RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

Anybody have students who stare at them in a way that transcends the "you're a foreigner" gaze? I'm talking mouth open, blank expression, kind of like you just gave birth to a golden retriever? I can let a lot roll off my back but this look just unsettles me to my core.

I have 2 - one in middle school, and 1 in elementary, both are girls. The middle school girl tries hard in my classes though, the elementary girl, not so much. haha.
I have no idea how to handle it >.< If it is during the part of the class, where I'm setting up, waiting for them to take their seats, etc. I'll just start waving at them, they usually laugh and then look away briefly haha.

Like, a hamburger isn't 고기빵. That would be stupid. Koreans don't translate foreign food names (usually), they just transliterate them to Korean. They should do the same when taking Korean food names and romanizing them. For the most part. It won't apply to everything. But like, 'Gyejang' sounds a million times more interesting than 'raw crabs marinated in soy sauce.' Don't replace a food's name with a description of that food. UGH.

The flipside to this is having a menu for tourists (and, yes, I've seen this) that says 모듬회 and then in English "Modeum Hoe" with no pictures or explanations of what this is, ahhaahhaa

"Honey, wanna try the internet prostitute? No? Better get it to go.............."

I suppose the middle ground would be to have the hangeul, the romanised Korean word and then a description of what it is in English, plain simple English "A variety of cuts of raw fish and seafood." 

Update. The English teacher of the Public School linked with my Ed Center has moved me out of the "office of war". She has given new guidelines as to how work needs to be split, especially considering the unique teaching situation I am in. Yes, you read that correctly. She understands my unique situation.

Anyway, I am extremely grateful to the teacher who intervened, and hopefully the new setup will create a less tension filled environment. Also, considering that my CT told me I was the worst foreigner she had ever met, I really appreciated the other English teacher who said the complete opposite.

It is quite satisfying hearing the printer in my CT's office working to the max, as well as drawers and doors being slammed. Yep, yep. Work work work. Feel the burn.

It's been quite a ride... and it is only Wednesday.

Brilliant news!

I felt for you and am so glad you managed to find one of the many awesome (and more free/open minded)  teachers out there to help. So now you have experienced both ends of the spectrum! Live and learn eh! :)

Anybody have students who stare at them in a way that transcends the "you're a foreigner" gaze? I'm talking mouth open, blank expression, kind of like you just gave birth to a golden retriever? I can let a lot roll off my back but this look just unsettles me to my core.

This is making me think of those cringe-worthy moments when the students are either particularly unresponsive or unruly and then you have those two or three students, usually girls, who try even harder to be on their best behavior to make up for everyone else and you can tell they kind of feel sorry for you and you're simultaneously mortified and mentally panicking. This happens to me at least twice a semester. There are bad days and then there are those kinds of days. Does this happen to anyone else? Where the good students feel bad for you on the days when you lose control?

Anybody have students who stare at them in a way that transcends the "you're a foreigner" gaze? I'm talking mouth open, blank expression, kind of like you just gave birth to a golden retriever? I can let a lot roll off my back but this look just unsettles me to my core.

This is making me think of those cringe-worthy moments when the students are either particularly unresponsive or unruly and then you have those two or three students, usually girls, who try even harder to be on their best behavior to make up for everyone else and you can tell they kind of feel sorry for you and you're simultaneously mortified and mentally panicking. This happens to me at least twice a semester. There are bad days and then there are those kinds of days. Does this happen to anyone else? Where the good students feel bad for you on the days when you lose control?

I teach one class where all of the teachers in the school have totally given up on them because the boys in this class are so darn terrible. There are a couple girls in that class that will just come up and talk to me about how much they hate being in that class because they can't learn anything and one girl has also told me that she feels bad for me having to put up with it.

Anybody have students who stare at them in a way that transcends the "you're a foreigner" gaze? I'm talking mouth open, blank expression, kind of like you just gave birth to a golden retriever? I can let a lot roll off my back but this look just unsettles me to my core.

This is making me think of those cringe-worthy moments when the students are either particularly unresponsive or unruly and then you have those two or three students, usually girls, who try even harder to be on their best behavior to make up for everyone else and you can tell they kind of feel sorry for you and you're simultaneously mortified and mentally panicking. This happens to me at least twice a semester. There are bad days and then there are those kinds of days. Does this happen to anyone else? Where the good students feel bad for you on the days when you lose control?

Had one of 'those' days yesterday. My co-teacher couldn't make it to school (don't know why) and the home room teachers wouldn't stay in the class with me, so I was flying solo the entire day. My final class of the day, saw there was no co / homeroom teacher, so just went nuts. This one girl, tried really hard to help me get them to quiten down and listen, to do their work etc. She was like the only quiet student / only person doing work the entire lesson. She came to me and apologized for the class near the end too.

Next week, a bulk of the class is going to be in trouble with the coTeacher when she gets back. She freaks even me out when she gets mad too; She's small, cute, and quiet, but super scary when angry / mad haha. I'm hoping I can be out of the room when she gets mad at them, as I get pretty uncomfortable during those rare times that students get disciplined here.

Anybody have students who stare at them in a way that transcends the "you're a foreigner" gaze? I'm talking mouth open, blank expression, kind of like you just gave birth to a golden retriever? I can let a lot roll off my back but this look just unsettles me to my core.

This is making me think of those cringe-worthy moments when the students are either particularly unresponsive or unruly and then you have those two or three students, usually girls, who try even harder to be on their best behavior to make up for everyone else and you can tell they kind of feel sorry for you and you're simultaneously mortified and mentally panicking. This happens to me at least twice a semester. There are bad days and then there are those kinds of days. Does this happen to anyone else? Where the good students feel bad for you on the days when you lose control?

I teach one class where all of the teachers in the school have totally given up on them because the boys in this class are so darn terrible. There are a couple girls in that class that will just come up and talk to me about how much they hate being in that class because they can't learn anything and one girl has also told me that she feels bad for me having to put up with it.

I also have a class like this. I typically teach 100% of my classes while my CTs assist when asked or needed.

This class, my CT just takes over and pushes through the class as best she can. They won't listen to a word I say and they will only listen to her for the first couple seconds before they go off the rails again.

One time one boy picked up and through a chair at another. Wasn't able to punish them so I just gave up.

Anybody have students who stare at them in a way that transcends the "you're a foreigner" gaze? I'm talking mouth open, blank expression, kind of like you just gave birth to a golden retriever? I can let a lot roll off my back but this look just unsettles me to my core.

This is making me think of those cringe-worthy moments when the students are either particularly unresponsive or unruly and then you have those two or three students, usually girls, who try even harder to be on their best behavior to make up for everyone else and you can tell they kind of feel sorry for you and you're simultaneously mortified and mentally panicking. This happens to me at least twice a semester. There are bad days and then there are those kinds of days. Does this happen to anyone else? Where the good students feel bad for you on the days when you lose control?

I teach one class where all of the teachers in the school have totally given up on them because the boys in this class are so darn terrible. There are a couple girls in that class that will just come up and talk to me about how much they hate being in that class because they can't learn anything and one girl has also told me that she feels bad for me having to put up with it.

I also have a class like this. I typically teach 100% of my classes while my CTs assist when asked or needed.

This class, my CT just takes over and pushes through the class as best she can. They won't listen to a word I say and they will only listen to her for the first couple seconds before they go off the rails again.

One time one boy picked up and through a chair at another. Wasn't able to punish them so I just gave up.

Yeah, I had a mini fight break out in between two students in this class, and no CoT.  They took away all my CoTs this year.

Glad to know I'm not the only one but what gets me is that this behavior usually only happens when the co-teacher is not present. It doesn't happen every time I'm alone, but when it does happen, I am always alone. (Lol, this is making me think of that meme: I don't always teach alone, but when I do, chaos ensues. ) I mean, I get it. The KT isn't there so to them it feels like there is no teacher but that makes me mad.

Anybody have students who stare at them in a way that transcends the "you're a foreigner" gaze? I'm talking mouth open, blank expression, kind of like you just gave birth to a golden retriever? I can let a lot roll off my back but this look just unsettles me to my core.

This is making me think of those cringe-worthy moments when the students are either particularly unresponsive or unruly and then you have those two or three students, usually girls, who try even harder to be on their best behavior to make up for everyone else and you can tell they kind of feel sorry for you and you're simultaneously mortified and mentally panicking. This happens to me at least twice a semester. There are bad days and then there are those kinds of days. Does this happen to anyone else? Where the good students feel bad for you on the days when you lose control?

Had one of 'those' days yesterday. My co-teacher couldn't make it to school (don't know why) and the home room teachers wouldn't stay in the class with me, so I was flying solo the entire day. My final class of the day, saw there was no co / homeroom teacher, so just went nuts. This one girl, tried really hard to help me get them to quiten down and listen, to do their work etc. She was like the only quiet student / only person doing work the entire lesson. She came to me and apologized for the class near the end too.

Next week, a bulk of the class is going to be in trouble with the coTeacher when she gets back. She freaks even me out when she gets mad too; She's small, cute, and quiet, but super scary when angry / mad haha. I'm hoping I can be out of the room when she gets mad at them, as I get pretty uncomfortable during those rare times that students get disciplined here.

This is one of the hardest things about working in a school where you haven't been for a long time - students don't see you as a teacher, and don't give you the same respect they would for other teachers.

I worked at my previous school for four years, so all the students knew who I was, what my personality was like, etc, and they usually behaved better for me than they would for their Korean English teachers, because they knew I knew all their names, and if they were causing a problem, I'd let their homeroom teachers know, because I was friendly with most of the homeroom teachers, too.

Now I'm in a new workplace, and the teachers and students don't give me nearly the same kind of credit I got before.

This is exactly it and it pisses me off to no end. Honestly, if I was allowed to teach the class on my own from the very start, I feel like this might be less of a problem, but because the KT is always there and only occasionally has to miss class, those days are like free days to the students: No KT=no teacher.

Anybody have students who stare at them in a way that transcends the "you're a foreigner" gaze? I'm talking mouth open, blank expression, kind of like you just gave birth to a golden retriever? I can let a lot roll off my back but this look just unsettles me to my core.

This is making me think of those cringe-worthy moments when the students are either particularly unresponsive or unruly and then you have those two or three students, usually girls, who try even harder to be on their best behavior to make up for everyone else and you can tell they kind of feel sorry for you and you're simultaneously mortified and mentally panicking. This happens to me at least twice a semester. There are bad days and then there are those kinds of days. Does this happen to anyone else? Where the good students feel bad for you on the days when you lose control?

Had one of 'those' days yesterday. My co-teacher couldn't make it to school (don't know why) and the home room teachers wouldn't stay in the class with me, so I was flying solo the entire day. My final class of the day, saw there was no co / homeroom teacher, so just went nuts. This one girl, tried really hard to help me get them to quiten down and listen, to do their work etc. She was like the only quiet student / only person doing work the entire lesson. She came to me and apologized for the class near the end too.

Next week, a bulk of the class is going to be in trouble with the coTeacher when she gets back. She freaks even me out when she gets mad too; She's small, cute, and quiet, but super scary when angry / mad haha. I'm hoping I can be out of the room when she gets mad at them, as I get pretty uncomfortable during those rare times that students get disciplined here.

This is one of the hardest things about working in a school where you haven't been for a long time - students don't see you as a teacher, and don't give you the same respect they would for other teachers.

I worked at my previous school for four years, so all the students knew who I was, what my personality was like, etc, and they usually behaved better for me than they would for their Korean English teachers, because they knew I knew all their names, and if they were causing a problem, I'd let their homeroom teachers know, because I was friendly with most of the homeroom teachers, too.

Now I'm in a new workplace, and the teachers and students don't give me nearly the same kind of credit I got before.

I agree. I think I've only taught at this school for about 8 - 9 weeks (I was there for 3 weeks before summer vacation, and they have a super long summer vacation, and we have only been back from S.V. for about 5 - 6 weeks.
1 of my class, I get a long with the students really well, even though we don't have much in common. I like to joke around and laugh a lot, so they find me really funny and fun, even if the lesson is boring.
My co-teacher there is really good too. She doesn't tolerate them showing me less respect than what they show her.

Sorry that your new school isn't showing you the same as your last. :( Hopefully they will with a bit more time!

Update. The English teacher of the Public School linked with my Ed Center has moved me out of the "office of war". She has given new guidelines as to how work needs to be split, especially considering the unique teaching situation I am in. Yes, you read that correctly. She understands my unique situation.

Anyway, I am extremely grateful to the teacher who intervened, and hopefully the new setup will create a less tension filled environment. Also, considering that my CT told me I was the worst foreigner she had ever met, I really appreciated the other English teacher who said the complete opposite.

It is quite satisfying hearing the printer in my CT's office working to the max, as well as drawers and doors being slammed. Yep, yep. Work work work. Feel the burn.

It's been quite a ride... and it is only Wednesday.

Brilliant news!

I felt for you and am so glad you managed to find one of the many awesome (and more free/open minded)  teachers out there to help. So now you have experienced both ends of the spectrum! Live and learn eh! :)

Okay, so I have just had my CT and the other teacher come back to me and a new proposal is that I work in the classroom, and I only teach 30 minutes of my class, in which time, my CT will not be in the classroom with me (we have never actually had a problem in the classroom, I can't fault her for anything when she is in the classroom) then she will teach for 20 min ALONE, she blatantly stated she WILL NOT have me in the classroom during that time. Okay, I'm down with that.... then they say, so therefore you aren't doing your 22 hours and will have to teach 30 minutes of some of her classes, so I say ok.

But now this raises a question...... If they are considering that only 30 minutes per class goes toward my in class teaching hours (I am required to do min 22 hours as per contract) then I am only completing 17 hours 20 minutes of teaching time. Also all this in and out of my classroom means that I have no where to go when my CT teaches for 20 minutes every class.....

Part of me is grateful, part of me is confused, and part of me is terrified that I am being completely screwed over here.

When I asked my CT why she didn't want me in the classroom, she refused to answer me, staing it is just personal. I just walked into the main office to do printing, because my CT has my classroom for a class right now, and the old pc has been diconnected from the printer.

I am not a conspiracy theorist at all, but something just feels odd with all this.

F*%k I just want things to not be crazy. Is it me.... because I literally am starting to lose my mind and think that this is all me and maybe I just am the problem... I mean here are solutions, shouldn't I just be okay with that?

Update. The English teacher of the Public School linked with my Ed Center has moved me out of the "office of war". She has given new guidelines as to how work needs to be split, especially considering the unique teaching situation I am in. Yes, you read that correctly. She understands my unique situation.

Anyway, I am extremely grateful to the teacher who intervened, and hopefully the new setup will create a less tension filled environment. Also, considering that my CT told me I was the worst foreigner she had ever met, I really appreciated the other English teacher who said the complete opposite.

It is quite satisfying hearing the printer in my CT's office working to the max, as well as drawers and doors being slammed. Yep, yep. Work work work. Feel the burn.

It's been quite a ride... and it is only Wednesday.

Brilliant news!

I felt for you and am so glad you managed to find one of the many awesome (and more free/open minded)  teachers out there to help. So now you have experienced both ends of the spectrum! Live and learn eh! :)

Okay, so I have just had my CT and the other teacher come back to me and a new proposal is that I work in the classroom, and I only teach 30 minutes of my class, in which time, my CT will not be in the classroom with me (we have never actually had a problem in the classroom, I can't fault her for anything when she is in the classroom) then she will teach for 20 min ALONE, she blatantly stated she WILL NOT have me in the classroom during that time. Okay, I'm down with that.... then they say, so therefore you aren't doing your 22 hours and will have to teach 30 minutes of some of her classes, so I say ok.

But now this raises a question...... If they are considering that only 30 minutes per class goes toward my in class teaching hours (I am required to do min 22 hours as per contract) then I am only completing 17 hours 20 minutes of teaching time. Also all this in and out of my classroom means that I have no where to go when my CT teaches for 20 minutes every class.....

Part of me is grateful, part of me is confused, and part of me is terrified that I am being completely screwed over here.

When I asked my CT why she didn't want me in the classroom, she refused to answer me, staing it is just personal. I just walked into the main office to do printing, because my CT has my classroom for a class right now, and the old pc has been diconnected from the printer.

I am not a conspiracy theorist at all, but something just feels odd with all this.

F*%k I just want things to not be crazy. Is it me.... because I literally am starting to lose my mind and think that this is all me and maybe I just am the problem... I mean here are solutions, shouldn't I just be okay with that?

Sounds like you're getting shafted.

Update. The English teacher of the Public School linked with my Ed Center has moved me out of the "office of war". She has given new guidelines as to how work needs to be split, especially considering the unique teaching situation I am in. Yes, you read that correctly. She understands my unique situation.

Anyway, I am extremely grateful to the teacher who intervened, and hopefully the new setup will create a less tension filled environment. Also, considering that my CT told me I was the worst foreigner she had ever met, I really appreciated the other English teacher who said the complete opposite.

It is quite satisfying hearing the printer in my CT's office working to the max, as well as drawers and doors being slammed. Yep, yep. Work work work. Feel the burn.

It's been quite a ride... and it is only Wednesday.

Brilliant news!

I felt for you and am so glad you managed to find one of the many awesome (and more free/open minded)  teachers out there to help. So now you have experienced both ends of the spectrum! Live and learn eh! :)

Okay, so I have just had my CT and the other teacher come back to me and a new proposal is that I work in the classroom, and I only teach 30 minutes of my class, in which time, my CT will not be in the classroom with me (we have never actually had a problem in the classroom, I can't fault her for anything when she is in the classroom) then she will teach for 20 min ALONE, she blatantly stated she WILL NOT have me in the classroom during that time. Okay, I'm down with that.... then they say, so therefore you aren't doing your 22 hours and will have to teach 30 minutes of some of her classes, so I say ok.

But now this raises a question...... If they are considering that only 30 minutes per class goes toward my in class teaching hours (I am required to do min 22 hours as per contract) then I am only completing 17 hours 20 minutes of teaching time. Also all this in and out of my classroom means that I have no where to go when my CT teaches for 20 minutes every class.....

Part of me is grateful, part of me is confused, and part of me is terrified that I am being completely screwed over here.

When I asked my CT why she didn't want me in the classroom, she refused to answer me, staing it is just personal. I just walked into the main office to do printing, because my CT has my classroom for a class right now, and the old pc has been diconnected from the printer.

I am not a conspiracy theorist at all, but something just feels odd with all this.

F*%k I just want things to not be crazy. Is it me.... because I literally am starting to lose my mind and think that this is all me and maybe I just am the problem... I mean here are solutions, shouldn't I just be okay with that?

Usually the 22 hours is just the lesson time. For elementary teachers, it is 40 minutes. Older grades are longer.
I would ask about this, unless you don't want to make waves, then don't.

Update. The English teacher of the Public School linked with my Ed Center has moved me out of the "office of war". She has given new guidelines as to how work needs to be split, especially considering the unique teaching situation I am in. Yes, you read that correctly. She understands my unique situation.

Anyway, I am extremely grateful to the teacher who intervened, and hopefully the new setup will create a less tension filled environment. Also, considering that my CT told me I was the worst foreigner she had ever met, I really appreciated the other English teacher who said the complete opposite.

It is quite satisfying hearing the printer in my CT's office working to the max, as well as drawers and doors being slammed. Yep, yep. Work work work. Feel the burn.

It's been quite a ride... and it is only Wednesday.

Brilliant news!

I felt for you and am so glad you managed to find one of the many awesome (and more free/open minded)  teachers out there to help. So now you have experienced both ends of the spectrum! Live and learn eh! :)

Okay, so I have just had my CT and the other teacher come back to me and a new proposal is that I work in the classroom, and I only teach 30 minutes of my class, in which time, my CT will not be in the classroom with me (we have never actually had a problem in the classroom, I can't fault her for anything when she is in the classroom) then she will teach for 20 min ALONE, she blatantly stated she WILL NOT have me in the classroom during that time. Okay, I'm down with that.... then they say, so therefore you aren't doing your 22 hours and will have to teach 30 minutes of some of her classes, so I say ok.

But now this raises a question...... If they are considering that only 30 minutes per class goes toward my in class teaching hours (I am required to do min 22 hours as per contract) then I am only completing 17 hours 20 minutes of teaching time. Also all this in and out of my classroom means that I have no where to go when my CT teaches for 20 minutes every class.....

Part of me is grateful, part of me is confused, and part of me is terrified that I am being completely screwed over here.

When I asked my CT why she didn't want me in the classroom, she refused to answer me, staing it is just personal. I just walked into the main office to do printing, because my CT has my classroom for a class right now, and the old pc has been diconnected from the printer.

I am not a conspiracy theorist at all, but something just feels odd with all this.

F*%k I just want things to not be crazy. Is it me.... because I literally am starting to lose my mind and think that this is all me and maybe I just am the problem... I mean here are solutions, shouldn't I just be okay with that?

Your CT sounds miserable. It would've been good to suggest that your CT act like a professional grown-up [in politer terms], rather than acting like a complete baby [again, politer terms] but - yeah. This is ridiculous sounding. It's terrible for the students. It's inconvenient for you. And... somehow your coteacher is getting credit for teaching classes when she's only doing 20 minutes after you're finished, meanwhile you're going to have to make up the extra time?


That's a cluster and a half.

Also, putting aside the "you're not teaching a full teaching hour because your co-t is a baby" BS, why are you expected to make up 30 minutes for 20 minutes of lost time??

Glad to know I'm not the only one but what gets me is that this behavior usually only happens when the co-teacher is not present. It doesn't happen every time I'm alone, but when it does happen, I am always alone. (Lol, this is making me think of that meme: I don't always teach alone, but when I do, chaos ensues. ) I mean, I get it. The KT isn't there so to them it feels like there is no teacher but that makes me mad.

Haha yeah I actually prefer teaching alone whenever it happens but I admit, sometimes I hope the kids don't notice it's just us. Kind of like when Wile E. Coyote doesn't realize he's run off a cliff until he looks down. I mean, whatever. I get that my classes don't matter -- no ego about that. I think what burns my biscuit is having to carry on the charade. Had a grade 3 at the very end of the day where they were all allowed to sit with their friends and they were just total shits. Meanwhile, my teaching was really getting in the way of my co-t grading papers in the back of the room.

I mean, again, being a teacher here isn't really where I harvest my self-worth so it's fine. But why am I even wasting my voice? Why can't we just sit in relative silence, and follow the wisdom of "let's not and say we did?"

@MataHari

That deal sounds ridiculous.  So convoluted! 

So how many periods (the newly proposed 30 minute classes) will you actually be teaching per week now?  I suppose if it's 22 or under then you can't get over it.

But logistically, how is splitting the classes like that going to work?  Are your 30 minutes supposed to supplement what your CT has been teaching and vice versa?

I really feel for you in this situation 

To those who write travel blogs:

When you're giving directions to the thing/place/activity, you have to be exact and precise.  It makes me want to smash my laptop to bits when I see things like

"So yea, just go to XXX subway station and take the bus from there!" 

Which exit?  Which bus?  Which direction?

"Walking from XXX just head towards the big crossing, turn right and cross the second road!"

Ok, thanks for the barnstorming directions.

 

It sounds like you did some irreparable damage, if she doesn't want you to be in the classroom while she is teaching.

What had you done before when she was leading?

What did she do when you were leading?

Would you care to explain how things got so out of hand?

If you are SMOE, you might consider signing-up for the training course for foreigners and their coteachers next week.

To those who write travel blogs:

When you're giving directions to the thing/place/activity, you have to be exact and precise.  It makes me want to smash my laptop to bits when I see things like

"So yea, just go to XXX subway station and take the bus from there!" 

Which exit?  Which bus?  Which direction?

"Walking from XXX just head towards the big crossing, turn right and cross the second road!"

Ok, thanks for the barnstorming directions.

 

AAAAGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH HH.

"Go to the store with the chickens and there's a road that's past that. Go straight and then you'll see, like a bus, stop. It's to the left of that."

WTF ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT.

It's the same with a video I saw about street food in Hanoi. It's interesting to some people sure, but I was literally going to Hanoi the following month and it would have been REALLY USEFUL to tag the names of the restos in the description or the address. We all have google maps now, you don't even need to give me the name of the resto to search it, I realise these are holes in the wall in Vietnam, but the address of the building will work every time!