Korean Job Discussion Forums

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

There are three things that are really beginning to piss me off about three of my co-teachers.

They do one or a combination of the following:

Arrive late for class - I always say to my students they should be on time, so what does it look like if the Korean teacher isn't? Rolling Eyes

Bring their own work to class and don't help the students understand their work.
Just sit there and say nothing the whole time.
Talk to one of the students while I am talking, so when I am waiting for them to explain something they have no clue what we are doing.

Can some suggest a tactful way for me to address these things with them, because at the moment I am about to slap them up side the head and shout at them to get their arses in gear!

It's not as if they don't have a clue about what they do in my class. There are five other co-teachers they could ask and I have given them enough hints.

ilovebdt

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

It's interesting what pisses off some teachers and not others, isn't it? I don't have my own classroom so perhaps its a bit different with me.

poet13 · Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 11:24 pm Post subject:

"Arrive late for class" - I told my co-teachers at the beginning of the semester that I would ask them to come to clas when I needed them. It's rare that I need them.

"Bring their own work to class and don't help the students understand their work." That's fine by me as long as they're quiet. It's my class, their understanding is my responsibility.

"Just sit there and say nothing the whole time." That's fine too. I'm a teacher, and a big boy now, so I can handle a classroom full of kids. If I say something they don't understand, I find another way to say it so they do understand.

"Talk to one of the students while I am talking..." Now THAT would puss me off, and I would say something to them; not in class, and politely, but I would definitely speak to them about it.

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

poet13 · Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 11:50 pm Post subject:

Yeah, it's required in my contract too, but I changed the rules for a couple of reasons.
-My co-teachers already have a full work load, and they appreciate it that they have that time to do other things.
-Even when they were there, I rarely needed them. I certainly don't need them for discipline.
-I believe my students have more respect for me as a teacher. I don't need someone to hold my hand in class. On campus I receive the same defference that any other teacher receives.

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

In my opinion, you should have had a meeting at the begining of the year where you all discussed roles and responsibilities. If it is then agreed they sit and watch or what not, okay. But not like this.

I suggest you use the questionnaire I developed to bring up the subject. Say to them you were told by head office or something like that. Have a meeting and go through the questionnaire together. Might help your relationship (s).

A lot of the problems in co-teaching relationships are set in motion because this simple step is just "assumed" and never gets done.

DD

http://www.esnips.com/doc/bb289c2e-c267-42c9-9168-c7106c1b4eba/coteacher-questionnaire

poet13 · Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 11:58 pm Post subject:

dduebel is far to grown up.

Yes, have the meeting. Grab one by the ears and yank their head down onto your fast rising knee. Do it over and over again until his or her brain is a slushy pile of puss on the floor. Make the others help you hide the body. Now that you're all in it, you can blackmail/intimidate them into doing their job better.
Don't thank me. Just knowing you will sleep better at night not having to worry about your co-teachers performance the next day is thanks enough.

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

poet13 · Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 12:56 am Post subject:

"I don't as you say "need someone to hold my hand in class", but I do like all the students to have an equal chance to participate and understand what is happening in my class, which is where I think a Korean teacher's input is very valuable in class. "

Yes, I agree. Please don't interpret that comment as a poke at you. it wasn't intended that way, even if in retrospect, it appears so.

My counter to not having the co-teacher is either making it simpler and get the students to help translate. When we have a new word that is hard for them, I will assign two or three boys to look it up in their dictionary and tell the class the meaning. I konw they understand when they can explain it back to me a different way. The level I teach at makes that easier than higher levels I think. I know a lot of teachers say, NO Korean in the English classroom! I think it's essential, and to my shame, I do not speak korean. It hinders me a great deal.

I think ddeubel was right though about having a meeting at the beginning of the year. Well, even though that horse has bolted, it's not too late. You can broach the topic at a meeting with, "I'd like to be a more effective teacher, but I need your help.", or, "I think we could help our students learn more if we could work out a more effective co-teaching strategy." They will likely feel needed and valued. I would not point out that they miss class, do their own work in class, etc... Often people don't recognize a problem until someone with a different perspective points it out. Sounds counterintuitive, but it's really not. I think the wrong way to approach it would be to say, "You're not doing your job.", or, "You should do your job better." That might be obvious, but a bent nose here often stays bent. (No, not assuming that's how you would address it, but others read this too.)
Anyways, those are just my thoughts.

Hope they help a little.

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

bosintang · Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 4:38 pm Post subject:

Bukowski · Joined: 29 Nov 2006

Make the time.

Are you trying to say that before, during, and after school that you can't arrange a time to speak with the Korean teachers?

I don't buy it.

As for your situation, if you can establish some dialogue with them, your life will be much better.

Unfortunately for me, I have one class each week with a tyrant. I share the class with her to teach 3rd grade elementary students. I think she hates children and her job. I have no problem with her trying to boss me around, as I just smile at her. However, she yells at the students to the point of making them terrified. Just yesterday she threw one of the student's books from his desk, because he wasn't responding fast enough for her liking. I stepped between her and him, and she walked away.

Bottom line, she is a loose cannon, and it is not like I can have a talk with her. My spoken Korean ability/vocabulary is too limited, and her English is nil.

I worry for those kids.

AC