Korean Job Discussion Forums

[randall020105]

Hey guys, I have a quick question?

any of you heard of GET TV program teaching esl via Skype-like program to Korean rural area kids?

[schwa]

Not that program specifically, but the same concept:

I was assigned last fall to a super-rural elementary school (40 or so students total) one day a week. Because the school didnt have a native speaker the first semester, they'd signed on for one of these skype deals. Because it was already budgeted, the kids had to continue to suffer through it for the rest of the year.

"Suffer" is the right word. These kids were so sweet & trusting & they gave it their best shot, but they hated it. They simply could not connect to this woman on the screen (in California) who garbled their names, spoke in a childish robotic voice, & really had no clue what went on in their lives or how to engage them.

Anecdotal, sure, & maybe in the hands of a better teacher this medium could be somewhat effective, but I'm skeptical. Aside from actual distance, the screen itself is distancing. A talking head with a bit of interactivity but no warmth.

[randall020105]

i just don't get it... why not pay us extra and let us connect more with the kids. they complain that some teachers don't connect with the kids.

[schwa]

Off-base remark deleted, with apologies.

[randall020105]

Wow!!

Let me break it down into chunk sizes you can digest... NO need to reply sha!!

the school(that place you go to every weekday to talk English to people aged 2 - 12 ) pay unqualified undergraduates 1 mill ₩ p/m to expose the kids( who Shwa and the likes are supposed to teach ) to more English talking.

This happens because the normal classes from 9:00 -12:00 are not enough exposure for rural kids(apparently)

MY THINKING = { pay the native speakers a TAD BIT extra in overtime money and in return save loads of coin by NOT paying Skype tutors }

Stay with me Schwar.... I know it may be difficult since reading is more difficult than listening to your iPod ....

This way we earn more money in stead of just desk-warming until the bell rings for going Home.

TA DA!!!!!

note to self: don't take Schwar serious... Mind games are an age old tradition of idiots... But these people can't help it....they've been raised by idiots, who've been raised by Idiots, who've been....... You know what I mean. Right?

[some waygug-in]

In case you haven't noticed, many schools will go to great expense to make

their native teacher irrelevant. They are always looking at programs like this in hopes that they can eliminate FT's altogether.

Hint: They don't want native teachers in public schools.

[PatrickGHBusan]

Hint: the PS program was always a stop-gap measure and aims at hiring conversation teachers who will assist the Korean full-time teacher.

So bascially, know what you are getting into when you apply!

[some waygug-in]

No it wasn't. There were quite a few teachers who were hired back in the day who ran their own show and were allowed full control of both their
textbooks and their classes. Needless to say, they were much happier
in their jobs and I believe their students were learning more as well.


This all changed when they introduced "co-teaching".

[PatrickGHBusan]

Actually the initial programs like EPIK hired assistant teachers who ended up working with a Korean co-teacher. I knew a few people back in 1997-1999 who worked in such programs. Back then they had trouble filling all their positions too.

The intent was never to hired full-time, full-fledged foreign teachers.

One guy who became one of my good friends was working at a Korean HS in Busan back in 1997. He was alone in his class sometimes but he was not a full-teacher at the school. Things did and still do vary from school to school however but the intent of the program does not change.

Another friend of mine was hired in Busan through EPIK in 2006, he stayed in his PS until 2010. He worked with a co-teacher actually with 3 different ones. 2 of them let him run his class, one was more involved. I met more EPIK teachers through him and some were in a more supervised environment.

Finally, I was a certified teacher and I worked at a Korean PS in the early 2000s. I was paired up with a co-teacher but he left me alone to run my classes. We planned the school year together and met regularly. Still, on the schools files I was not a full-permanent teacher. I was an assistant teacher.

Still the EPIK program is a stop-gap that aims at filling a hole that should or would eventually be filled by competent local teachers who reach a sufficiently high proficiency in English.

All I am saying is people need to realize and understand the aim, scope and nature of the job they apply for. It makes no sense raging against the PS system when clearly the aim of the hiring programs is to plug a hole with assistant teachers and by the way, there is nothing wrong with such a program and it is not uncommon as the JET program in Japan can show.

If a person wants full control over his class then a Hakwon is a better choice or a University or International School if you have the quals.

[some waygug-in]

OK. I see what you are saying.

I just know that schools were hiring people directly, not going through EPIK

or one of its spin-off entities.

I know of teachers that were allowed to set up their own program, choose their own textbooks and basically, be their own boss.

[PatrickGHBusan]

It does vary from school to school!

Also if you are hired directly by a PS that would be a different story.

[randall020105]

^ would you care to explain?

[PatrickGHBusan]

[some waygug-in]

It's too bad that EPIK had to come in and ruin the schools that were good.

I suppose it's like one of my students in Mexico told me one time;


When the union reaches a solution, the company is not happy.


When the company reaches a solution, the union is not happy.


When the government reaches a solution, nobody is happy. *~*