RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

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 "onetwothreeonetwothree 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.

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.

I'm doing that right now. I hate sitting in the teachers room cuz I've planned all that I possibly can (because most of my schools only tell me what lesson we'll do a week in advance) so I'm just pretending to look for resources on here. It's awful. I want my own room where I can play checkers online when I'm done for the day and have an hour to kill :'(

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.

I'm doing that right now. I hate sitting in the teachers room cuz I've planned all that I possibly can (because most of my schools only tell me what lesson we'll do a week in advance) so I'm just pretending to look for resources on here. It's awful. I want my own room where I can play checkers online when I'm done for the day and have an hour to kill :'(

Thankfully she's gone now.

It sounds nice but it's really shitty when you have stuff to do for tomorrow. I had it in my old tiny school too, I used to sit in the nurses room and another teacher used to use the computer in there so I would just have to wait. It made the time draaaaaaaaaaaaaaag.

I could go into the little office too but every 15 minutes a different teacher would come in and ask to use that computer so I felt like I was just being a pain.

In my main school I have to share an office with the 4 English teachers.


I would love my own classroom  It's my dream.


#sad

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...

I think it has to do with class hours.  Students have to be in school for a certain amount of time to graduate, even if they do naff all in their tests.  I had one student who started my middle school years back, then his stupid dad decided that he should home school him.  Because he missed so many days he couldn't continue in the grade he should be in, so ended up being joining the year below.

@Mezoti- Yeah, there are a few others that will just sleep the whole time during tests, even the (I assume) important midterms and finals. Literally just take the test and immediately fall right asleep. And this was my first time seeing a student ever be held back too.

So then that makes sense about the school hours, rather than actual grades. Because I sure as heck know they aren't getting passing grades.

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. 

So irritating. The use of paper cups here drives me crazy.

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. 

So irritating. The use of paper cups here drives me crazy.

Rofl, what show is that?

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt!

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. 

So irritating. The use of paper cups here drives me crazy.

[img]

Rofl, what show is that?

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. A Netflix original. Recommended for 30 Rock fans~

I think it has to do with class hours.  Students have to be in school for a certain amount of time to graduate, even if they do naff all in their tests.  I had one student who started my middle school years back, then his stupid dad decided that he should home school him.  Because he missed so many days he couldn't continue in the grade he should be in, so ended up being joining the year below.

Interesting -- I suppose the certain amount of time a student spends in school during the school year thing makes sense (I remember my elementary/middle/high schools back in my home country had a similar policy, and someone in my grade got left back as a result of missing too many days of school).

And interesting about the home schooling thing...I guess the time he spent being home schooled didn't count when he re-joined public school, then.

Guy who gives me rides: Makes me wait for 5-20 minutes on a regular basis in the afternoons
Has made me wait 15-20 minutes in the cold/rain several times
His reason is "I have to shut all the doors/windows before I leave" (meanwhile I'm thinking: so... start at 4:50...?)
Never there in the morning right when he says he'll be (7:40)
Arrived at 7:45 yesterday

Me: Has unexpectedly dark circles, puts on full face in an attempt to look human, is 4 minutes late getting out to his car, it's the first time ever running a little late

Guy: "Tomorrow, please come out at 7:40. I waited a lot for you."

...Yeah ok.

inb4 "How dare you complain when he's giving you rides"... pls.

I swear to bird that my allergies are 100x worse this year than they were in previous years combined. The skin around my eyes hurt to the touch, and allergy meds don't really suppress the symptoms very much these days.

I've never done this before, but I'm seriously considering getting an allergy shot.

****** pine trees and pollution.