Korean Job Discussion Forums

[davehere22]

I would like to hear stories about some english teacher's first experiences in a classroom in Korea.

Thanks

[ajuma]

NOW I have to laugh about it, but at the time it wasn't quite so funny!

My first day at my first hagwon:

Director: "Go in and teach English."

Me: "Um...is there a book?"

Director: "No! You don't need a book! You can speak English!"

It was 3 months before we got a book! Thank heavens for my Korean co-teacher!! She was in the same boat and we learned the hard way...through experience and trying to put together some kind of curriculum.

11 (well, almost!) years later, we're both still teaching!!

I think it's a little bit easier now.

[wings]

My first day in the classroom went like this:

ok in 30 minutes you have your first class, you need to teach the 3rd conditional.

I spent 15 minutes finding out what that was, an hour trying to explain it, and about 2 hours drinking afterwards and wondering where I had gone wrong. Then I spent about 4 months learning everything I could about English grammar.

[xCustomx]

My class consisted of 2 adults, 1 of whom was the hagwon owner's cousin. She was in her mid 30's and had a good grasp of English grammar, but had a little trouble speaking with advanced topics. I couldn't believe it when my boss told me to teach the 'be' verb. That was possibly the longest class I've ever had. Afterwards my boss seemed upset and reluctant to give me any other classes because the 2 adults said the lesson was boring It probably was, but what do you expect when both have studied English for at least 10 years

[Fishead soup]

It was in a high school in Suwon. According to the job description I was led to believe I would have a co-teacher. The Co-teacher never showed up. I tossed a ball around and asked and answered questions. It was extemly hard to get even a few words out of the students. I met my co-teacher later on that night and we had a good piss up. We ended co-teaching for just a week and that was just to make an open lesson. I'm still friends with that co-teacher.

[Summer Wine]

Cant really remember it to be honest. It was a blur of yelling screaming kids and me trying to teach abc's.

In my defence I had just arrived that day after an 11 hr flight and without sleep for the last 24 - 48 hrs. I do distinctly remembering that I thought at the time that if someone is stupid enough to throw a person into a room with no 2 weeks pre training as stated in the contract and no sleep.

Then they couldn't complain if the teaching sucked. I might have even dozed off a couple of times in that class. It was a blur the next day and I still cant remember where those 4 hrs went to.

Though its one of those kill a contract moments for me now. The next time something similar happened, it put me in a bad mood from that day on and I was out of that contract after 3 months.

[Rteacher]

Like most, I had no training and was thrown into the fire to teach eight classes my first day (four kindergarden and four elementary...) The next day I had ten classes...)

Fortunately, my hakwon director had a good educational background, used excellent EFL text books, and had lots of teaching materials, including many games and CD-Roms.

There was also a "gym" with a basketball hoop, big-screen TV, and state-of-the art play area for kids ...

That was about six years ago so my specific memory of the first day is hazy, but I know that I mainly introduced myself, showed where I was from on a map, and exchanged greetings with all the kids, and maybe covered a page from their books...

[lowpo]

[the_beaver]

[albazalba]

My first day was pretty good actually. I had the advantage of observing the teacher I was replacing because I arrived about 3 days before he left. He was a good guy, and he was the first to admit that teaching was not his thing, so he just basically showed me how to do the least amount possible, while still appearing competent to the staff (such as where in the room the camera could not see, so you could take a quick fiver while the kids were coloring). But he taught me a lot of fun games as well. It was a good day!

[waynehead]

I just remember I had one kid who cried and the rest just stared at me awkwardly obviously not knowing what to say. It was hell. But it got better after that, a lot better (this was a kindy class).

[davehere22]

thanks for the replies

[Jizzo T. Clown]

Not my first day of teaching, but my first day of teaching in Korea:

In a public high school, after my first class with a coteacher, he told me that I needed to make the class "fun" and "interesting." He went on to suggest "Why don't you offer candy?'

To that I replied: "Because this isn't a circus--it's a school. And I'm not a dancing monkey--I'm an English teacher. If you want someone to jump around like a clown, you should hire someone with less experience."

I haven't heard any more "suggestions" from this particular coteacher--in fact, he often asks for my opinion on his lessons.

[Whistleblower]

I remember turning up to a Hagwon after arriving and being forced to sign the contract there and then. Saying my apartment will be ready in two weeks. I had to stay with my parents in law for 2 weeks

I got to the school to go through 'training' and was told here is the student's English book, you have to teach this section and they thrust me in to the classroom.

Six hours later without a break they said well done and come back tomorrow and continue "training". Not really training.

I learnt a lot during the year by reading up on how to teach children, done a CELTA and passed with a good pass. Nowadays, I am teaching adults and managed to get away from the sh*twon.

Currently, I am planning to open my own English school in Korea for adult learners. Although I enjoyed teaching kids, 18 months of it is enough to give me a break for a few years from kids.