16 pm Post subject: Re: Huge Argument with coteacher |
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| cj1976 wrote: |
| tanklor1 wrote: |
I think you should buy a bottle of soju and drink it with him. |
I actually thought about that. At least it was a male co-teacher because we talked about it a couple of hours later, shook hands and just let it go. I apologize if this sounds sexist, but I don't think a female co-teacher would have got over so it quick. Some women know how to harbour a grudge for a long time. |
I agree 100%. |
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Chris.Quigley
Joined: 20 Apr 2009
Location: Belfast. N Ireland
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| Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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| I still think you should offer to buy him dinner or something. Funny story (only because you guys made up so quickly)... haha |
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ThingsComeAround
Joined: 07 Nov 2008
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| Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 9:44 pm Post subject: Re: Huge Argument with coteacher |
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| tanklor1 wrote: |
| cj1976 wrote: |
| tanklor1 wrote: |
I think you should buy a bottle of soju and drink it with him. |
I actually thought about that. At least it was a male co-teacher because we talked about it a couple of hours later, shook hands and just let it go. I apologize if this sounds sexist, but I don't think a female co-teacher would have got over so it quick. Some women know how to harbour a grudge for a long time. |
I agree 100%. |
This, and when most of them say "sorry" they don't mean it  |
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winterfall
Joined: 21 May 2009
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| Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 10:13 pm Post subject: Re: Huge Argument with coteacher |
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| cj1976 wrote: |
Last week I managed to get into a blazing shouting match with one of my co-teachers - in the classroom in front of the kids.
He is late 50s and has been at this school for over 25 years. I guess he's just cruising towards retirement age because he doesn't really seem to have much interest in teaching. His idea of co-teaching is sitting at the back of the class, sleeping or surfing the net - while I do all the actual work.
There is once class of low-level 3rd graders who are quite bad, and frankly I cannot control alone. He says he can't do anything to discipline them because he is not allowed to beat them.
Anyway, long story short, the class was misbehaving and I asked him to do something about it while I tried to teach. He then told me that it was my class, therefore my responsibility and not his problem. I was so frustrated at this point, that I reacted by pointing out it was actually his class and he was ultimately in charge.
He went nuts and started shouting at me in English and then in Korean. I asked him to calm down and we could discuss it later. This just aggravated him further and he started waving his stick in my face. I lost it when he did that and shouted at him to do his job. All this in full view of the kids.
Anyway, the point of this story is; was he right? It is actually up to me control the class, while he sits idly by. I always plan the lesson and teach without assistance, which I'm fine with, but I always assumed crowd control was his duty. |
I had someone just like him last year. Does he have a microphone and find a way to always blame you for something that you had no control over? Like the kid that broke his arm outside school. Ohh!! It must be the FT's voodoo magic!!
If he's gonna retire soon it doesn't matter. School won't do anything, education office won't do anything, parents won't do anything. And from their perspective your very far in the wrong.
Ehh... What's done is done. Find some way to mend the bridge. Or ask your dept head to rearrange your classes so you don't teach with him.
In the best possible scenario, you complain to your POE, your not responsible for discipline. Your POE complains to your principal. And principal doesn't do anything cause the guy is gonna retire. And the principal is gonna treat you like crap cause you rocked the boat. Schools really don't like if the higher ups call them
Last edited by winterfall on Sun Mar 27, 2011 10:16 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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cj1976
Joined: 26 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 10:14 pm Post subject: |
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Going back to my OP, I wonder what other people's view of co-teaching is? How do you manage this relationship, and is it successful? I'm amazed that despite all the money spent on bringing us here, there is no definitive method or guide to how we should interact. There needs to be a clear division of labour, so each party is sure of his/her responsibilities.
When it comes to discipline and classroom control, I think that speaking Korean is definitely more appropriate (unless the students all have great English ability). |
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Ramen
Joined: 15 Apr 2008
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| Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 10:18 pm Post subject: |
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op, of course, k-teacher is always right. what are you saying? 
say "yes" to everything and do what's right. in your case, you should not lead the class. walk into the classroom and sit next to him in the back of the class until he gets up to take charge of the class. just smile and do something when he asks. |
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winterfall
Joined: 21 May 2009
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| Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 10:20 pm Post subject: |
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| cj1976 wrote: |
Going back to my OP, I wonder what other people's view of co-teaching is? How do you manage this relationship, and is it successful? I'm amazed that despite all the money spent on bringing us here, there is no definitive method or guide to how we should interact. There needs to be a clear division of labour, so each party is sure of his/her responsibilities.
When it comes to discipline and classroom control, I think that speaking Korean is definitely more appropriate (unless the students all have great English ability). |
Your preaching to choir. In only the very rarest cases. 99% of the time co-teaching is not what it's supposed to be. This system made too many assumptions about english ability, korean teacher ability, additional remedial training programs for teachers and students in general when they started the Foreign teacher program. So the reality of day to day teaching is the polar opposite of whatever crazy nut thought of this. You just deal with it, your own way as best as you can. Then you get the hell out and let some other poor fool take your place until he or she burns out too.
Last edited by winterfall on Sun Mar 27, 2011 10:22 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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BoholDiver
Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 10:21 pm Post subject: |
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| It's your class? he said that? Then dismiss him. He's a waste of oxygen obviously. |
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lifeinkorea
Joined: 24 Jan 2009
Location: somewhere in China
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| Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 12:58 am Post subject: |
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| Going back to my OP, I wonder what other people's view of co-teaching is? |
Would the class be more successful if he helped out? YES. Would the job be easier? YES. Would you be able to do more things? YES.
This is not a situation where we have lived in the community since birth. We aren't planning on teaching at the same school for 25 years into our 50's. The hiring process is 1 year, maybe 2, then you are out the door. Students are to get exposure to native speaking. By just hiring 1 teacher alone, it's not really a good sample of native English speaking. However, it's given you, me, and everyone else a job for the time being.
Choose the students you want to teach, send the rest of the kids to the back where the Korean teacher is. Do what you can in the capacity you can do it. If you can then add some of the students in the back afterwards, great. If not, that's the principal's job. |
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methdxman
Joined: 14 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 4:04 pm Post subject: Re: Huge Argument with coteacher |
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| cj1976 wrote: |
Last week I managed to get into a blazing shouting match with one of my co-teachers - in the classroom in front of the kids.
He is late 50s and has been at this school for over 25 years. I guess he's just cruising towards retirement age because he doesn't really seem to have much interest in teaching. His idea of co-teaching is sitting at the back of the class, sleeping or surfing the net - while I do all the actual work.
There is one class of low-level 3rd graders who are quite bad, and frankly I cannot control alone. He says he can't do anything to discipline them because he is not allowed to beat them.
Anyway, long story short, the class was misbehaving and I asked him to do something about it while I tried to teach. He then told me that it was my class, therefore my responsibility and not his problem. I was so frustrated at this point, that I reacted by pointing out it was actually his class and he was ultimately in charge.
He went nuts and started shouting at me in English and then in Korean. I asked him to calm down and we could discuss it later. This just aggravated him further and he started waving his stick in my face. I lost it when he did that and shouted at him to do his job. All this in full view of the kids.
Anyway, the point of this story is; was he right? It is actually up to me control the class, while he sits idly by. I always plan the lesson and teach without assistance, which I'm fine with, but I always assumed crowd control was his duty. |
Shouting at a 50 year old teacher who has no interest in teaching.
You have a lot of growing up to do, seriously.
What, you're trying to become this guy's professional/life coach all of a sudden?
The guy is a tool who doesn't care about his job (but that's a lot of people anywhere) but you certainly handled the situation in the absolute worst way possible. There isn't a way that you could have handled the situation any worse.
And teachers here wonder why they have a hard time in Korea? Jesus Christ. |
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BoholDiver
Joined: 03 Oct 2009
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 4:31 pm Post subject: Re: Huge Argument with coteacher |
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Way to pass the buck onto old waegookin.
| methdxman wrote: |
| cj1976 wrote: |
Last week I managed to get into a blazing shouting match with one of my co-teachers - in the classroom in front of the kids.
He is late 50s and has been at this school for over 25 years. I guess he's just cruising towards retirement age because he doesn't really seem to have much interest in teaching. His idea of co-teaching is sitting at the back of the class, sleeping or surfing the net - while I do all the actual work.
There is one class of low-level 3rd graders who are quite bad, and frankly I cannot control alone. He says he can't do anything to discipline them because he is not allowed to beat them.
Anyway, long story short, the class was misbehaving and I asked him to do something about it while I tried to teach. He then told me that it was my class, therefore my responsibility and not his problem. I was so frustrated at this point, that I reacted by pointing out it was actually his class and he was ultimately in charge.
He went nuts and started shouting at me in English and then in Korean. I asked him to calm down and we could discuss it later. This just aggravated him further and he started waving his stick in my face. I lost it when he did that and shouted at him to do his job. All this in full view of the kids.
Anyway, the point of this story is; was he right? It is actually up to me control the class, while he sits idly by. I always plan the lesson and teach without assistance, which I'm fine with, but I always assumed crowd control was his duty. |
Shouting at a 50 year old teacher who has no interest in teaching.
You have a lot of growing up to do, seriously.
What, you're trying to become this guy's professional/life coach all of a sudden?
The guy is a tool who doesn't care about his job (but that's a lot of people anywhere) but you certainly handled the situation in the absolute worst way possible. There isn't a way that you could have handled the situation any worse.
And teachers here wonder why they have a hard time in Korea? Jesus Christ. |
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