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Smoking
Teachers are strictly prohibited from smoking within the school
premises. Respectable females in Korean society do not indulge in
smoking and the act also creates a negative impression of the
individual, especially for a teaching professional who is a lady.
This might also have an adverse effect on the prospective
teacher’s career in South Korea. However, it is not a taboo to
smoke in public, if the smoker is ready to face the consequences.
Alcohol
Intake of alcohol during school hours is prohibited.
Teachers are subject to dismissal if found untimely intoxicated/
under the influence of alcohol within the periphery of the school.
However, outside school, consumption of alcohol is allowed. The
same stigma is attached to females who drink excessively as is for
smoking.
Drugs
Narcotics and use of illegal drugs not only promises to damage the
career of an ESL teacher in South Korea, but also is a
prosecutable activity under Korean law. The laws are strict and
penalties are crushing for use and trafficking of illegal drugs in
the country. The ESL teacher certified by ATI and teaching in
South Korea by choice is expected to be responsible and sensible
enough to comprehend and accordingly respect South Korean laws and
regulations.
Sexual Harassment and maltreatment
Making sexual advances towards or entering into relationships with
the students or co-teachers at school is strictly prohibited and
offenders may even have to face fine and detention.
Korean Culture
Korea is a land of strict Confucian hierarchy and etiquette.
Buddhism has greatly influenced Korean society, culture, and the
arts. South Korean cultural etiquettes may sometimes appear
unusual to visitors. However, some useful tips could acquaint
visitors with these otherwise strange practices. Korea has always
proved to be a foreigner friendly place where all the tourists are
taken into its arms and adopted like they are family. There is no
dearth of intimacy and affection in South Korea. Koreans are quite
passionate about their cultural heritage and expect similar
conduct from the foreign teachers. Therefore, absorbing and
adapting to Korean culture and customs, respecting rites and
beliefs, at least superficially is considered to be a healthy
effort that can augment one’s teaching career in South Korea.
Korean society places a high value on the multi-generational
family, respect for elders, and education. Located between two
Asian super powers, the land is as generous as its people, whose
zest for life is reflected in their culture and traditions. In
some ways Korean culture is a pleasant blend between Japanese
simplicity and Chinese ornate ness .As a mark of respect Koreans
usually take off their shoes before entering someone's home,
temple. Public displays of affection between man and woman are not
permissible. Almost all South Korean Villages have a headman who
is considered as the guardian of that village, holds the most
respectable position in the society. Koreans place a high value on
formality. This is reflected in the different levels of speech
used to address people of a different age or rank. Individuals of
a higher rank or older age are treated with more reverence than
individuals of a lower rank or younger age.
When first meeting a Korean, he or she may ask you questions that
you may find to be very personal such as your age, family
background, etc. This is not considered to be an invasion of
privacy or an act of disrespect. The purpose of these questions is
to establish your age and rank in order to determine how to
address you with the correct level of formality. It is also done
to get to know you better. Koreans want to know your family
background because they believe it reveals a lot about a person’s
character. Knowing the family background of an individual can give
them clues about how the individual was raised and what kind of
values he or she holds.
Public expression of anger or agitation and indulgence in violence
and confrontation is bound to earn aversion for a foreigner in
South Korea. Aggressive and abrasive mode of communication is
detested in South Korea. It is thoroughly recommended for all
native English speakers to temporarily mould one’s conduct towards
politeness, till the time they chose to live in South Korea. It is
always wise to discuss individual problems and dissatisfactions
with ATI, rather than exploding in public. A calm, friendly,
understanding, patient and smiling person will achieve far greater
things in Korea than someone who is hot-headed or quick-tempered.
Expressing anger will only be aggravating the worse.
Health / Illness
Adapting to a new climate, culture, food habit and way of life is
always strenuous for a visitor to a new country. Thus, it is not
unusual to bear the brunt by falling ill, initially.
Understandably, travelers/health insurance for at least 1 month is
a must-buy for those teachers traveling to Thailand to do the
TESOL program. However, health care is cheap and of high standard
in Thailand. Medication and doctor visits are amazingly
inexpensive. Providers of Health Insurance in Thailand are
companies like BUPA or AIA.
Our ESL teachers in South Korea are eligible for paid sick leave
if an illness or injury prevents him/her from performing the
duties under this contract, provided, however, that he/she obtains
Employer’s prior consent. When Employee takes a sick leave for
more than seven consecutive days (inclusive of a National Holiday,
Saturday and Sunday), teachers are required to submit a medical
doctor’s report to Employer.
Teacher’s paid sick leave during the Term of Employment shall not
exceed fifteen calendar days. If teacher requires a sick leave for
more than fifteen calendar days, Employee may take a longer sick
leave without pay. Employee’s sick leave is limited to thirty
calendar days in total including paid and unpaid leave.
Teachers may sometimes need to adjust their free periods in
compensating the absence of an individual teacher. A foreign ESL
teacher might as well need to substitute in their free periods.
Certain contracts often hold the clause of paying for overtime.
This system of substitution is applicable for all teachers in time
of emergency.
Extra Curricular Activities
Regular school hours and schedules or beyond often accommodate
extra curricular activities/ parties/ special days and
celebrations which are good opportunities to mingle with the
students and the teaching and non-teaching staffs of the school.
Such activities would also present a foreign teacher to the
community as they attend staff parties, field trips, weddings,
dinner invitations etc. It is definitely an affirmative move from
the side of the foreign ESL teacher if they participate in some of
these activities.
Discrepancies
If any discrepancies arise between what the school asks the
TESOL-trained teacher to do and the contract the ESL teacher have
with ATI should be reported to the ATI Coordinator. Often times
these discrepancies result from a communication error. By allowing
the school and ATI to discuss the matter, it is hoped, and been
proven, that most of these issues can be resolved much easier,
faster and with less cultural tensions than if the teacher attempt
to resolve them alone. Often these schools want their ESL teacher
to do many extra little things because they want to take advantage
of the fact that they finally have a foreigner working at their
school. If you don’t mind doing a few extra little things… great,
AND this is the best way to get involved and score extra PAID work
after school hours. The more involved you are, the more liked you
will be and the more people you will meet, thus more opportunities
will arise. However, we all need our own time and you will need to
know when to say “Sorry, I can’t do that”.
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