Korean Job Discussion Forums

[humanuspneumos]

In all the years I have taught in Korea- I confess- I never seriously thought about EPIK. I always just assumed that I'd feel trapped, the classes would be too big, and that I'd be grading stuff until the wee hours in the morning.

However, I've been back at this board for a month now- left for a long time- just tired- and some of the posts/people here make me seriously reconsider EPIK over the Hogwan and other options that exist. Frankly speaking- I'm tired of the same ol cycle and the same ol gossipy back-stabbing crap/pettiness that exists:


THE CYCLE


Me- I've been around the block in Korea a few times ---- a new teacher comes --- new teacher comes and says, "Really? You've got to be crazy!" Or "You're really negative- time for you go get out of town!" Or I get lessons from them on how things really are- including Korean lessons. (Oh- thanks I needed to have you tell me that- thinking- it's only a matter of time)--- I try to listen, be polite, smile, and give tips wherever needed-----mean-while cliques form and new teachers find seasoned teacher's comments "negative"--- back-stab, back-stab ---- 6 months later new teacher comes to seasoned teacher and cries- "Ouch! What can I do." bla, bla, bla, bla, bla "You were right. Help me." ---- so, being the idiot that I am I help and bring a mountain of trouble my way----new teacher is saved and reverts back to la, la land of "Isn't every minute just precious."---- I, however, pay the price for helping.

END OF CYCLE

I'm not cutting down any new teacher because I was one too. However, I'm sick to the bone of passing on information with fellow teachers and then getting berated for what's true as the nose on my face (long-termers chime in with what I'm saying 9/10).

eg. I tell new teacher that some Koreans watched me bite into an apple and said that it was dirty. I must peal it. New Teacher- creates a major dispute when I mention this to another new teacher and bla, bla, bla. "Step back!"

I'm kind of sick of forming cliques and cliques forming around me- always thought that cliques are for the cowardly (trying to be friendly to everyone seems the best route) and everyone basing opinions on each other around whatever is the vogue/most popular clique of that month. Is teaching with EPIK a way to escape all the craziness? Some attitudes just make me puke! And- being treated as a first-grader by first-graders has taken its toll.

Will EPIK break the cycle? As I mentioned- I've taught from University to Kindy- however, never EPIK. I'm kind of at the point where what's the point? Especially when I get immature PM's. Perhaps I deserve the odd one. However, I'm sick of naievite- is EPIK a good place to hide or am I being naieve?

[Anda]

In EPIK you normally only see other EPIKS at the induction course or at the one or two dinners that are provided a year by your provincial office of education or at teacher training sessions at teacher training centers during school holiday periods. Not all EPIKS teach at teacher training centers.

Generally speaking you will have some problems with your co-Korean English teachers from time to time. Some seem to have very little trouble while others have a lot of trouble. Once again it is luck to an extent as a change in staffing can either be good or bad at your schools for you.

You are supposed to handle all problems through your co-teacher and very often the job is forced onto someone of low rank as most Korean English teachers don't want the problems of dealing with one of ous. So I recomend trying to go easy on complaints.

The EPIK supervisor can be good or bad for help. Take notice of what other EPIKS say about the local supervisor before going for help.

[humanuspneumos]

Anda- in the years I've been watching your posts you've alwasy been pregnant with information- are you sure you shouldn't be a researcher of sorts. I wonder if you should have become a scientist to passionately find the cure for cancer- I'd put my vote in that you likely would.

Anyway- I did have a friend in EPIK and his only complaint was that the Middle-School students didn't want to study and hated him.


I used to be in the credit-card industry and had mountains of papers to work on- not fun at home. What about grading?


Finally- I did work in a public school in Thailand- one of the most famous King's Schools- and the attitudes of the teachers were fairly anti-foreigner mixed with the Mi-Ben-Li (never mind attitude- pure Buddhism) as students jumped in and out of the window and blew horns in class while I was teaching. What's it like on that point?

[flutieflakes]

i taught in canda for four years and as you know, the amount of marking is auite unbelievable at times.........i have considered my time here a full time vacation.....sure i plan my lessons and do my job in the classroom, but when i punch out at 4:30.....thats it........no work at home, on the weekends etc.........i would seriously consider it if i were you.......however, the deadline has come and gone.........they do however make exceptions, contact them if you are serious, its worth a try.....

[humanuspneumos]

Thanks Anda and Flutieflakes- I really should have checked into it sooner- I guess I got addicted to classes of 1-12 students, leaving for coffees, and the variety (being farmed out sometimes- which some teachers hate- and I happened to like. It's not every day you get to teach the Korean Navy and a huge array of other interesting places. Things I'm thankful for.)

[Anda]

EPIKS don't do any exam setting or marking.

Popularity with Korean kids is something you earn by hard teaching and showing an interest in them. I hard teach and make the whole lot study or do squats. I'm popular as a teacher, as I'm fair. You won't win their respect by going easy on them, all that will happen is they will call you a pushover behind your back.

It is important that you teach a method that they can understand. Chopping and changing teaching methods doesn't work as you waste too much time trying to explain what you want them to do.

[The Lemon]

[adventureman]

Anda is the guru when in comes to EPIK advice (in my opinion)

[Mody Ba]

he isn't.I do not really think ag majors qualify to be a "guru" in TESOL.
Here we go again.Yes,it is better than most hagwons,simply because EPIK will pay you what they owe you(well USUALLY,anyway,there was that case back in Chollanamdo when those EPIKS got chingered out of a paycheck)
Of course,EPIK does not always pay on time.I guess that is okay if you do not mind fulfilling your contractual obligations and then have them smugly breach the contract.It bothers the hell out of me,and bothers some other EPIKs,too.

Yes, I will state unequivocally that EPIK is better than most hakwons.However,considering what hakwons are,this is not much of a recommendation for EPIK.
'Flakes,I am surprised at you.I thought you had more panache,more common sense than some of the others.

And oh, by the way,I do not pretend to be the "guru", either...and I surely do not want that dubious title.However,I am honest enough and have enough common sense to call something what it really is,even if I am not a "guru".

[Anda]

To Mody Ba in the hope that you will get up onto the path.

Gongs and Drums Teachings

May blessings rest on this!
[The disciple] Dhampa Tsharchhen approached Phadampa Sangay and supplicatingly said, "Reverend Phadampa, you are growing old and going on . . . but what are we ourselves to do?"


The guru said:



1. To give oneself to the cause of Holy Truth, is the best and highest occupation [243].
2. Wealth and riches are illusory; show not over-fondness for them [243].

3. One's kindred are alluring mirages; sever the knot of sentiment [243].

4. Ever be alert and watchful [244].

7. Abstain from even the smallest wrongful act [244].

9. Ever transient, all things change [244].

10. The rhinoceros, deep in a jungle, thinks he is immune from harm; but look, the jungle is afire! is he safe now? [244]

The jungle is the jungle of worldliness, aflame with fires of lust, hatred, and ignorance. Like a rhinoceros man thinks himself immune from harm. - from a note by W. Y. E.-W.
11. Build even now the Vessel that can cross to the other side.� [244]
12. Five armed bandits* often waylay one on the Path. [244]

They are hatred, pride, lust jealousy, and stupidity.
14. Firmly fix your faith [245].
16. He who has the most of power may have most of evil deeds [245].

17. Hesitate not, lest you fail to gain the goal [245].

18. None can tell when grim Death will come; even now make preparations for his coming [245].

19. Hasten onward [245].

20. Prepare the means to baffle Death [245].

21. Flowers fade and die in autumn; likewise does this transient body pass [245].

24. Even now prepare efficient safeguards against Illusion [246].

29. Waste no time in foolish talk [247].

31. Think not your life a lasting good [247].

35. Drink deeply of the Stream of Consciousness [247].

36. Seek as your son the immortal (Child of) Wisdom. That is the best, never dying [247].

37. The Spear of Reason . . . has no frontier [247].

38. Guard against distraction, calm of mind, never slothful [247].

39. Draw strength from the Unobstructed; let the Stream flow naturally; no suppression should there be [247].

40. Do not hope for results while contemplating as deeply as you can [cf. 248].

41. The Sangsara and Nirvana have their source in the One Mind that is of neither form nor substance [248].

44. Robbers prowl; hidden gold they seek [248].

46. There is no need to cling to remembered desires [249].

48. Like the zephyr is the Free Mind [249].


The Free Mind is unattached Mind in its True State, calm and transcending thought-processes.
49. The seeing of Reality cannot be described [Till it is experienced, none can know it as it is] [249].

Only by realization the Thatness can be known.
50. Blissful is the dawn of Wisdom [249].
51. Know objective forms and the Voidness [sunyata] to be one in essence, without circumference [249].

53. Like the frame of a violin is illusive bliss somehow [cf. 249].

54. All creation is in one's own [deep] mind [250].

56. A free and endowed human life is indeed a great Boon. [250].

58. Devote yourselves earnestly to the Dharma. [250].

59. Practise endurance in your youth and in your prime, for habit is difficult to change [for the better] when one is old [251].

62. Don't be idle, and don't give time to worthless works [251].

63. Dharma is like the sunshine: Know that now there is such Sunshine: use it wisely [251].

64. Within oneself are found the roots and causes [and antidotes] of [a great many] sorrows [252].

67. Associates who act well, help one on the Virtuous Path [252].

69. By neutralizing all the Poisons, keep in your hearts the antidote; and ever apply it [252].


The Poisons are sloth, anger, lust, arrogance, and jealousy. In Buddhism, the antidote for sloth is diligence, for anger, love, for lust, self-control, for arrogance, humility, for jealousy, selflessness.
71. Long entertained propensities give direction to one's acts [252].
72. If you fail to grasp a meaning, pray [to the Guru, or a Dhyana Buddha in order to know aright]; then that understanding will come [252].

[flutieflakes]

more common sense mody ba???????? i'm just stating a simple fact that my workload here compared to what i was doing at home in the teaching profession is a joke........as i say, it feels like a full time vacation

[schwa]

I hear epik has met its intake quota this year.

[Mosley]

Mody Ba & flutieflakes: I would agree that EPIKs USUALLY have lighter workloads than "regular" public school teachers back home, and I have to say in honesty that few EPIKs have the burdens of Korean teachers- you have to feel for the poor souls. I would argue, however, that that fact does NOT let EPIK off the hook for the too-many shortcomings in the programme. Schwa: given that EPIK wants 200 new EPIKs at orientation(so-called), I will declare right here, on Dave's, that if there are 200 newbies( or greater), I will go down to KNUE at orientation, go into the lecture hall w/ newbies gathered, & strip down to my boxers & do the fandango. Not a pretty sight, but that's my promise. Am I worried about such a commitment? Not a tad....

[schwa]

Why would you do that?

[Anda]

Mosley is correct in as much as the way EPIK is currently organised to recruit new staff, EPIK is highly unlikely to get the numbers they want.

EPIK has to find 200 people who are not in a rush to start work and have the money to run around for the interviews and get all the paperwork ready along with a medical and come up with the money for the flight to Korea and hold out for a month after arrival before they get two weeks pay when you take into account the unpaid induction course.

A person starting with a hogwon can be on ground in less than two weeks and often get the airfare paid for upfront and not have to loose two weeks pay to attend an induction course.

Most people these days don't have the time or the money on hand to go through the recruitment game with EPIK.

EPIK also isn't paying much with the current exchange rates when all said and done.