Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Threequalseven]

My academy stressing me out. It's gotten so bad that I'm starting to feel physical side-effects from the stress. For at least half of my classes, it's like pulling teeth to get my students to do anything. Either they try playing games with me or they just don't listen. If I want their homework books, for example, I have to practically yell at them. Otherwise, they'll either say "no workbook, teacher" and cling onto their backpacks, or they'll just carry on talking to the other students as if I never said a word. It's the same with their other textbooks, their audio CDs, and even just getting them to write the answers in the books. And it's not like I can make better lesson plans, because the whole curriculum is pre-planned. So I can either be a nice teacher and deal with their crap and all the time being wasted, or I can yell at them like a maniac so they'll listen. Either way is very stressful.

I was explaining this to a Korean teacher today, and the other foreign teacher overheard. She said she felt the exact same way and went on explaining how the students have zero respect and how earlier today a student was saying "***king your face! Open your face!" and other students were laughing hysterically. The Korean teacher told me that the other students attitude is different toward the non-homeroom teachers (i.e. those of us who only teach the students once or twice a week), and in order to make them listen, I should look them in the eye with a scary expression and, not hit them, but physically hold them down and yell at them.

This seems ridiculous. I'd like to continue teaching ESL but not if it's like this everywhere. How do students' behavior in Korea compare to students in other Asian countries, particularly at after-school language academies? Thanks.

[YTMND]

Japanese and Korean students are more the same than Chinese students. However, you have more students usually in Chinese classes. The problem lies in the way the school manages students. I worked 8 months with a language school in China, normal stuff, nothing too out of the ordinary and students were 95% Korean.

I moved to Beijing and taught outer district students for 13 months, had a great time overall. Then I decided to get closer to central Beijing. This is where the problems came up. My second school was about 1 hour from central Beijing, half hour shorter than the first by bus. The students didn't care at all and the school was not happy I was trying to discipline them, about 10% tried, the rest just copied and cheated. I left after 4 months of teaching and got a school even closer to downtown Beijing, 20 minutes to Tiananmen Square by subway. Excellent location, abysmal students from rich families.

Teachers have left one by one, first after 2 weeks, the second after 1 month, I left after 2 months, a fourth teacher left before August, and a 5th is considering his options waiting to see who he will teach before leaving himself.

Parents don't care if you teach, schools don't care if you teach, the students don't care if you teach. You are supposed to put on a show and make students want to come back. The poor areas have students who are more serious about learning. The rich areas have students with tablets and cell phones. You can't compete for their attention when they are playing games. If you take their stuff to the teacher's office for Chinese teachers they look at you like you are a bad teacher because you are supposed to teach with all these distractions. One day, a student brought a kitten who wouldn't stop meowing.

I suggest you look at the socioeconomic status of where you are teaching to determine what kind of students you can expect to have. Rural students might have a lower level of English, but they try harder to learn.

[Threequalseven]

Very interesting. I currently teach in the wealthiest neighborhood of a relatively small city. They're not Beijing rich, but I can see some similarities. My hagwon director at least had the decency to let us take their cell phones away during class, but it still doesn't mean they give them up without a fight.

I'm actually most interested in teaching in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City ideally. I assume the income correlation will still exist, but does anyone have any experience teaching down there? Or other SE Asian countries?

[Allthechildrenareinsane]

[World Traveler]

[YTMND]

[Allthechildrenareinsane]

[transmogrifier]

For me, from highest stress to lowest stress:

1. Teaching kindergarten-aged kids at a hogwan (never again - despised every second of it)
2. Teaching elementary school kids at an after-school program
3. Teaching elementary school kids at a hogwan

4. Teaching high school back home (much, much better faculty support and huge advantage in classroom management when you speak the same language as the students)

5. Teaching university.

Even allowing for this, though, there is one crucial factor for me that dictates how much I enjoy the job - my colleagues (especially true for high school back home). You have good co-workers, everything else seems a little more manageable.

[Nolos]

My advice:
Grab a newspaper and ear plugs and literally stop caring or feeling guilty that you are just collecting a paycheck. This has worked wonders for my stress level.

[World Traveler]

That's messed up, man. Don't you have a conscience?

[Zackback]

Nolos has learned just to go along with the system. Play the part, keep your mouth shut, collect the paycheck, etc etc.

It works.

For the most part they aren't and never will take us seriously. No need to fight it.

Enjoy life.

It is...what it is.

[Threequalseven]

[wylies99]

Teaching in a hagwon isn't that stressful. Dealing with the parents, Korean teachers, other waygookin who tend to be snakes, and, of course, dealing with owners is where the stress comes in.