Korean Job Discussion Forums

kimcheeking · Guest

last minute schedule change
never given notice of more than 30 seconds for any kind of policy change
lack of support for classroom discipline
getting paid in cash at 9pm
lack of teaching resources

All of these are from my first hogwan back in '97-'98

Zyzyfer · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2003 10:11 pm Post subject:

Honestly, I think you should tell them to provide some new, multi-faceted teaching materials and a well-thought out lesson plan that doesn't follow a book a month. This would take a lot of time and effort, but it's probably what would improve the morale of all the right teachers.

Stunted Wookie · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Sound Studio

Aside from Kimcheekings excellent and universal comments I would mention the separation between Korean and foreign teachers...

How many teachers are regulalry in the dark from lack of information. Meetings in Korean..what is the Korean teacher doing in class etc?
Real co-operation is an asset.

igotthisguitar · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:29 pm Post subject:

Butterfly · Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Location: Kuwait

Forgive if this seems patronizing, it is not meant as such, you may have an industrial degree like me and already looked at Mayo's Hawthorn Experiments, but in essence the principal factor in motivation is sincere attention from management.

http://www.accel-team.com/human_relations/hrels_01_mayo.html

You can pay what you like, change the environment, but for the workers it all boils down to feeling as though their work is important, they are part of a team, and the boss cares about and appreciates what they do.

The Marchioness · Joined: 17 Feb 2003 Location: teetering on the edge

Things Hagwons can do to improve teacher morale:

Make sure that all the kids are at the right level, for crying out loud. Nothing is more frustrating than teaching some advanced grammar material to students who don't even know how to respond to "How are you today?"

Make sure the textbooks are interesting; students and teachers should not have to struggle, resist, and battle against some outdated uninteresting garbage. Not only do the students fall asleep - so do the teachers.

Make sure there is no kissing up and no kicking down among the staff; backbiting is just not nice and being suspicious of one another is a real drag. Positive relationships are the welcome kind, not having to be on your guard at all times.

Make sure there is toiletpaper, soap, and clean towels in all the bathrooms. The resentment of having to bring one's own stuff and carrying it from desk to can is not exactly suited to improve a teacher's morale.

Make sure you treat your teachers with respect, courtesy, and understanding at all times; they have to live in your culture and sometimes it is just plain hard/awfu/disgusting - you pick your own adjectives.

Make sure you pay your teachers on time, every time. Do not mess around with weird deductions, or strange requests for security deposits, guarantees, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. Case in point: right now my director hates me with undisguised passion as I will not give in to his whacko request regarding money. I'd sooner die!

Gotta run - but I've got a few more

tomato · Posted: Tue Jun 03, 2003 2:44 am Post subject:

Hello, Kangnam Dragon!

Here's my nomination: restriction of creativity.

I'm working at one language hagwan and four preschools.
Out of those five schools, I'm happy at four of them--so I must not be too difficult to please.

At one of those preschools, I worked for a whole year, enjoying the freedom to use my own materials and plan my own curriculum.

At the end of the first contract, the director said she wanted books for the kids to bring home and read to their mommies. I told her that I could write and paste up books myself, but she would not agree to that.

So, like a fool, I agreed to a bulk order of books from Tun Tun Edu--which I quickly learned to despise. There are hundreds of Korean English teachers who think those books are just wonderful, but she has to have a foreign teacher to impress the parents.

I've tried to make myself so obnoxious that she would fire me, but so far, I haven't had any luck.

The Lemon · Joined: 11 Jan 2003

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

How about not asking us (foreign teachers) to have to do "level tests" on students who don't even know their ABC's. I mean, how obvious is that?

How about giving each teacher a "new" copy of the textbook for the classes that they are teaching? Not having to share one used book and tapes between 6 -7 teachers.

How about letting the teacher decide how fast a class should cover a textbook?

How about having some kind of policy for students who consistantly don't bring their books?

How about having a director who can speak English, so you can explain the situation to them and visa versa?

How about having the director butt-out and let the teacher's teach?
Especially since the director has never taught anything and hasn't even taken the time to teach herself a bit of English.

How about whiteboards for every classroom, and marker pens as well?

How about the director not chewing out the teacher each time a class is a bit rowdy?

How about having some say as to where the students are placed, both level-wise and age-wise?

I could go on, but I only have 3 months left here. Too late to change now.

Cheers

Horangi Munshin · Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Location: Busan

I'd like to know where the students are going too. I get the crap that some-waygug-in gets, then get blamed for everything. Gees!

Give me a school were there is a discipline policy, the director listens and supports teachers. Most importantly a school where when ordered to do X which will obviously produce Z, the teacher doesn't get blamed for Z!

OiGirl · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: Hoke-y-gun

1. Quality, western-published textbooks and supplementary materials
2. Clean workplace including classrooms and washrooms
3. Above bottom-end housing: i.e., air-con, sofa, oven
4. Institute-wide discipline/reward plan (including attendance and homework)
5. Support for and recognition of professional development

Circus Monkey · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: In my coconut tree

kangnamdragon,

I only hope that your boss really does intend to follow through on these promises and is not just paying lip service. As well, all I can really do is echo what Butterfly said: if a worker doesn't feel that what he or she does is appreciated nor given a real say in policy (certainly reasonable at a small organization) then that person will not perform at a high level. I think it's important for your boss to realize that we aren't advocating a "takeover" by the teachers but merely to be recognized.

CM

Juggertha · Joined: 27 May 2003 Location: Anyang, Korea

another possible one (or impossible in Korea?) is to "stick to thier guns". I can't tell you how many times i've come to an agreement with my boss (about student placement, text book, ect..) and then a day later after talking with the Korean teachers thier mind has dramaticaly changed.

Take advice, pick a direction and go with it. Your the boss.. act like it.

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired