Korean Job Discussion Forums

[andy202]

Given that this board is essentially a vent for the many attrocities and miscarriages of justices suffered by us all at the hands of hagwons and horrible kids on a daily basis, I thought I would try to introduce a new, more light-hearted thread centering on the things kids say and do about our extraordinary appearance as westerners.

To date I have been advised that I have:

- dogs' eyes*
- monkey's arms**
- a witch's nose***

*To which 11 year old Terry said "Yes, but teacher, we have dog's noses!" (love that boy, honesty, respect and modesty).
**My arms are routinely rubbed in honour of the light downing of hair - anyone else had this strange experience?
***This comment was passed in the aftermath of the great Halloween festival.

I have also had my Adam's apple poked, which hurts if done from the side.

Anything else, anyone?

[B-Teacher]

I too have had my arms stroked by my kids... they really seem facinated by the hair there. There's also a standard running joke about me being a "monkey teacher" (to be fair, I call them monkey students ) and an "adasshi" (I'm 23yrs old but have a goatee). It's all in good fun though.

[andy202]

You are a brave man to visit Korea with a goatee. I had one when I worked in that pizza shop back in Olde Englande and shaved it off precisely the day after some drunken beard-tugging pizza poaching scumbag nearly pulled my face off.

More recently, I have been kicked squarely in the butt by a 6 year old whilst stooping to pick up coloured pencils.

I feel so abused .

[oneofthesarahs]

I have very curly hair, and so the kids are always pulling and petting it. One kid decided that I have "octopus hair." A compliment? Who knows. One of the other teachers at my school was trying to ask me if my hair was naturally curly and he asked me if it was "original," which sort of makes me think of KFC Original Recipe Hair or something.

One of my classes is a particularly mischievious bunch, but the K teacher they have is unduly hard on them (she's getting sacked as soon as a replacement is found for her). Anytime I sort of wink and let them get away with doing things that they couldn't normally do in class, they reward me with compliments such as "Teacher preeeeeeetty!"

[Homer]

[andy202]

[jajdude]

What kids say, they notice everything.

Teacher is fat. Teacher is hairy. I get this often.

I also get, teacher is nice, teacher is funny and cute. Teacher is good and teacher is bad.

Kids love you so easily. The attachment is great. It takes less than a month. I love kids. But, damn, thay can be jerks sometimes, and a pain in the ass to deal with.

I would not do what I do if it were not for the fact that I love these little jerks who make my day worthwhile.

[mnhnhyouh]

I have often thought my job as a teacher involved a lot of performance art. However I bet even the New York theater critics are not as harsh as young teenage kids. They tell it like they see it.

When they like you, there is no doubt in your mind, and when they dont, even for a moment, they let you know in no uncertain terms.

h

[wylies99]

"Fat." I get "fat" from kids, parents, Korean teachers, the director, the owners- even from knuckleheads in the elevator, (reeking of soju in the middle of the day), on the way to school. Who knows- and who cares- what they say about me IN KOREAN?

I'm not fat- I work out and have muscles they THINK are fat, but, in Korea, even a stick figure man is considered too fat.



Some of the kids call me a "crazy monkey" from time-to-time, but I sctrach my head/tummy and make monkey sounds- and tell them I must be "crazy" to teach English to them.


BTW- if kids say it- let it roll off you, but if adults say it, they are low class individuals and point out their flaws- real or imagined!

[Lizara]

I get:

"Teacher hair pretty"
"Teacher pretty pants"
(because I like bracelets) "Teacher, why have three watch?"

I like to wear animal necklaces (a dragon, a lizard, dolphins...) so the kids like to look at (and touch) those. They also have some favourite t-shirts... my tiger t-shirt and my "Game Over" t-shirt are always noticed.

I wear a lip ring, so that of course is what they're most curious about; they want to know what it is, if it hurts, and why it's there. Last week I ate lunch with one of the kindergarten classes and at first they were all staring at me because they wanted to know how I eat lunch with a ring in my mouth. Luckily my first bite seemed to satisfy all their curiosity.

[VirginIslander]

I used to work in a detention center/residential facitlity for bad or neglected teenage boys. Sad situation. Some of them were real violent, but that was easy to control; however, getting them to shut up was a little more difficult. They were horrible to each other.

A little, 5 foot 3 female coworker used to put those boys in place everytime they said "teacher, you are ugly" "you are fat" or " Quan, your mother is a ho"

In response, she would just say "your mother is what?" It would shut the black and hispanic kids up but the white kids would agree.

However, it works here too, and I haven't heard an insult in over two weeks.

[ChopChaeJoe]

[Ramones]

[wylies99]

[SirFink]

I got "Pinocchio" once from a first grader. Funny thing is I don't think she expected me to know what that was and she looked a bit embarrassed. Of course I know I don't have a big nose and stuff like that just makes me chuckle.