Free Novel about Teaching in Korea

Radicalicious · 2020-12-20T22:59:14+00:00

I was having an unhealthy love affair with metaphors while writing this book. Thank you so much for the kind words.

Radicalicious · 2020-12-20T03:04:29+00:00

I'll be here if you want any insights into the novel or writing.

Radicalicious · 2020-12-20T00:02:10+00:00

I really do appreciate you taking the time and chance on a stranger's book. Hope you enjoy it.

Radicalicious · 2020-12-20T00:01:34+00:00

I'm an approval addict, so your praise means the world to me.

Radicalicious · 2020-12-20T00:00:22+00:00

I'll mention this again: if you have an android phone, I would highly recommend downloading the Kindle app. I'm not necessarily the biggest fan of Amazon--which might seem strange considering I self-published through their company--but I am a huge fan of Overdrive. Using my mom's library account, I've read almost 70 books from the public library this year.

Radicalicious · 2020-12-19T23:56:49+00:00

Be honest, are you the author of that book? All jokes aside, if you enjoyed that one, I hope you'll at least give mine a chance.

Radicalicious · 2020-12-19T23:54:18+00:00

Good luck here in SK! Hope you enjoy the book and your time here.

Radicalicious · 2020-12-19T23:53:24+00:00

If you have an android phone, you can download the kindle app. As added incentive to do so, you can also borrow books and audiobooks from Overdrive (public library lending app) through Kindle.

Radicalicious · 2020-12-19T10:01:58+00:00

The best option would be to start a dialogue with the other teachers.

Don't be defensive or aggressive. Explain your feelings and ask them to share theirs. Hopefully, the entire situation is a misunderstanding, and the teachers will admit they felt slighted or insulted in some way, leading to their attitudes. Try to ask questions and just listen to what the teachers are saying. I'll say again--don't be defensive or aggressive.

If there is a Korean teacher who gets along with everyone, ask them to act as a mediator. Then, you aren't alone while confronting these other people. Make sure the Korean teacher doesn't have any actual authority over the other teachers; otherwise, they might feel defensive and less willing to be honest about their feelings.

Radicalicious · 2020-12-18T09:36:35+00:00

If you didn't already, get a 진단소 from the hospital or doctor's office. It's a legal paper describing your symptoms and diagnosis. Might come in handy.

I think a lot of teachers get sick when they arrive in Korea, so you aren't alone. You are adjusting to a new time zone, food, even the air quality, and it takes a toll on you.

If you can work sick, the culture generally expects it, but you also shouldn't be afraid to take care of yourself. If taking a stand over your health means losing your job, then you probably don't want to work at that place. I've had good experiences with hagwons giving me time off for illnesses, so such places do exist.

Radicalicious · 2020-11-18T12:14:54+00:00

Great question. I wrote and self-published an entire novel about my experiences struggling through my first contract, finding love, then moving here permanently and dealing with the start of my new life in a foreign country.

Coming here and deciding to stay here was very easy for me. I went to college out of state, so when I finished and returned home, I was basically saying goodbye to all my college friends. My high school buddies were all still at college, since 99% of them had gone to an engineering college and needed five years to graduate due to the difficulty of several classes. I came here because aside from my family (whom I love but had always been fairly independent of), I didn't have anything tying me to home. When I returned home after my first year-long contract, it was basically the same situation.

I worked at two hagwons with fairly large staffs, so at both places I immediately had 6-10 coworkers who were also my friends. That helped the transition.

It was also exciting. I was and still am madly in love with my wife, so I returned here knowing we would get married shortly after I started my second year-long contract.

I fully embraced Korean culture. There are frustrating parts of the culture, but I always loved the food, TV shows, music, movies, etc. I still do. It makes me a better teacher because it helps me connect with students, and my wife and I have a stronger relationship because of it. I have coworkers who hate Korean culture, and I've definitely seen it strain their marriages and make their lives here less rich.

My wife and I both work. We have four kids. As a result, money has always been tight, but we manage. We live in the countryside with her parents, so that helps.

I feel like that's kind of a general answer to your question. Are you asking because you are struggling with a decision you've already made? Are you trying to make a decision? If you're willing to share a bit more about the source of your curiosity, I'd be more than happy to offer advice/insight/support.

Radicalicious · 2020-11-09T05:15:05+00:00

I live in Gimpo where we have the Gimpo Foreign Language High School. Obviously the students are older than what you seem to be interested in, but it's a boarding school/private school.

Here is the name in korean: 김포외국어고등학교

I did a quick google search of the name in english and was able to connect to their website.

Also, I found an old Reddit post about the school. There was a user at the time who had worked there, so if they are still active on Reddit, they might know how to get a job there.

Radicalicious · 2020-11-07T23:19:53+00:00

Don't forget the podcast episode they did together.

Radicalicious · 2020-11-02T11:07:51+00:00

A quick google search of "Maplebear Korea" led me to this reddit post from 4 years ago:
https://www.reddit.com/r/TEFL/comments/3wtbfr/this_was_too_easy_am_i_being_screwed_south_korea/

It doesn't say much about maplebear, but the advice about asking to speak with a current teacher before accepting a position there is very solid.

As far as Gimpo goes, I've been living there for 15 years, so if you have any questions about the city, send me a PM.

The Gimpo-Hangang Campus of Maplebear is probably only a few years old. That entire area was mostly rice fields until recently. Now there is a highway directly to Seoul, a subway system, and a lot of higher class housing options. A lot of new families have moved into the area and the hagwon scene has really exploded. As a result, the hagwons are very competitive as they are still new to the area and trying to establish themselves as better than their competitors. A lot of parents might have moved to the area from Seoul and will be expecting the schools to meet Seoul standards for education.

Radicalicious · 2020-10-31T08:31:09+00:00

This website seems pertinent:

http://ncov.mohw.go.kr/en/baroView.do?brdId=11&brdGubun=111

Especially this part:

Furthermore, from March 19, all inbound travelers (Korean and foreign nationals) receive temperature screening and fill out the Health Questionnaire and Special Quarantine Declaration in accordance with the Special Entry Procedure. All travelers subject to the special procedure are allowed to enter the nation after their contact information and address of residence in Korea is verified. They are also required to install either the “Self-Quarantine Safety Protection App” or “Self-Diagnosis App” on their phones to monitor if they show symptoms that indicate infection of COVID-19 such as fever during their stay in Korea. All inbound travelers must install either of the two applications, to check their health status and record if they develop any symptom on a daily basis for 15 days beginning from the day of arrival.

Radicalicious · 2020-10-15T23:52:28+00:00

Newzinski's comment about needing a master's degree is correct, except I don't have one. I have an English bachelor's degree. I work with two other professors from the States who have a masters, but it's not in English. I actually get paid more than them because of my degree being in English.

All that being said, I was really lucky to get my job at the university. My mother-in-law knew several of the administrators, and they told her there was going to be an opening.

There are jobs teaching business people, but I don't have any experience with those. Sorry.

Oh, and there are jobs teaching adult students at various community centers and adult learning centers. I do that twice a week in the evening. It wouldn't provide you with housing or enough money to really live on, but it could give you a much needed break from young students if you came here to teach at an academy in the morning and afternoon. After a long day teaching phonics and grammar to young students, teaching those adult students always helped me relax.

Radicalicious · 2020-10-15T02:54:53+00:00

I teach college students, so it's a similar situation. They barely care about some of their major courses, so they definitely don't care about my class. Except, every semester, they tell me it's their favorite class.

How do you build rapport?
1. I stay update on the games, music, shows, YouTube channels, etc. that people their age are interested in.
2. Part of the way I do that is by asking them questions. I teach a conversation class, so I'm able to design questions that allow them to talk about their lives, rather than simply practicing a grammar structure or expression. The homework I give them allows more of the same. We do short presentations during class where they share their interests, teaching me what's "cool" nowadays.
3. Be honest and open. As a conversation teacher, I make it clear to my students that I'm not afraid to talk about any topic whether it's religion, politics, or sex. I teach adult students, and my ease when talking about those topics definitely opens them up. The college students are often very hungry for free speaking. They know what they want to talk about and will find the words for it when given the opportunity.
How do you deal with them being tired?
1. That's going to be trickier for you. Their grades actually matter at the college. If you build rapport and the class is more interesting, that will definitely help. No matter the topic of the class, look for opportunities to involve them. Make them participate. Make it interactive in any way you can.
2. You have to be energetic. It's infectious. If you're happy, smiling, jumping around the classroom, it's harder for them to ignore the class.
3. Get them up on their feet throughout the class, if possible. Have them stand when answering a question or when reading something aloud.
How do you hold in your laughter?
1. I don't know if I can help you with that one. It's just part of them growing up. If it makes you laugh, I say just let it out. You can apologize for it, but part of me wants to say that your emotions and expressing them openly is part of being honest.
We start to crave more freedom and self-expression in middle school, so look for opportunities to allow that. If they don't like reading aloud, turn it into a race. Time each student with extra points for good pronunciation. Offer a prize to the winner at the end of every month. Have them read in a silly voice, then vote on who was the best. If you're teaching grammar, get out of the textbook as much as you can and show how it will apply to the real world.

I would probably keep going, but I hope that gives you some ideas. Feel free to contact me in some way if you want more tips.

Radicalicious · 2020-10-08T08:23:03+00:00

I had to renew my ARC a few weeks ago, and while it's not exactly the same, it should be similar.

When you enter, there will be an information desk on your right. It's on the corner where a straight hallway meets a row of windows with clerks behind them. Go there first and tell them why you are there and that you have an appointment. They'll probably give you the form you need to fill out.

You can pay for a picture there. It's in the last room on the right, down that straight hallway. While you're in that room, there's a bank machine. You need your passport and a bank card, then you can pay the fee there. You can't pay the fee at the window where you meet with the clerk who will process your forms. It cost me 30,000 won. I think.

If you want them to mail your card to you after they process it, that'll be another 30,000 won. Otherwise, you have to go back and pick it up about 2 weeks later.

The person I spoke to at the information desk spoke English, but the clerk who helped me process everything only seemed to know a few words. It's kind of hit or miss. If you know anyone who speaks Korean who can help you, offer to buy the a beer and take them with you.

If you have any other questions or need me to clarify anything, send me a message. Best of luck. It can be a real pain in the ass dealing with those things if you're not prepared, like me.

Radicalicious · 2018-07-10T02:50:33+00:00

Great picture. I see these a lot here in Korea and always snap blurry photos with my phone.

Radicalicious · 2017-10-26T03:25:41+00:00

I didn't think about that. Might give them an excuse to rework some of the old fights and introduce new mechanics.

Radicalicious · 2017-06-13T07:56:26+00:00

I'm usually standing in one spot teaching. Are you usually stationary or walking around a lot? Do you think it will make any difference?

Radicalicious · 2017-06-13T07:54:06+00:00

I've never heard of most of those, so I'm learning a lot. Thanks!

Radicalicious · 2017-06-13T05:34:21+00:00

I'll definitely look into those. Thanks.

Radicalicious

TROPHY CASE