RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

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One of the joys of teaching here. They have no idea what they are doing, so they need to criticise to save face. Virtually all of my co-workers just translate the reading sections out of the textbook and talk about grammar.  That's a "lesson" to them.

I was told "too many activities", but, later, that same co-teacher said she doesn't do any activities at all so was just throwing her weight around for no reason other than making her feel good.

I'd like a foreign teacher trainer to observe the old duck in my school who brags how she's always on business trips "consulting" on other English teachers. She'd be less than a novice if put in the private system. Her students hate her classes - they told me when I teach alone with them. Poor old dear.

My knee hurts, but I can't think of a reason to blame it on Korea. Any suggestions?

Blame it on Japan and you will be a hero here.

Context: During my mid-year evaluation, when it came time to offer my thoughts about what would be helpful in the coming semester, I said I'd like some sort of feedback about lessons. I wasn't looking to have some involved daily discussion -- just a quick minute after class here and there like, "Hey that lesson went well because A B C" or "I think this activity would be better if A B C."

Well, that was shot down because "so busy please understand our unique situation."

Instead, last week I got a paragraph of passive aggressive feedback detailing how I shouldn't repeat activities ever because the students get bored (Uh, I could shoot fireworks out of my ass and they will still find a way to be bored). Now, I've done this twice -- once by request of the students and another because it forces the kids to actually, you know, use the language and do the work (running dictation). The rest of the time usually involves card games, board games, pictionary, and the like. It's not like I'm doing bomb games the whole time.

I'm trying to SNIP but this is just kind of a thorn in my paw. I did an ~investigatory~ stroll through the halls and, as expected saw one of three things: teachers droning into microphones with half the kids sleeping, some sort of video with half the kids sleeping, and teachers at their desks while their students did **** all.

I'm not the best English Clown to ever live but there's something that feels highly uncomfortable about being held to different standards that typically result in having just enough rope to hang yourself.

SNIP, I know. SNIP. But still  .

I am annoyed for you!!!

I've a new CT and I'm seeing a disturbing indication of things to come: she naps in the afternoon and as soon as the last school bell rings she wants to discuss class planning. Once was OK, but now there's a definite pattern filled with lots of round and round the mulberry bush.

I've a new CT and I'm seeing a disturbing indication of things to come: she naps in the afternoon and as soon as the last school bell rings she wants to discuss class planning. Once was OK, but now there's a definite pattern filled with lots of round and round the mulberry bush.

Time your own nap strategically~

I'm better with blunt instruments than strategic thinking. How would you strategically nap?

Stop trying to indoctrinate every Tom, Mohammad and Lin who steps onto Korean soil with effin' Dokdo! Dokdo doesn't represent world peace AT ALL!!!

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2017/08/177_235580.html

Goodbye, awesome principal 

May your replacement not be horrible. 

Stop trying to indoctrinate every Tom, Mohammad and Lin who steps onto Korean soil with effin' Dokdo! Dokdo doesn't represent world peace AT ALL!!!

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2017/08/177_235580.html

If anything it represents the opposite since Dokdo's history begins and ends with the current 70 year dispute over its ownership. Both sides' historical arguments for ownership are vague and inconclusive. The reality most likely is no one gave a crap about 46 acres of bird shit stained rock in the middle of nowhere until it became a symbol and subsequent center of some decent fishing and a potential source of natural gas.

I'm tired of sticking out like a sore thumb here. My town is small, so they're not as used to seeing foreigners. But omg, stop just sticking your hand is my hair, stop staring like I have a growth on my neck, and stop trying to talk to me when I'm running on the track.

Stop trying to indoctrinate every Tom, Mohammad and Lin who steps onto Korean soil with effin' Dokdo! Dokdo doesn't represent world peace AT ALL!!!

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2017/08/177_235580.html

If anything it represents the opposite since Dokdo's history begins and ends with the current 70 year dispute over its ownership. Both sides' historical arguments for ownership are vague and inconclusive. The reality most likely is no one gave a crap about 46 acres of bird shit stained rock in the middle of nowhere until it became a symbol and subsequent center of some decent fishing and a potential source of natural gas.

I wouldn't give a toss about Dokdo; however, wherever I turn, it's in my face. From seeing a newspaper article, to seeing a CD-ROM in an elementary school with Dokdo on the cover, to seeing Dokdo as one of the presentation options in my high school, to seeing Koreans in my hometown giving out Dokdo information and to the memory of my EPIK orientation several years ago where we all had to listen to some ajosshi bang on about how, without a shadow of a doubt,  Dokdo is Korean territory; I never want to see or hear that loathsome two syllable D word again. Wishful thinking I know.

I'm better with blunt instruments than strategic thinking. How would you strategically nap?

I had in mind timing your nap at the very time that she was ready to talk lessons, but that's hardly the only strategy in strategic napping. But yeah, that is kind of passive aggressive. Try the blunt object route.

I saw a roach this morning that refused to run when I approached it. It accepted its fate, which, in retrospect, I now realize was a bad omen.

I swear to God that the only thing keeping the students from burning the school down today is the bottle of hairspray that I've been pretending is a cattle prod. I haven't touched any of them with it. But they respect its authority, for some reason.

I've got this new third grader. He spent four years in Canada I guess. I asked the class if they knew my name (I've taught at this school before) and he suggested "Donald Trump" and "Adolf Hitler". That's just the beginning. My entire first class with him, it's nothing but a relentless torrent of swear words, memes and highly offensive name-calling out of this kid. It's like he's every Internet troll you've ever rolled your eyes at compacted into one chubby little third grader. The only saving grace is the other kids don't understand him and don't seem to find him funny at all. He also doesn't seem mean-spirited about it. He participated in the game and mostly behaves just fine. It's like he's just memorized the worst parts of the Internet without knowing what any of it means.

I have a new student who's the most scared looking low energy 3rd grader (elementary) I've ever seen :/ I feel bad for him because that whole class is really energetic and extremely into English. They're all really nice kids and they tried to help him but he just sulked to the back of the classroom and decided not to participate :/ He's been here a week and apparently he wants nothing to do with the other kids even in other classes, but they're constantly excited to see him and all wanted to be his partner :/

Hoping their cheeriness rubs off on him eventually...

I'm better with blunt instruments than strategic thinking. How would you strategically nap?

I had in mind timing your nap at the very time that she was ready to talk lessons, but that's hardly the only strategy in strategic napping. But yeah, that is kind of passive aggressive. Try the blunt object route.

It's home time when she wants to talk. I missed 2 buses. But it's OK. I've rediscovered sugar. By the bucketload. It makes everything good and happy and fluffy unicorns and cute puppies and I have enough energy and sweetness to happily send her the same file to her for the 5th time this week.

Sugar makes the world go round.

I have a new student who's the most scared looking low energy 3rd grader (elementary) I've ever seen :/ I feel bad for him because that whole class is really energetic and extremely into English. They're all really nice kids and they tried to help him but he just sulked to the back of the classroom and decided not to participate :/ He's been here a week and apparently he wants nothing to do with the other kids even in other classes, but they're constantly excited to see him and all wanted to be his partner :/

Hoping their cheeriness rubs off on him eventually...

He might just need some time.  Had a new 4th grader last year who needed a bit of time to adjust (I think there's something more going on than the typical student though).  He was really emotional at first but all his classmates persisted in being kind to him and a few months later I noticed a big difference.  He doesn't always participate but he seems generally content nowadays.

I have a new student who's the most scared looking low energy 3rd grader (elementary) I've ever seen :/ I feel bad for him because that whole class is really energetic and extremely into English. They're all really nice kids and they tried to help him but he just sulked to the back of the classroom and decided not to participate :/ He's been here a week and apparently he wants nothing to do with the other kids even in other classes, but they're constantly excited to see him and all wanted to be his partner :/

Hoping their cheeriness rubs off on him eventually...

He might just need some time.  Had a new 4th grader last year who needed a bit of time to adjust (I think there's something more going on than the typical student though).  He was really emotional at first but all his classmates persisted in being kind to him and a few months later I noticed a big difference.  He doesn't always participate but he seems generally content nowadays.

Yeah I can see how the other kids might be "too nice" and outgoing for him if he's an introvert. I hope it gets better for him cuz everyone else is extremely outgoing in his class o.o

I have a new student who's the most scared looking low energy 3rd grader (elementary) I've ever seen :/ I feel bad for him because that whole class is really energetic and extremely into English. They're all really nice kids and they tried to help him but he just sulked to the back of the classroom and decided not to participate :/ He's been here a week and apparently he wants nothing to do with the other kids even in other classes, but they're constantly excited to see him and all wanted to be his partner :/

Hoping their cheeriness rubs off on him eventually...

He might just need some time.  Had a new 4th grader last year who needed a bit of time to adjust (I think there's something more going on than the typical student though).  He was really emotional at first but all his classmates persisted in being kind to him and a few months later I noticed a big difference.  He doesn't always participate but he seems generally content nowadays.

Yeah I can see how the other kids might be "too nice" and outgoing for him if he's an introvert. I hope it gets better for him cuz everyone else is extremely outgoing in his class o.o

I like to think there's always a place for an introvert.  Hope he ends up adjusting well!  If everyone is nice and accepting of him then I imagine he'll be okay. 

I work at a couple of middle schools and a high school. For the last two years my co-teachers have asked me to lead my own conversation classes on whatever topics I choose. I have enjoyed being able to choose my own topics.
However this semester I have a substitute co-teacher who has insisted that I follow the textbook. Ok, fine, my job is to be as useful to the Korean-English teachers as possible.
We sat down last week and discussed which pages I would teach this week and what he needed from me.
Today, I come in prepared to teach the pages he had requested I teach and I went to discuss with him any last details.
"Oh I already taught these pages. What will you teach today?"
WTF? Do you really need me to teach from the book then?
Luckily I have another lesson I can teach.