Chunping Alex Wu
- 2004-07-17
> Hello Mike - the school my wife and I planned on going to have cut
> her hours down to almost nothing and so we won't be going there-
> neither one of us is under contract there - whereas my school in
> China will re-hire me - so, unless we come up with something great,we
> will stay in China. My suggestion to you is the same I have to the
> hitters in the major league all-star game - watch out for the
> curveball and steer clear of the screwball
As you foreign teachers can see, almost all the students respect you highly in the Orient. If you could speak even a little bit their language, they would treat you much more respectfully. That's also a very good example for the students to appreciate the wonderful effects if they could learn a foreign language.
Besides, foreign teachers are the best diplomats for culture exchanging. Please try to introduce the good foriegn manners and behaviors to your students. They see us from "developed countries", and we suppose to give them something decent more than only the language. Don't do anything in front of the students that we usually don't do in the public in our countries, such as: smoking in the public place, etc.
As for the language itself, I would suggest that it's better to let them be exposed to all the accents, so they wouldn't have trouble in understanding people from other lands. I usually slated some time in class to let them listen to English radio broadcasts from England, Australia, Poland, Hungary, India and Texas. I speak North-American English, but I'm also quite familiar with the British and Aussie tones. My students' listening ability improved quite a bit by my way.
Alex Wu
mahal
- 2004-07-13
Hi... I wanted to teach English in Korea, i got a Degree and a Tesol Certificate. I just don't have an idea where to apply. Please help!!!Thanks
> if anyone needs info about teaching in korea, always my pleasure to
> help.
> nic
boots43
- 2004-07-09
> Thanks guys for your advice and best wishes.
> I bought my ticket Mexico-Korea yesterday, I'm a bit nervous but
> looking forward to arriving August 18. I just wish I knew a bit more
> Korean than anyeonghasheo.
> Still, I believe that smiles are universal.
then you've never been to turkey - just kidding everyone! (mostly)
Mike B
- 2004-07-09
Thanks guys for your advice and best wishes.
I bought my ticket Mexico-Korea yesterday, I'm a bit nervous but looking forward to arriving August 18. I just wish I knew a bit more Korean than anyeonghasheo.
Still, I believe that smiles are universal.
Kim
- 2004-07-06
> some feedback. i recommend smallers cities for you. if you can, avoid
> seoul, daegu. daejeon and pusan. nice places could be masan, chonan
> mountains, all the east and west coast towns. trasportation is fast
> froanywhere and you can be in seoul within hrs. lot easier and
> cheaper to raise a family in smaller places. for work try for a
> smaller school with one or 2 teachers. that way you can help school
> owner to market and grow. maybe even your wife can help school
> teaching part time. also you could get a 2 bedroom apt in any smaller
> city sometimes without the key money deposit. very important is to
> have all your family under visas. this can allow you to be part of
> the medical insurance. visas for a family can take up to half of one
> month salary or more. maybe you school can help. beside your boss and
> students, try to always listen to the parents of the students. the
> way small schools make their living is by worth of mouth. if parent
> of kids like you, next they tell someone else ans so on. i think is
> better for you to use your own ideas to teach. most of the small
> schools in korea have terrible teaching curriculums. if your small
> school is ready to hire another foreign teacher. ask owner that you
> want to help hiring that teacher. that way you can be sure who is
> coming in.
Good point nic. I ran 2 years ago a school and can not say it better than you.
Kim
nic
- 2004-07-06
> Hi there nic,
> I have been trying to find out as much as possible about Korea, I
> plan to be there in about 6 weeks. What I think so far:
> Korea is full of newbie teachers who complain a lot. There are many
> experienced teachers who don't complain. (and some who do). There are
> good schools and bosses, there are bad schools and bosses. If a new
> teacher thinks things are going to be like "back home"
> he/she is very much mistaken.
> My plan, once I have a boss, is to treat my boss with respect, it's
> he or she who has made the investment in a school that gives me the
> opportunity to work there. Accept that the school is a business and
> not a charitable organization for the benefit of foreign teachers.
> While doing the above, make it clear that I am also a business asset
> and as such deserve a fair deal.
> All this while learning to speak Korean.
> I welcome any suggestions or opinions from nic or anyone else with
> firsthand experience of Korea.
some feedback. i recommend smaller cities for you. if you can, avoid seoul, daegu. daejeon and pusan. nice places could be masan, chonan mountains, all the east and west coast towns. trasportation is fast froanywhere and you can be in seoul within hrs. lot easier and cheaper to raise a family in smaller places. for work try for a smaller school with one or 2 teachers. that way you can help school owner to market and grow. maybe even your wife can help school teaching part time. also you could get a 2 bedroom apt in any smaller city sometimes without the key money deposit. very important is to have all your family under visas. this can allow you to be part of the medical insurance. visas for a family can take up to half of one month salary or more. maybe you school can help. beside your boss and students, try to always listen to the parents of the students. the way small schools make their living is by word of mouth. if parent of kids like you, next they tell someone else ans so on. i think is better for you to use your own ideas to teach. most of the small schools in korea have terrible teaching curriculums. if your small school is ready to hire another foreign teacher. ask owner that you want to help hiring that teacher. that way you can be sure who is coming in.
boots43
- 2004-07-05
> Hi there nic,
> I have been trying to find out as much as possible about Korea, I
> plan to be there in about 6 weeks. What I think so far:
> Korea is full of newbie teachers who complain a lot. There are many
> experienced teachers who don't complain. (and some who do). There are
> good schools and bosses, there are bad schools and bosses. If a new
> teacher thinks things are going to be like "back home"
> he/she is very much mistaken.
> My plan, once I have a boss, is to treat my boss with respect, it's
> he or she who has made the investment in a school that gives me the
> opportunity to work there. Accept that the school is a business and
> not a charitable organization for the benefit of foreign teachers.
> While doing the above, make it clear that I am also a business asset
> and as such deserve a fair deal.
> All this while learning to speak Korean.
> I welcome any suggestions or opinions from nic or anyone else with
> firsthand experience of Korea.
Hello Mike - the school my wife and I planned on going to have cut her hours down to almost nothing and so we won't be going there- neither one of us is under contract there - whereas my school in China will re-hire me - so, unless we come up with something great,we will stay in China. My suggestion to you is the same I have to the hitters in the major league all-star game - watch out for the curveball and steer clear of the screwball
Mike B
- 2004-07-05
> if anyone needs info about teaching in korea, always my pleasure to
> help.
> nic
Hi there nic,
I have been trying to find out as much as possible about Korea, I plan to be there in about 6 weeks. What I think so far:
Korea is full of newbie teachers who complain a lot. There are many experienced teachers who don't complain. (and some who do). There are good schools and bosses, there are bad schools and bosses. If a new teacher thinks things are going to be like "back home" he/she is very much mistaken.
My plan, once I have a boss, is to treat my boss with respect, it's he or she who has made the investment in a school that gives me the opportunity to work there. Accept that the school is a business and not a charitable organization for the benefit of foreign teachers. While doing the above, make it clear that I am also a business asset and as such deserve a fair deal.
All this while learning to speak Korean.
I welcome any suggestions or opinions from nic or anyone else with firsthand experience of Korea.
if anyone needs info about teaching in korea, always my pleasure to help.
nic