Korean Job Discussion Forums

Milwaukiedave · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Location: Goseong

I know all of us teaching at public schools have probably seen this. In one of my classes, there is a girl who is treated like dirt. Maybe it's the fact she's quiet or because she looks diffrent. I have no idea.

The Korean teachers are aware of this, but do nothing. If you were in my shoes, what would you do?

canuckistan · Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 9:09 pm Post subject:

Make an effort to be nice and pay more attention to her.

Yesanman · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Location: Chungnam

Yeah I've had that a number of times too. It's hard when no one else will back you up. I've tried being super nice to the kid and making everyone think that I like her/him best. But never was sure if that didn't backfire by just making the kid hated more.
The only time I've managed to solve it was when I got my wife to talk seriously to the kids in Korean. One other kid (actually his mom) I told to quit the hogwon because no one wanted to help her kid, except me.

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

Luckily, I have never seen it happen. My school had a number of special ed students (well, they would have been in special ed if.... Confused

) and the other students kind of looked after them. It was the teachers who didn't treat them well.

Junior · Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Location: the eye

Unfortunately there is always a "wangta" in every group. Someone ignored in every class or bullied. It may be worse in a conformist society like Korea, not sure.

Teachers used to have the power to deal with stuff like this instantly and finally, but no longer. When I was a kid, any bullies were promptly caned, thus ensuring the school was a secure and happy place of learning for all the kids.
nowadays teachers are too afraid of what the parents will do to them, to mete out any effective punishment.

khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

aahhhh....the wannn-tta

What to do?
Well, when I had one, I didn't give a flying flock if kids didn't want to work with her, they DID. And I didn't take any guff. The poor girl was used to it so the bit of ribbing ended soon enough and they got down to work.

If I were you, I'd suggest you don't treat her ANY different than any other student. What does that mean?

1) No (or VERY little) special treatment!
2) No (or VERY little) outrageous kindness that you wouldn't give to another kid
3) No hurtful things said to her.

Folks tend to ignore 1+2 and, tend to limit 3. If you single her out any more than she already is, its just more ammo for the kids to use.

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

Lizara · Joined: 14 Apr 2004 Location: Seoul

I *was* that kid throughout most of my school years. Nice teachers are always a bonus, but ultimately I'm not sure there's much you can do to make her feel better... having the teacher's approval is nothing like having friends your own age, and being the teacher's partner all the time sucks no matter how much you like your teacher.

I think the best you can do is to try to prevent the other kids from having opportunities to make the outcase feel bad. I try to do less groupwork/pairwork in classes where one kid is obviously going to be left out. Of course I stop the other kids as much as possible from harassing them in class, but you can only do so much there.