3rd Term Shenanigans

Nic's Sunday Dinners

Me, Xiao, Norma, Juliann

Despite the sad ending to my 2nd term, my third term was greeted with much more disappointment. Although I was highly ranked and proved to be a loyal and hard-working instructor, I was screwed over when new schedules came out for the Spring term.

Monday: Eagle Reading 4-7pm Elementary

Tuesday: Albatross Reading 4-7 pm Elementary, Memory Tera 7-10pm Middle School

Wednesday: Off

Thursday: Albatross Listening 4-7pm Elementary, Memory Tera 7-10pm Middle School

Friday: Albatross Listening 4-7pm Elementary

Saturday: Off

Sunday: Albatross Reading 10am-1pm High School, Masters Writing 1:30pm-4:30pm

Not only am I working on SUNDAYS, but I do not have two consecutive days off. Perplexed and bewildered, I begrudgingly presented the news to all my friends. We all sighed. Despite the worst schedule in the world, my FM did promise that I could choose my Summer schedule. I guess I have dodged the bullet long enough without having to work the weekends. I'd rather have my pick of days in the Summer versus the Spring term.

We are finally in Week 5 of the Spring term. Although every term is dynamically different because of schedules, new instructors, and the season, I would have to label this term the most bizarre. CDI apparently hired too many instructors, therefore had to limit everyone's hours to 24 despite requests of 27 or higher. Something new that is happening this term is giving a midterm exam. Instead of the 1 level up test (IBT: Internet Based TOEFL--how middle school, high school, and university judges students). The students complained a lot because it covered every vocabulary and chunk they learned for the past 4 weeks. This was the most unnecessary and irrelevant test because the scores did not affect their overall grade, therefore were boosted so that the lowest grade was a B+. Why put these students through more stress? They get so much flack from their parents and Korean society. Whatever happened to kids having fun and enjoying being their age?

Every teacher will agree that every term is different from any other. My first term, I was focused on an ex-boyfriend and trying to impress my head instructors. The 2nd term was aimed at building on improvements made on the first term and enjoying the single life. Hence, all the winter shenanigans that ensued. Now, I'm in my 3rd term. Every instructor, at least at my branch, agree that 3rd term is where it's all downhill from here. The average career life of a Chungdahm instructor is 1 year since we have contracts. 70% tend to leave, while the other 30% resign for another year of CCTV scrutiny, spoiled kids, and a 10% resigning bonus. 3rd term is when most instructors have established a rapport with their respective head instructors and hopefully where the FM has had enough time to gauge you and favors you above newbies. With this said and thankfully established during my tenure, it is safe to say that my 3rd term thus far has been smooth sailing. I have been given ideal upper level classes and my head instructors hardly ever give me feedback because they now trust my teaching style after 2 terms. My FM hardly ever says anything to me or asks me to do anything. I guess the best part about being moved to the test prep building is that I rarely have to substitute.

Noraebang After Chasing Soju with Soju Cocktail
John, Norma, & Me

Supporting Citizen Lusca (Co-workers band) @ Texas Moon Bar for Battle of the Bands

Karam, Juliann, Me, & Norma

Xiao's Going Away Party @ Monkey Beach (Thailand in Korea)

Me & Norma

Ladies Night in Itaewon

Anna, Me, Jessie, Juliann, Kendra

St. Patty's Day & Chris' Birthday
Ben, Norma, & Me

Dancing at a bar in Kondae (Konkuk University)
Chris, Ben, John, Norma, Me, & Dave

Despite the horrible schedule, my third term has been full of shenanigans. Because my schedule does not fit with any of my friends, we have somehow established Tuesday as the new Friday. Somehow, Thursday, Friday and Saturday also became heavy drinking nights. By heavy, I mean bottle service, noraebang, supporting our co-workers at Texas Moon, a dive bar in Apgujeong (Beverly Hills/5th Ave. of Seoul) or late night movies at a co-workers apartment. **Reference Uncle Buck or Kung Fu Panda. It has been draining term, but it has been rewarding too. I have gotten to know a lot about co-workers who I would otherwise just make pleasantries with in the break room. I have not only made new friends, but have made somewhat of a Nowon crew that finds each other after work every night and every weekend sharing inside jokes and pumping or perhaps persuading to go out again. One of my problems throughout my life is that I've always been everyone's friend. I was a floater or people pleaser. Throughout college up to now, I have tried to make an effort to turn down my naivety and make a few close friends rather than a lot of acquaintances. I'm so fortunate to have found my "close group" and happily a new boyfriend as well. But that's another entry...

Battle of the Bands @ Texas Moon Bar
Dave & Me

Topic: Teacher is Kang Ho-Soon

Photo taken by Ryan-Memory Giga

My second term flew! During my first term, I felt like the weeks dragged. It seemed like every week, my head instructors were pulling me aside because I was such a bad teacher. Bad teacher in the sense that I wasn't hitting all the components, my timing was off, and I wasn't connecting to the students. However, by the end of my first term, I was actually liking teaching and my head instructors were no longer lurking around the CDI corners trying to pin me down.

At the end of every term, instructors are evaluated on CCTV, student retention, student surveys, the faculty manager, and the branch manager. Furthermore, we get ranked amongst the entire Chungdahm company faculty. The bonus rankings range from S, A, B, C, D, F. If an instructor receives an S, he/she gets an extra 1 million won tacked onto the next paycheck. An A instructor gets 500,000 won. First term instructors are not eligible for bonuses, so I wasn't too disappointed when I found out that I was a B instructor. Understandibly, my term started out weak and ended strong proven by my stellar student surveys, therefore equating to an average score. Being a B means I was in the middle of my branch of nearly 40 instructors. With a term over and done with, I ended up getting a favorable class schedule for my 2nd term being almost all upper level reading and listening classes and 2 memory class.

My second term was fantastic. Although I had jumped from teaching Memory and Bridge reading to Eagle Reading/Listening, I took on the challenge. Upper level is a lot different than lower level because I had to conduct debates/discussions while remaining neutral. This is especially hard for myself because I am a very analytical yet opinionated person. Furthermore all of my classes were middle school students and the memory classes were all elementary. Therefore, I had to be super energetic from 4-7pm, then jump the energy spectrum to the humdrum middle school 7-10pm classes. It worked out because I think the middle school classes enjoyed my liveliness and activity that I brought from teaching memory classes about Robinson Crusoe. My memory classes were the best yet. I got so comfortable with the memory teaching style that I had incorporated cannibal dances in explaining vocabulary words, did a chair dance in order for my students to memorize the summary, and even threw a dance party at the end of term. I loved these classes and will probably never have any other classes top or match them.

At the end of the term, I believed I worked hard and would be getting a bonus. All of my co-worker friends were sure of it too. After all, I had the highest student surveys in both the Memory and Listening programs. Furthermore, I had become a Head Instructor for Winter Intensives and my FM and BM were happy with my performance not to mention all the subbing I did for them. In the end, I found that my paycheck was sans bonus. To put the icing on the cake, I received my "report card" labeled with an "S". The top score, yet unrewarded. This term was different for the FAS (Faculty Appraisal System) aka bonuses and grading. The ones that got a bonus were those who had the best student retention in the branch leaving many S and A instructors leaving unrecognized, unrewarded, and underappreciated. However, the new bonus system will give a 10% hourly raise to those who receive a S or an A for two consecutive terms. I guess I'm still in the running for some kind of reward in the future. Yay...

Eagle Reading Thursday Middle School
Henry Hides Since He is the Only Boy

Memory Giga Elementary Classes Mon/Fri & Tues/Thurs

Eagle Listening Elementary Wednesdays

Eagle Reading Middle School Boys Mon & Fri

The title refers to a lesson on Topic, Main Idea, Major Details, and Minor Details. Kang Ho-Soon is a Korean psychopath killer who recently mass murdered 7 women by strangling them in their cars. To demonstrate how a story is effectively told, the following is how Teacher is Kang Ho-Soon:

T: Teacher is Kang Ho-Soon

MI: She is a psychopath.

MD1: First, she killed many students.

md1: For example, she strangled 7 women.

MD2: Second, she is crazy.

md1: She likes to smoke, drink, gamble, and eat mad cow.