Korean Job Discussion Forums

[karl]

Is video survelience common in Korea?Just came from a visit to Lits and Gauss in Busan only to discover an entire bank of twenty one tvs-in colour-watching every teacher!
To my utter disgust and shock,these cameras also had sound.Presumably,to keep on eye on the students or teachers.As I walked in,there ,Lo and Behold,was the owner fine tuning the tv whilst checking in on a teacher.Can you spell S-T-R-E-S-S-F-U-L?
I have heard in Korea they either have video cameras or some guy that comes in and watches things and grumbles and complains once a month?Is this true?

[chronicpride]

It's for promotion, moreso than accountability/preformance monitoring. Directors want to show prospective parents how they run classes and what their kids will be doing, and also to retain current parents, so they can be wowed by how well Jeesun looks to be studying on TV, while the white face is saying 'Jeesun, repeat after me. One more time. Good job.'

Also a lot of Korean directors are repressed voyeurs, and they like to watch and undress you with their eyes.

[manlyboy]

I worked in a place with ubiquitous camera surveillance. The management told us that is was solely for the benefit of the parents. So one day, one of the Korean teachers stuck a post-it over the camera in the teachers room. A few hours later the president himself appeared, spoke one sentence, and left. He said, "I like my cameras".

[McNasty]

As far as cameras are concerned, would you prefer parents to physically sit in on your classes, have parents tap on the window and watch your class, or have a camera?

I have experienced all three scenarios and I would much prefer the cameras. Keep the parents outside of the classroom thank you very much.

If the boss wants to keep an eye on me, I have nothing to hide besides after a while I forgot they were there. Could be a problem if you have a tendency of sleeping in class or play hangman 24/7.

If you do what is expected of you(make sure you discuss expectations with your boss) there won't be any problems. Also, if a kid claims that you hit them or treated them unfairly and it is a bullshit lie, tell them to check the tape if they don't believe you. That way your ass is covered.

[crazylemongirl]

no, I'm not a big fan of teaching infront of cameras. And thus far haven't worked in a place with them. At my previous gig we had the open class deal for the parents which was fine.

This gig I've had a demo class for the teachers of my city where they come and see me do my thing. Though that is more for showing off than anything. Also the Vice Principal came to observe one of my classes one day to see what I was doing.

[captain kirk]

That's really weird.
I worked in a little three-classroom haggie for a year where the director had cameras. One for the Korean teacher's room and one for mine. One monitor, an old colour tv. The view flicked back and forth, her room, my room, and so on. No sound.
Hey, what's the diff?
It wasn't streamed to the parents, just an economy, little set up.
Herr direcktor knows you and your style through and through anyway, right? Hears it reverberating through the walls if there aren't cameras.

[sistersarah]

my current hogwan has cameras and mics in all the rooms......i don't like it. i don't think it's on all the time, but sometimes i can hear a slight clicking noise with it's turned on and i hate that sound now. i mean, i know it's probably just to show parents, but i still don't like the big brother atmosphere. if i return to korea, i won't work at a place with cameras.

[Drakoi]

The place I work now has cameras all over, but there are fewer monitors than cameras, so the picture is always flipping around. The only time I found that they were watching was when one of the kids had his cell phone out while I was writing on the board. One of the secretaries came in and took it from him.

The last place I worked was much worse. Each room was taped and mic'd and the tapes were meticulously reviewed by the CEO and the head teacher. Can you say OCD? And the teachers would get a list of things that they should change. I was told things like: don't wear your coat (it's freaking freezing, but okay, I'll bring extra sweaters with me), don't sit on the desks, don't put your hands in your pockets, don't wave your hands around so much, when the kids are taking a test you should be breathing down their necks, Don't yawn (this happened on a saturday morning class when the rest of the week didn't begin until 5pm.)

So not being a big fan of a totalitarian society, I left.