Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Universalis]

Just out of curiosity... how much personal information do the teachers here share with students? Where do you draw the line?

I bumped into an older student (and she's not even my student... she just attends our school) on the street today and she asked for my phone number. It was the second time I had ever spoken to this woman so I felt very, very uncomfortable sharing that kind of information with her. I said sorry, but no, I'd rather not do that. Call me paranoid, but I think having my number on this woman's auto-dial could lead to all sorts of trouble.

Personally, I try to maintain some professional distance between me and my students. Mostly because I'm tired of being put in awkward situations by overly-chummy students ("I want to be your friend" "What's your phone number?")

Brian

[SuperHero]

I never give out my phone number for students. When they ask, I always tell them the best way to get in touch with me is via email. With Email I have an address that I use only for students so when I get new mail there during the semester I know it's important and always respond immediately.

I heard from an ex-colleague that after he gave out his number to students, he would occaisionally recieve calls at 2 or 3am. "Teacher, I am drunk. come drink with us" or some such thing. This continued for almost 2 years after he stopped giving out his number.

[Badmojo]

I think you should never see your students outside of the class. NEVER. You should maintain a professional distance. Like the other poster, I'll give them my email, but when they ask me for my phone number I tell them I don't have a phone. And I wouldn't be lying.

[Derrek]

I was told specifically by the principal NOT to give out my number to the girls (I teach HS girls). After a few months, I started getting off-hours calls from the student newspaper staff. They had an English question, and one of the Korean teachers pulled my name off of the school list and gave it to the newspaper students.

So much for that.

[Zark]

I agree with SuperHero - but I usually keep it lighthearted - such as, "I don't know my number because I never call myself." Give a good chuckle and escape . . . If they are persistent I have a student only e-mail address.

[Grotto]

email....definately the way to go.

I still get the occasional email from some of my students that I have taught over the last 3 years

[casey's moon]

I gave my phone number to just one of my adult students when I taught at a university language centre (glorified hagwon). That was three years ago, and he has called me at least once a day ever since and sometimes more -- even after we got married .

So yeah, be careful about which students you give your phone number to

[Captain Corea]

I give out my e-mail but because of the "hanmail / hotmail" thing I have troubels responding to some of them.

[joe_doufu]

I find the students who ask for my e-mail or phone number are generally the few that like me and that I wouldn't mind chatting with. I'm sort of dreading that their mothers will take advantage of it and force them to call me and "casually" ask me the questions from their high school homework assignments.

[ThePoet]

[Derrek]

[just because]

[Ya-ta Boy]

Another out is to give the wrong number.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

I was once a few minutes late getting to class and a student called me when I was in the taxi en route wondering where I was. I suppose it's nice to be missed.

[Derrek]

I always tease my girls when they ask for my number.

I say, "Sure! It's 119-9774...."

That one always gets a laugh before I finish giving the full number.

Thankfully, I have yet to get a response from a girl saying her number starts with 088..