Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sojourner1]

My director, vice director, and Korean teachers always interrupt my classes when they have something of a business nature to take up with me. This is not a one time thing, but it's a consistently repeated custom. FT's are approached during classes about things such as schedule changes, giving you your ARC and health card, passing out pay day printouts, lesson planning, and other miscellaneous matters as they come up. I wonder if they are going to come to one of my classes to discuss end of my contract matters when time comes? I think this confuses the kids and does not give me a chance to adequately discuss things when necessary.

But during our breaks, they don't talk much nor want to talk.

Why is this? Is this typical? I am talking about a hagwon here.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Yes, I've heard of it happening at other places. It's mostly just to catch you off guard and not give you time to ask the questions that perhaps you should.

[kigolo1881]

they are tryin to mark their territory. Its extremely unprofessional and tell them to back off while you are teaching.

give them a warning the next time they do it and don't do what they ask you. Tell them to come back after class and kick them out of your classroom.

[jinks]

I agree, it's damn rude.
Next time try to give the administrator / head teacher / director / who ever, your full attention by stepping outside the classroom and engaging in a full on discussion (amicable, polite and interested) on whatever issue they are bringing into your classroom. Try to eat up as much classroom time as possible and hopefully you will see a decline in classroom interruptions once the parents hear that the FT is out of the classroom for up to 10 minutes at a time.

[babtangee]

[trubadour]

Yeah, I've experienced it many times, and it's (as a matter of principle) very annoying. I must have got used to it. But at least now its only on the odd occasion. I work in a rural type area, it's a family run venture, so I've come to understand and even appreciate some of the lack of professionalism.

As someone who is learning the trade interruptions are something I know I have to learn to deal with, and even use to my advantage. They will happen anyway, and in many guises. Sometimes a little disraction, be it a joke, some banter or another, two students accidentally knocking their heads together, or the weather changing (or whatever) can be an oppertuinty for a few moments to think, review or change tack, or just to share a moment from out of the ordinary.

However, I think pecking order and precedent have role to play. If a lacky interrunpts your class, tell them (with cross face) to knock next time and then complain heatedly to your boss about interruptions. It won't happen again. If it does - just serve a reminder, or devise a way to surmount the problem. When it's your boss or someone, just say 'can I speak to you after class?' and nod to your students who will then look at your boss wondering why house-keeping has to be done in their time, especially since they were half-way through learning something.

The good thing about hagwons is a good class will resent the interruption and a bad class will appreciate it. Either way, you win.

Thanks for the reminder though.

[wylies99]

Yes, it's happened to me, too.