Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hyperlatina]

So, I'm wondering what the methods of discipline are that are used at your school.

I'm asking because I find myself in a bit of a dilemma: My hagwon uses rods to "batter" the students when they are loud or don't listen.

I'm asked to do lesson plans and to evaluate my class after a lesson plan. The directors that read over my comments have repeatedly "reprimanded" me on not using my stick to "batter" the students.

I refuse to hit a child - in this country or any other. What do I do to make them understand that I won't use this method? I've tried explaining that I'm not okay with it, but they keep insisting that it's alright to hit in Korea.

(Side note: I use the word batter in quotation marks because this is the actual word used by my school.)

[CBP]

You give them your 30-day notice with a bold-print quote from case law in your country, addressing the illegality of corporal punishment in the classroom.

[alabamaman]

Edited

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Conduct a short punishment session where the director can see it with your worst class or a group of the worst students. Take the kids outside the classroom and make them all hold their hands above their heads for a minute in silence. Make the boys do 20 pushups and make the girls link arms and do squats. Bang your stick againt the wall yelling 'ya! hajima!' a bunch of times. Make a big, public display of your brief 'punishment' session but don't actually beat the kids. Waste about five minutes that you could have spent learning English. Do some really loud listen-and-repeat stuff in your class when the director's around.

Or if the job's just plain crappy in general tell the boss 'screw it' and 'would you rather just fire me or have me serve notice?'.

[Yesanman]

Don't complain.
At my hakwon only the director was allowed to hit kids and I was specifically banned because, and I quote, 'It'll be bad for business if the foreigner hits the kids.'

[kat2]

According to my old manager its fine because:
1) the kids don't die
2) the bible says its ok

I would be looking for a new job if they insist you beat the kids. Is it htat your discipline isn't working or they just don't like "waygook style?"

[oldfatfarang]

Well done. It's hard to keep to your strongly-held beliefs in violent Korea. I have let my Hagwon owners/teachers (and students) know that I will not (under any circumstances) hit a child. Especially a student who is under my 'protection' and 'care'. I found telling Koreans that students are only beaten by 'cowards' or 'sadists' and 'people from less developed/uneducated countries', really shakes them up.

However, if you adopt this high moral tone you are going to have to use many non-violent tricks to keep order because many Korean students do not (initially) respect teachers who do not beat them. Try the 'death stare', 'teacher silence', 'asking "what is wrong etc?", or as a last resort, remove the student from the class (maybe forever). If you raise your voice you have lost it. Chocolate rewards, praise, concern for students, and good reports to parents, should get you all the order and co-operation you need. Good luck.

My Hagwon has only hit 2 boys once in my 20 months here. The boys were intimidating a girl classmate. I didn't agree with it but it happened behind my back. I refuse to work in a public school here because of the teacher violence.

[bosintang]

[bosintang]

A hagwon complaining because you don't hit the kids sounds really fishy.
OP: I'd suggest one of two things.

1) Tell the director they can do it, take the students to the director and let him do it.

If that's not acceptable,

2) *Cover yourself*. I stress that. Get in writing when and how you are expected to use corporal punishment. Use it sparingly. When you use it, make the student stay after class, explain to them what they did wrong, make sure the student understands you, and then do it. Tell the student you are sorry you had to do that and you hope it doesn't happen again. Do *NOT* do it when you are angry, and Do *NOT* do it impulsively. Make sure you are in full-control of your own emotions before you do it.

[hyperlatina]

Thanks to all the comments and advice. I'm really liking the suggestion of taking the student to the director and letting the director handle it. I don't think that they would be opposed to this method.

I just feel a bit aprehensive about doing it myself, and quite frankly, I'd hate to send a student to have someone else do it to them, but there are times when students have been completely out of hand.

[Roch]

[oldfatfarang]

with rewards when a chocolate bar no longer cuts it, what are you going to do? Give them money?[/quote]

No, I use a simple 'Variable Ratio - Reward Schedule'. Psychology studies, and human behavior, show this works very well, indeed. A VRS relies on the recipient never knowing exactly when the reward (chocolate, praise etc) will come. They are not rewarded EVERYTIME, but hang out for it.
For more in-depth academic studies see Skinner (the father of Behaviorism) and for real life examples, see gambling addicts.
Interestingly, the VRRS work really well with my students. But they are great kids, no doubt about it. Maybe also because of Korean culture's inherent competion, too.

[kat2]

Kids got paddled when I was growing up with fair regularity. If you were too bad in class (usually after 3 warnings) you got sent to the prinipal and got a paddling. They even paddled kids at my high school. I graduated in 2000. While I don't think you need to use it, it does motivate kids. And used sparingly, I think its not going to do any lasting damage.

I also think its the fear of a paddling that motivates kids. If you have to use corporal punishment, use it very sparingly. And make a huge deal of it in front of hte other kids. Of course never do it in front of the other kids, but make a big show of asking the student to stay after class. Making an example will prevent you from having to use it too often. Making it a big mystery to the other students will make them even more scared to act up.

[ilovebdt]

[kat2]

Another thing to think about. Its probably better that you "batter" the students than your director. He would probably really "batter" them. It might be better to get a little "love slap" from you than the fullon thing from the director.