Korean Job Discussion Forums

[shantaram]

I'm warming up for my critical appraisal (they will ask me to write one, right?) of my public school. I'm leaving on Friday, and I'm spending a lot of time thinking about whether to give my school a good or a bad rap.
I've decided to give them a good rap overall because I want them to think I brought them good luck.

But honestly, the Teachers' Conversational Class is my nomination for Biggest Pain in the A$$ of the entire year. A teacher took a photograph of me during one of the classes, and ever since, the teachers have used that photo of me when they need to use a picture of me. Every time I see it, I am reminded of the pain. I clearly do not look happy, my eyes are brimming with resignation, my hand is raised in a half-hearted greeting. It's as if I'm acknowledging that the only thing they can understand me say is hello, so I'll go with it.

The problem in Teachers' class was not that they couldn't understand (however that was a big problem). The real problem was that they made no effort at all. They came into class and gossiped non-stop for the entire period. They talked right through a video on co-teaching which had some Korean and some English in it, so they could have understood that if they'd made the effort to shut up for twenty minutes. Often they would not acknowledge me if I asked them a question, they would just look at their friend and burst out laughing, then make a long-winded joke in Korean. I got the sense that it wasn't cool to just answer the question, regardless of how simple it was. Teachers would cut the lesson short and just leave en masse, in the middle of an exercise. Then for several weeks volleyball games were scheduled when English conversation classes were meant to occur. And to top it off my co-teacher ruined the class by attempting to control it and teach pronunciation herself, despite not being able to distinguish r from l, pronounce the w in water or woman, or say thirsty or dirty properly- she thinks the y is silent (e.g. she pronounces thirsty as 'thirst', and attempts to teach others the same).

I mean for chrissakes. The experience was humiliating for me. I couldn't imagine worse students- and these people are teachers. I found them to be so sickeningly arrogant and obnoxious that I don't think I can say a positive thing if I'm asked to write a report.

I think I'll just write down the url to this post and hand it in.[/i]

[butlerian]

[Return Jones]

I've worked at several schools and I've never written any sort of critical appraisal. Based on what you wrote though, it doesn't sound as if anyone would really spend two seconds caring about anything you composed. Just draft up some short, phony and positive-sounding drivel and move on to the next job.

[thegadfly]

Doctors and nurses make lousy patients, and teachers are a rough crowd of students -- gimme a roomful of gang kids any day of the week, heck, I'd even take a Senior AP class full of "unique little snowflakes" over a classroom full of jaded teachers.

I'm with Butlerian about instilling discipline -- dunno if I would go as far as "not cut out for teaching," though. I mean, a new skier can handle the bunny hill, but a classroom of disinterested teachers is a five diamond hill on crusty snow (or whatever the heck kind of snow is the hardest to ski on -- sometimes my analogies get away from me and I can't wrassle 'em back into the fold)....

[Grantasmagoria]

Were they required to attend the class? I feel your pain as I've been there myself. The teachers didn't want to be there and frankly neither did I as there was no payment involved. I made a suggestion for them to teach me Korean Tuesday and Thursday and I would teach them Monday and Wednesday. The boss said we can't do that because they need their lesson planning time.

I agree with thegadfly. I'd even take a class of kindergarten students over a class of teachers.

[boyne11]

I've had similar situation with my teachers' class in the beginning. The biggest problem is that more than half of the teachers who were REQUIRED to be in the class don't really give a crap about learning English.

I complained to my co-teacher and VP repeatedly about the disinterested and disrespectful teacher students in my class. At one point, I refused to teach because it was just impossible to cater to and satisfy the mixed level of English skilled class with rude, disrespectful, and somewhat racist K-teachers. After my consistent complaint, they decided that only interested teachers who are willing to learn English to attend my teachers' class. Since then, my teachers' class has gotten fun and enjoyable class to teach.

[shantaram]

butlerian, I find your response to be trite. 'Do your job'? Are you suggesting that I'm not trying to do my job?

Suggesting that I am not cut out to be a teacher because I cannot control a group of Korean adult teachers, some of the most difficult people I've ever met, is quite presumptuous. Like many other people teaching English in Korea, I have just a very basic teaching qualification- so what? With some experience, I might learn how to control the class.

But now I'm just wondering whether to pretend that everything went swimmingly, or actually give some critical feedback at the end of my contract.

[mrsquirrel]

[shantaram]

(double post)

[shantaram]

29.

I think you're right, I've nothing to achieve by slamming the teachers.

[bosintang]

I think if I taught a class like that, I'd just stop teaching it and ask them to do presentations or something. You were probably trying too hard.

As for your school appraisal, I'd just ignore putting any comments about that class. Pretend like you never taught it.

[Smee]

That's pretty much exactly how my teachers' class went. Well, the difference is it wasn't an English conversation course (they didn't want that). It was "classroom English." I assumed, since they had studied English for 12 years, and since a few were, or had been, English teachers themselves, that they knew the basics and could move into situational stuff, role plays, or games. Hahaha. They just wanted to listen to me and repeat, for 30 minutes, and they wanted me to make lists of classroom English phrases for them.

I wouldn't call it apathy so much as resistance. They would come in 10 or 15 minutes late and ask to leave 5 or 10 minutes early. Even though they requested listen-repeat sessions, they would complain that it was boring. They wanted pronunciation tips, but they resented when I brought up word or sentence stress. And, my coteacher spent the whole time yapping with people sitting next to her. That class was even more painful than my "English club" class with students from grades 3 through 6.

[Tjames426]

My Director once was looking into me teaching a class of teachers.

It never happened. None of the Korean Enlglish teachers wanted to speak English.

[Rteacher]

If the teachers were actually forced to give up their free periods to attend the teachers' classes then I think you should suggest to the administrators that they make their participation voluntary.

I usually only have three-or-four teachers attending my teacher classes, and I always bring some snacks and juice and magazines, videos, etc. that can spark conversation and "free discussion" (or at least provide entertainment for myself and whoever else attends...)

[passport220]

To address the question in your original post directly, I think you should say something about the problems with the teacher�s class it if you have the chance. Don�t �slam� the teachers, but describe the problems in a professional manor. Don�t draw conclusions as to why they were behaving in the manor that they were, just describe the behaviors.

I had some problems as you described. A few of the male teachers would come into class speaking loudly in Korean, laughing and joking even as I was trying to present material. They would act as if it was an affront to them if I asserted myself in class. It seems some are assigned to attend the classes and resent having to be there.

I showed up for class well prepared, well dressed and ready to teach. I always went in with an attitude of give respect and expect it in return. However, I was shocked how rude, smug and obnoxious some of the teachers were. I had to forget that they had the title of �professional teachers� and call them out just like I did my regular middle school students. It just seemed silly to me. In the end, I was lucky that there were a higher percentage of teachers who really seemed to want to work with me and overall the classes went well.

I would encourage you to keep an open mind about future teacher�s classes. I taught four of them during my first PS contract and think of them as the best part of the whole year. Address the problem behaviors right from the start and move on to helping them learn what they can from you.