RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

Teachers end up making a lot of money in Toronto. They also start off relatively low.

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.

This explains a lot:
http://m.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20170412000835#cb
1 in 4 Koreans have mental illness

How does one have schizophrenia just once in their lifetime?? I didn't think that's how the illness worked.

Yeah, that threw me as well. I also sincerely doubt that the average incidence of schizophrenia in Korea is nearly 3x the global average...

That, along with the source, makes me wonder if the article is worth the time it took to read it. 

This explains a lot:
http://m.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20170412000835#cb
1 in 4 Koreans have mental illness

How does one have schizophrenia just once in their lifetime?? I didn't think that's how the illness worked.

Yeah, that threw me as well. I also sincerely doubt that the average incidence of schizophrenia in Korea is nearly 3x the global average...

That, along with the source, makes me wonder if the article is worth the time it took to read it. 

The include episodes of depression in that number.

Everyone has low points in their lives... hard to tabulate undiagnosed clinical depression.

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?

My whole school smells like pig shit. I've thrown up, I can barely breath, and the kids and teachers that live here smell nothing!

It's like bloody Didymus from the Labyrinth that works in the bog of eternal stench. No one else can smell it, while I'm here nearly dead.

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.

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.