tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27860185614147319892024-02-07T11:17:57.448-08:00Chris' Korean and Canadian MusingsA blog about my time spent in Korea with my wife, Jennifer, and about our adventures there. As we return to Canada, the focus will shift to thoughts on teaching, on martial arts, or whatever else suits my fancy. However, the focus will, I hope, remain on commentary on culture and life in my current setting. Stay tuned!Chris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-31195471172040743622010-05-03T15:58:00.000-07:002010-05-03T16:08:16.984-07:00The Cat, TESL TorontoHi all,<div><br />Well, first, Amy's better. In my last post, I mentioned that she wasn't well due to some bladder stones. We took her in to the vet this morning, terrified that we'd have to put our cat down. Well, that turned out to be unfounded. The vet had never seen bladder stones break up so fast! All those prayers must have helped, and it means that Amy is back home, happy, and currently napping on my partner's lap.</div><div><br /></div><div>TESL Toronto's Spring conference was last weekend. I went there in order to brush up on my skills for work, of course, and enjoyed it immensely. Like all TESL Canada and TESL Ontario-certified teachers, there's a lot of Professional Development that I'm expected to do to keep my Certification updated.</div><div><br />The first workshop I attended in the morning was on dealing with LGBTQ issues in an ESL, immigrant-based classroom. A lot of cultures are still very much opposed to those who have a differing sexuality than what they consider to be standard. We were one of the smallest workshop groups, which actually turned out well: it made for a more comfortable learning environment. As someone who is reasonably familiar with LGBTQ topics, I was hoping for a more practical approach, but considering that some of the folks present weren't really sure what LGBTQ stood for (it's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer, in case you hadn't guessed), it was useful to have even a general introduction. For my part, I was intrigued to learn some of the issues we have in the classroom in presenting non-heterosexist materials. For example: most grammar books (like the one I use!) focus exclusively on male-female relationships. This is probably not an intentional slight, but it's still a form of exclusivity that can make LGBTQs feel unwelcome.</div><div><br /></div><div>In short, it's another aspect teachers have to consider, in addition to race, culture, and gender itself, among a host of other sensitive topics in the class room.</div><div><br /></div><div>The second half of the day was spent in a Vocabulary Module. A really fun system for teaching Vocabulary with low prep, almost entirely practical, and a blast when you had 60-odd teachers racing against the clock to beat each other in the activities. I'm definitely using it in my class! </div><div><br /></div><div>Other than that, back to work this week, with a PD day on Friday. It's one of those weeks, I guess.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm also going to go see the Harry Potter exhibit at the ROM this week, and, of course, Iron Man 2. </div><div><br /></div><div>Have a good week, everybody!</div><div><br />--Christopher</div>Chris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-84592285851592062972010-04-10T17:23:00.001-07:002010-04-10T17:34:45.388-07:00Staying steadyHi all,<div><br /></div><div>Well, we keep on plugging away. I'm busy with CTP, which is a College Transfer Program for my school. In brief, we train the students in the classes to be able to survive university and college in Canada. For example, we teach them how to write academically, how to avoid plagiarism, to take good lecture and reading notes, skimming, scanning, etcetera. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's a lot of marking, to say the least! Between essays, presentations, and other minor pieces of homework (by minor, I mean only one page), I find myself rather busy! </div><div><br />Still, it's interesting work, and it certainly pays the bills. </div><div><br /></div><div>On a bit of a depressing note: our cat, Amy, is sick. She has several large bladder stones that we only recently became aware of, and thus, she is on pain medication and a special diet to try and break up the stones.</div><div><br /></div><div>We're hopeful it will help. We cannot afford the surgery to remove the stones, and thus we are faced with an ugly choice should the diet not work, whether to let her live on in pain, or to put her down. She is not an old cat by any means, and has been a loving member of our little family for three years. We are therefore quite reluctant to put her down, but, as my partner has noted, we don't want her to suffer constantly for the next however many years she has left.</div><div><br /></div><div>We are therefore praying and hoping that her stones will break up with this medication she is taking. Any and all prayers and well-wishes from you, dear readers, would be appreciated on this!</div><div><br /></div><div>On a positive note: I recently got my acceptance letter from OISE, which is the Teacher's College associated with the University of Toronto. Bachelor of Education, here I come. I've debated about whether or not to go and get my B.Ed for some time, but given that the ESL field is not well-regulated, and that pay scales continue to be moderate at best, I'm looking to eventually move into the public system.</div><div><br /></div><div>I start in September, and so I will continue to work in ESL until that point.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hope Amy gets better soon, and talk to you all again, soon!</div><div><br /></div><div>Chris</div>Chris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-44718541175990149492010-03-07T19:29:00.000-08:002010-03-07T19:33:23.590-08:00ChangesHi All,<div><br /></div><div>So, I recently switched jobs. Nothing major, really: I went from working at two part time ESL programs to one, and it was one of the two I'd been working at before. It's full time, and while I'm a bit nervous about taking on extra work/taking over for another teacher who had been doing this longer than I, I'm glad to reduce my stress.</div><div><br /></div><div>40+ hours of work a week is, to be blunt, insane. Especially when those 40 hours are in front of a class. Teaching is not easy. Add in a long day every day, and you get one tired Chris.</div><div><br /></div><div>Jen's in Timmins this weekend, and I've been lesson prepping. So, it's been quiet lately. We, like everybody else, I think, watched the Olympics, and rooted heavily for Canada (of course!). </div><div><br /></div><div>We were both a little peeved at the coverage by CTV. The Hockey announcers, especially, came across as a bit chauvinist, and there was an obvious bias. I understand that, of course: they were Canadians, and cheering for their home country... however, would a reasonably balanced perspective be too much to ask for?</div><div><br /></div><div>I was also annoyed that the women got criticized for drinking after their Gold Medal, while the men could walk around and do the same without any comment. </div><div><br /></div><div>Double standards remain.</div><div><br /></div><div>Other than that, busy week, and busier to come. I will continue to let people know how things are going. Be well, everybody!</div><div>Chris</div>Chris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-4676674693648563432010-02-15T08:05:00.000-08:002010-02-15T08:24:31.126-08:00The Autoshow, PresentationsHi all,<br /><br />Wow, I've gotta get back in the swing of updating this blog. I looked at how many posts I put up in Korea, vs. back here in Toronto, and it's... a tad embarrassing. Well, consider me chastised. I shall recommence posting more often--depending on time. Gah, that's always the problem, isn't it?<br /><br />Well, first of all, it's Valentine's Day. I admit to missing Korea's version--they have three days of this, starting with a day (White Day, I believe) in January, where Boys give presents to Girls. Then, Valentine's Day is the opposite of Canadian tradition, where the Girls have to give presents to the Boys. Then, there's Black Day. If you didn't get anything from either gender, you eat jjajeongmyeong, a "Chinese-themed" black sauce noodles.<br /><br />It's funny to watch a lot of students eating their noodles in Korea--there's a sense of solidarity that makes me chuckle. Even in Canada.<br /><br />Jen and I went to the Autoshow in Toronto. Lots of nifty cars everywhere, of course. I think the best show of the bunch was by, of all companies, GMC. I've never been a big fan of General Motors. Their vehicles became the butt of several jokes in my family, growing up, and even if Ford or Chrysler were equally notorious to us, we wouldn't even consider test-driving a Jimmy. Now, I'm a bit... well, impressed. I liked the pick-up trucks they showed off, and I'm not a pick-up driver. Jen is, and loved sitting in the giant cab of a Duramax Diesel truck, playing with the steering wheel. A marketer showed up, who obviously knew his stuff, and proceeded to rattle off the features, before showing us a few other trucks that were similar, and more suitable to city and highway driving.<br /><br />We'd never buy one until they became Hybrids, due to fuel economy, but as Jen is a Northerner, and as I grew up in Texas, we both hold a special place in our hearts for big trucks. They're safe, tough, and, yes, a status symbol. Not to mention, they're great for hauling your boat around.<br /><br />Hyundai had a good showing, as well--they have a new Elantra Touring out that I thought was nifty. They, and KIA, ironically, are becoming the new Toyota. Do you remember when Toyota was considered <span style="font-style: italic;">the</span> car company, the best of the best? Funny how that's changed, and Hyundai appears to be filling in the gap they've left.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, Toyota still makes nice cars. So does Lexus. But they're overpriced, and they underperform. Worse, they're starting to get sloppy. The recent recalls Toyota's suffering is an example of this. Hopefully, it'll wake them up. It's unfortunate that most people looked like they didn't want to get into their cars, either, after all the bad hype.<br /><br />Ford's material was boring, ironically--I remember them being amazing two years ago, with cool concept cars and Hydrogen-powered trucks. They weren't bad, but they weren't great. A bit stale, is all.<br /><br />And then there's the classic cars. Holy smokes--the only Ford I would ever drive, other than an F-150 Truck, is a Mustang. And they had some classic ones in the show! 1967, Red and Black paint, bucket seats, manual transmission. I love classic cars. They also had some 40s and 50s-era British roadsters that were these little peppy things with an open top. How did we ever drive these things? You'd be wearing a mosquito mask!<br /><br />I'm presenting a piece to my co-workers at school about using Drama to teach ESL. Really, I'm not using, say, an actual play to teach, but rather, some of the warm-up and speaking techniques from drama to encourage fluency and comfort in the class.<br /><br />A lot of ESL tends to wind up as "brain-in-a-jar" syndrome, where the students are sitting in their chairs, talking, or writing. There's nothing particularly wrong with that approach, of course. Studying hard and working on conversation is important. However, as a kinesthetic learner, and as a former martial arts teacher, I cannot overemphasize the need for learners of language to reconnect their bodies to their words. We don't speak with our brains alone--we use muscles in our mouths and tongues, we use body language, we use posture and intonation... and by practicing these actions with drama techniques that encourage reaction to your partner, intonation, and yes, dare I say it, getting up and moving around in the class room, we encourage students to speak as they would on the street, outside the class.<br /><br />Not to mention, kinesthetic learners require physicality to integrate whatever they're learning more effectively. If you can ground language in more than just speaking, writing, listening, and reading, but also into the physical actions required to express yourself to another human being--smiling, nodding, standing, shaking hands, maintaining eye contact, etc., you can learn a heck of a lot more.<br /><br />On a final note: Happy Chinese and Korean New Year! Bring on the year of the Tiger!<br /><br />Talk to you later,<br /><br />ChrisChris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-81672339416624529702010-01-24T12:01:00.000-08:002010-01-24T12:05:33.915-08:00DancingHi all,<br /><br />Well, Jen and I finally got back into Swing Dancing. We went out for Blues classes this and last week. Blues is old, and a lot simpler than, say, Lindy Hop, because the basic steps are mostly left-right left-right all the time, but you can do a lot with it musically. It's easy to dance to, fun, and relaxing after flying around with Charleston at 220 Beats-per-Minute.<br /><br />We're keeping busy. Just went out for Robbie Burns' night with friends yesterday, some of us had Haggis, scotch, and some Sticky Pudding for dessert. Unfortunately, there weren't any pipers, much to our friends' annoyance, but that's life.<br /><br />Other than that: it's weird not seeing people from Korea as often. One of our former Supervisors, Hey-Jin, is in town to study TESOL, but we've only seen her once. Others are back in Toronto, but busy, or in Waterloo, so we don't see them much. Others are scattered around the US, or still in Korea. As I said, it feels weird, since we built up pretty intense relationships with people who we worked with in close quarters for a full year, and we do miss them quite a bit.<br /><br />Hope you all are doing well. Keep in touch, y'hear? :)<br /><br />ChrisChris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-51335456214247134442010-01-10T08:03:00.000-08:002010-01-10T08:10:14.193-08:00Happy New YearHi all,<br /><br />So, Jen and I drove down to Virginia on Christmas Eve--listening with crappy reception to twelve different renditions of Oh Holy Night on whichever Christian radio station we passed, given that they were the only ones playing carols. We stopped in at every third coffee shop we could to get hot chocolate and/or coffee, and got in about 1130PM.<br /><br />We spent Christmas there, and drove back on the 27th.<br /><br />New Years, meanwhile, was spent here in Toronto, dancing until 2 or 3 in the AM at <a href="http://www.dovercourthouse.com/">Dovercourt House</a> for a night of Swing and Jive. Jen and I, having danced for about 9 years, both love to go out this way for New Year's. It's a great way to relax, meet new people, and to work out any stress. I bumped into some old friends from the Waterloo Swing Crew, the troupe I performed with in Kitchener-Waterloo, and it was great to see Angie, Martin, and others.<br /><br />It's weird being an old hand at something like swing. People ask me during lessons "have you done this before?" and usually follow up with "you're really good." At which point I have to point out that I've been dancing for a darned long time. I'm actually not that good for 9 years of dancing on and off, or at least I'd prefer not to brag about it or show off. Still, it's weird to be on the other side of the learning curve--I used to really look up to those who'd been dancing for a long time.<br /><br />I remain a very relaxed swing dancer. Some people use a lot more flashy moves than I do, but I prefer to just throw a few neat moves together in between lots of easy, basic steps, so I can actually chat with my partner while I'm dancing with him/her. Heck, it's supposed to be a social dance, so why not?<br /><br />Otherwise, back into the swing of things (argh, the puns!). Report cards come around often, and I'm slogging away at that this weekend (it should only take me an hour or two, but I'm procrastinating. Might as well get into it. :P<br /><br />Happy Birthday to my wife, Jen, and Happy New Year to all of you!<br /><br />ChrisChris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-53622851033883989162009-12-22T17:53:00.000-08:002009-12-22T18:01:27.254-08:00SUPERSPEED!Hi all,<br /><br />Wow, this week... is a blur. We've got Christmas off, of course, and Christmas Eve is short, at both my schools. So, I'm finishing early on Christmas Eve Day. We're driving from Toronto to Washington DC for the Holidays to see my mother and family for the first time in two years. I should be happy, right?<br /><br />Well, I am, mostly, except that this causes my class schedule to shrink to the kind of rushed format I don't remember since Korea. Holy Smokes! I'm introducing 0, 1st, and 2nd Conditionals in one day, when I normally take 3. For those not Grammar nuts like me, that means I'm teaching students how to say "When it rains, it pours," "If it rains, I'll bring an umbrella," and "If it rained today, I'd bring an umbrella." Three different structures, three different meanings, all in one day. Oof!<br /><br />My afternoon gig is similarly pressed-- We're doing the first week of the course in, essentially, three days.<br /><br />I'm either way too dedicated to this job, or I'm just got my priorities backwards. I've been offered full-time by the morning job, but had to turn it down, since it wasn't enough hours. Working 40 hours a week is what I need, but they had only offered me Monday-Friday, 9-4, and 9-12 on Fridays. From a stress standpoint, that'd be awesome. From a financial perspective, not so much. I felt sorry to have to let them down, but that's the way it's gotta be.<br /><br />This leads me to an interesting observation: ESL teachers don't get paid as much as you might think. We're getting there, mind you, but we're not unionized, and we're therefore not as well paid or protected as those in the public system. It's something I'd like to work on, when I'm a bit more established in the area and in the field.<br /><br />I continue to pursue TESL Ontario and my B.Ed. I love TESL, but to make the kind of money I need to support a family, I need to work in the public system. As someone with 3 teachables before I even get into ESL, I should be able to find work as a teacher in the public system easily.<br /><br /><br />Different note: It's bizarre being back in Toronto in December. What happened to the weather, here? My Korean students all had this notion that Canada was this frozen wasteland, and then here I am in Toronto, and we've barely had any snow, much less cold weather, this winter.<br /><br />I love winter: it's by far my favorite season. I love snow and ice, and I love the cold. But this ain't no Canadian winter.<br /><br /><br />Watch as I jinxed it. Sorry, everybody.<br /><br />ChrisChris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-90841355519334815952009-12-13T17:13:00.000-08:002009-12-13T17:17:21.578-08:00ChristmasHi all,<br /><br />Well, we're building up to Christmas time again. I'm looking forward to the vacation from work, short as it is, and to seeing my family for the first time in two years.<br /><br />The short vacation comes from the nature of the ESL business--we never really close, and often end up working year-round with minimal vacation time. However, that said, I understand the reasoning: people who come from all over the world to study English here in Canada expect to still be able to attend school, even in what for Canadians would be holiday season.<br /><br />It just means I'll be driving to Virginia on Christmas Eve. We're turning it into an adventure: we're going to stop in as often as we can at coffee shops to get Hot Chocolate, and I suspect that, by the end of the trip, my brain will no longer be able to handle any more Christmas Carols.<br /><br />I'm almost done with my first round of units at the schools I work for, meaning I should be able to start recycling old material soon. Knowing me, I'll still be creating new stuff for use in the class, if only to avoid it getting stale/becoming boring for me and the students, but it's nice to know that there's an end in sight for this.<br /><br />I still miss Korea--it was, as Jen puts it, a break from reality here. I begin to understand why some call it just that. In Korea, one didn't have to worry so much about bills or constant lesson prep. On the one hand, I miss how easy that was.<br /><br />On the other hand, I'm glad to be doing what I do--I think it'll serve me in good stead for Teacher's College, down the line, and I am really enjoying some of my classes.<br /><br />All the best to you and yours this Holiday Season.<br /><br />ChrisChris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-41971981317628112692009-11-22T14:57:00.000-08:002009-11-22T15:00:41.477-08:00Sloggin' Through itHi All,<div><br /></div><div>Well, Unit 1 is done. That means I just have to finish my afternoon curriculum to the end, and it's all recycling the material from then on out. </div><div><br /></div><div>Challenge is, of course, to make it communicative and interesting for students. One thing any ESL teacher can tell you is how fast it becomes boring to just rely on drills all day to teach the material. The current model that's taught in TESL Canada classes is to find ways to create dialogues, roleplays, conversations, etc. that encourage and facilitate integration of the language more effectively.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, nobody tells you that creating lessons that do so requires a lot of experience, time, and patience. </div><div><br /></div><div>I enjoy my classes, overall. The students have, so far, been quite good, and I enjoy the level I teach. I would rather it be a bit more beginner--I'm far better at designing more basic activities, and I suspect I remain intimidated by the lack of control one has in an advanced class, but that's normal at that level.</div><div><br /></div><div>Still, despite the workload, it's going well, and it's what I want to do, so I'm sure I will become accustomed to it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Have a good weekend, everybody.</div><div><br /></div><div>Chris</div>Chris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-18574332189844549222009-11-15T09:53:00.000-08:002009-11-15T09:59:26.929-08:00Almost done with the first UnitHi All,<br /><br />So, busy lately. I've been slogging through my first run-through of my unit with my two new schools, which means I've had to spend most of my evenings lesson planning and prepping and tweaking. Gah.<br /><br />I'm two days from being done with the first unit for my morning school, which means that when we start back over again with a new class, I can keep my lesson plans, and just make small edits. A lot easier.<br /><br />The second, afternoon school is about half-way done, but it's becoming less painful. Having finished one unit will make the going less rough for them, too.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I had to fail a lot of students in my afternoon program. I can see the argument: better that I do it now, than when they get to University and the professor cans them for plagiarism, or for a lack of English ability. There were some really strong students whom I fought to let through, since it was just a matter of time before they reached their full potential, but for some of the others... it wasn't fun.<br /><br />Failing students isn't why I got into this business. As an ESL teacher, one gets used to doing everything one can to help them--I don't just let people pass, mind you, but the most important thing to me is their ability to use and make sense of the material we teach. If they can do that, but they have a bad test score, so what? I've had bad test scores, but last time I checked, I know how to communicate in English, and in French.<br /><br />What can you do?<br /><br />Saw District 9, and Valkyrie, finally, this weekend. It's funny how many movies we didn't bother watching, since we were abroad.<br /><br />I thought Valkyrie, ironically, was the better of the two. Yes, it was Hollywood-ish, and yes, it was a Tom Cruise vehicle, but take away his eye, and one hand, and suddenly he acts a lot better. There were dozens of brilliant British actors in the show, and it was well-put-together.<br /><br />District 9 is as subtle as a brick thrown at your head. It's well-done, if low-budget, and yes, it asks some important questions, but it really is blunt. That's part of the point, I suppose, but I can understand why it generates such polarized responses.<br /><br />All the best,<br />ChrisChris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-21956216807840350202009-10-31T09:21:00.000-07:002009-10-31T10:41:57.089-07:00Happy Hallowe'en, JobsHi all,<br /><br />Happy All Hallow's Eve! For those who celebrate it, I hope you're going to have a great night, and that lot's of trick-or-treaters come to your door! It's my favorite time of the year, and I have my costume all picked out. I'll reveal it after tonight's party, as it's meant to be a surprise, so in case any of my guests are reading... I'll keep 'em wondering.<br /><br />Found a stable job! I was originally working part-time in two positions. The former, an afternoon one-to-one tutoring position, was an excellent position, but unstable. Students didn't always show up, which meant I didn't get paid, and of course, it wasn't a lot of hours of work.<br /><br />The latter, a morning job, is ESL Teaching, as in with a full class. It's definitely what I've trained and gotten my Certification for, and I'm quite happy with it. We just had our Hallowe'en party, and my students loved the Hanbok I wore: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanbok. I was, of course, wearing a man's version.<br /><br />On Friday, I got a call from another school, for whom I had interviewed about positions starting in Mid-November. They were in a bit of a panic because a teacher had had some family difficulties, and had to leave earlier than they'd thought. While that's not the way I'd want to have been offered a position, I'm pleased that they offered it to me. It's an afternoon position, from 1-5:30 PM, teaching Pre-CTP (College Training Program), which is designed to help students get into Canadian Universities if they're not Native English speakers. I'll also be teaching some grammar. I start on Monday, so, while I'm taking today to clean the house, and have the Hallowe'en party, I'll be working away at the lesson plan for Monday tomorrow, on Sunday! Busy weekend, eh?<br /><br />Still, I'm looking forward to it, if a bit nervous. I like that I get to teach the same material in a rotating schedule (basically, finish Unit X and go back to the first one, Y, repeat). It might seem a bit boring, but then, it means I don't have to keep reinventing the wheel. I design my units the first time, and then tweak them as time goes on, fixing mistakes, adding in new elements, and keeping it timely and interesting.<br /><br />If I choose to change class levels, then I start again lesson-prep-wise, but still, it's a good system. It's one that I wish we'd had in Korea. Our school tended to change the books constantly, and I found that teachers who had the same books, even if bored, knew how to teach those books well and to get the most out of them for the students.<br /><br />Well, I'm about to head off for the party. In keeping with my last theme, I'll give you some tips/thoughts on job-hunting in the field. Next time, I think I'll talk about some of the best places to work abroad. My experience isn't as diverse as others, but I've kept my ears open, and if I can share some resources for those who want to do the same thing, I'm happy to do so.<br /><br />Happy Hallowe'en/Samhain,<br /><br />Chris<br /><br />------<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Some further comments on getting a job in our field:<br /><br /><br />One thing I can comment on for sure when hunting for a job in ESL: Highlight a few key points on your resume. For example, I put my teaching experience on the front page, as well as my Certifications and Educational Experience. However, don't *just* say where you studied--demonstrate a few things that you did while studying. For example, for my MA, I have listed for some time the accomplishment I'm most proud of from my tenure at U Waterloo: my thesis. I designed, researched, and completed it in 9 months, which is far faster than most. Most interviewers don't have time to read through two pages to find the information you wrote for them. You have to make the first page highlight key items, because the person reading it is likely swamped, stressed out about finding a good candidate, fast, and no doubt has 25 more to read before he/she can go home for the day!<br /><br />Make sure you emphasize what you've done while teaching, of course. Designed your own curriculum daily? That's a major skill! Designed a presentation and debate course? Again, a useful ability to present to an ESL college in Canada. Practiced Communicative Language method? Good! It ought to be right there with your qualifications and skills listed on the first page!<br /><br />Most of this should, of course, be basic stuff to anybody on the job trail, but I'm guilty of forgetting it, and I'm lucky in that my partner is a professional career counsellor! She often keeps me from making too many mistakes.<br /><br />During the interview, try to relax. Most people get hung up on the idea that you're there to be evaluated, that you need to be spectacular and amazing and on the ball and experienced and confident and calm and... stressed yet?<br /><br />You're there to evaluate the *job,* too. I find that the jobs for which I've been hired were the ones where I went in, asked a lot of questions about the company, and about why the interviewer thinks they're the best. After all, if you're going to work for them, they'd better be a decent company, no? If I don't like the place, I thank the interviewer for their time, and politely decline later on. I don't like throwing away an offer, of course, but if the job didn't jive, I'm only going to hate it later on and be back out on the streets again hunting for work!<br /><br />Furthermore, the jobs I got offers for all came out of interviews where the interviewer and I ended up chatting about our field, why we got into it, how we like to teach, etc. Your resume and cover letter are the first step--they establish your credentials. If you've been called in for an interview, they already know about those credentials. Sure, you should provide examples of your strengths, of what you do well, and so forth, but at the same time, the interviewer is trying to go past the facts and figures on your resume, and to get to know you.<br /><br />Ask yourself this question: If you're going to hire somebody, who would you want to hire? Somebody who you like, and has the skills you want, or someone who is only there to go through the interview motions, despite their skills?<br /><br />There's a lot of competition in the field. As long as you make a good personal connection with the other person you interview with, you should be fine. Teachers, the best ones, are often the most personable people in the world--after all, they really care about their students.<br /><br />All the best, folks!<br /><br />ChrisChris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-65828388818899024192009-10-15T09:04:00.000-07:002009-10-15T09:28:34.644-07:00Job, ThanksgivingHi all,<div><br /></div><div>Just got back from Timmins for Thanksgiving, which was amazing. We got to see all of my wife's family (well, almost all, some of them were in Toronto this weekend), and it was nice to keep reconnecting. This has become somewhat of a theme for me this month, as it's what we've been doing, getting back in touch with old friends, and colleagues.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've been trying, for example, to set up a coffee date with two old friends from Waterloo, but we're all so damned busy it's like herding cats. I'm confident we'll bump into 'em sooner than later. It's just funny how socially active people have such trouble making time for anything.</div><div><br /></div><div>Jen's been busy, with two jobs, and so am I--I just got another part-time gig working in the morning at another ESL college. This is great--it supplements my income, doesn't interfere with my afternoon tutoring, and has room to expand. And it's actual teaching experience in front of a class in Canada.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's something that I've noticed some former expats like me go through--we hit our stride in Korea or Japan or wherever, and then come back... only to find out we're not fitting in. So we either go back abroad, or we try to find similar work here, which can be a challenge.</div><div><br /></div><div>Finding a job based on ESL in Canada requires certifications which a lot of us don't have when we leave for our Korean or overseas adventures--I got mine while abroad, thank heaven. Furthermore, as much experience as we might or might not have after our time abroad, finding work in the field back home runs into one of two roadblocks: we have *foreign* experience, but no experience teaching ESL in a *Canadian* classroom. Fortunately, this is not a common problem, but it still comes up. More importantly, if you taught kids, you're going to have to get some adult/late teenage teaching experience first, since that's what most ESL colleges here in Canada do, and want. If you can find a way to teach Business or similar English classes, that'll help, too--there's lots of similar work here! In the end, most colleges in Canada teach adults, and want similar experience. If you are doing adult ESL abroad, you've got a great head-start.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's a bit of a Catch-22. We go abroad to get experience, only to find out that we cannot use that experience back home. It's not impossible, of course--some schools don't mind if you teach children more than adults in Korea, as long as you have some experience in the ESL field in general, and/or TESL Canada Certification, since that requires a Practicum and provides actual adult teaching experience. That can be a big 'as long as,' however. It can be expensive to get the training, and the certification itself costs.</div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps TESL Canada should offer a discount to students with experience, or perhaps it could be provisional--come work for us, so long as you take some extra classes at home/on the side, and get your Certification by a set end-point. However, these are both options that we, as teachers, cannot control. What you can do is this:</div><div><br /></div><div>If you want to do this as a career when you return from overseas, make sure you take some classes while abroad, get your TESL Canada Certification mostly done, and that way you can just do the Practicum (sample classes, to prove you can do it) immediately. If you want to do things like LINC (Language Instruction for New Canadians), which pays well, you need TESL Ontario Certification (in Ontario), and I'm sure similar programs elsewhere in Canada and the States requires similar training. All of which takes more time. </div><div><br /></div><div>So: Use your time abroad to get started on it--many of the courses can be done online, or by distance, and there may even be some that will offer in class training in your country--you never know. If you save up lots of money abroad, you could even schedule your classes for when you get home, so that you get the training, get your Certification, and can move right into job hunt mode in the field.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's not impossible, but it is a challenge. If you love this work, and I do, and I'm sure others do as well, it's worth it. The outcome, seeing students become amazing English speakers, and get successful jobs because of their fluency in another language, is amazing. Seeing kids become bi-, tri-, or multi-lingual is equally awesome, and it's one of the reasons I loved my job in Korea.</div><div><br /></div><div>Make sure you know what you're getting into, and plan ahead. Get your training, and get the qualifications you need to do this work back home. It even helps abroad--some countries require a TESL Certificate before you even apply to ESL jobs in those countries to begin with!</div><div><br /></div><div>All the best,</div><div><br /></div><div>Chris</div>Chris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-79394695922093267102009-10-07T06:35:00.000-07:002009-10-07T06:43:51.424-07:00ReconnectingHi all,<div><br /></div><div>My apologies for the drought of posts lately. I've been job hunting, and managed to get some work this week with an ESL tutoring job. It's decent pay, and I like both of my students. I teach them both for one hour, and help them with either A) stuff they're working on in their classes; or B) stuff they feel they want to improve.</div><div><br /></div><div>So for my first student, that's a combination of the grammar and vocab from class, and some idioms, which is what he likes to work on.</div><div><br /></div><div>For the later one, it's pure pronunciation practice, since she's highly advanced, and wants to break through that 'wall' that students seem to reach when they understand the mechanics of English, but still freeze up when they're looking for words, or when they hear native English spoken at a fast clip.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is something I've noticed with ESL students--the committed ones learn the language fast, and well, but 'street speak' throws them right off. I don't mean slang, of course, or idioms, although that's part of it. What I'm talking about is something that's called assimilation in phonetics: when we squish sounds together as we speak. For example, her least favorite one is "Didn't you do..." which becomes "didnchadu," and worse. And unfortunately, I'm not sure how much I can do to help her--it's largely a matter of speaking with native speakers and getting used to the way we speak at a full clip. This is something with which I help her, but the best way remains to talk to people outside the class, who are native English speakers. A daunting prospect, for sure, but the best way forward, nonetheless.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's rewarding, although it's not yet full time. I've been getting used to Toronto, seeing old friends, and missing those from Korea. That said, it's been good, and I am coming to like this strange, sprawled out and English speaking city. Seriously, however, the sprawl is terrible. I suspect they'd have to put another dozen apartment buildings up above each subway before I feel comfortable, after Korea, where everybody's packed tightly close together. It's one thing I do miss--Torontonians have an over-developed sense of personal space, due to the size of the city and the <i>relatively</i> low population density. A word that I have come to loathe after returning from Korea is "sorry," which, of course, I am now saying constantly. I'm not sorry, I'm just trying to move around you. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's the little things that trip you up, I suspect.</div><div><br /></div><div>Chris</div>Chris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-31681321125272616582009-09-21T09:18:00.000-07:002009-09-21T11:34:27.915-07:00Job HuntingHi All,<div><br /></div><div>I forgot how much I disliked Job Hunting (TM). It's never fun, especially when you have a limited budget and amount of time. I'm presently looking for anything in the Toronto region in my field, and since I'm looking for TESL and similar positions, it means I'm basically having to make massive mailing lists of schools, and send letters out. Never fun.</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh well. It's better than nothing, and I am hopeful that I will get a job, shortly--after all, without one, it's not like we can keep living in Toronto, right?</div><div><br /></div><div>This weekend was fun. We had two friends' birthday parties to attend, and it was good to see folks again after so long. </div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately, we didn't get out to TIFF due to budget concerns. Hopefully, next year, right?</div><div><br /></div><div>Other than that, busy day of job hunting for me today, and more to come. Wish me luck!</div><div><br /></div><div>Chris</div>Chris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-34381492894399997112009-09-10T15:36:00.001-07:002009-09-10T15:42:54.762-07:00Back in TorontoHi all,<div><br /></div><div>I'm back in the Big Smog for the first time since I was 10 yeas old. It's interesting to be back, especially after Korea. I think I would have been panicking like mad had I not already lived in a large city in Suwon. As it is, there's a lot of people, but nowhere near as much pushing and shoving as in Seoul's crowded streets.</div><div><br /></div><div>We got back from Korea last week. We were overbooked, which was a blessing in disguise, as we were upgraded to First Class for the Tokyo to Toronto leg of the trip, since that was all that was available. Not too shabby! We had a long flight home, and by the end, had been travelling for about 26 hours when we collapsed in our beds in Timmins.</div><div><br /></div><div>We packed up our stuff one more time over the next two days, and then ported everything down to Toronto over two days and two trips. It was a bit hectic, but we're settling in, and I'm working away on my TESL Canada Certification so I can teach ESL here in Toronto. I fell in love with the work abroad, which surprised me, and I want to keep doing it, here.</div><div><br /></div><div>At the same time, I miss Korea. I miss kimchi, to the point that I broke down and bought some this weekend, and am happily crunching away on my pickled cabbage as I type. I miss reading hangeul, and stopped at a bibimbap shop on Yonge Street to read the signage in Korean when I passed a bap and barbeque shop. I also miss the people--and you know who you are. It's weird not hearing Korean spoken around me on the street, and it's weird offering money with two hands to westerners who offer one hand back, and it's weird having to overhear random conversations in English again, and it's weird not being packed tight in the subway (we could have fit twenty more in my car this morning in Seoul, trust me!), and it's weird not hanging out with my friends from Suwon.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'll get over the culture shock soon enough, but it's going to take a few days. And, to be honest, I'm glad I'm suffering through it. It reminds me of how much I have grown over the past year, and of all that I will miss of Korea. </div><div><br /></div><div>Off to the Eaton Centre over the weekend to do some TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) viewing, and to see the sights in Toronto. I've become accustomed to being more of a tourist within my own city, something I didn't do very well back home in Montreal and Kitchener before my adventures abroad. If I remember to take some pictures, I'll try to post 'em next week.</div><div><br /></div><div>Good evening, all,</div><div><br /></div><div>Chris</div>Chris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-8948606608241619142009-08-29T02:47:00.001-07:002009-08-29T02:50:01.851-07:00Last Day in KoreaWell, here I am.<br /><br />It's one night left, and it feels bizarre. I have had my share of ups and downs in Korea, but on the whole, as I have said previously, I have been happy with my time here in Korea. I know I have grown in many ways, and learned a lot about the world, and myself, through my experiences here this past year.<br /><br />I am going through waves of happiness and sadness to leave. To those readers still in Korea, and you know who you are, take care, and we'll see you again, soon.<br /><br />To everyone back home: I'll be there soon, and will have a post up as fast as possible to let everyone know that I landed safe and sound.<br /><br />All the best, to all,<br /><br />Annyeong-hi-Gyeseyo!<br /><br />ChrisChris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-85582075569860883992009-08-24T18:40:00.000-07:002009-08-24T18:59:57.016-07:00The last week<div>Hi everybody,</div><div><br /></div><div>It feels weird to type that title for this post. Last week. 3 school days left, before our contracts end. That is utterly, utterly, bizarre. I've gotten used to Korea, started picking up bits and pieces of the language, I can read Hangeul fluently, now (still don't know whether I'm seeing signs for a newspaper or a karaoke room, though), have become addicted to kimchi, fell in love with the madness of Seoul, and now I have to say goodbye? It's mildly depressing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's a link to our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=300730&id=591715424">latest exploits.</a></div><div><br /></div><div>We saw Sky, an old friend of Jen's from her days as an ESL teacher in Canada, in Seoul on Saturday. We insisted on buying the dinner, since he snuck off with the bill last time. Korean etiquette on payment is funny, in a good way. In Canada, everybody argues over it, and usually we chip in together, right? Well, in Korea, the oldest person pays. Of course, people might offer to pay, but the oldest person (or the most senior in the company, the only married couple, etc.), pays. Period. Of course, if the older person is there, you have to stay out with him or her until they go home. This can, as you can imagine, lead to some rather epic moments if the <a href="http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/daytimedrinking/">older person wants to drink with you</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not sure that Sky is older than Jen, but it was an interesting commentary on our time here to see him protesting when we basically took the bill and told him we'd pay this time. </div><div><br /></div><div>From his perspective, he was paying the first time because that's what's done, in Korea. From our perspective, we insisted on paying him back for the last time. Getting back into Canadian thinking, I guess, and, besides, he did pay last time. It was our turn. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We then met the new teachers, Thomas and Claire, and showed them around Yeongtong, before going out to our last Suwon Bluewings game in town. Suwon lost, and the crowd was dead. One suspects this is due to the recent passing of former President Kim Dae-Jung. Alternatively, it may have been because Suwon is out of the running for the Championship this season. Either way, it was odd, but still a fun experience. We got stared at for being the only people starting the cheers, but then a dozen or so of the Koreans sitting nearest to us got into it, which was awesome.</div><div><br /></div><div>We're down to a mere 3 days. I mentioned that earlier, but it still feels weird. I mentioned, in my last post, that I have fallen in love with this country. It has bizarre mood swings, but its an amazing country. I remember sheer culture shock threatening to overwhelm me in my first week, to the point that I was almost crying, and wanted to just say to hell with it and fly back home.</div><div><br /></div><div>And yet, here I am, a year later, saying goodbyes to friends and students whom I've become accustomed to seeing every day, every week, or at least every month. </div><div><br /></div><div>I will miss this place, but more importantly, I will miss the people. One of my students was sad last night, after class. He said "Teacher, I was in your class for a year. A year, teacher!" And then he smiled, sadly, and said goodbye. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is one of my favorite students, so it hurt to hear those words coming from him. I know it is not 'goodbye' for some of my fellow teachers, since I'll see them again in Canada, or in the States, I'm sure. I know that for some of my students, this is not goodbye, either, since I'm already getting emails from some of them--one with pictures of Lee Min Ho, a soap-opera actor who is obviously my students' newest crush--but it still feels weird, and sad.</div><div><br /></div><div>At the same time, I am looking forward to seeing Canada, again, and family and friends. It has been amazing, frustrating, and fun, to be in this part of the world. For what few bad parts that have come my way, I've found a dozen more things that were worth every moment of my travelling here. </div><div><br /></div><div>I came here thinking I would take a year off from University, to work on PhD applications, make some money, and pay off student debts. Lo and behold, I emerge on the other side discovering that I love teaching, period, and that I don't really want to go back to school again. I've earned my TESL Canada Certification, and I intend to make a go of teaching in Canada. I also discovered that I like kids, and that so does Jen.</div><div><br /></div><div>In short, while some folks talk about coming to Korea to 'find themselves,' and sometimes don't, I came to Korea to work, and end up finding out a lot about myself.</div><div><br /></div><div>Funny the way things go, eh?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>3 more days. I'll have, I hope, time for one more blog post, to make sure that folks back home know that Jen and I are okay, and then we'll be off on our 22-hour flight back home. Quirk of travelling that we'll be leaving and arriving on the same day, and only five hours later, objectively. Subjectively, though, Sunday's going to hurt. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Talk to you all soon! </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Chris</div>Chris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-34019704326980637402009-08-16T03:48:00.000-07:002009-08-16T03:59:07.912-07:00Insadong, 9 days left.Hi all,<div><br /></div><div>It's coming down to that time. We went into Insadong, a touristy part of town, for the last time. Regular readers may remember our first trip into that place along with Dave Gagnier, Daniel Leslie, and Oliver White. </div><div><br /></div><div>They're still here, but the latter two, like me and my wife, are not going to be in Korea much longer. There. I said it. It's an odd mix of emotions that I have at present, with 9 business days left. I feel tired, and ready to go home... but also nervous about finding work, and about all the various insanities that go into travelling back home across the world.</div><div><br /></div><div>I feel sad about leaving, but also fulfilled. I have seen much of the world that I might not otherwise have had a chance to see. I will miss Korea--it is strange, and fast-paced, and utterly illogical at times. It is noisy and occasionally bizarre. It is also humble, quiet, and peaceful, with a history and a unique culture, and a sense of pride that you won't find in many other places in the world. To say it's a mixed-bag is redundant, of course, but it is. I've enjoyed it all, the good and the bad, and I'm going to miss it, one way or another.</div><div><br /></div><div>The reverse-culture-shock is going to be a pain, let's just say.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, Insadong. We bought a bunch of gifts for folks back home. No hints, here, folks. Suffice 't to say that they are lovely, and you shall enjoy them.</div><div><br /></div><div>We like that district. It's overpriced, but some of the shops have some genuinely nifty things hidden in the back alleys and sidewalk shops.</div><div><br /></div><div>A week before that, Dave, myself, Roger Lam, and one of Dave's friends climbed Dobungsan. That hurt, but the view was worth it. Never went hiking in 35 degrees + humidity before, and I can say that I think I lost a pound and a half in sweat before we even got to the first marker. It was great to see Roger again, though, and to take in what is a quintessential Korean pastime: climbing one of the many mountains in this rocky country.</div><div><br /></div><div>This weekend was Insadong, and a game of Cities and Knights, an expansion on Settlers of Catan with Dave. Man, that game is addictive. I know what I want for Christmas. </div><div><br /></div><div>Next week: my last Bluewings game. My kids are jealous, and I intend to scream myself near hoarse during the game. After all, my adopted home team ain't doing so well this year, and every little bit helps, right?</div><div><br /></div><div>Talk to you soon,</div><div><br /></div><div>Chris</div>Chris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-88098998867276334962009-08-01T23:38:00.000-07:002009-08-02T00:04:42.785-07:00TokyoHi all,<div><br /></div><div>Just got back from <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=289014&id=591715424&ref=mf">Tokyo</a>! What a blast! We took dozens of pictures, but here's what we did:</div><div><br /></div><div>We got up bright and early, four in the morning, to get to our 8 o'clock flight. We were staying in Shinjuku, a district of Tokyo's West end, and in the sub-district called Kabukicho... Essentially, the red-light district. We're no strangers to this, but seeing guys walking around dressed like pimps was a bit goofy. That said, we got in on time, checked in... and snoozed for an hour. Promptly thereafter, we got some dinner (SUSHI!) and played Mario Kart, then stocked up on supplies for the next day.</div><div><br /></div><div>Which started hot. We went to the Imperial Palace, not perhaps as impressive as the one in Kyoto, but still interesting. It was, however, blazing hot, enough to make me gag and Jen want to collapse. We took in the Emperor's residence, which was originally built by warlords, and used by Tokugawa Ieyasu to hold Tokyo for himself, and as his base of power. The Shogunate he founded ruled Japan from the beginning of the 1600s, all the way to the 1860s, when the Meiji Emperor reclaimed Imperial power from the Shogun.</div><div><br /></div><div>The castle is not the same as that in Kyoto because it was targeted by the Allies during the Second World War, so this is understandable. Sad, but understandable. </div><div><br /></div><div>We then went to Ueno, where we took in a Japanese cultural museum (The Tokyo National Museum), much to Jen's relief from the heat. We saw some old swords, samurai armor, and dozens of relics from Japan's past.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next day, we dropped into Asakusa, the shopping district, and Roppongi, where the night clubs were. It was neat to see temples next to 300 year old shops, and to see Tokyo lit up like a bulb during the night. As Jennifer has commented, it was very Blade Runner-esque.</div><div><br /></div><div>All in all, a fun time. We're tired, but happy, and looking forward to our last few weeks in Korea, having just enjoyed our last trip abroad in Asia for the immediate future.</div><div><br /></div><div>Best to all,</div><div><br /></div><div>Chris</div>Chris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-53882347427981650052009-07-26T16:11:00.001-07:002009-07-26T16:13:55.275-07:00Intensives. Ready? GO!Hi all,<div><br /></div><div>A very brief post, and my apologies for not commenting last weekend. I've been, as I've mentioned before, job-hunting, therefore I'm not always free to blog of late. Hence, as well, today's short commentary.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm off this morning, up and at 'em nice and early, to go to the school, and teach our morning August Intensives class. Korean kids get two month-long holidays from school, one in January, and one in August. Unfortunately for the kids, that means extra study time!</div><div><br /></div><div>They usually sign up for extra classes with a local hagwon, and in my case, I've got about 5 or 6 kids from Middle School and High School to teach. We're doing a debate class, and I'm a bit anxious, but hopeful that it will be decent.</div><div><br /></div><div>Wish us luck!</div><div><br /></div><div>Next weekend: Tokyo!</div><div><br /></div><div>Chris</div>Chris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-65817010494549770122009-07-13T06:58:00.000-07:002009-07-13T07:19:19.125-07:00Holy Cow, Rain!Hi all,<br /><br />Title says it all. We went to Seoul to see Dave, our old coworker (now working in a public school in Banghak), and talk about downpour! It was brutal on Sunday morning trying to get back, and we were feeling a little tired.<br /><br />We had met up to play some Settlers of Catan with Dave. For those that don't know about it, Settlers is an odd cross between Risk, Monopoly, and Empire Builder (an old train building game). It's neat, and highly interactive, and changes every time you play it.<br /><br />Dave has highlighted in previous blogs of <a href="http://baileybrosbuildingandloanabroad.blogspot.com/2009_06_01_archive.html">his</a> the difference between public and private schools. It was neat talking to him and his friend Douglas about the fact that you can literally tell who goes to a hagwon and who doesn't: the level of English is like night and day.<br /><br />It's a weird situation: Korea has a strong private system based on hagwons, although the reason they have the hagwons is the public school system is not very effective, emphasizing rote rehearsal of conversations in English. We therefore teach a lot to tests in the private system, helping students cram for the material that the schools don't make them ready for.<br /><br />And of course, you still get students who can't speak English, despite having studied it for years, because they're expected to memorize words and grammar out of context. I have students in my advanced classes who are still blatantly struggling to find words, because they haven't learned how to speak fluently in class.<br /><br />It's worse when you can't afford to go to a private after-school academy. Fortunately, the Korean government seems to be considering how to fix it, but whether it'll really change is anybody's guess.<br /><br />For our part, Jen and I have our plane tickets back in hand. We have 30 working days spread across 6 weeks left, and we're feeling homesick for the first time in almost 8 months after the initial burst of it when we first got here. We're both pining for the return, but I know when we get there we'll miss Korea, too.<br /><br />Weird feeling, all around.<br /><br />Best to all,<br /><br />ChrisChris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-33726527261286222812009-07-05T05:42:00.000-07:002009-07-05T05:48:38.112-07:00Anniversary<a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=276533&id=591715424&l=914b13fd26">http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=276533&id=591715424&l=914b13fd26</a><div><br /></div><div>Hi all!</div><div><br /></div><div>I've included the link above me words here to let you click on our pictures from Everland. We celebrated our 5th Anniversary there, and went shopping in Gangnam today to get some movies and other assorted stuff. It was low-key, but then, we *are* low-key on a general basis. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's been a neat five years. Jen and I got married in Kingston, at St. James Anglican Church, after dating for four years (off and on) in University. We met in residence where, gasp!, Jen was my Floor Senior.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hilarity ensued.</div><div><br /></div><div>In all seriousness, five years is a long time to be together, and I regret none of it. We've argued, yes, and we've fought, and Heaven knows there've been times when we've gotten annoyed, but there's a lot of good memories there. We've also loved, and gone out for dinner, and had long talks over bottles of wine.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, while this is not exactly Korean news, let's just say that it is what's on my mind. We just finished watching movies--of all things, Punisher, but then, Jen and I both share similar tastes in movies. Still, I think we'll watch Coraline next. Something more... er... happy. </div><div><br /></div><div>Have a good night, ya'll. Less than 8 weeks left before we're Canada bound, and more to come, yet, I'm sure.</div><div><br /></div><div>Chris</div>Chris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-40708920627138641432009-06-28T05:01:00.001-07:002009-06-28T05:13:29.740-07:00Preparing for HomeHi all,<br /><br />My apologies for not posting last week. I've been a bit busy. As some may know, I'm working on a TESL Course, and wrapping up the last few assignments (including some essays) in the final lesson for my Methodology Course. While it is not necessarily easy, I've learned some techniques that I'm already incorporating into my classes with my school.<br /><br />I'm also swamped with 5 essay classes, still. It's about 50 kids with an essay every 5 days, so it's a bit nutty. And, of course, I'm job-searching for work back home.<br /><br />That said, Jen and I are still doing some fun things: we'll be celebrating our 5th Anniversary next week, and getting out to see some sights before we leave. Stay tuned for more on that front.<br /><br />As you can tell, this is going to be a short one, because I've got to get back to job hunting. I thought that I should let everyone know that I'm alright.<br /><br />By the way: much as it looks otherwise, we're not hearing huge warning signs about North Korea. As I may have previously commented, I'll start panicking the moment my Korean coworkers do, not before. They're more worried about the fact that <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8120505.stm">Michael Jackson died</a>. Strange, that, since his music has been around my whole life. I'm not a huge fan, but I know the impact he had on music and TV, and how much it still resonates, especially here in Asia, where he's still quite popular.<br /><br />Sad day, that one.<br /><br />Take care all: we're doing well, and approaching the home stretch!<br /><br />Best regards,<br /><br />ChrisChris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-35724039036188951252009-06-16T19:06:00.000-07:002009-06-16T19:21:33.946-07:00BusanHi everybody,<br /><br />Jen and I just went to and got back from Busan, at the very southern end of Korea. We spent the weekend touring around, and seeing various parts of a very different city in Korea. For your convenience, I've attached the pictures on Facebook <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/album.php?aid=272167&id=827625715&ref=mf">here</a>.<br /><br />It was fun. We checked out Beomosa Temple, a World Heritage Site, in the North end of the city. The whole town stretches around the curve of the bay in which it sits like a second coast, and we basically used the subway to go back and forth from one end to the other. It was pretty cheap, and got us where we wanted to go. The Temple is gorgeous, built up into the hills naturally.<br /><br />We went from there to a cable car to get to the top of one of the nearby mountains, and saw a small hermitage up there. The view was spectacular: we could see literally every part of the city from up top.<br /><br />We were staying in Yeonsan-Dong, near the heart of the city, and from there we checked out the Jagalchi fish market, all 7 stories and 3 blocks of it. The smell of fish was strong, but it was neat to see the place--you could buy food for a year there, all fresh.<br /><br />We also went to Haeundae, a beach on the eastern side of the city, where the Aquarium is. Jen had never been to a big one before, and it was worth it. They have a lot of different fish, animals, and other critters inside, and a fish car out front. Yes, a fish car--as in, full of fish. Hilarity ensued.<br /><br />We took the KTX there and back, and we're a bit tired. I'm starting to realize that I'm stressed, and am raising my voice more than I want to in class. I will endeavour to relax more, and institute a more calm feeling in class--it's hard when the kids act like monkeys, but it'll work out.<br /><br />Cheers,<br />ChrisChris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786018561414731989.post-64318470332104503482009-06-08T07:00:00.000-07:002009-06-08T07:03:32.648-07:00Hi All,<br /><br />Nothing going on this weekend. Well, not really. Did some reading, and worked on a TESL program.<br /><br />I've discovered that I like teaching ESL, and that I'd like to do it when I get back. Therefore, I've decided to work on getting certification to teach it in Canada.<br /><br />That was my weekend--blah. That, and preparing for our trip to Busan next weekend, and our trip to Tokyo in July.<br /><br />I also did some writing, and some reading of Naomi Klein's Shock Doctrine. Good book, if a bit bleak--it's about how neo-liberalism and the modern capitalist regime in the world got into power. Most of it, I already knew about, but some things, like how the ANC in South Africa was tricked into giving up a lot of power, or how Solidarity in Poland were abused by the neo-liberals, was a bit of a surprise. If you're curious about capitalism, and how and why the US and othe major players involve themselves in the rest of the world, it's a good read.<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />ChrisChris Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02019521897963079509noreply@blogger.com0