Korean Job Discussion Forums

Beej · Joined: 05 Mar 2005 Location: Eungam Loop

If you work at a kiddie hogwon you have undoubtedly heard complaints from the moms. Some less warranted than others. Lets list em here. I will start:
Back during the World Cup, I had parents call and complain about me because I said in class that Ihoped my national team (USA) would do well. I didnt even know they were to play Korea. I didnt know how or even if i should defend this action to my boss.

the eye · Joined: 29 Jan 2004

our hogwan has an english only policy in the classroom.
for my lower level students, i am prepared to offer vocabulary translations in korean if i see any blank faces.

i don't speak korean in the class other than to offer those translations.

however, a few days ago, i received a barrage of complaints from a GROUP of mothers from different classes denouncing my use of korean in the classroom....as it should be english only.

the only reason i started translating, was because of the complaints that the lower level students couldn't understand new vocabulary.

pet lover · Joined: 02 Jan 2004 Location: not in Seoul

The grandmother of one of our preschoolers regularly calls and harrasses the Korean teacher over nothing. If the little boy comes home with the tiniest of scratches, she calls and screams bloody murder. I found out yesterday that she has repeatedly threatened to kill the Korean teacher. We've resorted to telling the little boy that he cannot play with the other children, or even play at all because he might get "hurt" and then the school would have to deal with the crazy granny. Still, there is the chance of a nasty paper cut which would result in more death threats. Next year, he's in my class. Shocked

Wrench · Joined: 07 Apr 2005

Yeah.. I got one about your not doing enough crafts.. Then when I started doing crafts I got complaints that I wasn't teaching english. I just roll my eyes and say OK I will do it your way. Then I get a complaint from the director that I don't have enough kids crap on my walls, I tell them that you told me to hold off on the crafts. So how am I supposed to have wall fodder?

Its a cycle of stupidity. I know it they know it, I just play the game and take my paycheck home. The ironic thing is that they are really happy with me.

jacl · Joined: 31 Oct 2005

This is my first post on Dave's. I've been teaching and living in Korea since January.

Don't let anyone tell you what to do.

"Go faster. Don't do this. Don't do that." Whatever. If you're confident enough at your job, and the students are learning English, you don't need to be distracted with useless comments. Let them know this. And don't be intimidated.

joe_doufu · Joined: 09 May 2005 Location: Elsewhere

Freezer Burn · Joined: 11 Apr 2005 Location: Busan

My BF has some beauties, I kid you not he got a complaint that one student was learning to much!, Im not sure if it was lost in the translation but thats how the directom explained it.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

pet lover · Joined: 02 Jan 2004 Location: not in Seoul

Learning too much, yeah, we had some parents try to pull their daughter out saying that she knew more than enough English for her age. Shocked

We managed to talk them into leaving her with us, but word is, she is gone at the end of the school year and the director doesn't seem like he thinks there is a chance we can keep her. The first time it happened, I jokingly told the director I would start changing her answers on her test papers to give her lower grades so that the parents would think there is still something left for her to learn. Now I wish I HAD done that. Sad

joe_doufu · Joined: 09 May 2005 Location: Elsewhere

flint · Joined: 11 Apr 2004

I had a mother complain because I chatted with the kids, in English, in class.

It was a class of 10-11 kids. 5 of them would finish 5 mins or so before the others. We would chat about anything they wanted to in that time, but they had to try and use English. They actually tried.

The mother of a boy who was never finished on time called and complained. I was ordered, by the director, not to converse in English with them. If they finished their work, give them more.

I was flabbergasted. I said, so, because 1 person complained half the class gets punished for actually trying to talk in English? At that point standard Directorial BS started. It wasn't 1 parent it was many, which after a few minutes got pared down to 1 again. To which I said, fine, you are the boss, its your school.

The other kids learned from "someone" that they could complain about the lack of conversing anymore. Whiney kid ended up quiting. I ended up going back to doing what worked.

lastat06513 · Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2005 7:58 pm Post subject:

one word to explain this;

catch-22

pet lover · Joined: 02 Jan 2004 Location: not in Seoul

Normally, I'd agree, Joe, but she was in the class her parents wanted her to be in. They honestly believe that she knows enough English now and it's time to focus more on Korean. I think it's because she went through our English kindergarten program. She learned lots of kindy English songs, rhymes, dances, what have you. She never learned the Korean stuff. I think that they want her to learn that now.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

When I worked hogwan I encountered this problem. At first I made the mistake of taking it seriously. After I told the supervisor "you can tell Jay's mother that I think her son is a disgrace and she should be embarrassed to have a son like that" they stopped bothering to relay parental concerns on to me.

flint · Joined: 11 Apr 2004