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andrewchon
Joined: 16 Nov 2008 Location: Back in Oz. Living in ISIS Aust.
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Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 3:01 am Post subject: Re: So now... |
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Soldier wrote: |
Andrew Chon...where are you now?
Did the school system change their minds and sign you on again for another year?
Or, did you complete the contract and go somewhere else; and what type of school?
I'd also love to hear from others as well.
Cheers. |
Sit Rep: I've been red-carded but I am obliged to complete my contract. It ends on Mar 1st. I've snuck a peak at next batch of candidates they are considering and they are all blonde, female, USA and smoking hot babes!
My principal is very keen on volleyball, so Pamela Anderson would be an ideal candidate. |
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Soldier
Joined: 21 Oct 2011
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Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 3:45 am Post subject: Face to face interviews |
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Why is the school itself doing face to face interviews. I thought the provincial education dept did them, either from someone's home country, or in Korea at the relevent prov office.
Anyway, at least you get to finish up, not get the boot before hand. Just to confirm, is this your first year teaching at the current school?
At least you get severance, and not fired before the end of the contract like in the 11th month, just to be mean, for example. |
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andrewchon
Joined: 16 Nov 2008 Location: Back in Oz. Living in ISIS Aust.
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Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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My school gets funding from the townhall, not GEPIK. So they do their own recruiting. This is year 2 for me at this school. Because I was hired 'already in Korea' they didn't have to give me a return plane ticket home. However, for some reason, ,money was set aside for that. But since I detest flying with every fibre of my being, I graciously declined the offer. Problem is they cannot 'not' give me the plane ticket, without generating another mountain of paperwork. Simplest thing to do is for me to take the ticket and blast off to somewhere, but no, it's not happenning. |
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Soldier
Joined: 21 Oct 2011
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Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2013 5:18 pm Post subject: Job Security |
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Sounds like you either have to break the law....or in their eyes suck...exceptionally suck at teaching for superiors and administration to do the mountains of paperwork to fire and replace you.
At least in their eyes....the superiors can either think you are good or bad...and it's not always a true reflection of your teaching.
Teaching evaluations of any kind are subjective anyway. Don't trust them. Only trust the good ones....: -)
Actual answers correct notwithstanding...these only tell you what kind of relationship you had with the superior or teacher. Yes...there is ability....but it is not always reflected in a true manner.
Cheers. |
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Lucas
Joined: 11 Sep 2012
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Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2013 10:53 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: |
I'm wondering now if Schwa is ethnically Korean? Nothing wrong with that of course. But it would help explain why he's so keen to paint foreign teachers in such a negative light.
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I believe (I may be wrong) that he is/was a co-coordinator for an area and been in Korea for a good number of years - if he's the person I�m thinking of he seemed like a nice enough guy.....
So his quote of saying something along the lines of foreigners normally bring it on themselves is a reasonable thing to say because he normally gets the information from both 'sides of the fence' so to speak.....and then has to help deal with the mess!
And no I�m not going to 'out' said person even if I am right because that wouldn't be a very cool thing to do! |
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schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 3:19 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Lucas. I make no attempt to disguise myself on these forums. Hundreds of current & former teachers could probably identify me from specifics in my comments & I always post with that in mind.
In terms of this thread I may have overspoken. When I said teachers were "almost always" dismissed for their own shortcomings, I might better have written "more often than not."
I've sat in on supervisors' decisions. I have stood up for some good teachers who were paired with antagonistic co-teachers & helped win them transfers & a second chance. This is not a common occurrence in Gangwondo, but it happens. I try to help out & advocate for teachers who are trying their best.
With current annual reductions in EPIK numbers, school evaluations take on increased importance with regard to renewal. Good attitude is paramount. Good effort tends to be recognized. Anything perceivable as insubordination can sink a teacher.
Almost every teacher overestimates their own effectiveness. I'm guilty of that too. Value is also contingent on being a pleasant presence in the workplace. Theres no concrete formula for that, it comes down to your people skills.
Valued teachers whose positions are eliminated can generally slide into jobs left open by attrition.
The system isnt perfect, but its understandable. |
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22tea77
Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Location: United States
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 6:24 pm Post subject: |
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schwa wrote: |
Valued teachers whose positions are eliminated can generally slide into jobs left open by attrition.
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PM Sent |
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Scorpion
Joined: 15 Apr 2012
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 7:48 pm Post subject: |
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schwa wrote: |
In terms of this thread I may have overspoken. When I said teachers were "almost always" dismissed for their own shortcomings, I might better have written "more often than not." |
Unfortunately, you are still guilty of 'overspeaking'. Unless you have reliable statistics, compiled by a neutral third party, for the entire peninsula dealing with thousands of Western teachers who have gone through the Korean public school systems (EPIK, GEPIK, SMOE), and you are qualified as a statistician to evaluate those statistics, and you are able to distinquish between the 'said' reason for not renewing a given contract and the actual reason for it, then your generalization (however modified) must still be taken with a large dose of salt.
Again, unless you have super cognitive powers that ther rest of us simply don't possess, you have no way of knowing what you are claiming to know.
I don't think this is an unreasonable conclusion. |
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Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
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Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 9:47 pm Post subject: |
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So, what I'm trying to find is recent information over the past year to find out what has happened to non renewed teachers? In the past I had heard of folks switching public schools elsewhere, going to hakwons, switching from EPIK to GEPIK, etc. Anyways, what seems to be the trend nowadays? Is it quick to jump to another boat? I had sort of known based on reading past posts. But really do want to know from most recently non renewed types what you've done. |
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andrewchon
Joined: 16 Nov 2008 Location: Back in Oz. Living in ISIS Aust.
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Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 12:20 am Post subject: |
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In my case, I've not been teaching because I am recuperating from an illness. I got diagnosed few days after the end of contract. Rather convenient timing for some R&R. |
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young_clinton
Joined: 09 Sep 2009
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Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 2:28 am Post subject: |
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lukeirl wrote: |
I know one guy who didn't get renewed in Gangwon-do, because his co-teacher didn't like him. The principal did like him and tried to get the rejection overturned but it had already gone through the office.
But that's the only time I've heard it happening. I know alcoholics and the insane have been renewed in Gangwon-do in the past |
The co-teacher is usually not your boss. I don't think she decides. The principle is the boss and I'm pretty sure rehiring involves the English Superintendent or Supervisor. |
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Lucas
Joined: 11 Sep 2012
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Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: |
lukeirl wrote:
I know one guy who didn't get renewed in Gangwon-do, because his co-teacher didn't like him. The principal did like him and tried to get the rejection overturned but it had already gone through the office.
But that's the only time I've heard it happening. I know alcoholics and the insane have been renewed in Gangwon-do in the past
The co-teacher is usually not your boss. I don't think she decides. The principle is the boss and I'm pretty sure rehiring involves the English Superintendent or Supervisor. |
It depends on how much work/how lazy the principal is.....
I know of one situation where the P just said to the CT 'do you like teacher X?'
Okay you do the paper work and I'll stamp it.....
Or there is the 'committee style meeting' where the P/head teacher/CT and maybe 1-2 other teachers have a coffee and review your performance. Of course the P has the final say - but a lot has to do with the dynamics of the situation.
Case in point - I know of another situation where the CT (who was older than the P) HATED the GET (rightly so) - P was happy for the GET to stay another year. CT put their foot down and said I cannot be in the room with that person for another year!
P backed down - GET 'quit' their job.
People who think that it is near impossible not to be re-signed are wrong. It does happen but when it does happen it is not widely talked about 'on the record' schools are like families’ - they don’t like to air their dirty laundry in public. |
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Fox
Joined: 04 Mar 2009
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Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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I have known four people who didn't get renewed despite indicating a desire to stay at their school. Two of them (a couple) were rejected due to what amounts to outright insubordination. One was rejected due to being considered both ineffective in the classroom and rude. The last one initially said he didn't want to renew and then tried to change his mind at the last minute.
young_clinton wrote: |
The co-teacher is usually not your boss. I don't think she decides. The principle is the boss and I'm pretty sure rehiring involves the English Superintendent or Supervisor. |
This is more or less correct (well, more precisely, it's usually the vice principal who is technically responsible for the foreign teacher's evaluation), but it's also worth bearing in mind that if you don't interact with your vice principal and/or principal at all, then all they really have to go on is what they're told by the teachers you work with, so while your co-teacher certainly isn't your boss, they're strongly positioned to backstab you if they so choose. |
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schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap
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Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 2:43 am Post subject: |
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Not headline news but maybe of interest in this thread:
Gangwondo announced last week that it has halted its planned reduction of foreign teachers. It figures to sustain current numbers that now reach almost every student in the province. That amounts to quite a number of us. We are making a difference. Good call, POE!
But you still have to be a reasonably good teacher to extend. |
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Lucas
Joined: 11 Sep 2012
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Posted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 3:14 am Post subject: |
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Quote: |
Not headline news but maybe of interest in this thread:
Gangwondo announced last week that it has halted its planned reduction of foreign teachers. It figures to sustain current numbers that now reach almost every student in the province. That amounts to quite a number of us. We are making a difference. Good call, POE!
But you still have to be a reasonably good teacher to extend. |
Based on the existing cuts *this year* and only until 2015......
There is no information about the plans after that date.........
What was announced what has been planned for the last 2-3 years, so no breaking news really..........
Post 2015 is when the potential black hole opens up. |
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