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drewlaiche
Joined: 19 Jan 2007
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 Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 4:29 pm Post subject: Pagoda...what's the skinny |
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| I'm looking to transfer to a Pagoda from a hogwan. I'm told there will be 30 teaching hrs/wk. Is this high? I mean with prep time included am I looking at a 40+ hr job? And how comprehensive is the curriculum? Any other info about this institute would be great. Thanks. |
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Son Deureo!
Joined: 30 Apr 2003
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Son Deureo!
Joined: 30 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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I'm going to quote what I said in one of those threads about teaching in adult hogwons in general. You may find it helpful.
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I've done my time at an adult hogwon, just a few months shy of two years. On the upside, I saved a whack of cash, learned a lot about Korean culture and society, I stopped getting laryngitis every other month from trying to shout at or over children, and the experience helped me get a uni job.
For a long time teaching adults instead of kids, I didn't really mind the splits too much. After all, I only really need 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night to function, right? It didn't take long, however, for the split shifts month in month out to grind me down. After a little over a year of sleep deprivation and having and hearing the exact same conversations about movies and dating and drinking early every morning and late every night I began to get increasingly irritable with everyone around me. Every time I caught a cold it lasted for at least two weeks because I couldn't get a decent night's sleep. I gained weight from drinking too much Maxim, eating too many kimbap triangles and sitting for hours on end listening to and correcting conversations. That lifestyle just isn't healthy.
If I'd stayed for a third year, I'd have gotten a pretty fat raise but it just wasn't worth it for me.
If you want a change of pace from teaching kids it's not a bad experience for a year, but if you do it, be sure to move on to bigger and better things afterwards. |
As for your specific questions about the number of hours you can be expected to work, I'll say this: Read your contract, and believe only what your contract tells you about the hours you can be expected to work.
Thirty teaching hours a week is quite a bit, but that's typical in a hogwon job. You will need to put in more prep time at first, but it will get easier as you learn your curriculum and textbooks and have pre-made supplements ready to go.
The bigger concern with adult hogwons is the split shifts. There is a world of difference between teaching 6-8 hours of class a day spread from 9AM-5PM and the all-too-typical adult hogwon schedule of teaching 6-8 hours of classes a day spread from 7AM-10PM. This is even worse if you have multiple short breaks throughout the day instead of one long break in the middle of the day. It's even harder if you are also required to work weekends. |
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DCJames
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Son Deureo! wrote: |
I'm going to quote what I said in one of those threads about teaching in adult hogwons in general. You may find it helpful.
| Quote: |
I've done my time at an adult hogwon, just a few months shy of two years. On the upside, I saved a whack of cash, learned a lot about Korean culture and society, I stopped getting laryngitis every other month from trying to shout at or over children, and the experience helped me get a uni job.
For a long time teaching adults instead of kids, I didn't really mind the splits too much. After all, I only really need 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night to function, right? It didn't take long, however, for the split shifts month in month out to grind me down. After a little over a year of sleep deprivation and having and hearing the exact same conversations about movies and dating and drinking early every morning and late every night I began to get increasingly irritable with everyone around me. Every time I caught a cold it lasted for at least two weeks because I couldn't get a decent night's sleep. I gained weight from drinking too much Maxim, eating too many kimbap triangles and sitting for hours on end listening to and correcting conversations. That lifestyle just isn't healthy.
If I'd stayed for a third year, I'd have gotten a pretty fat raise but it just wasn't worth it for me.
If you want a change of pace from teaching kids it's not a bad experience for a year, but if you do it, be sure to move on to bigger and better things afterwards. |
As for your specific questions about the number of hours you can be expected to work, I'll say this: Read your contract, and believe only what your contract tells you about the hours you can be expected to work.
Thirty teaching hours a week is quite a bit, but that's typical in a hogwon job. You will need to put in more prep time at first, but it will get easier as you learn your curriculum and textbooks and have pre-made supplements ready to go.
The bigger concern with adult hogwons is the split shifts. There is a world of difference between teaching 6-8 hours of class a day spread from 9AM-5PM and the all-too-typical adult hogwon schedule of teaching 6-8 hours of classes a day spread from 7AM-10PM. This is even worse if you have multiple short breaks throughout the day instead of one long break in the middle of the day. It's even harder if you are also required to work weekends. |
I'm doing it now and am completely exhausted all the time. It's very stressful and I have no free time for myself.
Taking naps in the middle of the day really messes up your sleep habits.
I'm looking for something better as I speak. |
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OneWayTraffic
Joined: 14 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 11:07 pm Post subject: |
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I was at Pagoda for three years and I'd recommend it to most. Sure the split shifts suck, be sure you have a place within walking distance. Screw the cost or size, just get that apartment in the area. It's the difference between 5 hours sleep and 7.
You will be doing a lot of splits. Even if you have a morning or afternoon block, expect that there will be a two hour gap from time to time. Other months (especially after you pay your dues) you will score that sweet 5 hour block shift. You are expected to do weekend classes if needed, but when I was at Jongro there was never any problem finding teachers to do it as the pay could work out to 40,000 an hour for them.
The biggest advantage for me was that it gave me the experience teaching adults that helps my current freelancing. The biggest downer was the monotony of listening to the same damn conversations every day. Just make sure you have something in your pocket for the one-shows later in the month and listen to the vets for advice.
I'd Recommend it over most regular kiddy hagwons, but not over a good public school or university. |
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