This is starting to become a regular feature… possibly taking after my favorite ongoing feature at ROK Drop — the weekly linklets.
So here’s what’s reading over at Roboseyo’s house: a lot of interesting stuff, actually.
I have my own thoughts about the numbers focus in Korean megachurches… here’s a BBC write-up on the world’s largest church: [...]
Category > Education
Some Interesting Reading: Linkoseyo
Facial hair in Korea, Birth Order and two-handed goodness
Boys and girls (well, just the boys this time) it’s time to have the talk. Yes that talk. You may have noticed that your face is getting hairier. Well, I’m here to tell you that it’s perfectly natural. Don’t worry about it.
Just shave it all off in silence you filthy animal.
This week’s blog post deals [...]
Brian and Google give Kang Shin-who what he deserves.
An interesting look at what happens if you google Kang Shin-who’s name:
Results four and six are a start. There’s more on later pages. It’s basically the same when it’s hyphenated.
Brian explains the way Kang Shin-who is manipulating, or being made to manipulate, the Korea Times’ reporting to exacerbate the conflict between Gangnam’s English teachers and [...]
Teaching English in an Employer’s Market
So random facebook character Ben Johnston wrote an interesting facebook note, which I came across when Kimchi Ice-cream’s Jason Ryan commented on it. The basic question is, “Are Public School Jobs Still Worth It?” in light of things like the Gangnam office’s recent hijinks, and the SMOE’s recent yo-yo act.
It’s worth a read, and I’m [...]
Survey Much?
Over the last couple of weeks I have been running a survey in an attempt to see what’s going on in the Foreigner community here in Seoul.
It is a very small sample – though not restricted to E2 Visa holders it equates to about 1% of the 20000 Language teachers in Korea. Neither should it [...]
Which Foods Help Battle H1N1 Flu?
A great many, if the Chosun Bimbo Ilbo is to be believed.
The paper notes that the government continues to encourage increased personal hygiene practices. (Who woulda thought you’d need to tell people to wash their hands? But then 1 minute in a mens room in Korea and the number of people who leave without washing their hands [...]
Human Rights Commission Responds
You will recall earlier in the year that, although I don’t necessarily agree with them on the whole, ATEK, the Association of English Teachers in Korea, filed a complaint with the Korean Human Rights Commission(HRC) regarding the testing of E2 Visa applicants for HIV and Opioid / psychoactive / psychotropic use, on the basis that [...]
SMOE teachers fired before even arriving in Korea
In the world of English teachers in Korea, there are few non-guilty parties. English teachers are occasionally accused of sex / drug crimes, or of being unqualified teachers; recruiters are often accused of manipulating or outright lying to fill their quotas or please the people writing the paychecks; schools are often accused of taking liberties [...]
On recruiters and coming to Korea to be an English teacher
To my wonderful readers – this post is dedicated to those wonderful readers who are planning or interested to teach English in South Korea. To the more experienced readers, thanks for reading while I cover some well-covered territory – comment away if you have something to add.A hat tip to Ask The Expat, who has [...]
On hagwon fees, public schools, and a parent’s responsibility to their child’s schooling
Crossposted at Chris in South Korea
The Korea Beat has translated a story (original article from Naver) about a ruling, saying the government could not shut down a hagwon (private education institution) simply because they charge more than a government regulation allows them to. The Korea Times has the story as well, preferring to call it [...]
More Korea trivia – the final round
Presenting the third and final round of K-knowledge to test all you Korean expats out there. While I’ve heard from some of you in the comments, I’m sure more of you are playing along. Make yourself – and your results – known!
Just as before, here are the rules:
First, use your brain – not the internet. [...]
More Teachers Hone English at Private Institutes
Crossposted at Chris in South Korea
From the ‘try-not-to-look-too-surprised’ column – Korean English teachers, nervous about upcoming government certification requirements, are going back to school to get their skills up to snuff. From the Korea Times (it’s not an exclusive as they claim; the Korea Herald has written briefly about it as well):
Ahead of the full [...]
