Quote from: Aristocrat on June 26, 2018, 02:58:58 pmQuote from: alexisalex on June 26, 2018, 09:42:08 amQuote from: StillInKorea on June 26, 2018, 08:20:07 amA sixth grade teacher has changed the 6th period class on Tuesday to first period on two occasions this past month. Both times, she asked me the day before so it was fine.Today, at 8.45, a student from her class came to my office to say that from now on, the teacher wanted to have our class in the sixth period. Seemed a bit odd, but the teacher is very anxious, so I figured she just wanted to clarify everything.A few minutes later, the student came back out of breath, explaining that his teacher wants our class to be in the first period from now on. I've complained many times about not having proper notice of schedule changes, and was in the process of eating breakfast and drinking coffee, so I told the kid to tell his teacher that I was eating breakfast and I'm not going to accept schedule changes without being told the day before. Ten minutes is not acceptable notice.I do kind of feel sorry for that teacher as she's extremely anxious and cannot control her own class. She's even had parents insulting her over Kakao Talk which brought her to tears. But in the Korean workplace, you have to draw firm lines unless you want the crap to roll downhill onto you.To just play devil's advocate; didn't you anticipate that the class might be moved again since it had already happened twice in the past month? In that situation I would have waited until you knew for sure before tucking into a full blown meal at your desk during work time.Has there been any fallout? Because surely the message is "StillInKorea didn't come to class because he was eating his breakfast (during work time) and refused to stop". Aristocrat and Dave Stepz are talking about bullying. Did she really bully you? lol I just think that however annoying last minute changes are (and I know they are!!) we should try and be flexible because it is a different culture.I think that spitting the dummy just makes you come across really badly to your coworkers.I'd hazard a guess that you haven't been here long.I mentioned bullying because that's what it's related to. The culture, in Asia, Japan and Korea is to be non-confrontational in order to save face and not put others in a position to lose face. When being bullied or being obstructed by a problem, or issue, that will lead to confrontation, what Confucianism teaches is to:A - Run away B - Ignore the problem and/or endure itC - Shift the responsibility on someone else or blame someone elseD - Play the victimThe homeroom teacher has opted for 'C', she probably got some BS errands to run for parents or God knows who as she's too weak and meek to refuse... option 'B'Be very, very careful when doing 'favours' for Koreans at work... personal life, that's your business. Trust me, they're well aware that you're trying to be mindful of the culture and don't want to offend. Many will take full advantage of it, never has the proverb "Give him a finger and he'll take the whole arm" been more appropriate. When my wife first came to Korea, the school got her to teach 26 classes! The kept saying there wasn't a budget for overtime and that the previous NET did it and everyone loved her, they even tried to get her to "hang out with the students" during lunch, in the English class. They specifically called it "hanging out" so they didn't have to register as teaching time. Be professional and have your boundaries.But there's a huge difference between your wife's situation and StillInKorea's. She was being asked to do things not in her contract and well outside the realms of reasonable "extras". I'm all for standing your ground there and having boundaries.StillInKorea refused to teach a class because he was annoyed at the short notice. He literally refused to do his job. A world of difference!I don't get this crusade to try to change Korean culture. Trust me, the lesson that StillInKorea thinks he taught his co-teacher is totally lost on her. She's not going to be hit with the epiphany "You know what? This foreigner has really opened my eyes. My culture really is sh*t isn't it?!!"
Quote from: alexisalex on June 26, 2018, 09:42:08 amQuote from: StillInKorea on June 26, 2018, 08:20:07 amA sixth grade teacher has changed the 6th period class on Tuesday to first period on two occasions this past month. Both times, she asked me the day before so it was fine.Today, at 8.45, a student from her class came to my office to say that from now on, the teacher wanted to have our class in the sixth period. Seemed a bit odd, but the teacher is very anxious, so I figured she just wanted to clarify everything.A few minutes later, the student came back out of breath, explaining that his teacher wants our class to be in the first period from now on. I've complained many times about not having proper notice of schedule changes, and was in the process of eating breakfast and drinking coffee, so I told the kid to tell his teacher that I was eating breakfast and I'm not going to accept schedule changes without being told the day before. Ten minutes is not acceptable notice.I do kind of feel sorry for that teacher as she's extremely anxious and cannot control her own class. She's even had parents insulting her over Kakao Talk which brought her to tears. But in the Korean workplace, you have to draw firm lines unless you want the crap to roll downhill onto you.To just play devil's advocate; didn't you anticipate that the class might be moved again since it had already happened twice in the past month? In that situation I would have waited until you knew for sure before tucking into a full blown meal at your desk during work time.Has there been any fallout? Because surely the message is "StillInKorea didn't come to class because he was eating his breakfast (during work time) and refused to stop". Aristocrat and Dave Stepz are talking about bullying. Did she really bully you? lol I just think that however annoying last minute changes are (and I know they are!!) we should try and be flexible because it is a different culture.I think that spitting the dummy just makes you come across really badly to your coworkers.I'd hazard a guess that you haven't been here long.I mentioned bullying because that's what it's related to. The culture, in Asia, Japan and Korea is to be non-confrontational in order to save face and not put others in a position to lose face. When being bullied or being obstructed by a problem, or issue, that will lead to confrontation, what Confucianism teaches is to:A - Run away B - Ignore the problem and/or endure itC - Shift the responsibility on someone else or blame someone elseD - Play the victimThe homeroom teacher has opted for 'C', she probably got some BS errands to run for parents or God knows who as she's too weak and meek to refuse... option 'B'Be very, very careful when doing 'favours' for Koreans at work... personal life, that's your business. Trust me, they're well aware that you're trying to be mindful of the culture and don't want to offend. Many will take full advantage of it, never has the proverb "Give him a finger and he'll take the whole arm" been more appropriate. When my wife first came to Korea, the school got her to teach 26 classes! The kept saying there wasn't a budget for overtime and that the previous NET did it and everyone loved her, they even tried to get her to "hang out with the students" during lunch, in the English class. They specifically called it "hanging out" so they didn't have to register as teaching time. Be professional and have your boundaries.
Quote from: StillInKorea on June 26, 2018, 08:20:07 amA sixth grade teacher has changed the 6th period class on Tuesday to first period on two occasions this past month. Both times, she asked me the day before so it was fine.Today, at 8.45, a student from her class came to my office to say that from now on, the teacher wanted to have our class in the sixth period. Seemed a bit odd, but the teacher is very anxious, so I figured she just wanted to clarify everything.A few minutes later, the student came back out of breath, explaining that his teacher wants our class to be in the first period from now on. I've complained many times about not having proper notice of schedule changes, and was in the process of eating breakfast and drinking coffee, so I told the kid to tell his teacher that I was eating breakfast and I'm not going to accept schedule changes without being told the day before. Ten minutes is not acceptable notice.I do kind of feel sorry for that teacher as she's extremely anxious and cannot control her own class. She's even had parents insulting her over Kakao Talk which brought her to tears. But in the Korean workplace, you have to draw firm lines unless you want the crap to roll downhill onto you.To just play devil's advocate; didn't you anticipate that the class might be moved again since it had already happened twice in the past month? In that situation I would have waited until you knew for sure before tucking into a full blown meal at your desk during work time.Has there been any fallout? Because surely the message is "StillInKorea didn't come to class because he was eating his breakfast (during work time) and refused to stop". Aristocrat and Dave Stepz are talking about bullying. Did she really bully you? lol I just think that however annoying last minute changes are (and I know they are!!) we should try and be flexible because it is a different culture.I think that spitting the dummy just makes you come across really badly to your coworkers.
A sixth grade teacher has changed the 6th period class on Tuesday to first period on two occasions this past month. Both times, she asked me the day before so it was fine.Today, at 8.45, a student from her class came to my office to say that from now on, the teacher wanted to have our class in the sixth period. Seemed a bit odd, but the teacher is very anxious, so I figured she just wanted to clarify everything.A few minutes later, the student came back out of breath, explaining that his teacher wants our class to be in the first period from now on. I've complained many times about not having proper notice of schedule changes, and was in the process of eating breakfast and drinking coffee, so I told the kid to tell his teacher that I was eating breakfast and I'm not going to accept schedule changes without being told the day before. Ten minutes is not acceptable notice.I do kind of feel sorry for that teacher as she's extremely anxious and cannot control her own class. She's even had parents insulting her over Kakao Talk which brought her to tears. But in the Korean workplace, you have to draw firm lines unless you want the crap to roll downhill onto you.
If you're 100% miserable, quit. 30-day notice would give you time to get your things in order. Or... There is nothing illegal about pulling a runner. Not too classy, but it's your life.
Quote from: williamwhite on June 26, 2018, 06:34:31 pmIf you're 100% miserable, quit. 30-day notice would give you time to get your things in order. Or... There is nothing illegal about pulling a runner. Not too classy, but it's your life.Bingsu should do a midnight run, report everything to the Education Office, and then name and shame her school and co-teacher once she's left the country. The people at her school are absolute scum.
Your schools and colleagues appreciate your devotions to every work you do. Most of you have been to your current school more than 2 to 3 years already. The vice principals are concerned about you getting too familiar with your school life. The more you get used to it, the more you need to be careful about every small thing such as being late to school. Please don't be late in the morning without any notice. If you have any urgent situation, let your liaison teacher know in advance so that she or he can report the vice principal.
what you gonna do now, donny?
Quote from: StillInKorea on June 26, 2018, 06:57:17 pmQuote from: williamwhite on June 26, 2018, 06:34:31 pmIf you're 100% miserable, quit. 30-day notice would give you time to get your things in order. Or... There is nothing illegal about pulling a runner. Not too classy, but it's your life.Bingsu should do a midnight run, report everything to the Education Office, and then name and shame her school and co-teacher once she's left the country. The people at her school are absolute scum.My poe knows about the school and about the headbutt, nothing came of it.
I hate it here so much, I feel like such a ****** jackass for picking a 12 month contract. I'm 4 months in and I'm having such a shit time and there's so much time left until I can go.I refuse to do a runner but **** I hate thisSo far I've been:Headbutted in the spinePurposely shoved walking down the hall and laughed at when I stumbled Had students try to pull me off the floor while rearranging books by my ponytail because I wouldn't get up and unlock my computerHad a kid post up to me because I tried to take his phoneBeen body bumped off my own computer multiple timesHad the bathroom sign thrown into my room with nose bleed tissuesI'm so mentally exhausted and reporting things just made it worse for me
Quote from: Bingsu on June 26, 2018, 06:26:39 pmI hate it here so much, I feel like such a ****** jackass for picking a 12 month contract. I'm 4 months in and I'm having such a shit time and there's so much time left until I can go.I refuse to do a runner but **** I hate thisSo far I've been:Headbutted in the spinePurposely shoved walking down the hall and laughed at when I stumbled Had students try to pull me off the floor while rearranging books by my ponytail because I wouldn't get up and unlock my computerHad a kid post up to me because I tried to take his phoneBeen body bumped off my own computer multiple timesHad the bathroom sign thrown into my room with nose bleed tissuesI'm so mentally exhausted and reporting things just made it worse for meFirst, I'm sorry that things are still so hard for you right now, and I feel like I need to state that you should do what's best for your own health and interest. You were dealt a bad hand, so there's no shame in moving on to better pastures.With that being said, I read your blog, and what you're currently dealing with is classic office bullying. They're trying to get you to quit. BUT... they were probably already trying to get you to do that in the first place. They've just stepped it up a level. Also more than likely there's been false info and rumors flying around about you from day 1. The place is toxic. I'm betting things were and are being said to the kids, too, which would explain some of their incredibly hostile attitudes towards you (especially the bit about the kid calling you a bitter worker and that you should just go back home -- that's something an adult would say, she's probably just regurgitating it). Most of the KTs probably know nothing about you outside of what others are saying, and you can bet that most of that is probably negative. No one at that school was ever your friend. Some were polite towards you, but there was animosity and hostility always there. None of that is your fault.If you still want to fight the good fight, you'll need to give yourself some important *me* time first so that you'll have the energy to build up your second wind. It always gets worse before it gets better, especially in places like that. I know I keep harping about it, but log everything. Record everything. Invest in hidden cams for your classroom, and audio record ANYTIME you go into a room with Koreans or interact with a Korean at your school. And remember that the school literally, literally set you up for failure. That isn't your fault. How they're choosing to treat you isn't your fault. You were walking into a shitstorm that's been going on long before you got there. Whether you ultimately decide to leave or stay, you're not wrong either way. You don't need to put up and deal with this bullshit, especially if it's become super detrimental to you. If you don't feel like you have it in you to punch back as hard as you're going to need to, that's okay. You shouldn't have to, and there's no shame in leaving. I'd just advice, should you decide to leave, to gather as much evidence about the school's mistreatment of you as possible to submit to the POE on your way out, just as a final middle finger farewell.Keep us posted, Bingsu, I wish you the best.
I really need to pee but I’m stuck on the bus, so I really don’t know what I’m going to do.
Bingsu if I were you I would tell the POE contact honestly, either they move you over break or you'll quit. It's not impossible for them to do. They can sort it out before the new term starts. Apart from the bullying, how are classes? Is it easier now you're teaching the normal classes?Can you really stand another 8 months or whatever there?
Quote from: Chinguetti on June 26, 2018, 08:57:57 pmQuote from: Bingsu on June 26, 2018, 06:26:39 pmI hate it here so much, I feel like such a ****** jackass for picking a 12 month contract. I'm 4 months in and I'm having such a shit time and there's so much time left until I can go.I refuse to do a runner but **** I hate thisSo far I've been:Headbutted in the spinePurposely shoved walking down the hall and laughed at when I stumbled Had students try to pull me off the floor while rearranging books by my ponytail because I wouldn't get up and unlock my computerHad a kid post up to me because I tried to take his phoneBeen body bumped off my own computer multiple timesHad the bathroom sign thrown into my room with nose bleed tissuesI'm so mentally exhausted and reporting things just made it worse for meFirst, I'm sorry that things are still so hard for you right now, and I feel like I need to state that you should do what's best for your own health and interest. You were dealt a bad hand, so there's no shame in moving on to better pastures.With that being said, I read your blog, and what you're currently dealing with is classic office bullying. They're trying to get you to quit. BUT... they were probably already trying to get you to do that in the first place. They've just stepped it up a level. Also more than likely there's been false info and rumors flying around about you from day 1. The place is toxic. I'm betting things were and are being said to the kids, too, which would explain some of their incredibly hostile attitudes towards you (especially the bit about the kid calling you a bitter worker and that you should just go back home -- that's something an adult would say, she's probably just regurgitating it). Most of the KTs probably know nothing about you outside of what others are saying, and you can bet that most of that is probably negative. No one at that school was ever your friend. Some were polite towards you, but there was animosity and hostility always there. None of that is your fault.If you still want to fight the good fight, you'll need to give yourself some important *me* time first so that you'll have the energy to build up your second wind. It always gets worse before it gets better, especially in places like that. I know I keep harping about it, but log everything. Record everything. Invest in hidden cams for your classroom, and audio record ANYTIME you go into a room with Koreans or interact with a Korean at your school. And remember that the school literally, literally set you up for failure. That isn't your fault. How they're choosing to treat you isn't your fault. You were walking into a shitstorm that's been going on long before you got there. Whether you ultimately decide to leave or stay, you're not wrong either way. You don't need to put up and deal with this bullshit, especially if it's become super detrimental to you. If you don't feel like you have it in you to punch back as hard as you're going to need to, that's okay. You shouldn't have to, and there's no shame in leaving. I'd just advice, should you decide to leave, to gather as much evidence about the school's mistreatment of you as possible to submit to the POE on your way out, just as a final middle finger farewell.Keep us posted, Bingsu, I wish you the best.Thank you. This really really means a lot to me, I can't express it enough. I'm trying to push through all of this and I'm hoping my summer vacation gives me a big enough reset to kick the doors down when the new semester starts.