Hi Rheno,

Please excuse me if I have misspelled your name.

I read your poem and I am not criticizing it in any way. It is an expression of your experience and I can appreciate that. I know very well about the struggles in the schools and being an ESL instructor. I am sorry that your experience was less than you perhaps expected.

I am not a teacher by any stretch of the imagination, but I hack away at it little by little, and no, I am still not a teacher. The kids do disrespect sometimes, but I think the kids are just learning about themselves and the world around them. The are great at testing all teachers, because they are tested. Even the kids tell me I am not good at discipline, but they understand that i am not like that and so they help me in my class to get the attention of others. No they are not angels, but they respect the friendship we have, and for that I love them.

I believe all teachers / instructors get the rough end of the stick, but the truth of the matter is, the kids are schooled out and all they want to do is play. Unfortunately for you and many many others, it has left a bad after taste for future ventures to this place called Korea. It is changing slowly, and Korean kids are becoming more and more use to having foreigners as teachers.

I think the school system has to change before teaching becomes the great job we sign up for. It really isn't that bad.

I think your heart was in the right place to want to come and teach someone something. So, if it is in your heart to teach, try again in the future. Things do change. People change.

Good luck