White Devils
I have been sent a Globe and Mail link by not one, but three friends, articling the recent crackdown on illegal English workers in Korea. It's an interesting read. It's perhaps a little biased though... In response to the article, I have written a few thoughts on the subject. I think it's important for not only potential teachers to understand, but also for Korean employers.
Here's the link to the article:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20051010.wxkorea1010/EmailBNStory/National/
In my ever-so-humble opinion, the problem stems from not just the Canadian teachers, but also the Korean managements. The hiring and screen processes for new teachers to Korea is very lax. It is slowly improving, but perhaps not fast enough. To acquire a valid E-2 working visa, an employer must procure from the potential employee a university diploma and now sealed transcripts from the same university.
When I first came to Korea, my phone interview consisted pretty much of "When can you start?". There needs to be a more stringent process for hiring. I can honestly say that there is a grossly disproportionate number of strange foreigners living in Korea at the moment. There's no wonder why Koreans want these strange people out of their country. Why is there a disproportionate number of odd westerners? Well, I think it has something to do with the allure of quick money and few qualifications. I can't really complain too much, because I too am making money for the work that I do. The problem comes in when Korean employers don't really know what they want from their Western employees.... If the purpose of the western teacher is mainly to correct pronunciation problems and to introduce the student to a native speaker for things that cannot be taught in texts, then the teacher doesn't need extensive teaching experience. However, some teachers fulfill the role of full-time teacher, whose job is more than just phonics and pronunciation, and they should be required to either go through an extensive training or be more qualified than simply having a university degree.
I applaud the work of the Korean government in rounding up delinquent Canadians who think that it's a good idea to forge a university diploma or other important documents. As the article mentions, these people are supposed to be adults - and they can't blame the recruiters or schools for their troubles if they decide to lie to the Korean government. If a recruiter approaches the teacher and asks them to make a fake diploma to send to the government, an adult should recognize this as a bad idea... yet, unfortunatley, the kinds of foreigners that think it's a good idea are exactly the kinds of foreigners that are here...
I'm tired of the mentality of many foreigners that they somehow have something owed to them. If they were to get a job back in Canada, they would need to work for their money just the same as in Korea, BUT without all the cushy benefits that employers here provide. Who in Canada can say that their company pays for their furnished apartment? It's a great way to make money, and some foreigners exploit the fact that they are a commodity here. Many foreigners take advantage.
However, on the flip side of the coin, one mustn't excuse the habits of the hagwons either. Some hagwons are just as disreputable as the foreigners they employ. I have heard many "horror" stories of foreigners who were either taken advantage of, or were ill-prepared for their stay in Korea. Many foreigners are inflexible when it comes to adversity and end up being demanding or flying home unannounced at a major cost to the employer. Sadly, these types of situations often end with the Korean management being more xenophobic and distrusting of foreigners, which gets passed on to the other foreigners still living and working in Korea, or foreigners who have yet to come. The root of the problem is disorganization - foreigners aren't told what to expect because often the schools have no time to go through a thorough training (because the previous employee fled from the country without notice and the hagwon needs another teacher ASAP). The end result is a certain desperation for teachers, at the cost of overlooking the screening process.
In the end, there are significant culture differences when it comes to running a business in Korea. Korean businesses need not only adopt English to compete in the global market, but also more modern, English business practices. A stronger sense of ethics and professionalism needs to be implemented. Advance planning is integral. Foreigners need to know what they're getting into, and schools need to hire through reputable agencies that hire only qualified teachers. Hire reputable teachers committed to the long haul, and committed to working hard, and you'll solve many of the problems. Foreigners aren't prepared for the work habits of Korean people; deference to authority and unquestioning obedience to your superior is common in Korea. Some people argue that it is old-fashioned compared to Western standards, but it's the way that Koreans get things done. Instead of being efficient, Koreans are incredibly hard workers, often relying on trial-and-error or brute workhours instead of finesse. Young foreigners often have a very hard time accepting this, coming from a more grassroots-style mentality in North America with a preference for dialogue, logical reasoning, and efficiency. Give a little, take a little: if North Americans can compromise and accept what their employers have to say, and if Korean hagwon employers can take the suggestions of their employees and implement them, then the general level of satisfaction would greatly increase for both employees and management.
Just a few thoughts...
Cheers,
Ben
Here's the link to the article:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20051010.wxkorea1010/EmailBNStory/National/
In my ever-so-humble opinion, the problem stems from not just the Canadian teachers, but also the Korean managements. The hiring and screen processes for new teachers to Korea is very lax. It is slowly improving, but perhaps not fast enough. To acquire a valid E-2 working visa, an employer must procure from the potential employee a university diploma and now sealed transcripts from the same university.
When I first came to Korea, my phone interview consisted pretty much of "When can you start?". There needs to be a more stringent process for hiring. I can honestly say that there is a grossly disproportionate number of strange foreigners living in Korea at the moment. There's no wonder why Koreans want these strange people out of their country. Why is there a disproportionate number of odd westerners? Well, I think it has something to do with the allure of quick money and few qualifications. I can't really complain too much, because I too am making money for the work that I do. The problem comes in when Korean employers don't really know what they want from their Western employees.... If the purpose of the western teacher is mainly to correct pronunciation problems and to introduce the student to a native speaker for things that cannot be taught in texts, then the teacher doesn't need extensive teaching experience. However, some teachers fulfill the role of full-time teacher, whose job is more than just phonics and pronunciation, and they should be required to either go through an extensive training or be more qualified than simply having a university degree.
I applaud the work of the Korean government in rounding up delinquent Canadians who think that it's a good idea to forge a university diploma or other important documents. As the article mentions, these people are supposed to be adults - and they can't blame the recruiters or schools for their troubles if they decide to lie to the Korean government. If a recruiter approaches the teacher and asks them to make a fake diploma to send to the government, an adult should recognize this as a bad idea... yet, unfortunatley, the kinds of foreigners that think it's a good idea are exactly the kinds of foreigners that are here...
I'm tired of the mentality of many foreigners that they somehow have something owed to them. If they were to get a job back in Canada, they would need to work for their money just the same as in Korea, BUT without all the cushy benefits that employers here provide. Who in Canada can say that their company pays for their furnished apartment? It's a great way to make money, and some foreigners exploit the fact that they are a commodity here. Many foreigners take advantage.
However, on the flip side of the coin, one mustn't excuse the habits of the hagwons either. Some hagwons are just as disreputable as the foreigners they employ. I have heard many "horror" stories of foreigners who were either taken advantage of, or were ill-prepared for their stay in Korea. Many foreigners are inflexible when it comes to adversity and end up being demanding or flying home unannounced at a major cost to the employer. Sadly, these types of situations often end with the Korean management being more xenophobic and distrusting of foreigners, which gets passed on to the other foreigners still living and working in Korea, or foreigners who have yet to come. The root of the problem is disorganization - foreigners aren't told what to expect because often the schools have no time to go through a thorough training (because the previous employee fled from the country without notice and the hagwon needs another teacher ASAP). The end result is a certain desperation for teachers, at the cost of overlooking the screening process.
In the end, there are significant culture differences when it comes to running a business in Korea. Korean businesses need not only adopt English to compete in the global market, but also more modern, English business practices. A stronger sense of ethics and professionalism needs to be implemented. Advance planning is integral. Foreigners need to know what they're getting into, and schools need to hire through reputable agencies that hire only qualified teachers. Hire reputable teachers committed to the long haul, and committed to working hard, and you'll solve many of the problems. Foreigners aren't prepared for the work habits of Korean people; deference to authority and unquestioning obedience to your superior is common in Korea. Some people argue that it is old-fashioned compared to Western standards, but it's the way that Koreans get things done. Instead of being efficient, Koreans are incredibly hard workers, often relying on trial-and-error or brute workhours instead of finesse. Young foreigners often have a very hard time accepting this, coming from a more grassroots-style mentality in North America with a preference for dialogue, logical reasoning, and efficiency. Give a little, take a little: if North Americans can compromise and accept what their employers have to say, and if Korean hagwon employers can take the suggestions of their employees and implement them, then the general level of satisfaction would greatly increase for both employees and management.
Just a few thoughts...
Cheers,
Ben
posted by Ben Norris at 12:31 AM
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