RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

It's been decided that, from next semester, I have to run an 'afterschool, but before 5pm, English drama club'.
I get given famous English stories and have to convert them into colloquial style English; and I can't just get a version from the internet either, that is already converted into a play.
They want me to go through the version they give me and do that. It's not allowed to deviate slightly. >.<
The students will be putting on a play for their parents / teachers or something.

Tell them that's ridiculous.

Yeah I live in fear of being asked to do something like this.  Hopefully it's one of those things they just forget about.

Yeah, It was meant to start at the beginning of this semester, but my school offers so many after school classes / clubs, that they literally couldn't fit it in. I don't know what is changing / has changed, but my boss came to me today, slapped a photocopied version of his book and said to turn it into a play, and make it in modern English.
He asked me earlier in the semester to do this, and said I could use any version. I found one online that is already in play format, modern English, and would be a bit different. I was hoping it was forgotten about, but then today. Nope. You have to do it again using my version. It needs to be done before summer vacation as well. I still have to plan / prepare for the summer camp too >.<

Do not accept ridiculous requests. I'd agree to teach the kids a play, but I wouldn't write my own just for a kids' performance. That is an unreasonable expectation.

I already agreed to do it, IF I know how many students, and which students would be participating. He agreed to that. Then chose a difficult story. With many roles. And now has said it HAS to be this. and that I have to change the English to be easier but still have the same meaning / story as the version of his book. >.<

You could totally troll your boss by changing the language so that it sounds like Donald Trump speaking.

What's the story?

just be blunt and say you're not going to do it like it, as it's unreasonable. be fair, and explain there are a load of already-made plays on the internet/book you can buy like this, and you'd be happy to use one of those

just be blunt and say you're not going to do it like it, as it's unreasonable. be fair, and explain there are a load of already-made plays on the internet/book you can buy like this, and you'd be happy to use one of those

Already tried this earlier. I even linked him to ones I thought would be a good level for the students. As the language had been graded to be easier too, he turned it down because it isn't his version (had a different ending or something). However, this kind of stuff is in my contract, and as it doesn't exceed the teaching hours per week, or happen after 5pm... I basically can't refuse without breaching my contract. I also have a lot of free time during my work week, so this isn't an entirely big deal. It's just very tedious and boring lol.

You could totally troll your boss by changing the language so that it sounds like Donald Trump speaking.

What's the story?

The prince and the pauper. The version he is using is a really old version, that's completely in Ye olde English. Even I'm having trouble understanding some of it lol.
I'm already at 13 roles in this story, that is almost 1 role for every student in the school. And I doubt we will get that for the drama club lol. Unless they are forced to join. :\

It's been decided that, from next semester, I have to run an 'afterschool, but before 5pm, English drama club'.
I get given famous English stories and have to convert them into colloquial style English; and I can't just get a version from the internet either, that is already converted into a play.
They want me to go through the version they give me and do that. It's not allowed to deviate slightly. >.<
The students will be putting on a play for their parents / teachers or something.

Tell them that's ridiculous.

Yeah I live in fear of being asked to do something like this.  Hopefully it's one of those things they just forget about.

Yeah, It was meant to start at the beginning of this semester, but my school offers so many after school classes / clubs, that they literally couldn't fit it in. I don't know what is changing / has changed, but my boss came to me today, slapped a photocopied version of his book and said to turn it into a play, and make it in modern English.
He asked me earlier in the semester to do this, and said I could use any version. I found one online that is already in play format, modern English, and would be a bit different. I was hoping it was forgotten about, but then today. Nope. You have to do it again using my version. It needs to be done before summer vacation as well. I still have to plan / prepare for the summer camp too >.<

Do not accept ridiculous requests. I'd agree to teach the kids a play, but I wouldn't write my own just for a kids' performance. That is an unreasonable expectation.

I already agreed to do it, IF I know how many students, and which students would be participating. He agreed to that. Then chose a difficult story. With many roles. And now has said it HAS to be this. and that I have to change the English to be easier but still have the same meaning / story as the version of his book. >.<

You have legitimate grounds to refuse using his daft script.
If parents and guests will be attending the performance and at least one of them is able to pick up the awkward or terrible English, it'll be a poor reflection on your competence as a teacher and English speaker.

Tell him outright that this will tarnish your reputation and you refuse to do it. Offer the alternative and simply don't budge.

CT and I were planning camp. We generally don't fuss too much as I have a pretty good idea of what I'm doing and it's simply a matter of putting it on paper and getting the materials.

This year, for Science Day, I decided on getting each team to create a mini Rube Goldberg machine. I'm sure they'll love it, but it'll definitely take some time. I believe it'll take about 2 days. My CT was fine with doing it over 2 days, but asked me to write it down for 1 day on the official schedule.... huh?
The camp template she has lists a theme for each day, so she wants me to put Science Day for 1 day, on the schedule and put any theme be it 'Sports Day', 'Stripper Day' or whatever for the final day just so it matches the template of 1 theme a day and we can simply ignore it.

Apparently it's ABSOLUTELY CRAZY to disagree with a piece of paper.

This place drives me absolutely bonkers at times.

It's been decided that, from next semester, I have to run an 'afterschool, but before 5pm, English drama club'.
I get given famous English stories and have to convert them into colloquial style English; and I can't just get a version from the internet either, that is already converted into a play.
They want me to go through the version they give me and do that. It's not allowed to deviate slightly. >.<
The students will be putting on a play for their parents / teachers or something.

Tell them that's ridiculous.

Yeah I live in fear of being asked to do something like this.  Hopefully it's one of those things they just forget about.

Yeah, It was meant to start at the beginning of this semester, but my school offers so many after school classes / clubs, that they literally couldn't fit it in. I don't know what is changing / has changed, but my boss came to me today, slapped a photocopied version of his book and said to turn it into a play, and make it in modern English.
He asked me earlier in the semester to do this, and said I could use any version. I found one online that is already in play format, modern English, and would be a bit different. I was hoping it was forgotten about, but then today. Nope. You have to do it again using my version. It needs to be done before summer vacation as well. I still have to plan / prepare for the summer camp too >.<

Do not accept ridiculous requests. I'd agree to teach the kids a play, but I wouldn't write my own just for a kids' performance. That is an unreasonable expectation.

I already agreed to do it, IF I know how many students, and which students would be participating. He agreed to that. Then chose a difficult story. With many roles. And now has said it HAS to be this. and that I have to change the English to be easier but still have the same meaning / story as the version of his book. >.<

You have legitimate grounds to refuse using his daft script.
If parents and guests will be attending the performance and at least one of them is able to pick up the awkward or terrible English, it'll be a poor reflection on your competence as a teacher and English speaker.

Tell him outright that this will tarnish your reputation and you refuse to do it. Offer the alternative and simply don't budge.

I'll be clear, I'm not sure if they WILL be there or not. But my boss is HOPING, that they will be good enough to do that. At least, that's how I understood it (even after asking for clarification, but you know how things go here).

I think the plan is: This is extra English practice / exposure for the higher level students (ones we think might be good enough to apply for the scholarship to study in NZ for a couple months), however, if they get to the point they can act it out, without the script, he'll invite parents etc.

We aren't even sure which students will be joining / participating yet. A couple of the students with the lowest level of English, their parents regularly sign them up to ALL extra English related things as well; 1 of which is a special needs student (He tries super hard to understand English though, even though he can't do much more than hello).

CT and I were planning camp. We generally don't fuss too much as I have a pretty good idea of what I'm doing and it's simply a matter of putting it on paper and getting the materials.

This year, for Science Day, I decided on getting each team to create a mini Rube Goldberg machine. I'm sure they'll love it, but it'll definitely take some time. I believe it'll take about 2 days. My CT was fine with doing it over 2 days, but asked me to write it down for 1 day on the official schedule.... huh?
The camp template she has lists a theme for each day, so she wants me to put Science Day for 1 day, on the schedule and put any theme be it 'Sports Day', 'Stripper Day' or whatever for the final day just so it matches the template of 1 theme a day and we can simply ignore it.

Apparently it's ABSOLUTELY CRAZY to disagree with a piece of paper.

This place drives me absolutely bonkers at times.

I got told something very similar to this, back in december while prepping for winter camp haha >.<
Yeah, it is a bit bonkers lol.

CT and I were planning camp. We generally don't fuss too much as I have a pretty good idea of what I'm doing and it's simply a matter of putting it on paper and getting the materials.

This year, for Science Day, I decided on getting each team to create a mini Rube Goldberg machine. I'm sure they'll love it, but it'll definitely take some time. I believe it'll take about 2 days. My CT was fine with doing it over 2 days, but asked me to write it down for 1 day on the official schedule.... huh?
The camp template she has lists a theme for each day, so she wants me to put Science Day for 1 day, on the schedule and put any theme be it 'Sports Day', 'Stripper Day' or whatever for the final day just so it matches the template of 1 theme a day and we can simply ignore it.

Apparently it's ABSOLUTELY CRAZY to disagree with a piece of paper.

This place drives me absolutely bonkers at times.

haha yeah. i've had teachers ask me a grammar question over the years, i give them the answer, then later they tell me i'm wrong because the korean english book says differently. "but it says this in the book!"

You could totally troll your boss by changing the language so that it sounds like Donald Trump speaking.

What's the story?

I’d love to hear the Trump version of ‘The Prince and the Pauper’ 

Why don't you just find an easier version online for free. Change a few words. Say you wrote it?

I mean, he wants it has a play but surely not one that's going to last a few hours. Copy it. Skim it down.

It's possible that something about his instructions got lost in translation?

Anyway, I'd just plagiarize the f out someones work if it was me. 

haha yeah. i've had teachers ask me a grammar question over the years, i give them the answer, then later they tell me i'm wrong because the korean english book says differently. "but it says this in the book!"

But the Korean English book is never wrong. Didn't you know?

My coteacher showed me the book she's using to study, and the English phrases it teaches are awkward, out-of-date, or just plain wrong. I'm constantly correcting the phrases. Sometimes it takes me a minute to realize what the phrase is supposed to mean.

"My baby due August 15." (My baby is due August 15th.)
"She must go to piss." (She needs to take a piss.)
"It's weather for ducks." (It's raining.) <--Maybe this is just an idiom I've never heard before?

"It's weather for ducks." (It's raining.) <--Maybe this is just an idiom I've never heard before?

This is sort of right. The correct one would be "It's good weather for ducks!" 

...'Stripper Day' ...

After that, I realised that Korean paperwork is bollocks.

F*cking hell, KEB Hana Bank.

Last week, I tried sending a few buck from my bank back home to my KEB account. I forgot to convert my local currency into USD so 1hr after sending the payment, my bank back home sent me an e-mail saying the payment would be returned by KEB once it reaches Korea and that no further action is required... <meh> ok. I've been getting constant phone calls from KEB, since Tuesday, sometimes 3-4 times a day and usually when I'm at work.

Whenever I pick up, it's a terrified, mousy lady who speaks next to no English and we waste 10min trying in vain to communicate. I'm learning Korean and struggle to find the words when I'm under stress, I can empathise with her... BUT, at the end of the first call I requested them to send me an e-mail or call me back with someone who speaks English.
KEB has always marketed itself as an English friendly bank, I shouldn't have to deal with this BS, especially while I'm trying to teach a class.

Still, I'm constantly getting called with a different mousy lady reading the same script in broken English and if I don't answer they'll keep calling till the damn phone vibrates it's bullocks off throughout my whole lesson. I tell them "I UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION" "STOP CALLING ME"... then she'll ask me to speak slower and no matter how slowly I speak she doesn't understand and she reads the script from the beginning.

I finally got an e-mail from them, which was pretty much fed through a translator and is pretty much incomprehensible.

Thank God it's weekend and they can stop calling.

F*cking hell, KEB Hana Bank.

Last week, I tried sending a few buck from my bank back home to my KEB account. I forgot to convert my local currency into USD so 1hr after sending the payment, my bank back home sent me an e-mail saying the payment would be returned by KEB once it reaches Korea and that no further action is required... <meh> ok. I've been getting constant phone calls from KEB, since Tuesday, sometimes 3-4 times a day and usually when I'm at work.

Whenever I pick up, it's a terrified, mousy lady who speaks next to no English and we waste 10min trying in vain to communicate. I'm learning Korean and struggle to find the words when I'm under stress, I can empathise with her... BUT, at the end of the first call I requested them to send me an e-mail or call me back with someone who speaks English.
KEB has always marketed itself as an English friendly bank, I shouldn't have to deal with this BS, especially while I'm trying to teach a class.

Still, I'm constantly getting called with a different mousy lady reading the same script in broken English and if I don't answer they'll keep calling till the damn phone vibrates it's bullocks off throughout my whole lesson. I tell them "I UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION" "STOP CALLING ME"... then she'll ask me to speak slower and no matter how slowly I speak she doesn't understand and she reads the script from the beginning.

I finally got an e-mail from them, which was pretty much fed through a translator and is pretty much incomprehensible.

Thank God it's weekend and they can stop calling.

Sounds like your bank back home is the one with the issues!

Most banks will accept the transfer and convert it to the currency of your account - often at a less than ideal rate. Bouncing it is rude.

Why don't you just find an easier version online for free. Change a few words. Say you wrote it?

I mean, he wants it has a play but surely not one that's going to last a few hours. Copy it. Skim it down.

It's possible that something about his instructions got lost in translation?

Anyway, I'd just plagiarize the f out someones work if it was me. 

The easier versions I've found, are a lot different to "his" version.
Usually with a different ending or middle.
Otherwise, that was my plan too. :p

I think, since we are starting in semester 2, I doubt the students are going to be good enough at this to perform it as a play in front of an audience. (Less time and all that), I also think, because of the speaking test results, he thinks the students will be capable of this. I don't think he realizes we were focusing on the textbook questions, and how well they understood the questions, as well as, how they answered the question. We didn't take grammar or pronunciation into accounting when giving the speaking test grades. And they are a lot simpler than something like this. I also doubt, we are going to get enough students to really do this haha.

 

Why don't you just find an easier version online for free. Change a few words. Say you wrote it?

I mean, he wants it has a play but surely not one that's going to last a few hours. Copy it. Skim it down.

It's possible that something about his instructions got lost in translation?

Anyway, I'd just plagiarize the f out someones work if it was me. 

The easier versions I've found, are a lot different to "his" version.
Usually with a different ending or middle.
Otherwise, that was my plan too. :p

I think, since we are starting in semester 2, I doubt the students are going to be good enough at this to perform it as a play in front of an audience. (Less time and all that), I also think, because of the speaking test results, he thinks the students will be capable of this. I don't think he realizes we were focusing on the textbook questions, and how well they understood the questions, as well as, how they answered the question. We didn't take grammar or pronunciation into accounting when giving the speaking test grades. And they are a lot simpler than something like this. I also doubt, we are going to get enough students to really do this haha.

Found out today, that even though my boss wants to do this, they still can't fit this club into the school, as they still offer too much, and the stuff they offer can't change. After doing 20/25 pages of this haha.
While this has been a bit boring and tedious, I'll probably finish it up, because I'm close to the end. It also gives me something to do. I'm almost done with planning summer camp, and I have no more classes until after summer vacation.
At most, we could read this together for an afterschool class, if it changes to just my high level students, so there is a chance this effort might not be wasted. :p