RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

I had an issue that would violate immigration law if I followed through with what the VP wanted. Informed the VP of this. He said he checked on his end (which means he didn't do anything) and said that it was okay. Knowing full well he was wrong I went to MOE to get their advice on what to do with the situation. They said they would handle it. I am now on my VP's s*** list for the rest of the year because I don't want to get in trouble and possible deportation from Korea. fun times ahead. 

I had an issue that would violate immigration law if I followed through with what the VP wanted. Informed the VP of this. He said he checked on his end (which means he didn't do anything) and said that it was okay. Knowing full well he was wrong I went to MOE to get their advice on what to do with the situation. They said they would handle it. I am now on my VP's s*** list for the rest of the year because I don't want to get in trouble and possible deportation from Korea. fun times ahead. 

Out of boredom and looking for something to read, what was the situation? :o

I had an issue that would violate immigration law if I followed through with what the VP wanted. Informed the VP of this. He said he checked on his end (which means he didn't do anything) and said that it was okay. Knowing full well he was wrong I went to MOE to get their advice on what to do with the situation. They said they would handle it. I am now on my VP's s*** list for the rest of the year because I don't want to get in trouble and possible deportation from Korea. fun times ahead. 

You did the right thing. * The police.

I had an issue that would violate immigration law if I followed through with what the VP wanted. Informed the VP of this. He said he checked on his end (which means he didn't do anything) and said that it was okay. Knowing full well he was wrong I went to MOE to get their advice on what to do with the situation. They said they would handle it. I am now on my VP's s*** list for the rest of the year because I don't want to get in trouble and possible deportation from Korea. fun times ahead. 

What's up with the power trippyness of VPs? Not that I have a huge sample size but many seem to be a bog of misery.

Not yet principal so working hard to be promoted.

Can I ask for help in here? How do you discipline grade 1 and 2 students? I have 3 grade 1 kids and 3 grade 2 kids who are monsters. They run around and make it impossible to teach. My co-t just watches as they run everywhere and jump on chairs/desks. When I stop the lesson I can control them, but then I stop teaching.

Today's installment of Things That Bother Me A Great Deal But Really Shouldn't:

When I see someone take a paper cup, fill it with a sip of water, then promptly throw it away. 

Can I ask for help in here? How do you discipline grade 1 and 2 students? I have 3 grade 1 kids and 3 grade 2 kids who are monsters. They run around and make it impossible to teach. My co-t just watches as they run everywhere and jump on chairs/desks. When I stop the lesson I can control them, but then I stop teaching.

You stop the lesson and get control of the kids. That's ridiculous. Raise your voice if you have to and have the Korean teacher explain what is expected of them. Write game on the board in big letters. Everytime they act up, erase a letter. They might not be able to read game but they know it's bad when a letter disappears. They'll start to behave. I guarantee it.

Can I ask for help in here? How do you discipline grade 1 and 2 students? I have 3 grade 1 kids and 3 grade 2 kids who are monsters. They run around and make it impossible to teach. My co-t just watches as they run everywhere and jump on chairs/desks. When I stop the lesson I can control them, but then I stop teaching.

You stop the lesson and get control of the kids. That's ridiculous. Raise your voice if you have to and have the Korean teacher explain what is expected of them. Write game on the board in big letters. Everytime they act up, erase a letter. They might not be able to read game but they know it's bad when a letter disappears. They'll start to behave. I guarantee it.

I've done this exact method and the trouble makers don't stop. I've made the class skip a game, which punishes the good kids, but the bad kids love it. I've also tried to make them sit out, but the co-t doesn't keep them out and she's useless when it comes to playing games. She literally only sits there and escorts them out of the class when the bell rings.

I am also limited in how severe I can act since this is an after school program and numbers = money.

This is more of just a "huh" moment than a rant, but I have one student who does nothing. He was held back last year because he failed almost all of his classes, and he is right on track to be held back again (if they can do that?). I had to proctor a test for this class today, because their test was scheduled during my normal class time with them. He showed up 40 minutes late to class and then just doodled on the test, not writing a single answer.

My Thursday school is tiny and i can only use the library aftrr class because the classrooms are used by after school teachers. However today someone is F-ing in my place.    so I'm sat on a library table reading a book and listening to music but it's not the same  i have too much work to do 

This is more of just a "huh" moment than a rant, but I have one student who does nothing. He was held back last year because he failed almost all of his classes, and he is right on track to be held back again (if they can do that?). I had to proctor a test for this class today, because their test was scheduled during my normal class time with them. He showed up 40 minutes late to class and then just doodled on the test, not writing a single answer.

Yeah I've got one like that. Usually shows up without his book, is allowed to sit in the back and just sort of messes around and is routinely disruptive. My co-t doesn't seem to care so I guess it's up to me now. I can't force him to do his work but from now on he gets to sit right in the front with me.

I suspect part of the issue is if you can't/aren't able to earn a perfect score, then there seems to be no incentive to try for anything else. I dunno. I mean I come from the EVERYONE IS A WINNER generation but there was no way you'd get away with doing nothing.

I also wonder if it's why most of my differently-abled kids are better at English than many of my "whatever" students. I'm not sure what's expected of them with regards to testing but maybe since they aren't pressured to follow the "I'm fine thanks and you" method, they can actually, you know, learn.

Ordered something off qoo10 last week. It's been hung up in customs asking me to pay a clearance fee. I've paid it twice to my knowledge.

I can't reach anyone in English to help me out and its pissing me off, grr.

my god i hate customs. i've also had a package help up recently, got my korean GF to try and call them. she's phoned about 5 separate times and tried 3 different numbers listed online and can never get through. they never answer the damn phone, and the one time she managed to get through they told her to call another department, and gave her a number - which they never answer! urgh!

and i always have the same problem as you - no-one there speaks english. i mean, it's a department that deals with INTERNATIIONAL packages, and there's not a single person there to help people in the international language of english? how do they even read the addresses on the packages?

I try to use DHL whenever I can.

It sometimes costs a bit more (but sometimes less); they do the customs brokerage for you.

Turns out the reason is my payment was by PRINZIV G when they were looking for G PRINZIV because I bought the item with my American card and information, but remitted customs with my Korean card...

Ugh.

This is more of just a "huh" moment than a rant, but I have one student who does nothing. He was held back last year because he failed almost all of his classes, and he is right on track to be held back again (if they can do that?). I had to proctor a test for this class today, because their test was scheduled during my normal class time with them. He showed up 40 minutes late to class and then just doodled on the test, not writing a single answer.

Yeah I've got one like that. Usually shows up without his book, is allowed to sit in the back and just sort of messes around and is routinely disruptive. My co-t doesn't seem to care so I guess it's up to me now. I can't force him to do his work but from now on he gets to sit right in the front with me.

I suspect part of the issue is if you can't/aren't able to earn a perfect score, then there seems to be no incentive to try for anything else. I dunno. I mean I come from the EVERYONE IS A WINNER generation but there was no way you'd get away with doing nothing.

I also wonder if it's why most of my differently-abled kids are better at English than many of my "whatever" students. I'm not sure what's expected of them with regards to testing but maybe since they aren't pressured to follow the "I'm fine thanks and you" method, they can actually, you know, learn.

I think so far this entire year I have seen him a total of 5 times, out of both semesters. He ALWAYS skips. And according to the attendance book, he also skips quite a few of his other classes. Is there an age/grade kids have to be before they can drop out of school entirely in Korea? Because that seems very much like the path he is on.

This is more of just a "huh" moment than a rant, but I have one student who does nothing. He was held back last year because he failed almost all of his classes, and he is right on track to be held back again (if they can do that?). I had to proctor a test for this class today, because their test was scheduled during my normal class time with them. He showed up 40 minutes late to class and then just doodled on the test, not writing a single answer.

Yeah I've got one like that. Usually shows up without his book, is allowed to sit in the back and just sort of messes around and is routinely disruptive. My co-t doesn't seem to care so I guess it's up to me now. I can't force him to do his work but from now on he gets to sit right in the front with me.

I suspect part of the issue is if you can't/aren't able to earn a perfect score, then there seems to be no incentive to try for anything else. I dunno. I mean I come from the EVERYONE IS A WINNER generation but there was no way you'd get away with doing nothing.

I also wonder if it's why most of my differently-abled kids are better at English than many of my "whatever" students. I'm not sure what's expected of them with regards to testing but maybe since they aren't pressured to follow the "I'm fine thanks and you" method, they can actually, you know, learn.

I think so far this entire year I have seen him a total of 5 times, out of both semesters. He ALWAYS skips. And according to the attendance book, he also skips quite a few of his other classes. Is there an age/grade kids have to be before they can drop out of school entirely in Korea? Because that seems very much like the path he is on.

I had a kid like that last year. He was kicked from all after school classes (but in second semester requested to join mine o.o) and wouldn't even open his textbook in any class but he was still in school. Another student of mine was whining to me cuz his cousin dropped out of school to be work on being a pro gamer (...) and was hogging the computer every day (his excuse for not catching up to me on Undertale after he begged me to play it). His cousin was in middle school so I assume middle school kids can drop out? Otherwise his cousin just stopped showing up I guess...

I specifically ask for all my co teachers' help only two times this semester. Supervising during speaking tests and this week when they need to help their class captain hide Easter eggs. I have been during this lesson for over 3 years now so i pretty much know what the hell i am doing. I sent a message last week with specific instructions so everything will go smoothly.

I swear that some of these pieces of sh#t can't even do the minimal amount to help me out.  Showing up late, not hiding eggs in the right area, not telling the student to remember where they hid the eggs so we keep losing them, not even supervising at all. All these things were detailed in my message which they obviously didn't read. I am so f&%ckin done with this place and these lazy a^&holes.

I specifically ask for all my co teachers' help only two times this semester. Supervising during speaking tests and this week when they need to help their class captain hide Easter eggs. I have been during this lesson for over 3 years now so i pretty much know what the hell i am doing. I sent a message last week with specific instructions so everything will go smoothly.

I swear that some of these pieces of sh#t can't even do the minimal amount to help me out.  Showing up late, not hiding eggs in the right area, not telling the student to remember where they hid the eggs so we keep losing them, not even supervising at all. All these things were detailed in my message which they obviously didn't read. I am so f&%ckin done with this place and these lazy a^&holes.

Good for you.

Are you using plastic eggs that open into two halves to hide things inside or are you using real eggs that you dyed yourself?

I use the plastic eggs for the hunt and real white eggs for the kids to color (not doing it this year, however, as I didn't bring over the PAAS kits this time).

Following up on my rant yesterday...

Last week my main co-teacher said "You look so tired lately, and you've lost weight. Are you healthy?" I told her that I was fine, hadn't lost weight, and just get tired sometimes.

Yesterday, she asked me to go have a "talk". Apparently, telling me that I looked tired was supposed to be secret code for "I'm angry with you and you should do better at school." She went off on me for a laundry list of different complaints, from "yawning in class", to "using materials from waygook" (I used one excellent review ppt, and usually make the vast majority of my own materials), to "making boring activities".

She actually told me at one point "If you want to end your contract, I will help you do that."

This all came after I told her on Friday that I won't re-sign my contract. Before then, our working relationship was mostly excellent. Just two weeks ago, when she was drunk at a 희식 she told me I was the best foreign teacher that she had ever had.

I'm worried that she is going to make my life miserable for the next 4 months, looking for every minor mistake in order to make her feel better about me leaving.

Has this happened to anyone else when they don't re-sign?!

Following up yet again, because she's driving me crazy and I need somewhere to vent.

Usually, I plan our 3rd grade lessons 2 or 3 days in advance. Today, she came in right before class (I was with a different coteacher) and told me she wants a lesson plan and materials for next Wednesday by 3pm today. Fine, whatever, I can put something together.

I came up with a fun lesson, making sure not to use any materials from waygook, varying the types of activities, etc. I present my lesson plan to her. Her feedback was "It's fine."

For alphabet lessons, I usually show my students how to write the letters by having them write them in the air with their fingers. I start out slow, then have them go faster and faster until I'm just saying "onetwothreeonetwoth ree etc." It's silly but the kids laugh. When I presented the lesson today, she also said "That was funny the first time, but now it's stupid and repetitive."

For f***s sake, I can't win with this woman. 135 days until the end of my contract. 135 days...

This is more of just a "huh" moment than a rant, but I have one student who does nothing. He was held back last year because he failed almost all of his classes, and he is right on track to be held back again (if they can do that?). I had to proctor a test for this class today, because their test was scheduled during my normal class time with them. He showed up 40 minutes late to class and then just doodled on the test, not writing a single answer.

Wow, I didn't know students can get held back a grade in Korea...I've never heard of that before and thought that all students always progress ahead to the next grade, no matter what. 

I also had a student (a then-6th grade boy) some years ago who would also literally do nothing in class (never even bothered to write anything on tests -- he would basically just hand in his tests with nothing written on it whatsoever -- didn't even bother to at least try). The sad thing is that he did progress on to the next grade/middle school. I think his school tuition was a complete waste of money on his parents' part...

My Thursday school is tiny and i can only use the library aftrr class because the classrooms are used by after school teachers. However today someone is F-ing in my place.    so I'm sat on a library table reading a book and listening to music but it's not the same  i have too much work to do 

At one of my tiny country schools where I used to work, I also couldn't stay in the classroom (where I taught English classes) because of an afterschool class held in there later in the afternoon, so I had to stay in the teacher's office for the rest of the day after my last class. Besides me, the only other people in that office were the vice principal and one administration-type staff lady...I wish I could have stayed in the library or some other room in that school.