We are approaching the end of the school year and everything at school is changing. It would be nice, however, to be told about it rather than having to guess what was going to happen next!

March 2nd is the the beginning the new school year, where I assume there will be lots of new students starting at the hagwon and some of the older students will be moving on to pastures new.

My top class, the essay class, made up of high school students whose English was better than any of the Korean teachers have left. This class was only taught by myself and Katrina and their departure to university left gaping holes in our timetables. Not one to want us to have a break the Director promptly filled the gaps with bits of classes that would normally be taught by the Korean teachers. Only he neglected to tell the Korean teachers he was doing so! Earlier this week I stood waiting outside a classroom door, waiting for one of these ‘extra’ classes, only for the Korean teacher to come out and announce that she would take this class because they needed to finish their book! So why timetable it to me in the first place? Approaching another teacher about what she wanted me to teach in her ‘extra’ lesson she was initially confused: “but I have the class at that time,” she said. She had no idea what I was talking about until I showed her my revised timetable! Do these people not realise that things could be done a lot more quickly and efficiently if only they learnt to COMMUNICATE!

On top of the timetable changes there are three teachers leaving at the end of this month, something which amazingly we were informed of in advance. However I walked into kindergarten on Tuesday – with no idea what I was teaching because they have finished their curriculum for the year. I spent ages trying to find one of the teachers to ask about her class. Noticing her bag wasn’t on her chair I asked: “Where is Ji,” to be met with the response “She’s left”! Right ok, it was nice of someone to tell me before I spent 10 minutes looking for her. I then found the head of the kindergarten to find out what I was supposed the be teaching Ji’s class and was given possibly one of the most honest answers to a question I’ve had since arriving at the school. Q: “What am I teaching them?” A: “I don’t know!” Well at least it was honest.

Because of the teachers leaving this month some new teachers have been employed. One started a couple of weeks ago, I was given approximately one days advance warning of her arrival was and introduced to her after she’d been around for just two days! Then on Tuesday two other people appeared at the school and took up desks in the staff office. I sit here writing this on Friday and at this point, no-one has told me they are the new teachers, neither of them has been introduced to me, neither has made any effort what so ever to communicate with me or even acknowledge my presence in the school. Yet in one week’s time I am going to be sharing classes with them. I guess I’m just not important enough to be spoken to!

Phew…. rant over

* Posted by j150vsc on 23/02/2007.