Korean Job Discussion Forums

[the_farles]

Was wondering if anyone knows anything about this school - Little America in DaeBang-dong, Chang-won? Thinking about getting a contact there and any info would greatly help and be appreciated!

Thanks

[Anda]

Be careful as they only teach really little kids. The main parent company has a bad name and one branch at Gwang-ju folded up. Can't give you anything else on them.

[hepopotato]

Be careful about signing with them. Make sure that the contract is sound and you talk to other foreigners that work there before signing. I think that there are better schools to work at than Little America. Some people may disagree but that's life!

[Lost Seoul]

Here are some previous posts about Little America:

Not sure if the DaeBang-dong branch is mentioned but even if it isn't it may give you some idea of how the franchise is run in general. Ask for the EMail addresses of the other foreign teachers at the institute and ask them what its like. Ask many questions, seek many opinions, then, finally, trust your own instincts

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Avoid Taejon Little America at all costs!!
Posted By: Burnt
Date: Thursday, 20 September 2001, at 12:31 p.m.
The head office/school is in Manyondong (sp) Taejon. The man who owns the Little America name is in charge of this school. He is the most manipulative, childish, and dishonest person I have ever come across. Besides my own experiences w/him (which included him throwing a chunk of papers at my head), many others have had horrible encounters w/him. One poor guy was there for three weeks before going to a different school. He lived in a cruddy basement apartment w/no heat and no lights in late winter/early spring. The boss kept 500 000 won from this guy for "bills"!! He is extremely tight w/money and will lie and cheat so he doesn't have to pay. This is getting too long so I won't go into the other examples. This hagwon is in charge of recruiting for the other Little America schools. Many of the other Little America school owners are furious w/the boss because he promised to provide English teachers, training for the Korean teachers, supplies, etc., which he can't do. He is desperate for teachers right now and w/good reason - no one wants to work for him. The Korean teachers have an extremely high turnover rate. Many leave because they think he is crazy. The boss is notorious among other hagwons, English teachers, and Korean teachers. He will not pay more than 1.9 million (which is what the teacher w/the most seniority is getting, so chances are 1.8 million). With so many other better paying jobs out there, please take care of yourself and don't go there!!
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Re: Avoid Taejon Little America at all costs!!
Posted By: Chonan Guy
Date: Friday, 21 September 2001, at 6:58 a.m.
In Response To: Avoid Taejon Little America at all costs!! (Burnt)
Also avoid the "Little America" in Chonan/Cheonan. Of the 3 foreign teachers that went there, 1 left after a month and 2 were deported. Chonan Guy
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Re: Avoid Taejon Little America at all costs!!
Posted By: Burnt
Date: Saturday, 22 September 2001, at 6:35 p.m. In Response To: Re: Avoid Taejon Little America at all costs!! (TomatoPie)
I don't know how the other schools are. I do know that my old school (the Manyongdong one in Taejon) is in charge of recruiting for all of the other Little America schools. Any new teachers for any of the other schools are suppose to go through him. The boss will promise just about anything and then go back on it. His word means nothing!! Please be very careful. A contract doesn't really mean anything to him. I know that some of the teachers he sent to other schools have had to lie about their nationality, have been threatened w/deportation, etc. I don't know which schools these are. Many of the other schools are furious w/him because he promised a lot (programs, texts, teachers, training) and can't/won't fulfil his promises. I'm sorry if this doesn't answer your question. Let me know any other way I can help. And (yet again) please be careful!!
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Warning about Little America Daejon Manyoung dong
Posted By: Colin Burleton [email protected]
Date: Thursday, 11 October 2001, at 2:19 p.m.
The little america I am speaking of is the head branch for the franchise located in Manyoung Dong in Taejon/ Daejon, South Korea. There are many other franchises but this is the original and head office. Some of these franchises are intertwined with the head office and others are not, but the experience I speak of comes from this branch. My girlfriend and I came to Little America together. We shared an apartment and taught children. However from my experiences I must warn you that this is not somewhere I would recommend to anyone. First off there pay-scale is much lower than other opportunities. While I was there teachers who had experiences of up to 3 years with the school were still only making 1.7 - 1.8 million won. Other schools around Korea and many you will see listed on this site offer a starting wage of 2 to 2.2 million won and sometimes if you look even higher. The school justified this by saying no one could make more than the senior employee. That being said and that policy being followed , you can make more elsewhere. However money is not everything and I for one would sacrifice a couple hundred thousand won to be assured of a stable happy working environment. Well at Manyoung Dong Little America that is also not offered. About 9 months into our contract (as the contract was nearing expiration and our severance pay and plane ticket home would soon be owed) my girlfriend expressed some minor grievances with the schools vice principle. She was then passed along to the owner of the school. The owner is not someone who listens very well at all. He flipped, I was there with my girlfriend and witnessed the whole thing. He screamed, he yelled, he even went as far as to throw a pile of papers at my girlfriend. He then proceeded to fire her, tell her to get out of his school (repeatedly screaming this) and to get out of our apartment. Now I was still working for the school and the apartment came with my contract, therefor she had no reason to leave. He did say she would not receive any of her money for that month worked unless shshowed up with her suitcases packed. He then threatened repeatedly to report her to immigration and have her thrown out of Korea. He did this to such an extent that she took a trip to Japan and returned on a tourist visa for the remainder of our stay. We did try to fight it, going as far as the Korean Labour Board. They heard our story and felt there was a case. They then contacted the owner who proceeded to flat out, blatantly lie, and say that she quit and was never fired. I unfortunately could not leave the school as there was only 10 weeks left till my contract was over and I needed my plane ticket home. I proceeded to finish my contract and have since left Korea. You would think this was an isolated situation, this is not the case. While I was employed by little america there were no less than five instances of employees being fired. Often this occurred when the owner had one of his temper tantrums and they were re-hired when the school realized that they could not be replaced easily. In speaking with other teachers at the school it seemed that very very few were happy with the situation they had found themselves in. This is not isolated to the foreigners either. The turnover rate amongst the Korean teachers was astounding. During my year there were no less than 5 different head teachers. Most left due to not being able to deal with the owner. Now I'm sure this will be rebutted to. I have no doubt of that, some people may enjoy there stay at little america, yet most (at least while I was there) did not. When you are looking for a school in Korea you are already making a huge decision to move away from your native home and to a far away land. Korea is a wonderful place full of wonderful people but be careful. Many hogwons (schools) will be wonderful to you when your applying and even shortly after you get there. As your contract is expiring these things change. My advice: contact the schools your are going to extensively. Talk to people who work there and if at all possible talk to people who used to work there. They may have a better angle on things. If anyone wishes to contact me regarding this I can be reached at [email protected] Thank you for your time and good luck with your venture to Korea, there are many good and reputable places in the land of the morning calm. Unfortunately for us Manyoung Dong little america is not one of them. Sincerely Colin Burleton [email protected] ========================== http://www.eslcafe.com/korea/index.cgi?read=83695
Re: Warning about Little America Daejon Manyoung d
Posted By: Yong-gook
Date: Thursday, 11 October 2001, at 7:58 p.m.
In Response To: Warning about Little America Daejon Manyoung dong (Colin Burleton) I'd heard much the same from other people I know who've worked at the school. Even other hagwon directors in Daejeon despair of the owner. ============================= http://www.eslcafe.com/korea/index.cgi?read=83820
Re: Warning about Little America Daejon Manyoung d
Posted By: Korea Vet
Date: Friday, 12 October 2001, at 8:05 a.m. In Response To: Warning about Little America Daejon Manyoung dong (Colin Burleton)
Stay away from Little America in Taejon! I lived in Taejon five years ago and I remember complaints even then. A loser manager used to drop by Song Shim Dong uninvited and sit at foreigners' tables trying to recruit people for the school. Looks like they haven't learn anything!
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Re: Any info on Little America (Taejon)?
Posted By: Benny
Date: Wednesday, 20 February 2002, at 6:46 p.m.
In Response To: Re: Any info on Little America (Taejon)?
(teacher nearby) If you don't mind video cameras in EVERY classroom peering down on you at ALL times, then go for it. Other than that, the building is very nice and located in a decent part of Taejon.
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Re: Warning about Little America Daejon Manyoung d
Posted By: Colin [email protected]
Date: Friday, 12 October 2001, at 10:11 a.m.
In Response To: Re: Warning about Little America Daejon Manyoung d (Vicky Harris) Hi Vicky... I'm not sure if your the same Vicky I know... if you are I respect your opinion greatly, but at the same time if you are the Vicky I know then you also know little america is not all roses and there are some serious problems with the way that opporation is run. But I respect your opinion never the less, (even if you are not the Vicky I know I respect your opinion) I am just relaying my first hand experience at Little America after working there for a year. I'm glad that your experience is better. Colin
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Re: Little America what's the story on them?
Posted By: CARRAWA
Date: Wednesday, 15 May 2002, at 9:52 p.m.
In Response To: Re: Little America what's the story on them? (Kiss It (__X__))
They pay low wages by recruitng you overseas if possible from newspapers when you dont know better, and i mean 1,500,000\ etc The ones in Cheongju are all owned (maybe there are a few that are not owned by him) by the same guy. While the teachers were earning low income, they said they were ok, but i know of one who was seriously sexually harrassed by the directors and threatened at the end of her contract ( as was the school she wanted to go to - they said she could not work in the same city (and they tried to stop her working in the same city), and she made hell for the hagwon when they were not going to pay severance at the end of her contract.
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Re: Avoid SLP and Little America
Posted By: Beware!
Date: Wednesday, 26 June 2002, at 9:28 p.m.
In Response To: Daejeon anyone? (Haley)
Daejon is a great town, but that doesn't mean that the school you're thinking of is any good. There are a lot of very bad hogwons operating in Daejon right now. Just a quick thought- avoid SLP and Little America. The management is Neanderthal and the owners of both schools are tyrants that you don't even want to consider getting mixed up with. Word to the wise, stay away...Do I sound like I have an axe to grind? Well I know plenty of others who do too.
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Re: Good or bad?
Posted By: Anda
Date: Sunday, 7 July 2002, at 7:16 p.m.
In Response To: Good or bad? (Crys)
If you are thinking of working for Little Amnerica then be warned that the children they teach are very young so you will have to be into playing games etc or you won't last.

[EFL Teacher]

Little America = Wonderland.

Nuff said.

[Man of Changwon]

I know a couple of teachers from this school and they get treated quite well. There are three little Americas in Changwon however and there is a very rotten one near the Namsan bus terminal but I think the one in Daebang-dong is pretty good. I know of a New Zealander who just finished his contract there with no problems and the hours were good too.