Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Otus]

I know this probably only applies to a few people, just after 10 years of ESL teaching in Korea, and soon to exit, there's a couple of comments I've always wanted to make.

I'd hung around graduate school for a few years before coming to Korea, came out with a Masters and also a knowledge of general university administration, neither of which I was overly proud about. When I first started working at a university in Korea (2 years Hagwon prior, only white guy), things suddenly got embarrassing with the transparentness of some foreign teachers.

If you have a fake degree, do not inflate your GPA. One or two teachers proudly showed me transcripts with GPA averages over 4 from highly acclaimed universities. Jeeze, you could have a scholarship for a doctorate if you avoided being recruited by a fortune 500 company with that score. Now you're clinging for life to this job, hardly on the cutting edge of things. Emphasis on the phrase you're now 'clinging for life' coupled with your wonderful past achievements you talk so freely about. What happened?

On the other hand, avoid constantly retorting with the question: 'So what are you doing here?' if other teachers appear to have reasonable credentials. Me - due to some intense political battles in my department years ago, I simply did not want anything more to do with the academic system and thought ESL was an escape. I was a drop out ... but a qualified one.

In other cases I've known some with high profile backgrounds who have worked here because of a Korean spouse and family considerations, others who just came from teaching backgrounds and a curiosity. It's like watching a balloon pop when getting hit with that question from the 'wannabe'.

Thirdly, a hard learned lesson in life for me: such things as academic accomplishment and ones' general code of ethics in life have little if any connection. In a few cases I've seen those with pretentious backgrounds preach - hammer and thump the pulpit about cultural respect and sensitivity. Cultural respect and sensitivity are things to be valued in themselves and definitely to be used in the classroom, but anyone who has had to battle their way through some western academic department conflicts will be at least skeptical or reticent of what it has to do with their position if they are honest enough.

Only in the case of ambitious foreign teachers at Korean UNIVERSITIES did that that third issue sometimes strike me as odd and make things a little more transparent.

Hope the above comments don't upset anyone greatly. Just a little reflection before heading off to different pastures.

[Lemonade]

Otus. I'm sorry but I just don't understand what points you are trying to make other than advice you are giving to people with fake degrees applying for uni jobs. Why bother?

[Otus]

Lemonade. You are correct on the first count if you read it one way. What I said probably only appears useful to those with fake degrees, but I wuz trying to hold up a 2 edged sword.

When you're caught up in administration and teaching, things are not always that transparent. (Damn, need another synonym for that word). It's one thing to see Korean staff temporarily fooled, but it easily happens / has happened to naive foreigners like myself at times, too. A few of those things I could not have said so directly 8 years ago. Some of those cowboys did some real damage for what public relations I had at times and I've seen it happen to others.

Perhaps I should have posted on the freaky waeguk forum and given more specific and detailed examples ...

[laogaiguk]

[Hollywoodaction]

[Otus]

Hollywoodaction: yeah - sorry to lead you to state the obvious. But with regard to your second point, that may be ok for Hagwons, but universities should know better, although incredibly they run that line of reasoning, too, in some cases. Of course they look for qualities outside of qualifications - and I know how important that is in terms of how students are going to relate to the teacher ... but when the qualifications are inflated, it can really create some weird perceptions. Particularly when ESL teachers start teaching content based courses ... that's another post I wanna make soon.

Anyway, thanks for making so much sense.

[Otus]

double post

[paperbag princess]

people actually got jobs at unis with fake degrees? how is that possible? i understand xyz hagwon, but a uni? that's weird.

[Lamanite4life]

Hey all, worked in a college for 4 years in Calgary, Canada & taught for one of those years at said college. I have a BA & am currently halfway through a one year at a hogwan in Ulsan. Next year hoping that a University job is possible & hoping my experience would give me an edge on getting one. Any thoughts? I've been looking for University jobs online but they're difficult to find! Any advice? I would really like out of the Hogwan business....ack

Cheers!

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[Hollywoodaction]

[Otus]

You Bum Suk: Thanks for the advice. I'll try harder next time. Could I submit some drafts to you before posting and get some feedback?

I remember around the time of the IMF that word "transparency" was all the rage. "Our business operations must be more transparent." Everyone nodded in understanding and agreement, so I did, too, without understanding what the hell it meant exactly. It was open to many different interpretations and if you really new what it meant, you could find the answer to the economic / administrative problems and there would no longer be any.

Sometimes I write that way because I'm looking for an answer myself - not trying to give anyone else one or I'm trying to get someone else to affirm what I think indirectly. Anyway, sorry about the inconvenience. I will try to become more lucid for you.