The Teacher Thread

Originally Posted by pvrhye

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Fortunately, Korea's a little less like that. That said, to be safe I never meet a student in a room with no camera. That camera's my safety net.

LOL, a camera! I tell kids jokingly some of the items in my room are cameras...lol. I just never allow myself to be in a room alone with a student, and if one comes in while I'm at my desk and the room is empty (only one or two periods a week) I will get up and walk towards the door.

Originally Posted by Eason

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As a non-professionally certified teacher who would prefer to teach University, though international schools are also a possibility, what graduate degree do you suppose would be most useful off the bat? A PGDE or MEd?

Originally Posted by Rambo

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What field do you want to teach in? If you want to go international, wouldn't TESOL be a good place to start?
+1.Maybe a Master's in TESOL is the best thing for what you're doing, Eason.

MA Tesol is the obvious route, but since I'm a Nutrition and Exercise Science major with a sports background and certification, I was thinking of doing MEd with a specialization in Physical Education and shooting for a job at a polytech/sports university.

Are you looking to stay overseas? Where are you thinking of teaching?

Originally Posted by NewYorkRanger

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Its amazing how one dresses with kids influences how they treat/respect you.


I applaud you for the way you dress in the classroom. Of course it's not just the kids. Everyone gives more respect to a person who dresses well.

Originally Posted by ryoneo

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Are you looking to stay overseas? Where are you thinking of teaching?

Yeah, I'd like to stay overseas. At least, for the next 5-10 years. Sports Universities in HK/South Korea are my thought right now.

You want to get a masters to be a ******* PE teacher? Come on, Eason, that's just sad.

Eason, it might be possible, but I would think it would be hard to get a job like that in the ROK. But I'm guessing your Korean is pretty good since you lived there before.

Originally Posted by Rambo

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You want to get a masters to be a ******* PE teacher? Come on, Eason, that's just sad.
Who said I wanted to be a PE teacher? I want to either be teaching English or an exercise-science-related subject.

Originally Posted by ryoneo

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Eason, it might be possible, but I would think it would be hard to get a job like that in the ROK. But I'm guessing your Korean is pretty good since you lived there before.
Korean not as good as my Chinese but maybe more opportunities there.

Originally Posted by Eason

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Korean not as good as my Chinese .

Haha, same.

Originally Posted by Eason

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Who said I wanted to be a PE teacher? I want to either be teaching English or an exercise-science-related subject.
I figured and was just ******* with you. Given that path I think you might be better off with getting your masters in your field of study (exercise science) and just getting certified. A masters in "education" is functionally worthless. Everybody in Education thinks that they're a "master of education theory". You're much better off with something that specializes you in your field. An Exercise Science teacher with two degrees is a valuable commodity. Plus, with that second "Science" degree you could probably swing a backup job teaching standard Science.

Originally Posted by NewYorkRanger

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I've worked very hard to establish a rapport with parents, kids, and leaders in my community, and as a man, I feel I've had to work doubly hard at it to get it. Female teachers can put an arm around a kid, or hug a kid at graduation without the thought crossing people's minds'. Unfortunately, its just something you need to combat as a man in this profession. You know, its not manly to care for kids, in fact, if you do, there must be something wrong with you. The thing is its not just a commentary on male teachers, but men in general.

Wow, makes me glad I'm not working in the US. Maybe it's because I teach university, but I frequently share lunches with students and there are a few who I am friends with outside of school. I've even had a number of parties at clubs/my apt where a lot of students came. I'm sure this is all probably unthinkable in the US.

Originally Posted by Rambo

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I figured and was just ******* with you. Given that path I think you might be better off with getting your masters in your field of study (exercise science) and just getting certified. A masters in "education" is functionally worthless. Everybody in Education thinks that they're a "master of education theory". You're much better off with something that specializes you in your field. An Exercise Science teacher with two degrees is a valuable commodity. Plus, with that second "Science" degree you could probably swing a backup job teaching standard Science.
The thing is, my university doesn't offer a degree in Exercise Science- so no employee discount tuition. You think it would be worth paying a lot more to get an Exercise Science degree instead of MEd, PE specialization or MEd ELT? I'm already an NSCA personal trainer and have worked for both hospitals and commercial companies in cardiac rehab, I would have thought doing another Ex Sci degree would limit me, not the opposite.

Originally Posted by Eason

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The thing is, my university doesn't offer a degree in Exercise Science- so no employee discount tuition. You think it would be worth paying a lot more to get an Exercise Science degree instead of MEd, PE specialization or MEd ELT? I'm already an NSCA personal trainer and have worked for both hospitals and commercial companies in cardiac rehab, I would have thought doing another Ex Sci degree would limit me, not the opposite.
Well that's a different story. What's the discount? Often times, at least in the US, if you get a job with a county they run programs where they will subsidize your tuition somewhat if you go for another degree in an at-need area. They have anything like that outside of the university, overseas? I'm not necessarily sure if it would be worth it, per se, but I don't really see the point in a MEdu degree. What do they teach you that's worthwhile? I swear I've never run into anybody who's had a masters in Education. Plus, a Masters in Education, that's not TESOL related, will limit you to the education field. With an ExSci degree you could, in theory, move outside the classroom if you had to. A multi-tasker, if you will.

Originally Posted by Rambo

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Well that's a different story. What's the discount? Often times, at least in the US, if you get a job with a county they run programs where they will subsidize your tuition somewhat if you go for another degree in an at-need area. They have anything like that outside of the university, overseas?

I'm not necessarily sure if it would be worth it, per se, but I don't really see the point in a MEdu degree. What do they teach you that's worthwhile? I swear I've never run into anybody who's had a masters in Education. Plus, a Masters in Education, that's not TESOL related, will limit you to the education field. With an ExSci degree you could, in theory, move outside the classroom if you had to. A multi-tasker, if you will.

Discount is about 50% of normal cost. No programs like that in China for me, unfortunately. Well, they don't teach anything worthwhile really- I think my pedagogy is second to none and I have a lot of really good experience. But, the market seems to demand I have a Masters and who am I to refuse.