Crazy Friday

For 3 days of this week (Tuesday, Thursday and Today), I've gone hiking, using the mountains behind my apartment. The weather has been nice, and the gym is to damn boring, not to mention stuffy. At least when I'm outside, I get some sunshine and fresh air.

Since I start work late on Fridays, I was able to sleep in a bit, and also start the hiking later. Tuesday, I hiked for 1 hour, Thursday for 1 hour 20 minutes, and 1 hour 40 minutes today. I think, it would take about 3 to 4 hours to take the whole course. Which I might try one day, if I'm really bored, or if one/some of my friends come to meet me here, who are interested in hiking.

Work was a bit of a write off, especially with middle school. There is one class, middle school grade 2, which is a waste of my time, and they don't get the idea that if everyone studies, or tries, they'll be rewarded with a game. They always ask for a game, but don't deserve it. Today was no different. There are a few students that I feel sorry for, because they actually make the effort, but the majority gossip, talk and don't study. They've been like that for a long time, so when it comes to exam time, they don't do well, and their parents pretty much blame everyone else except for their little angels. The bosses of Hagwons (the study/baby-sitting that parents force their kids to go to after school) don't tell the parents of the kids with shit behaviour, coz the parents would change hagwons. So, in other words, no behavioural management. Hagwons, when children are involved, aren't really there are real teaching anyway.

I had a conversation with a good middle school student the other day, which was interesting. The government of the province I live in, has changed the middle school attendance time from 8:10am to 3:30pm, to the following: Monday, Tuesday and Friday: 8:10pm to 5pm; Wednedsay: 8:10am to 3:30pm and Thursday: 8:10am to 4:30pm. Why? So that middle school students don't spend as much times as hagwons. Basically, from the students experience, he studies from 8am to 3:30pm every day, and then goes to various hagwons to study from 5pm to 8pm. So, that's about 10 to 11 hours study, 5 times a week. Not to mention the 8:10am to 12pm every second Saturday. But what have the hagwons done? Just delayed their classes by about 2 hours, so they are still studying the same amount at hagwons, plus the bonus time at school.

Let me just recap. Middle school students at school for 8.5 hours a day, then at hagwons for 3 hours. 11.5 hours of potential study, 5 times a week (57.5 hours), and every second Saturday for 4 hours (that brings it over 60 hours). And then the provincial government says: you have to study an extra 5.5 hours a week, so that you don't have to go to hagwons. Now they're at a total of 67 hours of potential study time at school and hagwons. 67 fucking hours!

Now, if students, the equivalent of Grades 7 though to 9 in Australia, are forced to study a total of 67 hours a week, no wonder they're tired and wanna talk in my class. In their defence, fair enough. I can see why they don't wanna study, coz they're brains are about to explode and wanna tell the "man" to shove their study up their ass. I don't blame them.

But, on the other hand, what are the parents thinking? What is the government thinking?

And, lets face it. Korea is absolutely crazy about tests. Basically, modern Korean life for students is down to weather they got 100 or 99 in a test, and getting 99 is not a good thing. Students are expected to pass everything, and to do everything well. But, the way they study, and the way they are tested, is not very practical. Well, for Korea it is, when only a score is important.

I've said a few times, that I can speak Korean way better than almost all of my students. Why? Because I learn from experience, and I am free to study what I need/want, when I need/want to. Korean students have so much crap shoved down their throat and are expected to regurgitate it on cue when they're being tested or quizzed.

A great example is English. Students are taught about grammar (with explanations in Korean), vocabulary (words and their meanings and their usage) and other aspects of the English language. It's like buying a game for a child, and then telling them, you have to study the rules, so when you play, you know what's going on. The only problem with that, like language, is that the reality of playing the game, is so different from what the rules say. You've got interaction with other places, things being left to random, and depending on the other places for input/cause and effect, and other things like that. You need totally different thinking styles and skills to do both.

But, teaching everyone the rules in English though Korean, is way easier for Korean teachers to do. Plus, they don't have to worry about speaking, and being shy when they make mistakes.

Bottom line: Language is for communication of concepts. That is how I use Korean, no matter how many mistakes I make, as long as the other person I'm talking to gets it, that's the idea.

Not only do I have to deal with that crap all the time, but on occasion, classes are changed for various reasons. The boss' wife will change things without telling me or the Boss. The boss will change things without telling his wife or me. Today was like that with the two remaining middle school classes. The wife changed them around, but didn't tell anyone. So, I had to get the last classes stuff ready (which was only half ready, coz I have 5 mins between those classes), and then teach it. But then the boss comes in, and asks why I have that class, and gets them to go to their original class, and 5 mins later, they're back in.

The foreigner's classes don't matter.

I go to "work". I do what is expected. I get paid.

I'm surprised that I have survived 2.5 years of it. Only 6 months to go.