Professional Networks in China and America
Great interview discussing differences between how executives perceive and use their social networks in China and the US. For much of the discussion, you could replace "China" with "Korea" and come to similar conclusions.
For years Americans have be pushing a view of business as disassociated from the rest of one's life. Work is work and home is home, the two shall not meet. However, in a world where the lines between work and personal life have already blurred so completely, how long until we see that the two are not separate, nor have they ever really been.
The next generation of successful business leaders will be those who live their work (for better or worse) and do not distinguish between the professional and personal in the ways that we do today.
Does this mean that you are going to send public love notes to your romantic interest? Possibly, but likely not. It is going to meet that purposeful distinctions between the two worlds will be the exception and not the norm as it is today.
Monday, March 30, 2009
5,000 Korean English Teachers to Be Recruited This Year
5,000 Korean English Teachers to Be Recruited This Year
There has been a surprising amount of backlash against this in the Korean blogosphere. I can see why some would be against it do to low expectations of implementation and/or fear of being replaced. However, this is a good thing for Korea to aspire to. There is no downside to a long-term plan to staff schools with Korean teachers of English.
As I mentioned, some have noted that implementation might be the real problem. This, I agree, is the real issue. Teaching in Korea is a job of stability, not pay. They are only providing half of this equation (the "not pay" part). Why would qualified teachers choose a low-paying, contract job over better paying options at institutes and offices without long-term prospects of stability? The simple answer is that they won't. You'll get those who can't cut it in those more competitive areas.
Not only will you see the dregs of the EFL workforce taking these jobs, you'll see the few good ones drop out after getting a year of experience. These jobs will be temp jobs held while looking for real ones. Any whiff of a better offer and they'll be out the door. English classrooms will either be staffed well-qualified short-termers and mumbling misanthropes long-termers (wow, sounds just like the foreigners there now :)
What can they do? First of all, give them the same pay that the foreign teachers are getting now. That's still not a great paycheck in Korea, but it is better than they will get in most institute positions and even more than they will get as starting salary in an office. Secondly, include some security or, at least, a path to future job security. Make this something that they do not for a year, but for the foreseeable future.
There has been a surprising amount of backlash against this in the Korean blogosphere. I can see why some would be against it do to low expectations of implementation and/or fear of being replaced. However, this is a good thing for Korea to aspire to. There is no downside to a long-term plan to staff schools with Korean teachers of English.
As I mentioned, some have noted that implementation might be the real problem. This, I agree, is the real issue. Teaching in Korea is a job of stability, not pay. They are only providing half of this equation (the "not pay" part). Why would qualified teachers choose a low-paying, contract job over better paying options at institutes and offices without long-term prospects of stability? The simple answer is that they won't. You'll get those who can't cut it in those more competitive areas.
Not only will you see the dregs of the EFL workforce taking these jobs, you'll see the few good ones drop out after getting a year of experience. These jobs will be temp jobs held while looking for real ones. Any whiff of a better offer and they'll be out the door. English classrooms will either be staffed well-qualified short-termers and mumbling misanthropes long-termers (wow, sounds just like the foreigners there now :)
What can they do? First of all, give them the same pay that the foreign teachers are getting now. That's still not a great paycheck in Korea, but it is better than they will get in most institute positions and even more than they will get as starting salary in an office. Secondly, include some security or, at least, a path to future job security. Make this something that they do not for a year, but for the foreseeable future.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Obama Lauds Korea’s Education of Children
Obama Lauds Korea’s Education of Children
AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Are you kidding me?! Who the hell is informing this guy. While I do admire the drive to educate students (young and old) here in Korea, I do not admire the way it's done and most Korean don't either. Kids learn almost entirely in after (or before) school programs. Do we really want U.S. education to be outsourced to institutes? I'd home school rather than subject my kids to that.
Additionally, he's a fool to think that education is will or should look the same in 10/20/30 years. I don't want my kid in school longer. Schools can't fix the problem, schools ARE the problem (to paraphrase Reagan). I want more efficiency and flexibility in education. I don't want 2 months a year of testing and test prep.
I want my son to have an excellent foundation in maths, sciences, history, civics, and English as well as have the opportunity to pursue interests and healthy living through electives such as art, autos, phys ed, and more. You say that takes more time than they have in school now....DUH! Be a freakin' parent and participate in your kids' education. Do it yourself or get them help. BUT, DO NOT extend the school year. I don't want to give the school more time to mess up my kid's education.
The real problem with American education is that society and families only pay lip service to it.
AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Are you kidding me?! Who the hell is informing this guy. While I do admire the drive to educate students (young and old) here in Korea, I do not admire the way it's done and most Korean don't either. Kids learn almost entirely in after (or before) school programs. Do we really want U.S. education to be outsourced to institutes? I'd home school rather than subject my kids to that.
Additionally, he's a fool to think that education is will or should look the same in 10/20/30 years. I don't want my kid in school longer. Schools can't fix the problem, schools ARE the problem (to paraphrase Reagan). I want more efficiency and flexibility in education. I don't want 2 months a year of testing and test prep.
I want my son to have an excellent foundation in maths, sciences, history, civics, and English as well as have the opportunity to pursue interests and healthy living through electives such as art, autos, phys ed, and more. You say that takes more time than they have in school now....DUH! Be a freakin' parent and participate in your kids' education. Do it yourself or get them help. BUT, DO NOT extend the school year. I don't want to give the school more time to mess up my kid's education.
The real problem with American education is that society and families only pay lip service to it.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
This video tempts me to give up coffee
The song is in French, so pay attention to the captioning if you don't understand French. It starts out really tame, but devolves into complete madness--I love it!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Good place for Mandoo guk
Went to a good place for Mandoo Guk (만두국) today with my wife, near her workplace.
합흥에 겨울냉면 has really good Mandoo Guk with huge, tasty mandoo for W7,000, but the Nangmyun (in the restaurant's name) is not very good, at least the bibim nangmyun.
It's a short walk from Danguk University station (line 3). I can't remember the exit number, but it's the exit next to #1 (should be #2, but not sure). Walk about 300 meters and it's on the left side.
합흥에 겨울냉면 has really good Mandoo Guk with huge, tasty mandoo for W7,000, but the Nangmyun (in the restaurant's name) is not very good, at least the bibim nangmyun.
It's a short walk from Danguk University station (line 3). I can't remember the exit number, but it's the exit next to #1 (should be #2, but not sure). Walk about 300 meters and it's on the left side.
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