Milo was right!
People are people where ever you go in this world. I have done my fair share of travelling and met all sorts of people. I have kick around odd jobs ever since leaving the ministry, a job I spent my whole life preparing for. From high school right through graduate school. I told Milo I was here to stay. He prophesied that I would be back one day. And he turned out to be right. It turns out I will be leaving Korea for good. I have already sent Zeke home already. He arrived safely last week. I will be in Toronto on Dec. 23rd.
I came here believing I could make a difference in a “Christian Missionary School” that was in desperate need of help. Putting in 75- 80 hours a week. Teaching full time (a grade 2/3 split class) plus being the principal of the school, bringing up the academic standards to that of an accredited Christian school in Ontario. For the first time in the 10 year history of the school, they will met the required hours in all subjects set out by the board of education in Ontario. Plus kids are actually meeting reading and math levels of their appropriate grades. But all my efforts have gone for not.
The last straw for me was when I made a budget out for what I needed for books and science equipment. The parents paid it to the school. When I went to order the books and science equipment, I was told the money was used for other things and I would have to make do without. I told my boss he is stealing from my students. He said he wasn’t that moneys were needed elsewhere. When I told one of the parents he said “why does the book cost so much.” I said “you have already paid it. He, my boss, took it and used it for his own purpose. The money amounts to about 1500.00. I told him I will not work for someone so ethical that they would take money intended for students I have to teach.
And the parents continue to send their kids here. It is unreal that people follow this guy so blindly. I have been dealing with this since May and will no longer put up with it. I told him flat out, I have no job to go too but will not work for you any longer.
The other teachers who originally had tried to talk me out of it, now are leaving as well, as they are owed 3000.00 and have been owed it since July.
If I had the money, I would take this guy to court! He has stolen so much money from previous teachers.
I came here believing I could make a difference in a “Christian Missionary School” that was in desperate need of help. Putting in 75- 80 hours a week. Teaching full time (a grade 2/3 split class) plus being the principal of the school, bringing up the academic standards to that of an accredited Christian school in Ontario. For the first time in the 10 year history of the school, they will met the required hours in all subjects set out by the board of education in Ontario. Plus kids are actually meeting reading and math levels of their appropriate grades. But all my efforts have gone for not.
The last straw for me was when I made a budget out for what I needed for books and science equipment. The parents paid it to the school. When I went to order the books and science equipment, I was told the money was used for other things and I would have to make do without. I told my boss he is stealing from my students. He said he wasn’t that moneys were needed elsewhere. When I told one of the parents he said “why does the book cost so much.” I said “you have already paid it. He, my boss, took it and used it for his own purpose. The money amounts to about 1500.00. I told him I will not work for someone so ethical that they would take money intended for students I have to teach.
And the parents continue to send their kids here. It is unreal that people follow this guy so blindly. I have been dealing with this since May and will no longer put up with it. I told him flat out, I have no job to go too but will not work for you any longer.
The other teachers who originally had tried to talk me out of it, now are leaving as well, as they are owed 3000.00 and have been owed it since July.
If I had the money, I would take this guy to court! He has stolen so much money from previous teachers.
Comments
It is me, I am the one who is naive. This guy is a joke, and unfortunately for me, he is doing it in the name of Christianity. He does this ever two years to teachers from North America. I have actually spreadsheets with things on them shows he rips the teachers and others off. While I feel bad for kids, the only teacher that will be left is the preschool teacher.
The thing is, if the parents were some how able to convenience this joker and his wife to leave, I would at least stay until July, when my kids would be moving out of my class.
I don't who who is worst, the parents who follow him blindly or him, the thief, who steals from the students and teacher. He owes me about 4200.00. It would actually be 10K if things didn't change and I stayed until July.
Milton Slim
He's NOT the Messiah . . . he's just a very naughty boy.
Glad you're coming home, Brent. You were missed around these parts.
Everyday it is a new story. I wrote a letter to the parents to tell them that I was leaving. I had the office administrator translate it for me. I don't go into the gory details of why I am leaving just that there are some circumstance that mean I won't be able to stay beyond Christmas. Some parents asked my boss what was going on with me and I guess it got him of guard. Now this guy has translate several letters for me in the passed with no incident. This letter caused him to get fired. It is hard to write about this in this form. Hobbes knows a bit about it because he has tried to help me decipher the accounting mess. This guy is a true con artist. I wish I could make the parents see what he is doing.
Since this decision, I have had two offers. One in Russia and the other in Indonesia.
PS I am going to miss the kids as much as they will miss me. Parents are chosing to keep them in the dark and not letting them find out I am leaving.
Can't wait to see everyone at Moose's on the 27th and Buzzzardd's on the 28th.
Edit: no one ever listens to me about anything...
It's tough being right so often... people start to doubt you could be right once again.
It's a cross a few of us have to bear.
"I'm not wrong about this"
"You can agree with me later"
Mark
just for the record, i'm fine with being wrong, but i actually need another person to actually listen and consider what i'm saying and care enough to respond in order for me to learn that i'm wrong. so far, it seems like i'm always right but i'm assuming that's not the case.
**cough** reasoned comments will NOT be tolerated in Off Topic . . . save that shit for strat threads.
FYP
And now you know what I go through..... It's tough being perfect..
No one said life was easy.
A couple of points to make out.
This is not your typical hagwon school that you are used too. This is a missionary school, in an English Immersion environment. My kids have to take the same test they give American kids called the Stanford Achievement Test. Standard classes are Language Arts -- Reading, Spelling, Grammar, Math, Science, Social Studies, PE, Art and 30 minutes of Bible. I have to meet the required standards set up by the state of California. The goal of our school is for the kids to be bilingual by the time they leave grade 6. So it is a far different environment then what I think you are thinking about.
Second, my guess is that he found out that my friend was quitting and leaving the same day the other teachers and I were leaving from the elementary part of the school and that is why he fired him. (December 23rd)
A third reason could be that he was 10 days late in paying my friend (we get paid once a month) and he told a few of the parents his predicament. My boss feels that is an act of betrayal.
I did have a meeting with my boss and he says he will give me a good reference. There is an International Missionary School in Indonesian that would like me to come by the end of January so we will see.
Your PM a month ago is the one of the reason I am not going to stay, I did have an offer to stay and teach in a hagwon school for more money than I am making here.
I hope you can make it to Moose's or Buzzzardd's! It would be nice to chat in person as I have said in the past.