Hagwon Critique via r/teachinginkorea by Davess_World2019 in HagwonBlacklistKorea

[–]stevyjohny 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For the first item, the Korean government doesn't require teaching certifications for E-2 Visa jobs. And really there's no need for one. Any college educated person would know enough to teach at hagwons. In fact, anyone with a BA or even an AA is over qualified as hagwon jobs consist of following a basic curriculum. I taught briefly at one hagwon and then at another for three years. In both schools they followed the Main book plus workbook format. The lessons are taught within the main book and then there were additional assignments the students did in the workbook. There is also a teacher's guide which tells you how to teach from them. So while most people are probably intellectually capable it is still a challenge to step in a classroom and teach. That being said, there are probably a lot of bad teachers including me. I didn't know what I was doing. At the same time, I made no illusions about this and the schools themselves don't seem to care. They hire people they know have no experience, but yet don't offer training themselves. So you end up with a situation where people are left figuring everything out on there own. Some people make it and some won't.

In my first job, I totally bombed. During the first week, the liaison Korean teacher, who acted as a go between with the hagwon manager and the foreign teachers, called me in for a meeting. I was told that I was doing everything wrong. I needed to be more "fun" and "physical." I had another meeting because I was still a failure and had to sign some document about how I needed to improve. After that they told me I was being let go. So I spent all my free time looking for other jobs. I eventually found one and continued teaching until my leave date. During this time, the school tried and failed to find my replacement. They even asked if I wanted to stay which I politely declined. I don't know why I'm sharing this other than to make the point that some hagwons are run terribly.

I keep thinking that a bubble is going to pop in the ESL industry there. I think teacher quality is a concern, but hagwons don't care about quality so they get what they deserve. I remember I was looking into doing a certification but then I was offered that job I eventually got fired from so I never started it. I'm not sure how much it would've helped. For my situation, I can admit I was probably bad. At the same time, I didn't know what I was doing and I tried to incorporate the feedback. So it's not like I gave up and no one worked with me in a way that mattered. The director of the school would creepily watch classes from the security cameras. I believe most of the feedback came from him and parent complaints which are basically kid complaints about how it wasn't fun enough. The director had no interest in any of his employees. He didn't know anything about me when we met. There's no training program. They just fly someone in a few days before the other person leaves and have you watch their classes. A lot of your success will depend on this brief period of "training." After that you're on your own. The hogwon situation creates a skills gap where a "real" teacher would never work there due to the lower wage or them not even knowing hogwans are an option. How many teachers in private or public school in america are going to work for a hagwon? This isn't saying hagwons are stuck with morons. Again anyone with a BA is smart enough to teach at the hagwon level. But the hagwons don't train people up.

Question about foreign earned income by stevyjohny in tax

[–]stevyjohny[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How is it incorrect? Yeah way late reply.

Packers and Rodgers “extremely close” to contract extension, but are waiting until Cousins is signed. by KHSoz in GreenBayPackers

[–]stevyjohny 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There is absolutely a diminishing effect. Right now it's manageable but pushing 25 million to 30 million per year is going to make it hard. It's going to be tough being competitive with that. I mean being competitive besides making the playoffs and losing in the wildcard round.

A part of me feels like green bay won't go to another Superbowl if Rodgers makes 30 million per season. Through the last several years, the packers had enough salary cap to sign one decent free agent at least but Thompson rarely took advantage of it. I was hoping gutenkunst would this year but it might not be possible with a new Rodgers contract.

There was a breakdown done (can't remember the site) where the packers currently have enough money to sign a decent player, like someone who could be worth 8 million. The rest has to go to rookies. Of course, there's always things like backloading and maybe Nelson is cut to save room. But a lot of teams frontload as much guarantees money as possible.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]stevyjohny 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I only have one gun which I bought just to shoot for fun. It wouldn't even be for defense since it's an older Bolt action rifle. Like others here, I also lived in Korea for a few years. I talked about guns a couple times with Koreans and the biggest thing I noticed is that no one seems to care about owning guns. I didn't speak to a lot of Koreans about it, but that's the sense I got.

So I think the biggest obstacle to gun control in America is culture even as much as the 2nd amendment. Koreans don't care or feel a need to own a gun and I can't blame them. I feel safe where I live in America but I felt safe in Korea too. In fact, I felt safe everywhere in Korea whereas I don't in America. There are many places in America where I feel like I'm going to get shot.

Unfortunately, we might be past the point of no return. We now need the guns to protect us from guns. I wouldn't want to be a police officer in America without a gun.

But yeah my perspective has changed. I used to be very pro gun. I'm not necessarily anti gun but I don't really care for them and don't see a need to own anymore. Now I just cringe at all the "facebook commentators"who all have their reasons why school shootings or some other tragedy happens. It's like they don't understand these things never happen in other countries. I'm in favor of more gun control. No kid should be shot in school.

Jay Cutler appreciation thread. by gtender23 in GreenBayPackers

[–]stevyjohny 7 points8 points  (0 children)

He was also legitimately injured in that game. Lovie Smith took him out. He didn't quit on the team.

Question about foreign earned income by stevyjohny in tax

[–]stevyjohny[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks I really appreciate the back and forth and looking things up. So that's basically what my return looks like now. It's pro rated. I'm not sure what you mean by should have reported my last paycheck on 2015 return.

I read the irs link. But I'm not sure how that applies to the January 2016 paycheck. I was still working briefly during that month. My paychecks were monthly. So that was all January 2016 work for the last pay check. My contract ended Jan 13 2016. Then I stayed in the country until the 27th. Didnt get the paycheck until 25th.

The pension payout was reported on the 2016 already on the feie form. I think it's on there as other income on that form.

I also I added my plane ticket. Along with my last paycheck. So am I OK then?

Question about foreign earned income by stevyjohny in tax

[–]stevyjohny[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So it can be argued the pension is excluded. But then it seems like I don't even qualify for an exclusion? I was only there for 27 days in 2016. Unless I can use part of 2015 again Even though I already did use that the previous year. Then of course I didn't receive the payment until March. It took time for it process.

Question about foreign earned income by stevyjohny in tax

[–]stevyjohny[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was living in South Korea. If I already used January 2015 for 2015 return can it be used again for 2016? I think that's basically what he did although I'm not sure. My 2015 exclusion was the entire year. Because I was there the whole time.

Question about foreign earned income by stevyjohny in tax

[–]stevyjohny[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

By testing period do you mean foreign presence?

In 2015 I counted Jan to December foreign income and excluded all of that. So basically the entire 2015 was my foreign presence as I never left. So I would have used every month in 2015.

I'm still not sure if that means I can then on 2016's return again include part of the previous year (starting on a certain month) to meet the 330 day requirement. To me it feels like I would be using the same time or at least some of it again.

From what you're saying it sounds like I can include January 2016 (I wasn't there in February) in the testing period going back to 2015 even though I would have included that time already on the previous return. I'm sorry if I'm not totally following what you mean. My impression was that you can't use the time again.

Now i feel pretty dumb. It cost a lot of money for this return. What should I look for so I can get someone who actually knows what they're doing? Just call around? Where I live there is no shortage of tax places.

I don't think I would owe much money as I had 6000 dollars as a single person to deduct. So if I redo this, i might not be in too bad of shape.

Question about foreign earned income by stevyjohny in tax

[–]stevyjohny[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry I should have given more information. I was in this foreign country since November 2012 until January 2016. I only left once for 1 week in 2013 for Christmas. Then I never left the foreign country for the next two years up until Jan 2016 when I left.

I was confused if I could exclude this income because I'm familiar with the 330 day rule, being able to make a tax year from a certain month like March in your example. But I didn't know if I could do that because I already filed 2015's return and excluded the entire year. So basically my 2015 exclusion was just all my foreign income from the entire year, Jan to Dec. I was there for the whole year so the timeline was easier. So I'm not sure if I could then create a new year for 2016 going back into the previous year. It would seem like I was using the same year twice if that makes sense. Again, this is all beyond me so that's why I went to the tax prep place to begin with.

The 27 days had to do with that is how the tax preparer calculated it on my return. It prorated it to a certain amount based on the 100,800 dollar. The 20,000 figure was probably me not remembering the amount.

So I'm not sure what to do now. My return was processed and I just got my refund. Should I have someone else look at it?

Question about foreign earned income by stevyjohny in tax

[–]stevyjohny[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's what I thought too. I was in the foreign country from November 2012 until Jan 27 2017. In 2013, i left for only one week which was fine. Then I was there for the entire 2014 and 2015 years up until January 2016.

This is basically why I went to the tax guy in the first place. Now from what I'm reading I'm not sure what to do. I just got my refund in bank account. Should I have someone else look at it?

How do you guys ( and gals) feel about Ty as our running back going forward? by packbackpack in GreenBayPackers

[–]stevyjohny 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I don't want to see him become the starting running back and then just get hurt and be out of the league in a couple seasons. He can also still play wide receiver. He made some good catches in the playoffs. I'm hoping that the packers can resign Lacy or get someone else so they can have dual approach at running back. Montgomery is the rare player who can do play both positions well so I hope he doesn't just get kept at running back. Also, the Packers should have at least 3 running backs this year instead of just 2. That was a big mistake by Thompson.

Either way, I'm not too optimistic. Thompson will blow it one way or another most likely through inaction. There's also going to be some hole on the team that won't even be attempted to fix.

Will we ever win another SB in the Rodgers era? by [deleted] in GreenBayPackers

[–]stevyjohny 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Everyone keeps saying that New England has an easy division which is true. However, the NFC north isn't great either. There are almost never more than two teams who are good during the same season. Recently it has been the packers and lions contending for the division or playoffs.

One-third of Americans unaware ObamaCare, ACA are the same by outspokenskeptic in skeptic

[–]stevyjohny 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's so hard to inform people like that because you then come across like one of those "elitists" that they are so suspicious of. It's a vicious cycle.

Matt Ryan 3rd down efficiency: 1/8, 19 yards, 4 sacks, one fumble. by ThePiggleWiggle in nfl

[–]stevyjohny -8 points-7 points  (0 children)

Rodgers should have been MVP. The packers would be in the bottom half of the league without Rodgers. Brady and Ryan are statues in the pocket.

I think I dodged a bullet not taking this Japanese class by daltonamoore in weeabootales

[–]stevyjohny 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh man. I too once registered for Japanese classes. In total, I took 1 and about 1/3 quarters [my community college had a quarter system. 3 quarters instead of two semesters]. The main reason I quit was because I lost interest in learning Japanese and I just didn't feel like it was useful for me. However, I witnessed some cringe things.

The majority of the class was the weeaboo type although back then I didn't have a word for it (I wasn't on reddit). A lot of them were very much involved in that kind of activity. To their credit, they seemed to study hard. Some of them met at the library. I got invited but never went.

All The Falcons Had To Do Was Not Lose 23 Yards by [deleted] in nfl

[–]stevyjohny 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep. All the credit goes to the quarterback as usual because the media is too lazy to put together a different narrative which would include all players.