The amount of times I hear these stories...... What is wrong with people?And why does learning a language have to be fun? Shut up and study. Are they asking the math teacher to be fun?And if you can't figure out "What's that?" or "Where are you going?" by middle school, that is entirely on your shoulders. You could literally have a teacher that lessened your knowledge in a subject and still learn that sentence. If someone studied Korean part time, even being forced to, for 5 years and they didn't know 이것 뭐요? or 어디가요? No one would blame Koreans for not being fun enough. They'd think the student was an absolute moron.
... I have a teaching degree in America, TESL certification, and a few years’ worth of teaching under my belt. I’m not new to the rodeo, so to speak. ...... she started cold-shouldering me and more or less totally ignoring me. That’s fine, I don’t need to be friends with her, but I couldn’t help but wonder where this weird attitude came from. I figure I accidentally slighted her in some bizarre unnoticeable-to-me way ... last week B and my other co-teacher told me we were going to have a “teacher meeting” and herded me into an empty classroom. Then, B told me that I’m not a good teacher and not good at what I do. I was pretty shocked by this, naturally. She then continued by saying the students don’t like my classes, that my lessons are bad, that I’m lazy, that I’m not prepared, etc…. ... Kahoot is really the only sort of online game that works with my 25+ student online classes, and even then they don’t like playing it...... I briefly excused myself to compose myself (cry for 3 minutes in the bathroom lol), then came back and sat down and told B that what she said to me was extremely rude and disrespectful. I also told her that her behavior toward me in the past few months had been very disorienting and unhelpful. This really ****** her off. Maybe I overstepped a boundary, but what she said really stung and I did feel enormously disrespected. I've worked hard to get where I am, and am just as much of a teacher as she is.... suddenly I’m a bad teacher who does everything wrong. I know the lessons can be dull, but I’m genuinely limited in what I can do - 40 minutes of online class plus 25 sleepy students isn’t a really conductive environment. I know I’m not perfect, but there’s been zero indication from the CTs or students that my teaching is “terrible” until now. ... I sent B a message suggesting that we need to work on communicating better on what is expected and needed for the students so we can move forward from this. She replied telling me that I’m not allowed to talk to her anymore. Great!Anyway, this week rolls up and I get called into a “new term expectations” meeting with my CTs and the VP (who is usually very nice and encouraging toward me).As it turns out, it’s basically an interrogation. The VP has a list of “performance issues” of mine that B has obviously written, and scolds me on them. They include:- I’m boring- Students don’t understand me- I’m lazy- I’m not prepared- I talk too much like a native speaker (??)- I disrespect students (what??)- Students don’t like my classes- I’m crazy and mentally unstable- My classes aren’t “fun”- I don’t teach the students what they need to know (despite explicitly teaching from the textbook and all its target phrases/preparing them for the tests)- I need to teach them speaking and listening (that’s literally what i’ve done all year so far?)- etc etc etcB was obviously expecting me to cry or have a meltdown, but I kept a hold on myself and managed to explain/defend myself in a pretty coherent way, fortunately. I explained to VP that I felt a little shocked and misled because no one had told me there were such severe issues with my performance for 6 months, and B butted in and said it’s because I’m mentally unstable, and that whenever she tried to give me advice or help me I would start screaming and crying (which is…… untrue lol), so her and other CT didn’t want to talk to me about my classes. I countered with the needs of the students should always be prioritized over my own personal issues :) which got her all pissy again. Luckily the VP didn't seem upset or disappointed with me, just told me to work hard this term and "listen to my co-teachers."My CTs kept insisting that I need to do "fun activities in class." When I asked for what sort of activities, they told me that I need to research online. When I asked what sort of fun activities THEY do for their classes, they just told me I need to do fun activities for my class. Which is.... telling, lol.Ultimately I just ended up smiling and nodding and promised VP that I’ll be sure to work really hard this term and do lots of fun activities!!!!!!!! But overall, this situation has left a really bad taste in my mouth. I feel that B is actively out for me now, possibly trying to set the stage to get rid of me or mess up my reputation, and nothing I do will ever change that. I could be the best teacher in the world and nothing would make a difference to these people because my word and performance doesn't matter compared to how my CT paints me. Moreover, she’s evidently badmouthing me to other teachers, and I feel like the situation can only escalate...
QuoteIt's because we actually talk in English during our classes. My coteachers talk in buzzword English... 5 sentences in Korean and a few buzzwords of the lesson and then my students can answer. My students still don't know how to answer... Hi, how are you doing? as opposed to How are you? (Fine thank u and u) and I have taught them 1 million times how to do this.If it's not on the test ....it's worthless. I don't even know why we are here, honestly. This country can't figure out what to do with English or why it's here...but it's good for shitty English slogans like this ****** shit "Grand Open" (not grand opening of some store) I see everyday...I can't correct shitty Konglish that is ingrained nor can I continue to be a squawk box....hmmmm what to do!I'm so sorry OP for devolving into my own personal stuff, but you should really contact your "coordinator" and let them know that you are being "slandered" for being "crazy"...etc. and you want to take them to court for trying to make you lose face and stress you out.......(your Principal will not take it further than that) That is the only way you can win. Tell them you were so embarrassed by their words. Say that being "crazy" is a horrible insult in your language...isn't it a horrible insult in Korean? (it is ten times worse in Korean)... etc.... Go to an actual Dr and say that you are having stomach problems due to stress from work. Get pills ...etc...get proof of stress. Also remember to write everything down...everyday they try and eff with you...MAKE RECORDS.But the first thing you do is go to the dr...say you are having stomach trouble or headache trouble etc cause of stress from work... I know my advice sounds bananas but it's how Koreans fight each other. Get yourself to a dr.Do this.....and they will stop ****** with you.This is all good stuff...as opposed to VanIslander thinking is somebody worth taking note, from.
It's because we actually talk in English during our classes. My coteachers talk in buzzword English... 5 sentences in Korean and a few buzzwords of the lesson and then my students can answer. My students still don't know how to answer... Hi, how are you doing? as opposed to How are you? (Fine thank u and u) and I have taught them 1 million times how to do this.If it's not on the test ....it's worthless. I don't even know why we are here, honestly. This country can't figure out what to do with English or why it's here...but it's good for shitty English slogans like this ****** shit "Grand Open" (not grand opening of some store) I see everyday...I can't correct shitty Konglish that is ingrained nor can I continue to be a squawk box....hmmmm what to do!I'm so sorry OP for devolving into my own personal stuff, but you should really contact your "coordinator" and let them know that you are being "slandered" for being "crazy"...etc. and you want to take them to court for trying to make you lose face and stress you out.......(your Principal will not take it further than that) That is the only way you can win. Tell them you were so embarrassed by their words. Say that being "crazy" is a horrible insult in your language...isn't it a horrible insult in Korean? (it is ten times worse in Korean)... etc.... Go to an actual Dr and say that you are having stomach problems due to stress from work. Get pills ...etc...get proof of stress. Also remember to write everything down...everyday they try and eff with you...MAKE RECORDS.But the first thing you do is go to the dr...say you are having stomach trouble or headache trouble etc cause of stress from work... I know my advice sounds bananas but it's how Koreans fight each other. Get yourself to a dr.Do this.....and they will stop ****** with you.
Also remember to write everything down...everyday they try and eff with you...MAKE RECORDS.
You have three choices.1. Leave...which it seems, is the desired outcome.2. Stand up for yourself and let folks know you will not be treated this way. 3. Cower.
If you were really incompetent and they were concerned about improving the situation, as you say, they would've suggested alternative pedagogical strategies. "You're boring" is not constructive criticism from a professional, these are the words from people who understand little about teaching a language.
Here's my take on what's going on at your school:Minsu blames the NET, Minsu's mom complains to the school and your CT and VP are more than happy to shift the blame to the lazy, incompetent foreigner.
And why does learning a language have to be fun? Shut up and study. Are they asking the math teacher to be fun?
*Sigh* ... You have made several cultural blunders. It is certainly irreparable at your current position.
Good luck whatever.
I'm so sorry OP for devolving into my own personal stuff......Also remember to write everything down...everyday they try and eff with you...MAKE RECORDS.
Hello all, First-time poster here, looking for advice. I’m a public school teacher ( at 2 schools) and have recently gone through a situation at one of them that has left me extremely distressed and honestly doubting if I want to stick around any longer.For some background, this is my first year teaching in Korea, but I have a teaching degree in America, TESL certification, and a few years’ worth of teaching under my belt. I’m not new to the rodeo, so to speak. Adjusting has been a little difficult due to all the COVID restrictions, but I’ve tried to roll with the punches and adapt - overall I thought I was doing pretty successfully! Students were learning and performing well enough on their assessments, the dysfunction was manageable, etc.The problem happened a couple weeks ago. To start, probably 60% of this school’s classes have been online so far (students only started physically coming into school in June, and even then it’s only one grade in school per day on a rotating schedule). I teach there two days a week, with two different co-teachers. I do all the planning, materials, and teaching myself, and the CTs really only serve to translate here and there to the students. I’m not a huge fan of the textbooks, so I make all of my own materials, PPTs, etc, and just refer to the textbook when we’re completing the page activities or rehearsing dialogue. For online activities, we do Kahoot, answer questions about video clips, do partner dialogues over Zoom, a few interactive worksheets, etc etc. I really try to vary the activities as much as possible. Most of the students just log into the session, mute it, and go back to bed, but I work with what I got (can't blame 'em )Whenever I ask for help or advice regarding a class, I’m told by the CTs that “Oh we are so busy” or “The class is your responsibility” or "Do what you think is best." Okay, sure. I'm independent enough, it' not too big of an issue.Because of the COVID restrictions I don’t have a lot of interaction with the students, and my CTs don’t keep me updated on the students or their educational needs, even if I ask. If I ask if I should do anything for the next lessons or target certain fields, I’m always told the same “It’s okay” or “You can do what you want.” No feedback on my lessons from the CTs either, positive or negative. It’s a little frustrating being so out of touch with the students, but I was operating on a no-news-is-good-news basis.The next stage of the problem: One of the CTs is perfectly fine, but a few months ago my “main” CT/the one in charge of me (I’ll call her “B”) started acting weird around me. She had initially been very friendly and helpful, but a few months ago she suddenly did a complete 180. She wasn’t directly hostile, but she started cold-shouldering me and more or less totally ignoring me. That’s fine, I don’t need to be friends with her, but I couldn’t help but wonder where this weird attitude came from. I figure I accidentally slighted her in some bizarre unnoticeable-to-me way . I eventually asked her if I had done anything wrong and if I could make things better/repair our relationship. She brushed me off with “I’m just tired this week” like okay sure, but you’ve been acting like this for months. Whatever, she can do her own weird thing, it's still not that big of an issue.However, last week B and my other co-teacher told me we were going to have a “teacher meeting” and herded me into an empty classroom. Then, B told me that I’m not a good teacher and not good at what I do. I was pretty shocked by this, naturally. She then continued by saying the students don’t like my classes, that my lessons are bad, that I’m lazy, that I’m not prepared, etc…. which is all brand new news to me! She told me that I’m bad because I teach from the textbook (which…. they had told me to do) and because my lessons don’t have “fun activities” (which, because we’re mostly online, is pretty hard to do. Kahoot is really the only sort of online game that works with my 25+ student online classes, and even then they don’t like playing it because no rewards :( )B also told me that my performance had been very bad for the new term, which is sort of funny because the term had just started the week before and I’d taught three total days so far. I briefly excused myself to compose myself (cry for 3 minutes in the bathroom lol), then came back and sat down and told B that what she said to me was extremely rude and disrespectful. I also told her that her behavior toward me in the past few months had been very disorienting and unhelpful. This really ****** her off. Maybe I overstepped a boundary, but what she said really stung and I did feel enormously disrespected. I've worked hard to get where I am, and am just as much of a teacher as she is.I explained to B and my other CT that I’m totally willing to accept criticism and change, but that I felt pretty bowled over because they had been letting me teach like this for 6 months without any complaint or issue, but then suddenly I’m a bad teacher who does everything wrong. I know the lessons can be dull, but I’m genuinely limited in what I can do - 40 minutes of online class plus 25 sleepy students isn’t a really conductive environment. I know I’m not perfect, but there’s been zero indication from the CTs or students that my teaching is “terrible” until now. I said my piece, and then B blew up at me and stormed out of the room. I was a mess the rest of the day, totally shattered. I’ve spent years studying to be a teacher and wanting to teach abroad, and gave up a really good job in the USA so I could come here for the ~ experience ~. To be told that I’m bad at what I do shook up my confidence quite a bit I sort of brought up the situation with the head of the Eng. department at my other (main) school, and listed the complaints B had against me. Eng head was confused, and said she hadn’t ever noticed any of these issues with my teaching before. I know different schools have different expectations, but I take the same general approach to both of mine, and it’s been highly successful at my main school. Later that evening I sent B a message suggesting that we need to work on communicating better on what is expected and needed for the students so we can move forward from this. She replied telling me that I’m not allowed to talk to her anymore. Great!Anyway, this week rolls up and I get called into a “new term expectations” meeting with my CTs and the VP (who is usually very nice and encouraging toward me).As it turns out, it’s basically an interrogation. The VP has a list of “performance issues” of mine that B has obviously written, and scolds me on them. They include:- I’m boring- Students don’t understand me- I’m lazy- I’m not prepared- I talk too much like a native speaker (??)- I disrespect students (what??)- Students don’t like my classes- I’m crazy and mentally unstable- My classes aren’t “fun”- I don’t teach the students what they need to know (despite explicitly teaching from the textbook and all its target phrases/preparing them for the tests)- I need to teach them speaking and listening (that’s literally what i’ve done all year so far?)- etc etc etcB was obviously expecting me to cry or have a meltdown, but I kept a hold on myself and managed to explain/defend myself in a pretty coherent way, fortunately. I explained to VP that I felt a little shocked and misled because no one had told me there were such severe issues with my performance for 6 months, and B butted in and said it’s because I’m mentally unstable, and that whenever she tried to give me advice or help me I would start screaming and crying (which is…… untrue lol), so her and other CT didn’t want to talk to me about my classes. I countered with the needs of the students should always be prioritized over my own personal issues :) which got her all pissy again. Luckily the VP didn't seem upset or disappointed with me, just told me to work hard this term and "listen to my co-teachers."My CTs kept insisting that I need to do "fun activities in class." When I asked for what sort of activities, they told me that I need to research online. When I asked what sort of fun activities THEY do for their classes, they just told me I need to do fun activities for my class. Which is.... telling, lol.Ultimately I just ended up smiling and nodding and promised VP that I’ll be sure to work really hard this term and do lots of fun activities!!!!!!!! But overall, this situation has left a really bad taste in my mouth. I feel that B is actively out for me now, possibly trying to set the stage to get rid of me or mess up my reputation, and nothing I do will ever change that. I could be the best teacher in the world and nothing would make a difference to these people because my word and performance doesn't matter compared to how my CT paints me. Moreover, she’s evidently badmouthing me to other teachers, and I feel like the situation can only escalate from here - I feel backed into a corner.Like I said, I've taught before, and have heard plenty of critique and made mistakes. but never before have I been abruptly told that I'm bad at what I do and then been lied about to a superior. I’ve also been wondering if there’s something going on behind the scenes, but it’s not like I’ll actually ever know.(Lord, this probably should have gone in the rant thread, sorry!)I guess this is what I need advice on - Where do I go from here? just SNIP? How do I handle B? Keep my head down and let students watch youtube videos the whole period for each online class? Let them do “””fun””" word searches every live class? I know they’re going to be watching me like a hawk for performance issues to build their case as to why I’m The Worst, and I don’t know if I should try to play nice, assert myself, or just phone it in. I’m pretty upset about this whole situation, and am doubting renewal due to corona + B. Or, maybe I’m just being an oversensitive brat. Advice? Comments? Anyone with a similar experience? Any insight would be appreciated :~)
they've already involved the VP who saw fit to scold you