just another American teacher in SK

The relationship between the native English teacher and the co-teachers is a critical and delicate one.  The primary co-teacher is the person assigned responsiblity for coordinating the native teacher’s work at school each day and assisting with adjusting to life in Korea.  The classroom co-teachers are Korean English teachers responsible for monitoring the class, translating the lesson into Korean, and keeping the behavioral issues to a dull roar, in addition to their own full-time class load.

My primary co-teacher (Ct1) is a lovely woman, but she is driving me nuts.  We share a work space, and she hovers over me, reads everything on my desk, reads everything on my computer screen, listens to every conversation and phone call, types on my keyboard (while I am trying to work), spends every single moment with me from the time I enter the building in the morning to the last moments prior to afternoon departure.  She talks ALL the time (sort of a mix of Korean and English) and consistently asks me the same questions, several times a day, every day.  We understand maybe half of what the other is saying … 

Whenever my primary co-teacher is not able or available, the responsibility shifts to the “fall back” co-teacher (Ct2).  Unfortunately, there is no extra pay for the additional hours that the co-teacher(s) spend with the foreign teacher.  The Ct2 is a bit miffed that she has to spend her time helping Ct1 when she doesn’t understand my English and that she is the designated chauffer for any event or errand requiring motor transportation (Ct1 doesn’t drive), and I don’t blame her ~ but it’s not my issue! 

There have definitely been moments when we’ve been frustrated and irritated with each other, especially given the triangular relationship.  I thought we had come to a “meeting of the minds” last week ~ I had absolutely met my limits with the squabbling between the two of them, as well feeling completely suffocated with the attention dedicated not only to my work, but more importantly, the intense curiosity regarding my personal life. 

There is no sense of personal space here ~ everyone just gloms onto everyone else, physically and mentally.   One evening last week, the three of us were motoring along in Ct2’s car, and I’m going through the usual interrogation ~ “What do you do in the evening?” “Where did you go? What did you do?” “What time do you go to bed at night? And get up in the morning?” “What food do you have in your home?” “Let me review your utility bill.” “What is your religion?” “Are you ready to address the Principal in a Korean greeting?” “Do you have any problems in your apartment now?” “Are you spending time with the other foreign teachers? and what are their names, addresses, and blood types?” “How do they do ___ in America? How do they say ___ in American English?”  “When was the last time you talked to your family?”“Have you taken a solid crap since you’ve arrived in Korea?”…   JFC ~ give it a rest!!

The Q&A is a daily routine ~ I let it go on this time for about 10 minutes, and then I finally said, “OK, we need to talk about this.”  I tried to explain to Ct2, who is slightly better at English than Ct1 (but not fluent by any stretch of the imagination), that work is work, and my private time is private.  I asked that there be no more visits to my apartment, no more phone calls in the evening or on the weekend, no more trips to the grocery store together …  I asked the Ct2 to explain to Ct1 that I need some private time.  I don’t know what she actually said, but Ct1 was crushed.

It was a little better for a day or so ~ no phone calls at home (although she did send me an email), less hovering, fewer invasive personal questions … but it started all over again on Monday. 

I appreciate that she cares about me and is trying very hard to do a good job, but I am going to have a nervous breakdown if she doesn’t give me peace. 

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 19th, 2009 at 2:04 pm and is filed under 1. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.