Given Bad Advice - Now I Need Yours!!

[adifferentchallenge]

Afternoon my fellow English Teachers,

I'm in a bit of  pickle. Basically I can speak Korean (I'm of Korean heritage) but my co-ordinator (not co-teacher) advised me to pretend not to.

Her rational was that I would have an easier time, because if I spoke Korean then the school would expect the same from me as the other native teachers.

But it is tiring playing dumb and I can't join in on conversations. Also I feel as if I'm lying

I am considering confiding in my co-teacher telling her I was just doing what the co-ordinator told me to.....pls share you thoughts as I'm losing sleep over this!

[misskris]

Personally, if it was ME... I would talk in Korean to my co-workers, if they don't speak English.
It does seem silly to pretend and avoid speaking with certain co-workers at all.

My opinion is that your principals and co-workers will be happy and impressed with your effort to learn the language.

I would NOT, however, speak Korean in front of my students. It could lead them to get lazy and avoid trying to express an idea in English. They may just say it in Korean becuase its easier for them and you understand.

So basically, Korean with co-workers YES.  Korean with students, NO!
good luck^^

[WorkingTitle3484]

I'd never tell anyone to stifle their voice, but your co-ordinator is right.

If you're comfortable with the extra work, feel free to speak up.  I wouldn't suggest telling your CoTs that your recruiter told you to keep mum, just say you thought you were only suposed to speak English.

[architype]

The former NET at my school told me the same thing. Because he spoke Korean fluently, the school treated him like a Korean teacher and asked him to do a lot of extra work, including translating entire books. It might be different at your school, but ours is really small and understaffed.

I'm part-Korean, and I know a bit of the language. I don't lie about this, though sometimes I exaggerate how little I know, so the other teachers and students know that I understand some Korean, but not enough to be useful.

You might want to do the same? That way you don't have to entirely lie about not knowing Korean, and you don't have to worry about the school having certain expectations of you.

[adifferentchallenge]

Thanks guys,
Sometimes I really want to have a casual conversation with the teacher. I just feel uncomfortable about the whole pretending situation...the further I carry on like this the harder it'll be to put the record straight...(sigh*).
Hopefully it'll be a Happy Ending ^^

[Eros]

It's a nice problem to have. I wish I knew Korean... But ye, you know the score, you own up, you get worked into an early grave. But, if you keep quiet, you get an easier ride. If you're worried about coming clean, just say you've been apprehensive about speaking before, nervous etc etc. But ye, make your mind up sooner rather than later.

[murakano121]

I would NOT let on you know a high level of Korean.

A couple of gyopos I know have been given extra work for that privilege as well as being asked to talk to parents when they come around on parents day. No thanks 

[S.Lee]

i wouldnt tell them i can speak korean. most of my gyopo friends do the same

the staff will raise their expectations of you (you should now also understand all of korean culture, ie staying at work until the "boss" leaves, drinking when being offered, etc) and you pretty much give up any chance you have to say "no" to anything because now you're truly korean to them.

also the students might find out and give up trying to speak english to you.

By not telling them you're not lying (by my definition at least). but if you REALLY feel that bad about it, tell them you're working on your korean (which you probably are since u speak it more often here than back home) so you can understand a bit and speak a bit.... a VERY little bit... then you can freely choose how much you "understand"

[Brirish]

I speak Korean and I never had the possibility to hide it from my coworkers as it's written on my CV, so they knew I did when they hired me. I also ended up doing most of my interview in Korean.

My coworkers have all said they're relieved that I can speak Korean, and as of yet I wouldn't say I've been asked to do more work as a result - that said, I am not of Korean herritage. If you're a kyopo it can be different. With Korean history and society being the way it is, many Koreans don't really view ethnicity and nationality as separate things. This can cause problems for kyopos or people who look different from how Koreans expect people from their country to look. In the case of kyopos, some Koreans (I wouldn't want to completely generalise and say all because that's not the case) will reach a point where they will have to subconsciously group you into one category or other. They will view you as either a Korean who happened to be born in a different country, or they will group you as more or less someone "from that country".

If you come across Koreans who see you as the former - that is, a Korean who happened to be born elsewhere, then they may feel that you fit into their workplace hierarchy as a very low level Korean teacher who nevertheless can be used for their English language ability to do extra work, rather than as an important part of the English language education at the school, with a role that is unique to the native speaking teacher.

If I was in your position I wouldn't want to be lying about my language ability, for my sake and for the simple fact that at some point it's bound to come out anyway. I would tell people on my own terms. You don't have to tell everyone at the school or make a big announcement. Start by talking to your coteachers. Explain the situation. Do not get caught up in "showing off" your Korean speaking abilities (although you don't sound like the sort of person to do this anyway). Make sure you remain firm but polite and fair if people start to treat you differently from that point on in a negative way.

In my situation, if I ever do get people thinking I should be acting exactly like a Korean about a certian thing when I'm not, I point out that I've actually spent very little time here, that I grew up in and am part of a very different culture, and that language ability does not necessarily reflect who I am, or my cultural background. It's simply something I've learnt, a skill I've acquired, and I apologise if I'm not completely "Koreanised" about everything. I also ask for understanding of me on their part, and say I am and will always do my best to understand them a well.

[Aadi]

If I understood Korean I'd definitely never tell my school because (1) I don't want extra work and (2) I'd get to eavesdrop and hear my coworkers' candid assessments of me.  Understanding Korean is an immensely useful skill to have at a public school if you keep it a secret.

[Laurentia]

Just tell them you can speak a little Korean,you understand Korean better...
Then speak in English and a little in broken Korean.
Don't let your students find out you can speak Korean!

[billyjp]

I would be worried about all the extra work they'll throw your way.
There's a teacher in a similar situation in our school and she has now been burdened with compiling all the english tests for 4th and 5th grade.

[smores85]

Personally, if it was ME... I would talk in Korean to my co-workers, if they don't speak English.
It does seem silly to pretend and avoid speaking with certain co-workers at all.

My opinion is that your principals and co-workers will be happy and impressed with your effort to learn the language.

I would NOT, however, speak Korean in front of my students. It could lead them to get lazy and avoid trying to express an idea in English. They may just say it in Korean becuase its easier for them and you understand.

So basically, Korean with co-workers YES.  Korean with students, NO!
good luck^^

I agree with this completely.  Why would you want to avoid building bonds with your co-workers?  I would love to be able to join in some of the conversations at the lunch table, but I would not use Korean around the students......although, there have been some days where knowing a bit of Korean could have enabled me to explain some concepts better to the students.

[sweet_potato]

Just tell them that you can understand quite a bit, but you can't really speak much. That way, if you're inclined to speak once in a while, you can, and at other times you can just look confused and not get sucked into doing extra work. It would happen, by the way, especially if you're young. Your coordinator was looking out for you.

[eider]

Keeping it a secret from your students will be impossible.
Once the word gets out that you speak Korean the kids will start to speak to you in Korean. Your damned if you speak Korean and your damned if you don't.  It's your call. It can be good or bad.

[Davey]

to be 100% safe, don't do it.

in almost all the cases i've heard, they make you work harder.

[Yu_Bumsuk]

Oh for goodness sake don't go a whole year playing dumb. It's going to come out some time when you're at a shop or restaurant and some student overhears you. Don't you ever have to talk to homeroom teachers and others about attendence and what not?

Your school will probably understand why you were playing dumb and won't feel too offended.

[helloana]

This is off topic but do you understand when your students or coworkers talk about you? I'd be really upset if they were talking bad about me and I could understand them. I'd also go with the "I can understand you but I can't really respond in Korean" approrach.

[lil_amie]

How good is your Korean? Can you also read and write?  I would just tell them that you can understand Korean but get nervous when you have to speak Korean because you are afraid you might make mistakes and that is why you haven't spoken in Korean yet. This way it doesn't look like you were lying to them. Most co-teachers get nervous when they have to speak in English due to the fear of making mistakes just express that is how you feel when you speak in Korean. But you probably shouldn't admit you can read/write that just leads to more paper work unless you don't mind.

[kbooksimnida]

Wow- you are in a pickle.

I can see how it would be really frustrating to not be able to communicate with your co-workers as freely as possible.  But echoing what others have said, I know people who have had their workload increase greatly by speaking Korean.  Lots of translating work, extra teacher classes, even parents calling their cell phones in the evening to ask about classes!

Also, and perhaps more importantly, I can offer this:
I have recently replaced a native teacher who was Korean-American and fluent in Korean. My staff relationships are fine, and people in my school have really risen to the challenge of speaking English to me, however, the students make *no* effort to speak to me in English!

Because the last teacher took the tack of 'I can understand you but I can't speak to you in Korean,' the students don't speak English at all!  They talk to me in Korean, convinced that I understand them and that I will just respond in English.  It's a nightmare! 

So, please please please, if you do decide to 'out yourself' with your co-teachers, with your students, always pretend you have no idea they are saying!  If you let on with them at all, they will stop trying... and the repercussions last longer than you will!