Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

Hundreds of English teachers from across the nation are gathering in Seoul for a one-day conference tomorrow on how to improve spoken and written English at all levels. The event will include at least 12 presentations on the topic "Challenges: Incorporating New Ideas in EFL Teaching."
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2004/05/07/200405070030.asp

[Derrek]

Wonder if they'll have good things or bad things to say about foreign English teachers.

[Real Reality]

The event was organized by Korean Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages at Sookmyung Women's University. Korea TESOL, an affiliate of the international education association TESOL Inc., was established in Seoul in 1992 for all Korean and non-Korean English teachers here.
More information is available at www.kotesol.org/seoul/


Detroit Teachers gather
http://eserver.org/clogic/2-2/gibson.html
Ontario Teachers gather
http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/1997/297/297p20b.htm
Teachers in more cities gather
http://education.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,5500,451466,00.html

[schwa]

I havent seen much discussion on this board about kotesol & I'm curious if anyone here has a take on it.

Specifically, we've got a fairly new chapter up & running in Gangwondo & its pretty cool, from 10 to 40 people show up for monthly meetings (half Korean, half foreign) for various presentations about teaching followed by dinner & social time. Useful & fun. I'm not clear however on what the central organization actually provides.

I'm just an ordinary member. I've paid my annual dues twice & have yet to receive a single mailing of their thin & marginally interesting publication, despite polite requests to the central office. Others the same here. I havent attended a national conference but hear it described as largely a commercial bookfair -- is that accurate? We're said to have access to a central bank of speakers but few seem interested in travelling to our meetings. We've managed not badly with local members stepping up to present.

We send our dues to headquarters & as I understand it get about half back, which is spent on refreshments & token payments to presenters who come from out of province. Where does the rest go? I've yet to see a tangible service for my money & I'm told the central organization has a substantial nestegg. What gives?

We looked to update our chapter info on the central website & were told we had to purchase software for 600k won to do that. That's just stupid.

We've got a nice group of serious teachers who enjoy getting together to upgrade their skills. Kotesol seemed like a good organizing principle but can anyone convince me we shouldnt just pull out?

[PatrickSiheung]

Doesn't sound like you get anything from them. I say keep your little group and do what you've been doing. If you don't get anything for paying your dues... just stop paying. Duh =)

[Real Reality]

"Personal network maintenance is a big part of what happens during these events. Association members can take advantage of the opportunity to renew old friendships and exchange information about their work and workplace, and vote in officers for the coming year," said Jack Large of KOTESOL.
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2004/05/07/200405070030.asp

[schwa]

Duh is right on. Kotesol central as far as I can tell is smug & complacent & largely useless. I hope someone from there might respond. We've got elections next month & I dont see any reason to stay affiliated. Our group seems to work quite fine without them.

[Real Reality]

How was the gathering?

[come_on_give_me_a_break]

[canukteacher]

I attended, and found it to be very useful. I went to 3 sessions that are of interest to me. The speakers were excellent, and I came away with some good ideas.

CT

[schwa]

I erred in posting what I did & I apologize. I extrapolated my minimal dealings with kotesol as well as hearsay into an unfair & largely unfounded rant which I wish I could retract now. The national treasurer took time to pm me & address some of my concerns, which I appreciated. Like any large org, I'm sure kotesol isnt above some criticism, but I should have been much more judicious in my comments.

I think kotesol fills an important gap & has potential to be very useful for language teachers here.

[Seoul Skye]

Posted on behalf of Kevin Parent, Chairman of KOTESOL's Membership Committee

"Greetings. I am the membership committee chair for KOTESOL, and I'm sorry to hear about the problems some people are having.

Sadly, every week we get membership forms sent to us that are simply unreadable. As such, we are unable not only to process the application, but also to contact the individual for clarification. Also, many people move to a new school, and usually a new apartment, and fail to update us. With every mailing we send out we get many, many returns because the addressee no longer lives there, and there are probably many more that get delivered to the current occupant who throws them away. Also, our last international conference was so successful that, I must say, we were unprepared for all the new members.

However, I am not here to make excuses; I just want to encourage people consider whether the info we have on you is up to date or not. If not, please visit our webpage (www.kotesol.org) for info. on how to update it.

That said, please let me apologize to anyone who might have paid their money but hasn't received anything. If you feel you've slipped through the cracks for whatever reason, please send us your data again.

(http://www.kotesol.org/membership/memform.htm).

Please give us the bank account info (as requested on the sheet) so we can match the money to you. From there, we can either make sure you get past issues of publications or else start your membership fresh.

We are very glad that you've found the chapter meetings useful."

=====
Kevin Parent
Gongju National University of Education, Korea
KOTESOL Membership Chair
http://www.kotesol.org/membership/committee/

[Landry]

Dear Concerned,

KOTESOL has no 'central office' per se and in October many of our positions were replaced and others shuffled around. We are a group of volunteers and without going to to specific details, we check membership applications against receipts. Some problems include names not matching up due to them being paid in someone else's name or sent at different times.

The position of National Secretary changed in October and there were problems with the handover of managing the KOTESOL e-mail account. As well as Webmaster changes and the last Data Manager has resigned due to illness. I hate to sound like I'm making excuses but any members who aren't getting their proper benefits should have matters sorted out as soon as possible.

New systems of keeping track of our database and feasible solutions are being worked on. I now am in possession of the paper records and am awaiting an updated version of the eletronic file so hopefully we will be able to get on top it (Especially for those who have not been added to our mailing list).

KOTESOL is truly an organisation of Korean and non-Korean members who are genuinely trying to promote scholarship, disseminate information, and facilitate cross-cultural understanding among persons concerned with the teaching and learning of English in Korea.


K. Landry
KOTESOL Data Manager
http://www.kotesol.org/

Senior English Lecturer

Center for International Students and Scholars
Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST)
1 Oryong-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 500-712


http://www.geocities.com/jediknight_kr/