Korean Job Discussion Forums

[celticjay]

I'm currently working for a company as their in-house English teacher. The pay is Ok, but the hours really suck. Usually 11-8 and it takes a couple of hours at least to commute. A while back I had a few public elementary afterschool gigs lined up. 1-4 for 2.5mil. NO housing, but I figured I could piecemeal a decent schedule of privates and company jobs around it. My question is does anyone have any experience teaching in these programs? If so what are the pros and cons. Any information would be appreciated. I do have and F-2 visa and housing isn't an issue.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[Gamecock]

I actually work in an afterschool program right now. There are several threads here flaming the bank account in the teacher's name which they have no control of, which IS a scam benefitting the director. Most of the talk on it is pure paranoia. Although many argue this is illegal, it isn't. I looked into the legality of it. Sure it's slimy, but currently it's a legal loophole. And I've been told by an attorney there is no way the government would come after me. This is actually the way quite a bit of "business" is conducted in Korea. If you're not comfortable with it, you shouldn't take the job. But know that it isn't technically illegal. Immoral, probably. If you don't have any problem risking privates, I wouldn't worry about this.

Besides that issue, the upside is fantastic hours. You really can't do any better teaching children. I am at school 3-5 hours a day (including prep) and depending on the day I teach from 2-5 45 minute classes. When I'm finished teaching, I go home. There's plenty of time to do whatever you want on the side (wink, wink). As well, there are alot of random days off besides vacation and national holidays (like the school's Birthday or last Thursday when my whole school went on a field trip all day). However, they usually tell you the day before so you can never really plan anything for that day off. Still, it's something I never got in the private sector. I also don't have to work with other foreigners, which has been a surprisingly nice bonus as well!

The downside is it is really just a hogwan at a public school. I was deceived into thinking that I was working "for the school." Nope, you're working for a director who doesn't care about English, education, or the children. All he cares about is that they keep paying the tuition every month. So there's all the B.S. pressures of keeping enrollment up, keeping mother's happy, etc.

[I-am-me]

I just finished an after-school program. It wasn't too bad. Had to work with a korean teacher. I prefer teaching alone. Just find out how many students per class. 1-4 grades were a little better than 5-6 graders. Also find out how long each class lasts. I had 2 that were an hour and a half. Just too long!! Good Luck!

[bjonothan]

Young FRANKenstein, I would be ashamed to be a teacher and not know the correct usage of an apostrophe. The odd typo is a different matter. Your students have a bright future.

[Young FRANKenstein]

[Thunndarr]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[oni]

I've been doing the after school program gig for the last 1 1/2 years I think it's waaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy better than working at a hagwon, more pay for less hours and less prep time and no meetings and having your supervisors bothering you. At the public school you are totally autonomous. THe korean teacher can be helpful she's really there to do admin stuff and talk to the parents sometimes mine helps me in class other times she just sits there doing who knows what, it depends.
The company I currently work for are greedy totally care about making a profit and not about education or anything else so what's new.
The school pays me directly and then I keep my salary and pay the difference called the program fee to the company. WE did set up a separate bank account bc the school was late paying me and I was getting annoyed but we never ended up using it.
So can anyone recommend a good after school program recruiter????
There seem to be a lot more around now that b4 good profit and low overheads.
I wanna find a new position for March. Thanks!

[jellobean]

Actually, there is a way to fix the tax problem. Get a receipt from the company for "management fees paid." We are considered contract workers by the tax office so we are only responsible for taxes on the amount we keep so long as we can provide receipts for expenses.

One other note, if you will have a Korean co-teacher, check them out thoroughly beforehand and speak specifically with their previous foreign teacher. I have had the Korean teacher from hell this term and despite problems with multiple foreign teachers it doesn't look like they are getting rid of her. Needless to say I'm not working with her again.

And for those in the know, anyone know of a good way to find a school to work for directly? I've got qualifications and experience to impress any principal (and Korean speakers to help translate) but am not sure how to find a school that is looking.

[RachaelRoo]

I'm 3 months into my after school program contract and so far it's pretty good. The advantages, as others have said, are awesome hours and pay. Also, I don't get the large classes that a regular public school teacher would and I start at 12 or 1pm usually and am home by 5.

The disadvantage with my gig is organization. Actually, it makes my last hagwon look like a well oiled machine! A lot of these programs are very new and (surprise) not very well thought through.

When I started, we didn't have access to a computer, printer, supplementary materials, scissors, glue, we were missing some of the CDs that go with the book, and we didn't have the internet or a phone to call the parents (we being myself and my Korean co-teacher).

Furthermore, the cirriclum we have to follow is ridiculous - the amount of time we're given to complete a book is about 40% of what is needed and the classes are terribly divided, with kids who can't read in classes with kids who are exceptionally good. In fairness to my director, I've brought these concerns up with her and she has begun to take care of some of them. However, I think a job like this would be extremely frustrating to a new teacher who might not be able to identify the problems because they don't have anything else to go on.

The bank account thing, I think, must be a harmless loophole. If it was some method of tax evasion every Hagwon in korea would be doing it, not just the afterschool programs.

[RachaelRoo]

[Gamecock]

My Korean co-teacher and I were having a conversation with my principal over lunch, asking him why more schools don't hire after-school teachers directly, as the middle man (the director) really does nothing in the running of the program except hire the teachers and collect a paycheck. The principal told me that essentially the problem lies in the foreign teacher. The school doesn't have funds to supply key money for the foreign teacher's housing (an initial sum the director takes care of in exchange for a sweet profit every month). As well, he admitted being intimidated by dealing with visa issues and also that he was just too busy to oversee the program.

So if you can supply your own housing, there is a good chance a school would be willing to work with you directly...that is if they feel they can trust a foreigner...

Here's the nuts and bolts of the 2nd bank account- I was told the same thing by an attorney who checked into it as well as by my principal. The students tuition for the after-school program must be paid to the school. In turn, according to Korean law, a public school MUST pay their teachers directly. They are not allowed, by law, to pay an outside director who then pays the teachers. As well, the public school is not allowed to keep ANY of the student's tuition, except for a small percentage for the use of electricity, heat, etc. So technically, the school is suppose to give the full amount of profit to the teachers (figure 100 students paying 90,000 Won a month= 9 milliion Won...wouldn't that be nice!). Now, no school is going to give this type of salary to whitey and his Korean co-worker, nor are they going to put the money in the teacher's bank account and trust him to pay the director his cut (4+ mil).

By the way, I discovered that usually the director is a friend of the principal, which is how he got this crazy good deal. My director is a high-school drinking buddy with the Principal. So the bank account is set up in the teacher's name to funnel the payment from the school to the director, who then in turn pays the teachers. It is a tricky way around the law which says the school must pay the teachers directly. I was told point blank that the government knows all about this and is fine with it as it is putting on the appearance of public schools improving their much maligned English education(perhaps greased palms are involved as well, I don't know). Whether the director pays taxes or not is not really why the bank account is set up, however I'm sure there are many directors not paying taxes, just as there are many hogwan owners not paying taxes. I have been told point blank from more than one source that my job is not that of an independent contractor and that taxes are the responsibility of my director, regardless of whose name is on the bank account. In the meantime I have my director give me a pay statement every month with his seal, so I can prove my income. If I hear of the tax office actually going after a teacher for this, then maybe I'll get worried.

[Cheonmunka]

Hahaha,

It's great for a director to have money going directly to his ghost company, money coming from no source whatsoever.
I think if your director (actually, an agent) submits tax returns on this untraceable income he is very, very benevolent. He must be lovely.

Supply your information to an accountant. Your accountant will tell you to get the business registration number. Not a seal, not a signature. If your agent/boss/director gives you that, then I will believe that your company is legitimate.

[Gamecock]

haha. I didn't say it was legit or he was paying taxes. You can believe what you wish. Me just babo waeygukkin. I work and get paid. I'm just laying it out there for the OP. He can do what he wants with the info.