Korean Job Discussion Forums

[TheChickenLover]

My school got interesting today. From sitting in a teacher�s room where I listen to hours of constant noise, horrific students and countless stress, I started leaving school early to avoid the stress that comes with this school. I�ve been doing this for the past month (I finish @ 1pm, my classes are prepared until next Dec, but the principal expects me to sit in the chair till 5pm looking busy). I can understand the concept of �teaching duty�, but that schedule to me means my classes can be between 9-5. It is NOT acceptable to force someone to sit in a noisy room for 3-4 hours a day.

Today my co-teacher who I work very well with came to me complaining about my lesson plan being �too general� which was �fine� last week and asked me to use a new form. The form was a sign in/out sheet which I had to sign when I started work & when I left. �Many teachers have been complaining about you leaving, and some students came to talk with you but you were not here�. I looked at this form and remembered the first rule when working in Korea.

#1. NEVER sign anything.

So I said no. �I�m not going to sign that.� I said. �Why not?� said my co-teacher. Because I know exactly what that is. Seemingly frustrated, my co-teacher said to me �If you won�t sign this paper, you can�t work here�.

�Ok.� I said. �In that case I�m stopping now. I�ll collect my things and leave.� I started packing up my computer and was going to get to my car to get one of my packing bags. The co-teacher grabbed me by my arm and prevented me from leaving. I stopped, looked at my arm, looked at him and said very clearly �I strongly suggest you let go. . .now.� He let go and the teacher�s room started to take notice. Something was wrong and I was not happy, clearly being rude to an elder and was not budging. �You just said I can�t work here if I don�t sign this paper. I won�t sign that, so I don�t work here�.

The vice principal who�s an extremely gentle person came over and asked to speak with me privately. A new co-teacher who started this semester at my school came to translate (she�s actually very nice and we get along) understood exactly my sentiments and translated very clearly to the VP my concerns.

1. I get enough stress from classes, I do not need more stress from the noise in the teachers room. I asked in December, Jan and Feb for one but I was refused.
2. In university, students would say thank you for your teaching. Here they spit on my car. I also teach at another H.S. and it is NOTHING at all like this one.
3. Don�t insult me with �pretending to look busy�. My classes are not games. They have a clear purpose, are prepared nearly 1 year in advance and are meant for them to improve their English. I am NOT going to sit and be a show pony for the school. If you need a school pet (I actually used these terms which were accurately translated to him) then they need to find someone else who will just give them crosswords. I�m not there to play.
4. I�m wasting my time. I leave the school angry nearly every day from frustration, yet I never had this feeling with my university nor other high school.
5. I will NOT leave at 5pm. I will leave when my classes for the next day are ready to be taught.
6. The most important thing for me are that the classes are taught, taught well with a purpose and improve their English. I will not �pretend� to teach nor will I pretend to work. It�s insulting to me since no matter how much I prepare nor how much I do, the only thing that matters is sitting in my chair till 5pm. If they care more about image than substance, then they need someone else.

These were clearly explained (and quite accurately) to the VP who sat back. In reality, I suspect he�s intimidated by me. I�ve been here a long time and have extremely good credentials and work experience. I�ve published several textbooks. I like to work, but work WELL. I�m not new, yet I won�t accept the �pretend� attitude that occurs here, and I was ready to leave without any 2nd thoughts about it.

The VP seemed a little embarrassed and said he understood my position. He asked �If we give you a private office, will you stay till 5pm everyday?� �No.� I said. They looked confused. �We have no classes at 4pm. I�m finished today at 1, and the only thing keeping me here are a few extra hours in the day to distress from the 2nd year students.� (Some Korean teachers have come back and cried at their desks after some classes) So far, the VP is willing to give me everything I requested (I don�t think a quiet office is an unreasonable request) and will allow me to teach my classes and go. Whether they decide to offer me a new contract they said is up to me if decide to stay. We shall see, it�s been only 40min since the meeting. The teacher�s room is a little tense. I�ll keep you posted.

Chicken

(Please excuse all typo's and grammar problems. I'm not exactly in the greatest frame of mind right now)

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Is this a part-time gig? If so, why are you sticking around at a school like that?

[Cohiba]

Get the private office. After your classes, go to your new office,
lock the door and slip out the window. Who's the wiser?

At any rate, get the private office.

[spliff]

It's a public school, you have to stay the hours you agreed to when you signed the contract. Luckily, I don't have to sit around I teach the after school program as well. I think the OP should consider working for a a Hakwon.

[SHANE02]

If the contact says working hours are 9-5, and you signed it, then thats the hours. I know what you mean about noise though.

[the foystein]

If you agreed to work 9-5 so be it.

[laogaiguk]

Did you sign a contract saying 9 to 5? If not, then you shouldn't have to stay, and the good old "The Korean teachers do" excuse doesn't work as we don't get the same benefits. If you did sign the contract saying that though, then you have to do it.

[Scott in Incheon]

I agree with the above posters. If you are contracted to stay a certain number of hours each day, then you have to.

I have spent a lot of time in teacher rooms waiting patiently to go home.

I suppose you could let them dock your pay for all the hours you have missed.

[bassexpander]

Agreed, if you signed a contract that says 9 to 5, then you should stay put until 5pm. Study Korean, something else, or find something to do with your time.

If it's a PT gig with no set hours you must stay and work, then I'd say you're OK in leaving. With that said, it I were working a PT job in the mornings or afternoons, for example, and they wanted me to stick around until lunch (mornings) or 5pm (evenings), I'd have no problem with staying around.

[ED209]

Do whatever you can get away with. I think your attitude is slightly immature, but then again I'm just jealous and it's not like this job requires you to be an adult(sarcasm directed at your Korean co-workers). It really sounds like your job just sucks and you have nothing to lose. We all sign contracts and we all know what that contract is worth when our employer breaks it.

[crusher_of_heads]

chickenlover,


goo on you for calling the bluff, and telling the tard to let go.


If it's in your contract, make sure you get the private office and bring work/leisure stuff unless you want to get fired.


They sound like horse's arses anyway, so keep the VP intimidated, and keep doing your job well and be as contrarian as much as possible. They are children and need to be treated as such.

[cruisemonkey]

[twg]

You signed the contract, and they offered you a private office to get you to calm down.

What's next? Midnight-run if they offer you a raise as well?

[IncognitoHFX]

I don't know what your complaint is. It's in your contract to stay until 5pm (I'm assuming), and you signed the contract. Why not just take his offer for a private room and spend four hours dicking around on your laptop? Or reading a book?

[Eedoryeong]