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By Dennis Yang
Any quintessential American meal would be empty without a juicy, flavorful, steak as its main course. No, this column will not be about the dining habits of Americans nor will it be about the devastating and abysmal treatment of cows in America.
Instead, I plan to hone in on a word with a parallel pronunciation to steak, but with a completely different meaning. The term that I will focus on refers to a ``stake'' in the public educational system in the Republic of Korea.
In my second year as an English instructor in a Korean public school, I have observed the sheer robotic methods of academic enrichment that are deployed on students as well as the unceasing warmth and generosity that has been extended to foreign teachers of all stripes.
The former is an issue that is constantly debated in Korea: How best to train and equip the next generation to compete in an interconnected world.
Although I have strong opinions on the flaws and successes of the study-until-you-can-no-longer-stay-awake-in-class mantra of Korean education, let me take the time to address a fundamentally crucial issue that lies at the core of English education.
Foreign teachers, whether you like them or not, are needed in the Korean educational system to facilitate foreign language fluency in an increasingly diverse world.
English teachers, in particular, have a slightly negative reputation in Korea, due to the irresponsible and reprehensible actions of a few who choose to peddle illegal narcotics, fool around with local women, and disown the rule of law.
Although I recognize the widespread effects of a few bad apples, English teachers, like official Korean teachers, need to be treated with equality, dignity, and most importantly, be provided a stake in the system.
What do I mean by a stake or lack thereof? Well, let me elaborate. The cardinal reason why parents continue to dish out unimaginable sums of money on private language institutes is because there is a generally acknowledged deficiency in the public school system.
That is why veteran Korean teachers and qualified foreign teachers often opt to work at hagwon (private language institutes), where pay is much higher and hours more flexible.
Government officials know the importance of English education, but their recruitment and promotional systems for native English teachers are in dire need of correction.
Without exhaustive reform, qualified native English teachers will continue to leave after a few years of making pocket money without a substantial contribution to the English education of Korean students.
First, in order to restore public confidence in the qualification of native English teachers, recruiters ought to be heavily filtered by regional governments and those teachers who possess inadequate degrees should not be allowed to teach just because they possess a much sought-after Caucasian exterior.
Candidates should be selected from the top 50 universities of English-speaking nations with a demonstrated ability to deliver knowledge in a confident, meticulous, and courteous manner.
Second, an upwardly mobile promotional apparatus for current native English teachers is conspicuously absent. Without a system that recognizes and rewards achievements, English teachers will forever feel like second-class citizens.
More responsibilities and subsequent compensation should be allotted to native teachers who demonstrate leadership aptitude and a relentless willingness to educate students.
For instance, at my high school, it is virtually unfeasible for me to elevate my standing in this educational hierarchy because I am a renewable-contract employee.
The longer the status quo persists, the more qualified native teachers will add to the already unsustainable and counterproductive turnover at public schools.
In addition, it would be nice to be invited, once-in-a-while, for an English department gathering or curriculum discussion that naturally affects my job.
Although I personally blame myself for not enhancing my Korean language skills to a decent level of fluency, I yearn for the day when foreign teachers will be invited to teach at public schools _ not as mere non-accented producers of the English language, but as equal partners with a path to promotion.
Although steaks are not known as a local Korean delicacy, it is about time, for the sake of English education, that a different kind of meal is offered to those salivating to dig in.
Dennis Yang teaches writing, world news and TOEFL at Gimhae Foreign Language High School in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province. He possess an M.A. from Duke University in East Asian studies and a B.A. from Boston University, majoring in sociology. He can be reached at dtyang02@hotmail.com.
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