RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD

Actually you do have a choice.

You do NOT have to go to after school activities, and if it's a volleyball game, and not actually a school function, you can option to just sit at the school by yourself until 4:40.

Sure you don't have to do anything but it is tiring having to factor in the ridiculous sensitivities. One can but dream that one day we will be able to accept or decline social events and not have to feel that we are dealing with teenage girls who have just experienced their first heartache .

is a dream, a crazy dream but I can't let it go. One day Koreans will finally finish puberty. Mark my words, it will happen

Anywhere in the world, with any job, you are probably going to have to accept to do something you don't want to in order to have better relations with people you work with. Be happy its volleyball, or a meal here. Wait until your next job requires you to "help out" by cleaning the faculty toilet because all the janitors are on strike.

How many jobs have you had? I dont mean serving in a restaurant or other student jobs. Real, grown up jobs.
I'm probably a fair bit older than you and I've had a fair few jobs, here, in Japan, Italy and my home country. Never, and that's not an over exaggeration, never have I had to attend the kind of bollocks I've had to do here. Sure we had work parties, but no one give a shiit if you chose not to go. No one took offense.

I"m sure you've encountered bullocks here that you didn't have to at home. That's called cultural difference. With your age, You should know this by now. I"m sure there are things people will take offense to back home that no one would care about here.

If I didn't hold the door for a colleague back home, they'd think I am rude. Here, No one bats an eye.
If I held all my drinks with two hands and looked away as I drank from senior colleagues back in Canada, they'd think I was crazy. Here it's the norm.
If I took a nap at work in Canada, I'd be fired. Here it's the norm.
If I called someone I don't know an ajumma (or the english equivalent of the word) in English, they'd probably be very insulted. Here it's the norm.

Really? Cultural differences you say? Wow, thanks man.

As usual the point flies about 2 meters above your head.
You said everywhere in the world you would have to do similar things as Korea in regards to hweshik type things.
I said no, in the many jobs I've had in 3 other countries, that is not true.
Then you come back spouting off about "cultural differences". Yes, we know it's different, but thanks for the heads up.

Back home I went to the pub with my work mates most Thursday evenings, but if I didn't go I wasn't in danger of losing my job or being ostracized.

Zola, As usual I stick to the point and because its somethign you don't agree with, you then said I missed the point. I keep forgetting I am better off ignoring you. Crazy wins every time.

The main discussion topic right now is having to go to staff dinners outside of work hours.
You went off on a tangent because you have autism and can't relate to people in everyday life.

Notice how quite a few people call you out for being spaz across a range of topics?

Words that hurt 

When Korean's think that America is Trump, and they start talking about how much better Korea is because of Trump, and flame Trump and praise Korea...

It's sorta fun, because 90% of Koreans have the same views as Trump...

It's hilarious to show them how Koreans are actually worse than Trump, the new "Look how much better we are" scapegoat.

"Did you hear those things that Trump said about Korea?!! and Koreans!?"

Yeah I did, and actually he does have a valid point, even though his rhetoric is extreme.
Wait? Did you just tell me the other day, that Koreans should be treated BETTER than waygooks, because this is Korea!



"......" "well Korea has uniq...."


Yeah yeah yeah, walk away.

I'm getting really done with co-teachers flat out ignoring lower level/learning disordered kids in class (less-able kids not totally disabled kids, the ones that would be able to produce work if helped, not the kids that would benefit more from more help with Korean literacy) as sitting down at the computer wondering why a writing task is dragging on when I'm alone making sure the lower level kids are doing something and not sleeping at their desk or something.

I don't get how it's acceptable to let kids, ranging from having relatively mild learning difficulties to honestly just being lazy, to sit in class and do nothing. I don't find that acceptable and I'm getting pretty annoyed at kids thinking that 'no' is something they can say to me. I tell you to write, you write it's not an option. I've give all the resources the kids need to write they key sentences at least and give support for as long as they need it there is no reason any kid should produce nothing at all in 15 minutes. I can be on top of every kid all class which is why the KT is in the room. Dear KT please do your effing job.

The main discussion topic right now is having to go to staff dinners outside of work hours.
You went off on a tangent because you have autism and can't relate to people in everyday life.

Notice how quite a few people call you out for being spaz across a range of topics?

Actually the main discussion was both staff dinners outside of work  hours and volleyball during work hours.  Let's not cherry pick for your own gain. We're not trying to prove religion here. As for people calling me out, I've already taken it as fact that most people here are quite uneducated. Most vocal people are. I of course am part of this illustrious group as well. Difference between you and I is that I have no illusion of how little I know.

Back on topic:

I see richardtang1991's posts everyday. Truly soul-crushing.

i'd love to leave a gem of a response i had from a Korean teacher.  At the beginning of last semester, i was told not to give homework or worksheets.  I asked why...she said they don't need the practice.  Again I asked why....she said 'that's what hagwons are for.'  I said many of these students don't go to hagwons...she said 'those students won't need english. they'll work in factories.'   writing students off in elementary school...

Back on topic:

I see richardtang1991's posts everyday. Truly soul-crushing.

I sort of get what you're saying...Kinda like the post you just left here.

I'm getting really done with co-teachers flat out ignoring lower level/learning disordered kids in class (less-able kids not totally disabled kids, the ones that would be able to produce work if helped, not the kids that would benefit more from more help with Korean literacy) as sitting down at the computer wondering why a writing task is dragging on when I'm alone making sure the lower level kids are doing something and not sleeping at their desk or something.

I don't get how it's acceptable to let kids, ranging from having relatively mild learning difficulties to honestly just being lazy, to sit in class and do nothing. I don't find that acceptable and I'm getting pretty annoyed at kids thinking that 'no' is something they can say to me. I tell you to write, you write it's not an option. I've give all the resources the kids need to write they key sentences at least and give support for as long as they need it there is no reason any kid should produce nothing at all in 15 minutes. I can be on top of every kid all class which is why the KT is in the room. Dear KT please do your effing job.

This year, is the year that I stopped caring about that stuff.

Half the kids don't even have their books in class, while most have torn their books to shreds... but hey, that's fine apparently. I wonder if their Korean books look the same.

I can't really blame them, I probably would of been the same way if I was in an, always pass to the next grade, system.

I'm getting really done with co-teachers flat out ignoring lower level/learning disordered kids in class (less-able kids not totally disabled kids, the ones that would be able to produce work if helped, not the kids that would benefit more from more help with Korean literacy) as sitting down at the computer wondering why a writing task is dragging on when I'm alone making sure the lower level kids are doing something and not sleeping at their desk or something.

I don't get how it's acceptable to let kids, ranging from having relatively mild learning difficulties to honestly just being lazy, to sit in class and do nothing. I don't find that acceptable and I'm getting pretty annoyed at kids thinking that 'no' is something they can say to me. I tell you to write, you write it's not an option. I've give all the resources the kids need to write they key sentences at least and give support for as long as they need it there is no reason any kid should produce nothing at all in 15 minutes. I can be on top of every kid all class which is why the KT is in the room. Dear KT please do your effing job.

This year, is the year that I stopped caring about that stuff.

Half the kids don't even have their books in class, while most have torn their books to shreds... but hey, that's fine apparently. I wonder if their Korean books look the same.

I can't really blame them, I probably would of been the same way if I was in an, always pass to the next grade, system.

Way ahead of you by a couple of years. I agree it's morally dubious but it's frankly it's just common sense. Everybody else has. Who wants to be the only adult around who cares about the education of Korean children while being the most powerless to do anything about it.

I don't blame the kids for giving up. In fact it shows smarts. Let's face it, their parents hate them, the school system hates and their entire society hates them. Sure the longnoses seem to care for some reason but I can see why they are suspicious. Passive resistance is the best strategy.

As far as I'm concerned I've done my job. I'm tall, white and can put on a suit without looking like a shepherd asking the bank for a loan extension. That's what they really want from me so that is what they will get. The second anyone in this country starts giving a shit about learning English then I will activate. Until then it's bingo time.

I'm getting really done with co-teachers flat out ignoring lower level/learning disordered kids in class (less-able kids not totally disabled kids, the ones that would be able to produce work if helped, not the kids that would benefit more from more help with Korean literacy) as sitting down at the computer wondering why a writing task is dragging on when I'm alone making sure the lower level kids are doing something and not sleeping at their desk or something.

I don't get how it's acceptable to let kids, ranging from having relatively mild learning difficulties to honestly just being lazy, to sit in class and do nothing. I don't find that acceptable and I'm getting pretty annoyed at kids thinking that 'no' is something they can say to me. I tell you to write, you write it's not an option. I've give all the resources the kids need to write they key sentences at least and give support for as long as they need it there is no reason any kid should produce nothing at all in 15 minutes. I can be on top of every kid all class which is why the KT is in the room. Dear KT please do your effing job.

This year, is the year that I stopped caring about that stuff.

Half the kids don't even have their books in class, while most have torn their books to shreds... but hey, that's fine apparently. I wonder if their Korean books look the same.

I can't really blame them, I probably would of been the same way if I was in an, always pass to the next grade, system.

Way ahead of you by a couple of years. I agree it's morally dubious but it's frankly it's just common sense. Everybody else has. Who wants to be the only adult around who cares about the education of Korean children while being the most powerless to do anything about it.

I don't blame the kids for giving up. In fact it shows smarts. Let's face it, their parents hate them, the school system hates and their entire society hates them. Sure the longnoses seem to care for some reason but I can see why they are suspicious. Passive resistance is the best strategy.

As far as I'm concerned I've done my job. I'm tall, white and can put on a suit without looking like a shepherd asking the bank for a loan extension. That's what they really want from me so that is what they will get. The second anyone in this country starts giving a shit about learning English then I will activate. Until then it's bingo time.

It's super frustrating to have Korea in general talking about how their education is so good!! Students work so hard!! etc. but teachers don't give a shit. of course the kids sleep in class and don't bring their books. In any country if kids can get away with doing very little in class, they will try it, but in a lot other countries teachers care enough to at least attempt to get kids to do stuff. The fact that these kids will look me dead in the eye and say 'no, i'm not doing this task' and seem baffled when I don't leave them alone, or chastise them for poor attitude and poor behaviour just makes me think in other lessons they get away with it.

Maybe if teachers in public school cared kids wouldn't need to be in hakwons until 10pm.

The students or the teachers don't work hard. They just work long hours.

They haven't worked out the difference between working long hours and working hard yet.

I've written about this one here before, but...

Last year, we had a new fourth grade student come in who had just moved from Japan. He was half-Korean and spoke it well- not perfect, but very well, according to his friends in the class- but he didn't know how to write.

His homeroom teacher's solution to this was to tell him just to write everything in Japanese and she'd give him 100.

My evil cowteacher's response to his existence was to go OMG HE CANNOT SPEAK KOREAN AND HE CAN'T WRITE KOREAN SO PLEASE PLEASE DON'T TRY TO TEACH HIM ENGLISH.

But he speaks English pretty well. And he's been taking English classes since he was in kindergarten. And I have actually taught in Japan, so I know what kids his age tend to be capable of, and--

OH NO OH NO HE CAN NEVER LEARN ENGLISH BECAUSE HE CANNOT EVEN SPEAK KOREAN

How does that follow...?


So, yeah. He can't write in Korean, and he lives in Korea, so let's not teach him how because...? And he "can't speak" Korean, so he will never learn English because....?

And I won't even get into the hysterics that occurred every time she saw me near a child who was struggling. She ignored them and yelled at me when I tried to help. I saw many, many kids come in as shy third graders and absolutely blossom over two years because I worked with them, but the second this incomparably evil cOuntESS showed up...

Man, I don't miss Korea at all.

Maybe if teachers in public school cared kids wouldn't need to be in hakwons until 10pm.

There is a problem with teachers but the biggest culprits are the parents. From what I've seen Korean parents seem to detest their own progenies. That's why the kids are in hakwon until all hours. The adults don't want to spend any time with them. The education craze has nothing to do with the betterment of children but all to do with bragging rights, social climbing and terrible provisions for old age.

This sounds really terrible but I think that most Koreans should not have children. Most of them didn't have a childhood to speak of decent parents to have as role models. They had children out of respect for custom and not out of desire. It's a brutal truth but they are truly bad parents. If you don't believe me do a quick survey of your students. I will bet you that more of them know how to play the piano than know how to swim. You don't force a child to start padding resumes before securing basic survival skills unless you don't really give a shit about them but you do care about their money making ability.

The Sewol tragedy embarrassed Korea internationally so we are now in the end phase of a period where lip service to child safety was paid. Laws can be passed but you can't force love. An educated adult who lets a toddler stand on the passenger seat while driving through Seoul traffic does not love that child. That's the real nasty reason why kids are in hagwons until way past bedtime. Their parents don't love them.

I have to teach 2 weeks of social studies starting on Mon. The plan is that I teach them a little abt festivals around the world and then they have to plan a festival and make a poster for it. I asked my handler (and wrote it down on a note!) to please buy the following: 85 x posters, 10 x colored pencils and 10 x glue sticks. Right then we went online and I showed her what I wanted her to order. I got the posters and the glue sticks as ordered and ONE PACKET of 10 colored pencils... !!!! I just looked at her, shook my head and walked out.

Maybe if teachers in public school cared kids wouldn't need to be in hakwons until 10pm.

There is a problem with teachers but the biggest culprits are the parents. From what I've seen Korean parents seem to detest their own progenies. That's why the kids are in hakwon until all hours. The adults don't want to spend any time with them. The education craze has nothing to do with the betterment of children but all to do with bragging rights, social climbing and terrible provisions for old age.

This sounds really terrible but I think that most Koreans should not have children. Most of them didn't have a childhood to speak of decent parents to have as role models. They had children out of respect for custom and not out of desire. It's a brutal truth but they are truly bad parents. If you don't believe me do a quick survey of your students. I will bet you that more of them know how to play the piano than know how to swim. You don't force a child to start padding resumes before securing basic survival skills unless you don't really give a shit about them but you do care about their money making ability.

The Sewol tragedy embarrassed Korea internationally so we are now in the end phase of a period where lip service to child safety was paid. Laws can be passed but you can't force love. An educated adult who lets a toddler stand on the passenger seat while driving through Seoul traffic does not love that child. That's the real nasty reason why kids are in hagwons until way past bedtime. Their parents don't love them.

Oh I agree that bad/lazy parenting is also part of it. It's no coincidence that the students in my classes with the best English language skills, display actual intelligence rather than simple academic skill, the best social skills and best behaviour are the kids who don't go to hakwon every day and actually do homework with the parents, play, and go to bed at a decent enough hour. This is why schools in England require parents to read with their children three times a week. You can tell which kids have parents that don't interact with them much.
I get that parents work and work often does not end until long after school finishes and there are benefits to what i think of as 'hobby hakwons' after school hours (musical instruments, taekwondo etc) but not multiple ones every day of the week until late.

And yeah, I'd agree that any Korean that isn't having a child to love and nurture and raise well should not have a child. If you're unwilling to adjust your life to make way for a child and the attention they require don't have a kid. It's not right to have a child, and pass them off to pretty much any other adult via endless hakwons while you go out and get wasted at office parties every other weekday or whatever it is these hella hands-off parents do.

If you're unwilling to adjust your life to make way for a child and the attention they require don't have a kid.

Well they don't have a choice since they rely on children to take care of them in their old age and there's no retirement situation like social security (i've been told)

And apparently they haven't thought of saving up their own income for their retirement instead of relying on a child who may or may not (but will, because of this culture) support them financially when they're old.

Child rearing Dynastic Ponzi schemes. The younger keeps taking care of the elder but once the next younger says "f@ck you!" to the elder then it all comes crashing down.

How is it that SK manages to completely f*ck up everything that comes out of an oven?

I wanted to make some garlic rolls and didn't feel like making the bread, so I gingerly bought a 'baguette' at the supermarket. The damn thing was coated with sugar! I've been to numerous establishments and all the mange to do is f*ck up baked goods in different ways.

Baking good bread is an art, but baking something decent isn't that hard. I would at least expect them to get it right, by accident, after so long.