Korean Job Discussion Forums

[margaret]

Monday I was angry with a student in one of my youngest classes. She was repeatedly not paying attention and writing something in Korea. I finally took what she was writing and ripped it up.
It turns out it was some homework. She told her parents and my boss has been trying to placate them for days now. A couple months ago I heard my boss on the phone to this girl's father, trying to explain why his daughter hadn't learned to read English in 2 weeks.
Anyway, my boss is angry with me. I apologized to her at least twice. She had me apologize to the girl and sit while she talked on the phone to her father in case he wanted to talk to me. She said, "You did a very bad thing."
Later this evening she seemed even angrier and I saw a note on her desk criticizing my handling of another class.
I'm wondering if she'll get over this or if it's the beginning of the end. I'm depressed and pissed myself though trying not to show it and am afraid of going into a downward spiral.
Any advice or opinions are appreciated. I know this is nothing compared to others' horror stories, and probably par for the course for boss-FT-parent relations but it's bothering me nonetheless.
Margaret

[Hollywoodaction]

[margaret]

In the past I've taken their papers, toys, etc, and put them on the secretary's desk, but this time I just lost it.
Margaret

[Dawn]

Sounds like an idiot of a boss to me. No, ripping up a student's paper isn't the best idea. But on the other hand, the student had no business doing other homework in English class. While my boss might privately ask a teacher to refrain from destroying students' property in the future, I'm pretty sure the public line would be "This is English school, not a Korean study room. If your child doesn't want to lose her Korean homework, tell her not to do it in English class."

[margaret]

[Freezer Burn]

I feel for you, have you witnessed any form of punishment performed by K-teachers that you can trade off against, it seems to me that they really are milking it,
It really was a very small incident that deserved a comment on but thats it, it should be dropped after that.
Keep your head up, but don't let any more come of this, you have apologized to all involved and thats it end of story.

[margaret]

[JongnoGuru]

What's with these parents? Where's Korea's vaunted respect for teachers? My parents aren't Korean, but I guarantee you they'd've sided with my teacher in this (or almost any) situation. They'd been embarrassed that I made my teacher so upset... as they should be. They're rotten parents to have raised to a kid like me.

[susy]

Dont worry margaret...bosses are all for just keeping the parents happy because they want to keep their money....

the kids are most often than not spoilt lil brats in the hagwons who try to get the teachers attention all the time because they dont get it from their parents....

Dont worry chin up and press on.....your boss will be fine soon if shes not....shes a plonker and not worth worrying yourself over.

If a kids naughty what are u supposed to do?....i had that trouble its insane when u cant do anything because it might uoset the director or parents.... you sound like a good caring teacher....thats more than what most directors get!!

[joe_doufu]

You need to have some backbone and make it clear that you're not amused. Don't get catty and moan at them. Just tell them that enough has become enough.

PS: I take students stuff all the time. Usually I give it back at the end of class but I have a huge pencil and eraser collection from the times when I forget. When I'm really angry I've been known to take students pencils and snap them in two. (Shhh... our little secret)

[Dan The Chainsawman]

Hahahahahhha I am telling on you JOE!!! YOur're so busted!


Me I hold them by the ankles and shake them until the comply. If not the next class gets a good view of the turds on their knees chanting, "I will behave in English Class, I will behave in English Class."

Tell you what it tends to make the next class think twice about being butt nuggets.

[tzechuk]

[Demonicat]

I wouldn;t worry about it- the parents probably aren't even calling anymore. Korean bosses love to bitch and moan about imaginary offences as a way to keep you inline. As long as you think you're in trouble, you'll work extra hard and not ask for a raise.Nothing to be worried about. I've been in trouble for 11 months now, hehe. Anyway, if worse comes to worse get an LOR and move opn, you canhave a new job in 24 hours.

[flint]

The owners suck up to the parents way too much. The last hagwon I worked actually told me not to "converse" with the kids to placate one parent. I had a class of 10, 5 of them were quicker than the others so for the 3-5 minutes more it took the other kids to finish we would talk, in English, about anything they wanted to. They had to try and use ENglish though. It worked quite well. One of the slower students whined to his mother, she called the school.

Of course, in one of the many wonderful ways Directors will lie to you, I was first told that several parents complained. Actually, I wasn't even told what class it was about at first, I guessed which one and was right. They milked what they could out of it, trying to make me out to be a bad teacher who should ONLY be talking about what is in the book.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I stopped the "conversing" then there were complaints because we stopped doing it. The whiney kid left the class, and things returned to normal with us "conversing".

Most directors pander to the parents to the point of stupidity. If it doesn't blow over maybe you should look elsewhere for work.

[manlyboy]