| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
gsxr750r
Joined: 29 Jan 2007
|
 Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 11:51 pm Post subject: Illegal Teachers on Tourist Visas: The Fukoka Shuffle |
 |
|
https://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2007/03/07/200703070026.asp
| Quote: |
All aboard for the Fukuoka shuffle
The Korea Herald
By Peter Schandall
It's no secret. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, illegally work as teachers in Korea. It's been like that for years, and probably will be for many years more. But why would somebody risk heavy fines, jail, and deportation? And why do so many citizens and businesses eagerly hire illegal workers?
The answers are simple. The "tourists" work illegally because the money is great; because they don't want to work in a flawed and corrupt education system; and because they can get away with it... |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
bosintang
Joined: 01 Dec 2003
Location: In the pot with the rest of the mutts
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 12:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Another slow news week at the Herald, I guess. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
gsxr750r
Joined: 29 Jan 2007
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 12:06 am Post subject: |
|
|
Perhaps.
Where do you hail from, Bosingtan? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
hari seldon
Joined: 05 Dec 2004
Location: Incheon
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 12:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| ...And why is a 45-year-old mother of two or a day-care worker with a two-month TOEFL certificate unqualified to wipe snotty young noses, and teach the difference between a circle and a triangle?... |
Heck, we might as well lower the bar as low as it will go and let any school dropout with a criminal record teach our children.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Vicissitude
Joined: 27 Feb 2007
Location: Chef School
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 12:43 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| For teachers, being self-employed is great. They make double the money while working fewer hours. They don't have to worry about dishonest employers lying and cheating them out of rightfully earned wages |
I just had to laugh when I read that. Obvioiusly, this journalist doesn't know what he's talking about.
He fails to mention the fact that about 75-95% or more of potential employers lie about or act completely ignorant of E2 immigration laws. If I had a million won for everytime a recruiter or potential employer lied to me about working without a proper E2 visa stamp, I'd be rich. So I'd be willing to bet that the majority of teachers here working illegal honesly don't know that they are illegal because they ignorantly believe what they are told instead of doing the investigation for themselves.
And where do you find a " two-month TOEFL certificate." This idoit journalist doesn't have a clue as to what he is talking about.
Last edited by Vicissitude on Sat Mar 10, 2007 12:51 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bosintang
Joined: 01 Dec 2003
Location: In the pot with the rest of the mutts
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 12:47 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Vicissitude wrote: |
| Quote: |
| For teachers, being self-employed is great. They make double the money while working fewer hours. They don't have to worry about dishonest employers lying and cheating them out of rightfully earned wages |
I just had to laugh when I read that. Obvioiusly, this journalist doesn't know what he's talking about.
|
What the writer means is that if an employer decides they don't want to bother paying that week, the guy working on a tourist visa just says "see ya!" and grabs another private. A legal worker trying to stay on the legal side, but wanting to get a job where they actually get paid, would be in conflict with getting a LoR. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
huffdaddy
Joined: 25 Nov 2005
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 12:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
I thought the gist of the article was quite good.
| Quote: |
Obviously the laws governing English teaching in Korea need drastic reform. Why penalize legitimately qualified teachers with miles of red tape and spiteful nitpicking? Why allow foreigners who have married Koreans to teach private part-time jobs, but deny that right to single foreigners? And why is a 45-year-old mother of two or a day-care worker with a two-month TOEFL certificate unqualified to wipe snotty young noses, and teach the difference between a circle and a triangle?
Or if it's too big a stretch to accept that somebody who hasn't finished a four-year degree can effectively teach the alphabet and the "Happy Birthday" song, why not let E-2 visa holders tutor privately? They would probably pay their taxes more often than many private schools do, and teach better curricula. Most importantly, the price of a tutorial would go down, allowing more Koreans to learn English effectively. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bosintang
Joined: 01 Dec 2003
Location: In the pot with the rest of the mutts
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 12:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
| huffdaddy wrote: |
I thought the gist of the article was quite good.
|
Yeah, the writer makes a good point, even if I don't agree with all of it.
My comment above was aimed more explicitly at the Herald printing it on top of countless other like-minded articles. Surely everyone knows by now that English education in Korea is a bloody mess and attracting all sorts. They're just flogging a dead horse. But then again, here I am participating in a discussion about it... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Vicissitude
Joined: 27 Feb 2007
Location: Chef School
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
| bosintang wrote: |
| Vicissitude wrote: |
| Quote: |
| For teachers, being self-employed is great. They make double the money while working fewer hours. They don't have to worry about dishonest employers lying and cheating them out of rightfully earned wages |
I just had to laugh when I read that. Obvioiusly, this journalist doesn't know what he's talking about.
|
What the writer means is that if an employer decides they don't want to bother paying that week, the guy working on a tourist visa just says "see ya!" and grabs another private. A legal worker trying to stay on the legal side, but wanting to get a job where they actually get paid, would be in conflict with getting a LoR. |
Yes, I understand that much, but he made it seem like the illegal worker will never "have to worry about dishonest employers lying and cheating them out of rightfully earned wages." As if such employers are more above board than others who employ teachers legally.   |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ptarmigan
Joined: 01 Mar 2007
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:37 am Post subject: |
|
|
Would someone mind explaining to me why there are newspapers in South Korea that are written in Engllish, apparently by native English speakers?
Who reads them? Koreans? Expats? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
babtangee
Joined: 18 Dec 2004
Location: OMG! Charlie has me surrounded!
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 2:25 am Post subject: |
|
|
| ptarmigan wrote: |
Who reads them? Koreans? Expats? |
Well geez, why ask the question if you already know the answers? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Voyeur
Joined: 19 Jun 2003
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 3:09 am Post subject: |
|
|
I agree that you should not need any degree to teach at a private academy or school. Economics will sort things out. If someone sucks then people will stop coming and he will be fired.
At Public schools you should still need a degree though. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Homer
Guest
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 5:14 am Post subject: |
|
|
Interesting point voyeur.
However, I think that a minimal qualification standard should apply for employment as a teacher. There should be higher qualifications required for Public School positions for example but a B.A. should remain the mininal standard.
Why?
It provides some safeguard that the person is, theoretically, minimally qualified and educated.
It does not however (as you said) mean that a degree = a good teacher! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 8:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
| The biggest problem I have with these kinds of editorials/letters is that the authors point out problems but don't offer any real solutions. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
PRagic
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 2:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Anyone else notice that the writer of that article uses a 'hotmail' account. Hmmm. Wonder if HE'S legal! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
