Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Valora]

I worked for this school for three months before I quit.

My reasons for quitting were the following:

1. I was lied to, when I accepted the job before going to Korea I was told that I only had to work 25- 30 hours per week maximum. When I got there I was told I had to work 45 hours a week because one of the other teachers had quit. I couldn't get any extra pay or overtime pay for this. Another teacher told me that they had pulled the same stunt with her as well.

2. I was told that I would have 3 days training and rest before I started so I could acclimatize myself to Korea and lose some of the Jetlag. I had to work 9 hours after I arrived and that Saturday without pay in the rain.

3. I was told that I would have 1 kindergarten class in the morning and seperate classes in the afternoon. After I arrived I was told that I had to switch kindergarten classes every week. There was no discipline with the students at all and the classes were a nightmare. I spent most of the time telling students to sit down, stop hitting each other, etc. I actually had one student throw a chair at me and two others bit me. The administrators of the school did nothing, not even to have the children sit outside the class for a while.

4. I was promised an apartment of 300 - 450 sq feet on my own. I wound up sharing a 300 sq foot apartment with another teacher. My roommate said it was actually bigger than the last dump they stuck her in. They also promised me cable or satelite TV, but no matter how often I asked it never was hooked up. They gave me every excuse they could think of.

5. The materials and curriculum were terrible. We were required to spend 30 - 60 each day with the kindergarten students memorizing a story book. Each book was memorized for a month so that they could take it home and 'read' it to their parents. We also had science with the 5 and 6 year olds. The experiments contained dangerous chemicals and according to the instructions were designed for 5th and 6th graders.

6. I was insulted on more than one occasion. I was told to my face that I'm ugly, not pretty and fat. For the record I've asked around and I'm none of those things.

7. I became very ill when I arrived in Korea (sinusitus). I had to go to a specialist 3 times a week for over two months and I was on 3 or 4 antibiotics at once. I went to these appointments after my classes were finished at 6:00 because the doctor closed at 6:30. My school docked me 2 days pay a month because I wasn't sitting at my desk staring at the wall those nights until 6:30.

8. The school also charged me double for insurance and never paid my overtime or reduced my hours.

These are just a few of the problems I dealt with in this school. The school I worked at was near Migeum station on the Bundang line. This school lost or fired 13 teachers in a 12 month period. The junior director Gary is a major jerk and is extremely insulting.

I strongly recommend avoiding this school, I have talked to several former teachers and none of them had anything positive to say about this school. There are much better schools in this neighborhood.

Good luck to all

Valora

[chronicpride]

Thanks for the heads up.

As for beef #1, you should have a contract to back you up on your hours.

#2-8, welcome to the Korean way of doing business. Check your culture at the door.

Do you have email addresses or contact numbers of the director or teachers to hear their side of the story, re: 13 teachers leaving in a 12 month period?

I think that hearing more than one story of the parties involved should suffice prior to warranting a blacklist.