Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Cynical Optimist]

Does anyone else hate the word �mapahghee�? Frankly, I�m really tired of it.

If you don�t know what it means, then you probably have a full head of flowing hair. I guess it means something like �bald� or �bald buy� or �big forehead�. There�s that stupid skit show on TV where guys put on bald wigs and dance around like idiots, slapping their bald head. I swear to God, it�s not funny, but Koreans seem to find it hilarious. I guess maybe the funny part is what they�re saying and what I can�t understand.

Anyway, I started at a new hogwan and I heard this many times when I met the students. I had to let them know that I know what it means and that they should knock it off. I used to not care, but now it�s just getting so f*ing old that it�s annoying. I�m not even bald -- just have a receding hair line � yeah, I�m getting there, but I�m not quite there yet!

So today when I come into the room, this one smart a$$ middle school student (who�s a constant pain and distraction in class) says, �Your nickname is Mapahghee!�

I swear I was so close to saying, �And your nickname is F**k Face.� (Or �f*ing retard�, or �Pig F*ker�.) Of course, I�d never say such inappropriate and immature stuff, but if I was a middle school student and saw this exchange between a smart a$$ student and the teacher, I would make the teacher my new favorite teacher. Is it just me or would it be hilarious to hear your teacher just drop some big F-bombs on a student who deserved it? Maybe that�s just my sense of humor.

On a side note, anyone ever scold a student in front of his/her parent? I had to go outside after this same kid after class and reprimand him for not picking up his trash after I told him to, and then running away while I was calling after him to come back. After 13 months teaching here, I�ve never had a student disrespect me quite like that -- where I was telling him to come back and he just flat out ignored me.

So as I was heading outside, I saw some parents picking up their kids � I thought I was going to have to make this decision about scold or not in front of the parent, but then he was just going in the hogwan van � so I scolded him there and the driver backed me up.

What do you think � would you scold a student about bad behavior in front of their parent?

[jvalmer]

I've been told "mapah" is a regional slang term for forehead in the gyeongsang provinces. Really old male teachers may call smaller students "mapah ya", I think its similar to 'runt' or 'rugrat'.

[Cynical Optimist]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[babtangee]

Choose any imperfection in their appearance you can find. Point it out to them and mock them for it. Encourage others to join in on the mockery. They will not be so happy anymore.

Korea has some of the vainest people you will ever meet. They are terribly insecure, which is why they take such pleasure in making your flaws the centre of attention. Reverse the tables and they will be hurt.

It's a pure joy to my heart when I do it (some kid mocks another kid for being fat, I remind him that he's short/buck toothed/dirty/has bad hair/bad teeth/spots on his face... suddenly the taunting game ain't funny anymore).

[Cheonmunka]

Relax. I even do the Mabagee dance. It's quite fun.
When I see some bald guy walking down the street I nudge the kids and sing while slapping my head, "Mabagee, Mabagee Mabagee."
We all laugh about this and the bald guy.
Why don't you laugh along?

[The Dude from Canada]

When a Korean kid is an a## and distraction, beat them with a stick, the kind of sticks that the K teachers use. Nothing wrong with. It is nice and legal. Don't listen to the liberals who say beating kids is wrong, because Korean people have an expression that says that a child's character is formed through beatings.

MOD EDIT:

Aside from being immoral this is ILLEGAL in Korea and can get you prosecuted.

[dogshed]

Lately I've been reading the Harry Wong articles on teachers.net.
This guy must know what he's talking about. Imagine how his
students reacted the first day of class when he said his name.

[Gwangjuboy]

The student in the OP was extremely rude. It's not appropriate for a student to say that to a teacher under any cicumstances. The student concerned doesn't respect you. This should be taken seriously. Laughing along is simply not an option; this would just make you the subject of more laughter.

[spliff]

Invest in a Toupee.

[Kwai_Chang_Kain]

I have a shaved head and kids say that to me all the time. I do the forehead slap thing and they get a kick out of it but after 5 seconds they don't find it so funny anymore and drop it. No big deal really...

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Last week two of my phonics minimal pairs words were bald / boiled in some classes I was teaching who have all been through Cruisemonkey's English camp. When explaining what 'bald' meant we had great fun at his expense.

[poet13]

"If you don�t know what it means, then you probably have a full head of flowing hair. I guess it means something like �bald� or �bald buy� or �big forehead�. There�s that stupid skit show on TV where guys put on bald wigs and dance around like idiots, slapping their bald head. I swear to God, it�s not funny, but Koreans seem to find it hilarious. I guess maybe the funny part is what they�re saying and what I can�t understand. "

The student full-on disrespected you. For that he should get his butt kicked.
I AM going bald, but that simply doesn't bother me. I laugh my ass off when I watch that show. Ok, my tv hasn't been on in about three months, but when I did watch...

[ginger7]

You can politely tell them that we do not talk about people's bodies or appearances in the West...and that if we say bad things about people back home, we can get punched. My students usually take that pretty seriously.

And when that doesn't work, if they point out my flaws, I point out theirs. For example, tell the kids they have big heads, small eyes and small noses. Point out that they wear the same outfit every day.

That sounds pretty mean, but you can find a way to make it a joke...or show them how their comments hurt you.

If one kid keeps it up, make him the butt of all jokes for the whole class. By the end, he'll be near tears. And you will have won.

[khyber]

not scold a kid in front of his parents? You've worked in a hagwon before thene right?

Why NOT scold a kid in front of his parents. So long as your reason is valid wtf is a parent gonna say?