Today the Korea Association of Hakwon and the Korea Association of Foreign Language Academies held their annual Seminar. At our school we didn’t find out about it until Thursday which put a snag into everybody’s weekend plans. Our boss also informed us that attendance was mandatory so there was no escape to be had. Which means if you weren’t there today and you’re a teacher for a hakwon you are in, as Tootie from Facts of Life would say, “Troublllllllllle.”
Just kidding. I’m sure despite the imperial Darth Vader posturing some of the officials had that the repercussions won’t be that severe if they happen at all.
The event this year took place at the Hyundai Department Store in Mokdong (my hood). My co-workers and I arrived a bit late and the seminar was already well underway. We snuck in and took seats up front which made snoozing impossible as the speakers were all about five feet from us. Karma strikes back!
The first thing I noticed with our handouts and fliers were the Commandments for Social Educators. So, for all you teachers who missed out, here are the three commandments:
1. Teach children with care and affection
2. Contribute ourselves to improving the situation of Social Education
3. Always remember the teachers’ duty.
Yeah, the last two sound great and I’m all for that, but the first one makes me wary. In this climate of witchunts and media hysteria I’ll save my affection for family and friends and cute little furry animals. And even then PETA may raise an eyebrow so perhaps I’ll strike that one out too.
The first speaker was Chang-Ho Moon, or moonie to his close friends, the President of the Korea Association of Foreign Language Academies. He was stern and intimidating with just the right mix of grandfatherly wisdom thrown in so that you didn’t totally hate him. I felt like I was back in lecture with one of my Professors. His basic point was that the event was not optional and that we had to be there so shut up and enjoy it. Succinct and to the point; you have to give the man props for that.
The speakers kept rolling right along and next up was Young-Bong Yoon from the Education Department of Seoul Immigration. He seemed a little befuddled and nervous. His English was quite good, but he made a few funny mistakes with his phrasing that the crowd chided him on. He took it in great stride though and was actually quite pleasant to listen to which made up for the fact that he was telling us all things we already knew. He went over the steps neccessary to become a foreign language teacher in Korea like getting a Visa and alien registration card.
I’m sure they had undercover immigration officers looking for anyone taking notes, because basically you would be an illegal looking to go straight. Sorry, but according to Yoon there are no second chances so get ready for your big red DEPORTED stamp on your forehead.
Still Yoon was cute in an assistant-professor-trying-to-make-tenure sort of way.
Phil Reynolds stepped up to the mic next. He works for KAFLA in their International Relations Department. Now Phil is a big man, but he has the heart of a teddy bear. His unenviable task was to dispell the bad vibes that teachers may have gotten from other peoples’ bad experiences in Korea. Basically he was all about common sense things. You know, don’t go shouting and screaming and grabbing your boss by the tie when your apartment doesn’t come with a jacuzzi.
At this point things began to wind down for me, because I left, but I’m sure everyone else had a swell time listening to the band and partaking in the refreshments. I am glad I went. I heard some things about Universities in Seoul offering TESEOL certificates and masters degrees and I had been curious about that for a bit. So all in all it was a positve experience and it was in my own back yard so I wasn’t put out at all.
