RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

Yea I teach at a poor school, we have no hot water and our heater is locked at 25, which doesn't help that much when it's -10 outside.
But the admin office so warm, meanwhile we're freezing our asses off everywhere else in the school. We're also not allowed to have individual heaters either, but I got one anyways and just gonna use it during desk warming since I'm alone.

On Tuesday, the principal let us leave early at 2:30 because it was really cold but my coteachers were really suspicious about it. This (new) principal is from Gangnam has been causing a lot problems, so no one really likes her lol. Anyways, according to my coteachers, later they found out that she had all the teachers leave school early because she had a better heater installed in her office and didn't want everyone to see/know.

Damnnnnn. That's messed up!

These damn kids have given me another cold 3 days before I leave for vacation. 

It's the kind of situation where an American friend invites their more normal Korean friend and that Korean friend brings their socially ignorant friend just so they can experience hanging out with foreigners in Korea. It was kind of a big group, so I don't know why I got stuck talking to this guy for the majority of the time. This seems to happen a lot, maybe because I'm quiet and thus look open to conversation.

I seem to have that same "approachable" appearance or something.  Oftentimes if I'm at a public transit spot, and NOT even the only one there, somehow some [often elderly] Korean will decide I'm the chosen one they should ask questions about whatever.  Usually I don't know the answer so I can at least tell them politely in Korean that I don't know but then I notice they don't even bother asking anyone else at the stop.   

If only they knew I was actually a foreigner in unintentional disguise 

Trying to get peace and quite in a jimjilbang is pretty much impossible. I had to get out of my house due to troubles with my wife. I went to a jimjilbang because it was cheap and i like the hot rooms they have. I have never heard such loud snoring and loud behavior in general where people are surposed to be sleeping. Also, who proceeds to set their alarm for 6am in the sleeping room and then sleep thorough it for at least 2 or 3 minutes. That happened at least twice. If you go, then take earplugs or earphones amd play music to block out everyone else or dont go on a weekend or get a hotel. Other than that it was quite enjoyable.

Korea and Japan played football the other day, Korea won.  The match is being shown now.  This is the 5th time i have noticed it being shown.  If Korea had lost, it would never again be shown. 

Korea and Japan played football the other day, Korea won.  The match is being shown now.  This is the 5th time i have noticed it being shown.  If Korea had lost, it would never again be shown.

That's because no one would watch it.  Similarly, when ESPN ran a documentary about "the perfect season" I would tune in because I'm a Miami Dolphins fan.  However, when they show "Joe Montana: Superstar" or whatever, I'm not so interested.

Now whenever people like that come up to me and ask where I'm from, I just say, "Why?" and they generally get the hint that I'm not interested in chatting.

You sound like a nice person 

Also, who proceeds to set their alarm for 6am in the sleeping room and then sleep thorough it for at least 2 or 3 minutes. That happened at least twice.

I sleep through at least 4 alarms out of the 10 have set for the morning..... 

A friend of mine stupidly offered to help someone with a problem, actually she offered her help through someone claiming to be helping someone. (well that is confusing). Anyway long story short, turns out this guy has literally made up a story that isn't entirely true. There are specks of truth scattered about, but basically he is just swindling people.

The person who he is claiming to help, doesn't want his help or anyone else's and he has completely created his own reality.

So many people need serious therapy!!

A friend of mine stupidly offered to help someone with a problem, actually she offered her help through someone claiming to be helping someone. (well that is confusing). Anyway long story short, turns out this guy has literally made up a story that isn't entirely true. There are specks of truth scattered about, but basically he is just swindling people.

The person who he is claiming to help, doesn't want his help or anyone else's and he has completely created his own reality.

So many people need serious therapy!!

I feel this needs to be fleshed out a bit more. haha 

Sinuses are on fire today and giving my nose the surprise drips. Makes it so I have to practically stuff my left nostril with tissue to prevent a sudden gush right in front of my students.

I'm still annoyed about that ridiculous week in Jan/Feb where we have to come to school. Why does that school week even exist? Why can't we just tack an extra week on to the end of the school year instead of leaving for a month then coming back? I could have had nearly a full month for vacation, but nope, it's split in two. 

I'm still annoyed about that ridiculous week in Jan/Feb where we have to come to school. Why does that school week even exist? Why can't we just tack an extra week on to the end of the school year instead of leaving for a month then coming back? I could have had nearly a full month for vacation, but nope, it's split in two. 

Hey at least you don't have to desk warm

Whenever I bring in some fancy bomb game or choose your own adventure PPT, my CT tells the children that I made it even though I'm sure she knows I didn't. They all go "ohhhh!" and clap for me and it's so awkward because I don't want to make a big deal about it but I also don't see the need in taking credit for someone else's work. Is this why K-teachers often remove the credit from the PPTs they download from waygook? So they can impress their students?

Same happens to me. It hurts me -- I'm the kinda person who will say if the joke I told/funny thing I said was my original content or not.

The students applaud, and then my co-teacher asks why I'm weeping.

"Shame," I reply. "Shame."

Whenever I bring in some fancy bomb game or choose your own adventure PPT, my CT tells the children that I made it even though I'm sure she knows I didn't. They all go "ohhhh!" and clap for me and it's so awkward because I don't want to make a big deal about it but I also don't see the need in taking credit for someone else's work. Is this why K-teachers often remove the credit from the PPTs they download from waygook? So they can impress their students?

I like to make a clear distinction between stuff I've made and stuff I've pilfered.  If the latter, generally I just told my students that "my friend" made it as somehow that was easier than explaining I downloaded it from somewhere then adapted it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I made SO MANY CARDS though and my favorite coT seemed to enjoy pointing that out to them.     I like to think they appreciated my work, maybe just a smidgen?

maybe made a little mistake in telling one of my co-teachers I was angry with her.
She didn't come to a 4th grade class which lead to me having to send students to get her when two boys started fighting. She had been dealing with a student from I previous class I had instructed her to help but refused to do anything but she needed to be in that class doing her job - assisting students and reprimanding these boys since I don't have the Korean to do that.

The mistake wasn't really that I told her I was mad but I went on to explain that if she's going to hold a student to do work, she should do it on her time not mine, reiterated why she's actually needed in the classroom even if I can run a class without her (I don't have the Korean ability or the class time to deal with the low-level reluctant learners) and that I was angry with her through the year because she fell asleep at the back of the class in four lessons this year.
She apologised and said that I should tell her problems I have immediately (which I should have been I don't feel comfortable doing since I learned in my first year here you need to suck up to your co-teachers if you want a renewal. I've already got my renewal for next year and don't intend on staying after completing my 5th year here so I no longer care).

I also told her she needed to show more initiative and should be assisting certain students without my direction, which she started to argue that she does and I told her fairly bluntly that I don't think she assists the students effectively. In that, she doesn't quite prioritise students the way I wish she would. There's a couple of students in the class I just can't effectively assist while also leading the class (reluctant learners), she will go to students that are low-level but I could assist while she's dealing with someone who needs her specifically. And...well...she seems a bit insulted. I don't want her to feel like I'm picking on her because she's by far not the co-teacher who annoyed me the most this year (even though it's no coincidence the classes I have with her have the worst behaviour. She cares far too much about the students liking her.)

I tried to soften the blow by telling her repeatedly that she is not the only co-teacher I've thought hasn't been doing a stellar job this year but I think that's might just lead to the 5 of us having a sit-down meeting about why they've annoyed me this year when I have other things to do.

I have heard it before from a co-teacher that I 'just don't seem to need assistance' but that just irritates me further because...do they not get that when I'm leading classes they are there for the students? Not for me? I don't need help, but the students do.

maybe made a little mistake in telling one of my co-teachers I was angry with her.
She didn't come to a 4th grade class which lead to me having to send students to get her when two boys started fighting. She had been dealing with a student from I previous class I had instructed her to help but refused to do anything but she needed to be in that class doing her job - assisting students and reprimanding these boys since I don't have the Korean to do that.

The mistake wasn't really that I told her I was mad but I went on to explain that if she's going to hold a student to do work, she should do it on her time not mine, reiterated why she's actually needed in the classroom even if I can run a class without her (I don't have the Korean ability or the class time to deal with the low-level reluctant learners) and that I was angry with her through the year because she fell asleep at the back of the class in four lessons this year.
She apologised and said that I should tell her problems I have immediately (which I should have been I don't feel comfortable doing since I learned in my first year here you need to suck up to your co-teachers if you want a renewal. I've already got my renewal for next year and don't intend on staying after completing my 5th year here so I no longer care).

I also told her she needed to show more initiative and should be assisting certain students without my direction, which she started to argue that she does and I told her fairly bluntly that I don't think she assists the students effectively. In that, she doesn't quite prioritise students the way I wish she would. There's a couple of students in the class I just can't effectively assist while also leading the class (reluctant learners), she will go to students that are low-level but I could assist while she's dealing with someone who needs her specifically. And...well...she seems a bit insulted. I don't want her to feel like I'm picking on her because she's by far not the co-teacher who annoyed me the most this year (even though it's no coincidence the classes I have with her have the worst behaviour. She cares far too much about the students liking her.)

I tried to soften the blow by telling her repeatedly that she is not the only co-teacher I've thought hasn't been doing a stellar job this year but I think that's might just lead to the 5 of us having a sit-down meeting about why they've annoyed me this year when I have other things to do.

I have heard it before from a co-teacher that I 'just don't seem to need assistance' but that just irritates me further because...do they not get that when I'm leading classes they are there for the students? Not for me? I don't need help, but the students do.

Haha. Oops.

I'm over my KTs this year. It wouldn't have bothered me so much since I've been here long enough to expect next-to-nothing from co-teachers but after a disagreement in the summer that included one KT saying a was 'unprofessional' for not doing something she had told me multiple times they would prepare. It really made their lack of professionalism jump out at me.

I honestly wouldn't mind leaving this school but you never know how cr*p the next one will be.

w3k for a tin of Heinz beans.

I'm still annoyed about that ridiculous week in Jan/Feb where we have to come to school. Why does that school week even exist? Why can't we just tack an extra week on to the end of the school year instead of leaving for a month then coming back? I could have had nearly a full month for vacation, but nope, it's split in two. 

Hey at least you don't have to desk warm

Except I only have three classes that Jan/Feb week, so my vacation is cut in half because I have to deskwarm. 

Whenever I bring in some fancy bomb game or choose your own adventure PPT, my CT tells the children that I made it even though I'm sure she knows I didn't. They all go "ohhhh!" and clap for me and it's so awkward because I don't want to make a big deal about it but I also don't see the need in taking credit for someone else's work. Is this why K-teachers often remove the credit from the PPTs they download from waygook? So they can impress their students?

Just tell them 'Pororo made it' (or whatever theme character is involved, if they're older, just tell them whatever parten company of the character made it) and then pick out some random kid to scold for being slightly distracted and move on.

Time's a wastin and the class don't need to know the provenance of the PPT.