Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Young FRANKenstein]

Are there any groups or resources to help EPIK teachers with schools that have a hostile work environment? Options for what a teacher can do when in that situation?

My girlfriend is new to Korea. Her first day at her school was Feb.29th, so she's only been on the job 2 weeks (not including the week of EPIK orientation) and she's already so miserable and stressed by her co-teacher's hostility towards her, she's crying daily and has a constantly upset stomach from the stress.

She's not some young fresh-from-uni innocent with no job experience. She's in her 40's and has worked stressful jobs before--15 years as a nurse, so she's not exactly lazy or afraid of doing actual work. Plus, she got her TESOL well before even starting any hiring process (she looked at going to China as well). She's just new to teaching and needs guidance from her head co-teacher, and not the unending sarcasm, derision, belittling, heavy sighs, eye rolls, and out and out nasty tones of voice she is constantly receiving...

Two weeks in and she's already talking about quitting. She says her other two co-teachers, as well as the principal and vice principal, are all lovely and very kind to her, but the head co-teacher obviously has some "issue" with her and is impossible to be cordial to.

My gf's already started documenting everything, hoping to cover her backside if her co-teacher ever gets it in her head to get my gf fired with her nonsense**. She's trying to stay out of her way as much as possible, but between sharing and office and teaching 3 days a week together, it's not easy to avoid the problem.

Is there anyone she can talk to, or get help from, in her situation? Is it even possible to get transferred to another school this early in her contract? She's great with the students, but getting shouted down in front of them by the co-teacher in every class they teach isn't good any way you look at it.

I'm not in EPIK, so I have no idea how someone can deal with such a vile, toxic co-teacher.


**examples aplenty if you think they're necessary to this narrative

[pkang0202]

She should talk to the Vice Principal. Have her bring another coteacher to help translate.

[pmob7714]

I am also a new EPIK teacher. Today at the lunch table:
Random Korean Teacher: (Looks at me) Something in Korean.
Me: Smile (I have no idea what he just said)
Co-teacher: Translates his question as "Where do you live?"
Me: Cheongju
RKT: You don't speak Korean?
Me: No.
Random Korean Teacher and Co-teacher then begin looking at me, speaking in Korean, and laughing. I hear co-teacher say internet banking, after she helped me set up my online account earlier. They finish their joking and i'm not even given the jist of what was said about me. WTF?

[swinewho]

[Weigookin74]

[Modernist]

Yes, you will have to get used to this. You have two choices:

1) Politely lean over, look them in the eye, smile and say, slowly, 'Could you tell me what he just said? I'm trying to practice my Korean and so I'm listening carefully to everything you say.'

2) Keep your head down and pretend you have no idea what is going on and only speak when spoken to. Whenever you feel like they may be laughing at you, think like the mercenary you should be and realize you're only here for the money and as long as they give it to you on time you don't care about anything else. Recognize that long after you've said goodbye to this place they'll all still be here, the best revenge of all.

#1 will work, but you've got to handle it right. Likely they'll giggle in that ridiculous Korean way but you can be sure they'll be more careful in the future. I've used it before but mentally #2 is more valuable over the long run.

As to the OP, your best chance is if one of the other CTs can be spoken to and used as a kind of buffer. Likely the head CT is senior to them, so your GF will have to be very careful about her phrasing. Subtle, use lots of 'I feel' and 'I see' and don't make it about how the head CT is crazy or whatever. More of, 'I'm very sorry but I don't understand why this is happening. Can you please help me understand?' Or 'It seems like CT X is often speaking over me in the class. I don't understand this and it makes the class hard for me. Do you have any suggestions for me?' Speak slowly and calmly and smile a lot. Use gestures if you can.

Try to go to your other CTs INSTEAD of straight to the VP. Try not to get VPs or principals involved unless other options have failed first.

[ttompatz]

SERIOUSLY.....

S.N.I.P.*

Some people take their co-teachers far to seriously.

*smile, nod, ignore, proceed.

Go home at 4:30 and unwind. At the end of the year, you get to choose what you want to do, where you want to work next, what country is nice to be in next, etc. They are just stuck where they are.

.

[goreality]

There is no point in asking them to translate. They will only translate what they want you to hear. If you get picky about this it will only make things worse.
Transferring won't happy any time soon. Complaining will backfire even if everyone else hates the other person. As Koreans like to say, just endure ...try not to get too fussed about it.
She should do what everyone else does and vent on these esl websites and focus on her lessons ignoring but agreeing to everything her bothersome coteacher says.
I understand she is older and has experience in stressful jobs. But stress is a effect, the causes of stress between EFL and nursing are very different. Effectively dealing with stress involves dealing with the causes, as much as the effect. Working in another country with a completely different culture, mostly with people who don't speak your language and dealing with children all day is a different environment than nursing in your home town hospital....some would argue the inexperienced have a better time adjusting because they have no means to compare it too. Hiring practices reflect this.

[swinewho]

[YTMND]

I have been rather lucky with co-teachers, but whenever someone higher up says I should do something differently, I pull out a notebook write out EXACTLY what they want me to do. Then, the next class I do EXACTLY what is on that list, nothing more. When the class eventually bombs, I then start questioning that person and explain why I think it didn't work. I have always been left alone after that.

[swinewho]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[ttompatz]

You missed the next line and it would be even more important than the SNIP.

Some people take their co-teachers far too seriously.

There is one really MAGIC word that works really well. Just say, "NO."

If the CT becomes more unprofessional in the class - walk out and contact EPIK about it. Don't (big letters here: DO NOT) return to her class until EPIK has sorted it out.

Continue to work with the other CTs.

.

[YTMND]