Teaching Environment (School life)

I'm trying to gather some information for research purposes.

I'd like to know, based on your personal experience;

- If there's one think you'd like to tell your school/ co-teacher , what would it be?
- How could your school/co-workers make your working environment better?
- What has your school done that you'd say has made all the difference?
- Any tips or suggestion you'd give to future NETs where school life is concerned?

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks

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@ papayapie-I have alot of the same issues as you, but 50 minutes away! I would go crazy during the ride to and from-thinking about all the BS. Good Luck again

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- If there's one thing you'd like to tell your school/ co-teacher , what would it be?

I like getting involved in stuff. Don't be afraid to ask me for help.

- How could your school/co-workers make your working environment better?

Feel free to be the disciplinarian in the classroom. Please don't just stand at the back and allow the kids to take advantage of an unqualified teacher who can't speak Korean.

- What has your school done that you'd say has made all the difference?

They have never thrown me in at the deep end and have always given adequate time for me to prepare lessons. I'm probably in a small minority in this regard, but it has helped immensely.

- Any tips or suggestion you'd give to future NETs where school life is concerned?

The first few days can be chaos but as soon as you can ask co-workers their names and use them. Try your best to establish good relationships with the Korean teachers who seem interested in you. Fairly obvious advice but anyway...

Nothing unusual or shocking so far.

Welcome to Korea!

- If there's one think you'd like to tell your school/ co-teacher , what would it be?
 I would like to tell my school that asking them to follow my contract on matters of vacation time, overtime pay, and camps is not a big deal. Just follow the contract we both signed. Easy-peasy.
I would like to tell my co-teachers thank you for all their help and support. They have been wonderful.

- How could your school/co-workers make your working environment better?
  They could stop leaving garbage and half drunk coffee on my desk for me to clean up after classes. I don't mind them using my computer, but the trash is irritating.

- What has your school done that you'd say has made all the difference?
 Well my school provided me with CRAZY amounts of overtime and there for lots of money:) This made a big difference in my financial situation. Even though I was stressed, overworked, and sleepy all semester I loved it. The time flew by and the money piled up in the bank.

- Any tips or suggestion you'd give to future NETs where school life is concerned?
 My tip is to stay positive. Negative attitudes will get you no where in this profession. Also, keep peppy and energetic in the classroom to draw your students into your lessons.

These are some interesting questions!  I hope you get interesting answers!

1. Thank you for putting up with me.  Coming from a different culture and being transplanted into one where the school system is completely different is very tough.  I certainly see things that Korea does better than where I'm from, but I also see the places where my country's stucture is better.  I am always adament about doing the best of both worlds, although sometimes it may make me appear standoffish.

2. It could definitely be made less stressful and panicked if my co-teachers remembered to tell me things in a proper amount of time.  Hearing that I'm supposed to attend a teacher's dinner the day of doesn't do much for my mood, especially if I've already got plans and need to cancel them.  I wouldn't have to cancel plans if I just heard things ahead of time, not at the last minute.  That really grinds my gears, to be honest.

3. I'd say the answer is the same as number 1.  They put a lot of trust in someone that they can't really communicate well with.  I try to uphold my promises as best as I can, and carry my own weight.  I do my best to seem like I know what I'm doing, even though most of the time, I'm floundering.  Them putting their trust in me is a great motivator to do things as best as I can!

4. Try and find out as much as you can about your school.  Look up blogs of teachers who go to that school and try to get in contact with them.  I feel very lucky with my school; for all of it's problems, I have a pretty easy time of it, compared to other horror stories I hear.  Don't be one of those horror stories-- do your research!

I'm curious, what kind of research are you doing?  Is it for a master's thesis?  How will you use these responses?

Questions aside, sure, I'll try to answer.

- If there's one think you'd like to tell your school/ co-teacher , what would it be?
I'd like to tell my co-teacher that she's been doing a great job and has my respect.  I'd ask for more assistance from her though.  I don't mind doing all the of lesson planning and material preparation by myself, but I'd like to go over it with her before class so she can offer input and also be prepared.  I'd like to tell her that her presence (absences?) during class time makes a big difference in student comprehension.  I'm going to try talking to her and maneuvering these changes slowly. 

- How could your school/co-workers make your working environment better?
I really can't complain much.  I'd welcome more friendliness and chat from my coworkers. 

Although this would never happen, it would be amazing if I could go home early.  I teach enthusiastically, work hard, finish my required tasks, sometimes go above and beyond creating extra projects, and still spend a lot of time just sitting at my desk.  I guess my time seems underutilized, and if I'm not busy, why not let me slip away and enjoy the outdoors?  Even an hour or two...

- What has your school done that you'd say has made all the difference?
In general my school is a very nice place to work.  I enjoy having a large, colorful English classroom that is usually empty except for me. 

If they allow me to NOT count the weekend days as vacation this summer (take those unpaid as usual) and instead let me count additional weekdays, that will be awesome and "make [the] difference."  If I have to count weekends, I'm going to have three extra days of deskwarming and be very sad.  It's trivial, but it'd make a big difference in my travel plans.

- Any tips or suggestion you'd give to future NETs where school life is concerned?

Come with a thick skin and an open mind.  Bring a lot of patience and a sense of humor.

- If there's one think you'd like to tell your school/ co-teacher , what would it be?

Female co-teacher: Thank you for trying to put yourself in my shoes and understanding how difficult it can be to be thrust into a work environment where you can't communicate with 97% of your coworkers. You are awesome, you make working at this school worth it, you make my life so much less stressful. You take time to explain why certain things happen at school, why plans suddenly change. You pull back the curtain to reveal the inner-workings of school politics and drama, and I am forever grateful for that.

Male co-teacher: You are a worthless as a coworker and everyone who has directly worked with you knows it. I hope you get fired. You are lazy and lack common sense and you have the audacity to call yourself a teacher. You should be ashamed of yourself. 

- How could your school/co-workers make your working environment better?
Female co-teacher: Keep on being awesome.

Male co-teacher: Get off your cellphone during class.

- What has your school done that you'd say has made all the difference?
Other than with the male-co,  they have been fantastic. They are very inclusive about school dinners and trips, they try to let me know about things that are going to be happening a few days in advance. All my other coworkers are friendly, and I make an effort to bow and say hello when I see them in the hall.

- Any tips or suggestion you'd give to future NETs where school life is concerned?

Be friendly and polite. Remember that this is Korea and NOT your home country. You will not be able to change most things at your school, there is a complex hierarchy at play, and you are either at the bottom or very close to it. Smiling is one of the best weapons in your repertoire, learn to smile even when you want to shank the person you're sitting across from.

- If there's one think you'd like to tell your school/ co-teacher , what would it be?

Thank-you very very very much for
-Putting up my bad foreigner habits.  :o
-Helping me with lessons, phone calls, students, bank accounts, etc.
-Getting me started in Korea.

- How could your school/co-workers make your working environment better?

Having English programs on my computer. That said I can download some things Like Google chrome.
Give me a curriculum for after school classes - What do you want me to teach?.

- What has your school done that you'd say has made all the difference?

Having 3 Teachers in the English department who speak English. School trips. School dinners. All the things I outlined in answer 1.

- Any tips or suggestion you'd give to future NETs where school life is concerned?



Go with the flow. Work hard, have fun. Be flexible. Be the best teacher ever.
You can do this job even if you have never taught before or got an orientation before. I am still waiting for my orientation and I never taught before I came to Korea.
WAYGOOK.ORG Waygook.org - Join up ASAP. [/u] - It's full of lesson ideas and people with advice.
Learn to eat Kimchi - it's great.
Avoid complaining to the Board of Education at almost all cost. It makes you and the school look bad.
Get on with the Co teachers. - It's a team job.
Your co teacher may have not had to manage a Foreign English Teacher before and thus may be unfamiliar with the processes and procedures of banks, immigration etc.
Be polite - Korean is a polite Language thus you must always be polite. Be very diplomatic.
Don't be a stupid fool and take drugs. - Drugs = Jail time.
And for goodness sake remember that Korea is not your home and thus things are DIFFERENT here, expect it find out why it is different and learn to live with it and change things using the Korean way not the western way . If you don't like this idea - Don't come. (ask for help on Waygook.org if you need it - that's what it is there for)
Koreans use a heirachy, not a horizontal system we use in the west.
Instead of demanding your school changes something, find out why they do it and change it according to the Korean way. And why not change yourself much easier than changing the school system.
If you are a stupid foreigner you make your country and every other foreigner look stupid. [/li][/list]


Hope this helps.

By the way what is this research for?.

- If there's one think you'd like to tell your school/ co-teacher , what would it be?

Thank-you very very very much for
-Putting up my bad foreigner habits.  :o
-Helping me with lessons, phone calls, students, bank accounts, etc.
-Getting me started in Korea.

- How could your school/co-workers make your working environment better?

Having English programs on my computer. That said I can download some things Like Google chrome.
Give me a curriculum for after school classes - What do you want me to teach?.

- What has your school done that you'd say has made all the difference?

Having 3 Teachers in the English department who speak English. School trips. School dinners. All the things I outlined in answer 1.

- Any tips or suggestion you'd give to future NETs where school life is concerned?



Go with the flow. Work hard, have fun. Be flexible. Be the best teacher ever.
You can do this job even if you have never taught before or got an orientation before. I am still waiting for my orientation and I never taught before I came to Korea.
WAYGOOK.ORG Waygook.org - Join up ASAP. [/u] - It's full of lesson ideas and people with advice.
Learn to eat Kimchi - it's great.
Avoid complaining to the Board of Education at almost all cost. It makes you and the school look bad.
Get on with the Co teachers. - It's a team job.
Your co teacher may have not had to manage a Foreign English Teacher before and thus may be unfamiliar with the processes and procedures of banks, immigration etc.
Be polite - Korean is a polite Language thus you must always be polite. Be very diplomatic.
Don't be a stupid fool and take drugs. - Drugs = Jail time.
And for goodness sake remember that Korea is not your home and thus things are DIFFERENT here, expect it find out why it is different and learn to live with it and change things using the Korean way not the western way . If you don't like this idea - Don't come. (ask for help on Waygook.org if you need it - that's what it is there for)
Koreans use a heirachy, not a horizontal system we use in the west.
Instead of demanding your school changes something, find out why they do it and change it according to the Korean way. And why not change yourself much easier than changing the school system.
If you are a stupid foreigner you make your country and every other foreigner look stupid. [/li][/list]


Hope this helps.

By the way what is this research for?.

I agree with absolutely everything here.  :)

Mixed responses..

I share your sentiments. Your co's determine the kind of experience you're going to have. Most of those with good experiences feel their school supported them.

I have to write and then present a paper at one of those regional workshops for Korean Teachers. I had to come up with the topic and I just felt that in most cases, NETS who thrived had a good working environment. So my paper is looking at ways that may improve relations.

Thanks very much.

Mixed responses..

I share your sentiments. Your co's determine the kind of experience you're going to have. Most of those with good experiences feel their school supported them.

I have to write and then present a paper at one of those regional workshops for Korean Teachers. I had to come up with the topic and I just felt that in most cases, NETS who thrived had a good working environment. So my paper is looking at ways that may improve relations.

Thanks very much.

A good briefing pack could help this.

Other tips for Co teachers.
Open the NH account at their main branch with a foreign exchange account attached so that you can move money online. Not opening it at your main branch means that you can not move money overseas. - Happened to me took ages to sort out, but that's ok I get to leave school early. :)
Review my lessons before hand if I am a new teacher so I have less failures. -My co teacher has done a very good session with me on my summer camps yesterday.
I am not a human tape recorder (This does not occur at my school).
We don't know what saving face is about or how to do it. (it's alien to us)
Tell me if there is a big problem - I heard of one girl who did not know about lesson plans and thus nearly got let go at the end of her year. She thought she was doing ok.
Don't change the teacher handling the NET every year - the old one just gets trained up the paperwork and admin and then they go, forcing the new one to learn on the job.

Hope this helps.

- If there's one think you'd like to tell your school/ co-teacher , what would it be?
Please, please, please - tell me what you want!  Don't give me vaugue ideas, if anything at all, and expect me to produce an EFL version of Stand By Me in the classroom.


- How could your school/co-workers make your working environment better?
Talk to me.  Seriously, even if you can't speak any English, wave at me or something and don't look at me like you are waiting for the other shoe to drop.  I am trying my hardest to do my best by these kids, the same as you, so please put the microscope away.


- What has your school done that you'd say has made all the difference?
Those one or two teachers who try and actually speak to me, as limited as their English is, to make sure I get a smile in the morning in greeting.  Or the ones who sit by me at lunch so I'm not the lone one as I eat food that I don't recognize and have never seen before.


- Any tips or suggestion you'd give to future NETs where school life is concerned?
Always smile, and put yourself out there.  Belt out an Elvis song as Noraebong, and listen, even if you don't understand, to what others are saying around you.  Practice your Korean and use what you can to suss out what is being said and to open yourself up more to the other staff.  The more Korean your know the more comfortable it seems the others are about trying their English becuase hopefuly between the mess of English and Korean that will be used, the idea will get across.

Thanks everybody.

I was able to complete my research paper based on your contributions and other threads on this site.

If they allow me to NOT count the weekend days as vacation this summer (take those unpaid as usual) and instead let me count additional weekdays, that will be awesome and "make [the] difference."  If I have to count weekends, I'm going to have three extra days of deskwarming and be very sad.  It's trivial, but it'd make a big difference in my travel plans.

Eh? So... if you take 10 vacation days you only get a week and a half off? Are you EPIK/GEPIK/something else?

The standard GEPIK contract makes it clear that weekends aren't included - 10 days vacation means 2 weeks off. What does yours say?

Thanks everybody.

I was able to complete my research paper based on your contributions and other threads on this site.

Your welcome. I hope you get a good response, and that the ideas are put to good use.

- If there's one think you'd like to tell your school/ co-teacher , what would it be?
you will go out of business within one calendar year

- How could your school/co-workers make your working environment better?
paying me on time, providing me with teaching materials/aids (books, markers, erasers, pencils, paper)

- What has your school done that you'd say has made all the difference?
difference in what?

- Any tips or suggestion you'd give to future NETs where school life is concerned?
never work at a hagwon without another foreign teacher