Korean Job Discussion Forums

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Today I had my top grade one class and we were reviewing last week's lesson about friends and friendship. One of a series of qualities we were discussing was 'loyalty'. Now, I know that loyalty is translated as 충성 and that the conception of 충 is very important in Chinese and Korean philosophy, so I thought I'd show off by trying to offer a translation and explanation myself. Well, one of my students qualifies what I'm saying by pointing out that in Hanja, 충 - however it's spelled in Hanja - really means 'filial devotion'.

'Very good!' I exclaimed, but since your girls, not boys, loyalty between friends should be 'sororial devotion' and proceeded to teach them a new, impressive word. Then another student piped up and said no, 'filial debotion is to parent, not friend'. Then I figured out that I had been mixing up filius / filia with frater / soror, and told them, yes, you're right and are you ever smart. But how could they know that filial referred to children, not siblings? Where did at least several of them learn that from?

Damn is it ever a pleasure to teach such smart kids. I mean, in a grade 10 class in Canada do you think anyone would catch that?

jinju · Joined: 22 Jan 2006

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Last year I was doing a lesson on music. I had a few CDs along with some links to downloads. In one of my grade 3 classes the Net wasn't working on the class computer and so I was short a few song clips. One was by Radiohead - no, not Creep, but I can't remember which one - and one of my students had OK Computer in her CD folder. Another was Yesterday and the same girl had a Best of the Beatles CD. I had Smells Like Teen Spirit on my own CD, but as I started playing it she held up her copy of whatever Nirvana CD it is that has the baby swimming after a dollar on a fish hook.

What are the odds of that?

Maybe some smart people like Radiohead, too?

jinju · Joined: 22 Jan 2006

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

manlyboy · Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 11:39 pm Post subject:

Today in my advanced class a kid asked me how to spell "BMW". I too, was astounded.

jinju · Joined: 22 Jan 2006

refikaM · Joined: 06 May 2006 Location: Gangwondo

I'm new to this forum and signed up because I'm seriously thinking about teaching in Korea. I'm presently teaching in Japan, and have been an EFL teacher for many years. As with any newbie, I was hoping that I could post some questions and receive some reasonable help from you all out there who are willing to help others with some painless free advice. After all that's what forums are all about, eh.....? I have read other forums (on different countries) here on daves, and have found these forums most helpful. However, I have to admit that now I'm getting second thoughts about Korea... not because it would be too much of a challenge (I have lots of overseas teaching experience), but because of the general tone of the posters who are in Korea now. Many of you are just plain NOT NICE, and believe me, I'm being quite euphemistic with this description. So, I'm forced to believe that perhaps many foreign teachers in Korea are just plain NOT NICE and are bitter and cynical. So, because of these feelings, I'm feeling I must pass on what might be a rewarding experience (I'm quite familiar with the Korean culture, so have good idea what to expect). No one wants to live around/teach with a bunch of jerks... I apologize to those of you out there who aren't jerks (and love helping others), but I think you can understand what my concerns are.... Any perceptive person who reads this forum regularly could understand my feelings....(???)

Well, maybe many of you are trying to be jerks so "ignorant" prospectives like me won't come and threaten your jobs?!! (I'd be curious as to what your "jobs" are) Then your strategies are working quite well. Shame on you for thinking much more of yourselves than you should....

So I have one question for some of you who are willing to respond without caustic insults... Are there a lot of unhappy cynical expatriates in Korea? Or am I being presumptuous? I have too much experience, professionalism, and positive energy to have it beat down by complaining co-workers (been there done that). I realize it's the norm to have a few of these souls around, but to be surrounded is not what I'm willing to endure.... Thanks in advance...

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

Percy Nickets · Joined: 18 May 2006

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

jinju · Joined: 22 Jan 2006

Oh goodness me, heavens to betsy, we are not nice! Golly gee, I guess we better be nicer.

stakay · Joined: 16 Jul 2005 Location: Seoul

poker player · Joined: 27 Sep 2004 Location: On the river

Looks like RefikaM touched a couple of nerves.
There are supposedly about 10,000 EFLers here and probably about 5, maybe 10% post here and most I know are decent. A lot of people go out of their way to try to not be nice here, but most of it just seems to be people trying to be clever and you must admit, some succeed.
As a colleague of mine says-"read Dave's for the entertainment value, and on occasion you'll read a helpful tip."

manlyboy · Posted: Sun May 21, 2006 4:05 pm Post subject:

Yeah, frustrated a-holes do abound on this site, but unfortunately a lot of them happen to be frighteningly intelligent.
When I want info, I come here. When I want polite debate or friendly conversation, I go elsewhere.
My advice: Treat Dave's like a cold shower - quick in; quick out.
And no, the "I'm-above-common-courtesy" types you see here are not representative of Korean efl-ers in general.