Teachers Corner Part 2

So as always I am opening my blog up for new suggestions...Today I met with a friend of mine and ended up discussing my hobby...blogging.. I shared  that I thought it would be a good strategy just to share teaching methods and systems that I am coming across in Korea.



Today's topic: Preparation and work ethic

As a foreigner in Korea the truth of the matter is that we have it easy. Every foreigner makes a lot of money in contrast to their Korean counterparts. We don't have to do half the amount of work either. This is neither fair nor right but its the way it is. I guess giving up ones homeland for a year or so has its perk right?

Regardless I came to Korea to learn. In Gumi I was told that I shouldn't play games I wasn't exactly told how to teach but I had to teach through trial and error. My preparation was overboard. I tried to hard to make extra curricular activities that would basically appease the children's parents. I wrote false report cards to try to lure them to come back again and again. I actually tried to keep the rotten apples out and as a result of this I pushed my quality over Yale's quantity... I won only because I stayed 14 months but I lost because no director cares about teaching quality its simply by the numbers.


Fast forward a year and a half.... much to my chagrin I am back with kiddies. I have them only for 4 hours a day though. There's a lot that I am able to put up with. I will work to the best of my ability and try to "educate" them as best as I can. Unfortunately my program is so unorganized that I still find it hard to fit in.

I am not given full classroom control nor do I have the Korean teacher's support. They tell me what to teach and like this week since the teacher is quitting she wanted me to go as far into the book as possible. It isn't teaching its just pushing their agenda to fulfill a quota. Like it or not it is what it is.

A class goes by so fast 50 minutes. I review for 25 minutes and these days I am trying to incorporate a game but I am not here to play games I am here to do the best I can. I have heard stories from people that many foreigners just dick around in the classroom. They play ridiculous games and sometimes they aren't educational. Foreigners take advantage of the slack and just make the easy benjamins.

I took my job so seriously at YBM. I tried to fix problems and I tried to be the go to man for the newbies as well as for veterans who just happened to not know the quirks of the place-for all the good it did me I got my contract bonus and a foot in my ass. Thanks for your job your duty. I thought my work was better than they made it out to be. I thought that I could have been able to stay longer since I had opened the communication lines.

Now I am stuck in a 3rd job which I still hate but will manage since my wife is no my co-worker. I feel that there is no communication whatsoever from the agency, the co-workers or anyone else for that matter. There is just a ruthless competition. "I have 50 students, you have 45.... I need to do some more private teaching. blah blah blah. There are no comments on how to improve the inefficiency of the program but rather just complaining.. Am I complaining?


No I have decided that whatever it is it will be. I don't care to make changes and I won't cater myself for a company that will just run rough shod over me and take me for every penny that I am worth. I think I am someone who has a lot to offer any company. I will do overtime work, I will travel, I will problem solve but I won't do anything for you if there is no communication and no support system... Go fuck yourselves.


Listen and Repeat... I am a tape recorder a tool held in a vice like gripe by people who have no concept of talent. Its like forced child labor to me. There is no creativity at all. Yes, I could find new ways and try to show a new door for these people but not when I am not respected for my efforts...

As koreans say "Fighting" which means try hard but I don't believe in that anymore there is no victory for anyone but the owner or people at the top. To put it simply its the powers that be they just are what they are.

In Korea people just think oh I have a job so I can make money so I am happy. They don't find self-improvement and almost have a fatalistic approach to life.

Some comments have been told to me on this blog that you read this just to get a unique perspective of one persons abroad experience. If you think a trip to Korea is fun I recommend changing that mind.

I flat out hate living in Korea. I think that Koreans need to change their minds-I am the one that has had to adapt and learn for 3 years but when it comes to me being a teacher Koreans refuse to try to learn another way. I got a news flash for all of you Koreans aren't always right and if you asked me I would think that most of the time they are wrong.

Am I too negative, maybe but I think the truth needs to be told and that ideas need to be shared.

Last comment I don't have any power in the classroom so I can't prepare any materials that may be too hard for them. I don't have people who can communicate or at least try communicating nor do I have people who can't see past the box they put themselves in.



Please write lengthy comments I look forward to it  thats all from the teacher's corner for today