Korean Job Discussion Forums

pkang0202 · Joined: 09 Mar 2007

Lets say you teach at a public elementary school and your co teachers insist on doing everything. Maybe once in a while they'll ask you to repeat something or read out of the textbook, but for the most part you are classroom decoration.

My question is, what's wrong with that?

Seems like the dream job. School pays for your apartment thats fully furnished. You are getting over $2,000 a month and you do next to nothing Monday through Friday.

I'm not really sure why people would complain about not having enough responsibility or get stressed about having too little to do.

Maybe someone can shed some light on this for me.

kimchi story · Joined: 23 Nov 2006

It would be insanely boring? Like, pull your eyelashes out for the adrenaline boring?

I haven't experienced it, but I've seen the look in my coteachers eyes when I first started and wouldn't hand over the reigns to them at all.

Co-teaching, where you bounce ideas back and forth in the class together, is actually pretty awesome. Playing tape recorder? Ugh, at best. That, on top of endless hours of 'prep' time could drive a person to trolling on Dave's I'd guess.

Then again, for some it's a total dream come true.

pkang0202 · Joined: 09 Mar 2007

VirginIslander · Joined: 24 May 2006 Location: Busan

Knowing that my first born generation American grandparents actually worked for a living.

VirginIslander · Joined: 24 May 2006 Location: Busan

, I would be tormented with too much guilt.

Sody · Joined: 14 May 2006

Interesting thread. The real scary thing is that it's not about moralism or professionalism but the main issue is that there are many Korean teachers out there who will allow this to happen. They are control freaks because of their insecurity. Most of them can't teach English properly and that's ok, but what's not ok is that the students don't get quality education. That's why parents send their children to hagwons. Ridiculous but true. I know many would disagree with me but I don't agree with screaming and corporal punishment. The difference between a teacher who enjoys teaching and those who do not are easy to spot.

Sody

trubadour · Joined: 03 Nov 2006

I have had an equivalent experience at a winter camp thing I did on the black market for my school. I just felt stupid, standing there, saying stuff when prompted.
Also felt like the kids never got the opportunity to trust me, the English I spoke and there ability to comprehend it, which is, I feel, half the job of being 'not from around here' and the reason they show up.
Plus, (and I guess it depends on the textbooks, etc), I just felt I could have taught them so much more If I had worked together with their teacher or simply with her assistance, rather than just observe the time pass and their English get no better.
I did it 'cos that was what was expected, but it was a fraudulent feeling to hand out certificates at the end knowing they had achieved nothing.

bosintang · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 3:47 pm Post subject:

I taught in Japan for five months, and for the most part that's what I was doing.

I hated it. It was so boring, like 'please jam a pencil in my earlobe' kind of boring. I felt like one of the slow kids in the class who just didn't get it and was just doing time until the bell rang.

Perhaps I was self-projecting, but I also felt the students and other teachers, especially Grade 3's, had a 'why are you here? You're useless' attitude towards me.

I dreaded going to work. I hate wasting people's time.

JJJ · Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Location: Seoul

The boredom is killing me. A couple years back it got to the point where I just sat in the back desk for 50 min. The teacher I had wanted to do her own thing. I thought it would change this year but again, boring as hell. I would rather show up for class and then leave when it's finished. I know this is a dream but I just hate wasting time. Time is valuable and when they give me a schedule with Wednesday's having no classes, I cringe with the idea of sitting here all day. I just hate it.

I'm a farm boy who is not afraid to work and who used to get in trouble with the old man if I was caught lazying around. For me, I would rather get paid a little less and have the freedom to do other things, be it work, biking, running, whatever. I met a lady working in a public school in another town close to Seoul, who works 8:30 to 12:30 and then the school let her go to find an afternoon gig (and even helped her find one). She is making almost 4 million and loving it. Nice.

lowpo · Joined: 01 Mar 2007

pkang0202 · Joined: 09 Mar 2007

Thanks for all the responses. Everyone has a very good point. I don't think I could handle a bunch of elementary school kids looking at my like I'm just a waste of space.

I thought about taking a passive approach this year. If the co teacher wanted my help then I would give it my all, but if they wanted to be the one in control then I was going to sit back and let them get what they wanted.

After reading what you all posted about the boredom, and the feeling of uselessness, I think I'll change my attitude about it.

nautilus · Joined: 26 Nov 2005 Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!

You have to keep the coteacher in check otherwise they will run away with the class and try to dominate everything. I try and keep it around 50/50.

there seems to be an inevitable contest with the co teacher: they always want to be the main teacher and the most popular with students. With a previous one we actually drove eachother nuts shouting eachother down and sabotaging eachothers lessons. It was insane. The korean ego is a dangerous thing. All I ask is equality.