Korean Job Discussion Forums

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Countdown to the Korea Teachers Union using this as some sort of rallying cry as to why there shouldn't be tests for elementary school kids, which also indicate teacher performance.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/10/117_33569.html

Juregen · Joined: 30 May 2006

No one to look after the boy?

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

One day, Korea may see past multiple choice exams and stop basing success on scores. Until then, expect more suicides and uncreative people.

Japan has 16 Nobel prize winning scientists. Guess how many Korea has.

Khyron · Joined: 27 Jan 2005 Location: Japan

GreenlightmeansGO · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Location: Daegu

Maybe in Japan they have more options...so the students have more things to think about...perhaps that nurtures creativity.

Choose the most correct answer, from A-Z.

Whirlwind · Joined: 03 Jun 2005

Japan is infinitely more creative than Korea. Despite similarities in their educational modes, Japan is innovative, whereas Korea copies stuff. Perhaps if Korean parents would stop telling their children that there self worth is solely determined by how much you make and your status, they might live happier lives. Seriously. In Korea, it is basically you are either a doctor or lawyer and if you can't achieve either, well, you might as well put a shotgun to your head or jump into the Han.

Teelo · Joined: 09 Oct 2008 Location: Wellington, NZ

I'm leaving because I don't like to live in this world.....

... of warcraft.

jadarite · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 1:31 pm Post subject:

Koreans are archers when it comes to academics, very accurate at times but they don't know what to do with their knowledge after they get their answer right. The adult students just answer and wait for the next question (What will you do this weekend? I will visit my in-laws [and suck up to them without presenting any form of individual identity]). They don't know how to do follow-ups either.

Japanese are more like gymnasts. They will go through all these flips and turns just to say hello or answer something with a simple "No". After that, you get bizarre associations (What will you do this weekend? I want to go to Osaka. Why? To buy a trampoline. You want to jump on a trampoline? Yes, I like to jump, but my wife won't let me. So, I probably won't go to Osaka.)

moosehead · Joined: 05 May 2007

one of the classes I teach has high level 3rd graders in it (elem) - several of the kids have lived abroad - our lesson was about health, medical symptoms, sickness terms, etc.

depression was listed also

I started talking about depression in kids and stress from tests, and also how it must feel for children to have to move overseas - it opened up a barage of discussions in an already talkative class -

it really hit a note with the ones who'd been living abroad - one in particular said he was depressed when he moved overseas and then again when coming back to K -

it's nothing short of abuse what some of these kids are subjected to by their parents.

I make a point of discussing stress with my students - at ALL age levels - as soon as they hit the level of E where they can understand

call_the_shots · Joined: 10 Oct 2008

Korea tries to do everything like Japan. They want to look like Japan, they want to be like Japan... But they hate Japan.

betchay · Joined: 23 Aug 2005 Location: Seoul

My Korean friend who is a public school teacher said that the teacher embarrassed the boy by announcing to the class his low score. I don't know how true it is but I was surprised that I didn't read that in any English newspaper.

A few years ago, I used to "tutor" a Korean teenager and one day he told me that a boy in his school also killed himself. The reason? One of the teachers cut his hair in the class and embarrassed him. The teacher never showed any remorse, accdg to my tutee, upon learning of the boy's death.

This isn't an isolated incident. I've heard several other stories of students (tweens/teens) killing themselves in Korean news. The reasons are as simple as having a low grade in exams to being bullied by their classmates.

This is really sad.

driftingfocus · Joined: 08 Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA

Recently, during a farewell hike for one of the foreigners in town who was leaving, 5 of the foreigners here (which is pretty much everyone) found a high school girl hanging from a tree branch, in the middle of the hiking trail. This was during midterms, and though the girl was apparently also having relationship troubles, it is thought that grades definitely had something to do with it.

It's getting absurd.

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http://jindowaygook.wordpress.com/

fence sitter · Joined: 17 Aug 2006

What's amazing is the amount of denial that takes place in these situations. I have several wangtas (outcast) kids in my class, and one of them even tried to throw himself out a window (a Korean teacher and I had to wrestle him back into the school). Nothing changed, of course. His mom came in and insisted everything's fine and DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING, and the school capitulated. Nothing changed, indeed. Of course, the kid is still wangta.

I have several other students who have obvious neurological problems, but when I mention this to their Korean homeroom teachers or my supervisor they just shrug their shoulders.

"Shouldn't they be in a class or school for special needs children?"

"Their parents say they are normal."

Whatever.

EzeWong · Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Location: Seoul

newinseoul · Joined: 22 Sep 2005 Location: Busan

There is no such thing as 'special needs' classes in Korea. Special children are just ignored in class from what I've seen. I've also been told by my co-teacher to just ignore the lower level students and focus more on the higher level students.

What a sad situation going back to the OP. I agree that the pressure on children starts so early. I also think that besides being singled out or ostracized for low marks, children are also made fun of if they don't fit in with the rest. Appearances are everything. If a student doesn't dress up to par or look like the rest of the 'group' then they are made fun of.

No wonder the suicide rate in Korea is the one of the highest in the world. Pressure to learn English, and be the best in looks and in school is intense. Suicide affecting children but celebrities who are also under enormous stress.

Here is a good article on the matter.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-02-10-suicidesouthkorea_x.htm