Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Tim Horton]

I had an argument with my boss today. I went into one of my classes and I found that none of the 8 students in the class had done their homework. They were all new students to the school. When I checked their notebooks I noticed that all of their homework was completed for the Korean teacher's portion of the class but not for mine. This has been an ongoing problem and it's not only for my classes but for all the foreign teachers at my school.

Earlier in the week I had asked my Korean partner to come into my class and explain the homework to the kids because I had mentioned to them "Don't forget your homework!" and they were like "Whaaa? Homework?" So she came in and told them all what the homework was. Based on their reactions I could sense that this was the first they had heard of it. So I mentioned to my boss that she needed to make sure that these kids had at least something done because the class curriculum is entirely dependant on the kids doing the work. It's a dictation that they present to the class. No dictation -> no class. She said she would do something.

Low and behold nothing is done. I go into her class and ask her to come say something to the kids because they need to understand that the homework needs to be done. She comes into the class asks them why they didn't do their homework and she tells me it's because they didn't understand how to do it. I asked her why they didn't understand because not only are they supposed to come to orientation with their parents but the Korean teacher explained it to them and I reminded her to say something to the parents. I was pretty calm when I asked. I didn't raise my voice or say it in a rude way. She got pretty pissed and said that we shouldn't be arguing in front of the kids. I said I shouldn't be in the position of having to ask you this in front of the kids after all this, why is this still happening after we all had a big meeting about this problem a month ago. She said she would call the parents. Then she made the kids stay after class to explain the homework to them.

During the argument she said that I shouldn't act angry with the kids because then the parents will think that she didn't prepare them well enough to come to class. She also said if I had a problem with the kids that she would give them to another teacher . I thought that was a pretty cheap thing to say. I told her that the kids were not the problem and neither was I.

I wouldn't be so irritated if this problem hadn't been going on forever and never seems to end. I know this is Korea and I should just accept that this is how things are done her but when things like this happen it makes me feel like my whole existence here is pretty meaningless. I know that sounds a bit dramatic but somewhere between the kids coming and signing up for the classes and walking into the classroom they are instructed on how to do the Korean teacher's homework and not mine. Both are equally complicated. I can't help but take it to mean that my class is simply not as important.

Here's the rub. Report cards are due in less than three weeks and this class and their ability to give this dictation is the bulk of the grade and in true hagwon fashion I am forbidden from giving less than a C and even that will get me the cold shoulder for a least a week or two.

In my estimation she is withholding the information about our homework because she thinks that telling the parents will scare off customers. So what would you do in this case?

Option 1: Roll with the punches. Do whatever during classtime and give out a B's on the house wheverever the situation arises?

Option 2: Sit down with your boss and as nicely as possible explain how you feel and how important it is for the kids to be informed about the homework.

Option 3: Some other idea that I haven't thought of and you will outline it in your response.

Please give me something constructive and not some "Shut up you whiny puss!" flame. I really do care about my kids and want them and their parents to get what they paid for out of the class.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[Grotto]

I told them that I would not lie on the report cards.....if they didnt like it then dont ask me to write the report cards!

[tomato]

I had a similar problem in the United States.
I taught a recorder class in a private school.
I gave F's to most of the students because they forgot their recorders half the time.
When the parents complained, the director sided with the parents.
I quit the job and never regretted it.

[cubanlord]

Hello OP,

A lot of people would be greatful to be in your shoes. At least you have someone willing to help and assist you. Many teachers don't have that luxury, nor do they have someone that actually puts a foot forward.

In my opinion, it sounds like you need to be a little more creative in getting the children to respond to you. You could have then start their homework 5 minutes before class finishes so that you, their teacher, know they understand what they are doing. Ultimately, YOU are responsible and accountable for YOUR class, not someone else.

If all of the students are saying that none of them understood, then I would be inclined to at least follow-up with their concerns. It's pretty hard not to believe what 12 students are saying, especially if they are saying the same thing. Try using an incentive-based approach? Try something else rather than having to lean on your co-worker.

Hope this helps.

me.

[tomato]

Hello again, TH!

Betcha you can get the message across in Korean easier than you think you can.

The quickest and dirtiest way to get the point across is to point to the required pages in the book and say "이것 하세요." ("Do this.")

The word for "page" is easy to learn, because that word is borrowed from English. Just write the required page number or page numbers on the board and say "이 페이지를 하세요." ("Do this page/Do these pages.")

Or if you want to get fancy, you could learn these:

빈 칸을 채우세요 = fill in the blanks
맞추세요 = match
번역하세요 = translate
답하세요 = answer
그림 그리세요 = draw
해결하세요 = solve a puzzle, solve a problem
쓰세요 = write

[wire]

edited.

[Hater Depot]

I solved the "they aren't doing my homework" problem by taking 5 minutes to type up homework schedules which I gave them to take home. No more excuses that they didn't what page of the workbook to do (gee, maybe since we did Lesson 23 in the textbook it might have been Lesson 23 in the workbook....)

[Tim Horton]

[Captain Corea]

Actually, I thought the same thing as CubanLord after reading your OP. Did I miss the part where you explained all that in the first post?


Not to stick up for the guy (he can do it on his own I'm sure), but the whole internet thing and the details were maybe missed by a lot of peeps in the OP.

[Tim Horton]

Fair enough. I'll explain better. The homework is somewhat complicated. It has to be done on a computer. They log onto a computer, go to the teacher's site, listen to the story, write the story, memorize the story and answer the comprehension questions.

This is a lot of instruction for kids and an ESL teacher to accomplish to get across together. Besides this is a problem with new students. So half the time I have had no contact with these kids prior to them walking into the class. So, if my boss doesn't follow-up with the parents after they sign up for the class the kids will surely show up with no homework.

I trully have done everything I can short of having a Korean teacher write up the directions in Korean and give it out to the students the first day of class. There are two classes. One is grammar the other is this dictation one. If I get them the first day on a grammar day then I can talk to them about the dictation homework. If I get them on a dictation day then it's already too late to salvage that day's class. Besides I think that would be kind of overiding my boss's authority.

It happens with every new student without fail. If it's one student in a class full of kids then I don't really worry about it. But when it's whole classes of new kids which has now happened three times for me - it's a real problem.

[RedRob]

Mate, yr in a hogwan. Probably one if 4,5,or 6 the little buggers have to grind thru each week, on top of their regular school h/w and sports commitments. Too much work too soon. Hate to say it : scale down yr sights a little, think of their workload ... set some thing that can be done to a reasonable standard in 15-20 mins. The school and the mammas don't care about the standard of h/w OR achievement...it is the appearrence of home work and quality that matters. Sorry. If this is yr first hoggie exp. you are about to find out that this is a dog and pony show matey, and you (we) are the pretty pony!

[Tim Horton]

[cubanlord]

[Return Jones]