Korean Job Discussion Forums

[shendallandkelly]

Does anyone know if there are ESL schools run by Christian organizations in Korea?

[Derrek]

What are your reasons for wanting to work at one?

The reason I ask is because there seem to be nothing but negative things posted about the Christian schools that are out there. I have yet to hear one positive thing about ANY Christian school. Par for the course at "Christian" schools seems to be any or all of the following:

1. Lower pay. Sometimes much lower. As if the fact that it's Christian is to convince you your doing some kind of good deed or "mission" work, and should earn less.

2. Sometimes live in or by the school. Life is restricted. At least one school I knew of was like a compound. Everyone lived there, including students, and there was no privacy.

3. Many Korean Christians tend to lean towards the fanatical. Not only do you work at the school, you are sometimes expected to attend services multiple times a week (at no extra pay).

4. Your co-workers can be some real Pharisees. Again, no privacy.

5. I knew a girl last year who was Christian, and worked at a Christian school for 2 weeks. She had done ESL in other countries. She quit and left, partly because the Senior Pastor in charge lived above her. He would beat his wife nightly, and she would scream. It was a horrible experience for her. Here was this guy delivering the gospel during the daytime, then beating the heck out of his wife at night. Terrible.

That said, you might find something, but good luck.

[shendallandkelly]

We were asking mostly out of curiosity, we are Christians and were wanting to know what the environment might be like with such schools. Besides, it's always nice to work with or for someone who holds the same beliefs as you (all though I can see a few discrepancies between the pastor of your friend's school and ourselves).

It's sad to hear that the schools can be associated with such conditions, but such is the reality of dealing with many such organizations. Personally, it angers me to see such hypocrisy because I don't doubt that it exists and I know that it taints how people think of Christians (even though people should look at Christ instead of imperfect people if they want a picture of what Christianity should look like).

Here's a question to throw out to anyone who has worked for a Christian organization in any context before. For those organizations that appear to always be asking you to sacrifice yourself for the good cause that you're supporting; do they do it because they are doing the best with what God has given them and he has not decided to bless them with much, or are they just people striving after the right thing without taking the time to manage the details associated with their venture, be it a church, a camp or a hagwon?

[justagirl]

I worked at a Christain university for a year. They had 3 areas to work in: university, adult education, and hakwon. The good things about it were numerous. The pay was always on time, the support community was great (now runs about 30+ Christian foreigners), the living arrangements were very nice and new, and I loved the teaching. I shared a short word about the Bible and prayed for my students in each class. (I taught at the University.) The students were awesome!

Some of the not-so-great things: we were required to attend the universities service on Sundays. I didn't have a problem with having to attend the service, but the speaker was not someone who always preached God's word, and it angered me a lot. We were required to be in an extra ministry each week (volunteer for the orphanage, extra time with students, help in the church service). Again, I didn't have a problem with this, but it was frustrating that some people would sneak out of doing something when others were helping out. The pay was low. $1,000 US a month (1,050,000 to 1,150,000 won after taxes in Korea). They raised the pay to $1,250 US now for a B.A., but they are slowly hiring more and more with MA's to teach.

I left after a year, wanted to work with kids (but not their kids--heard too many horror stories about their hakwon by my friends). Got a job with a Christian director in the same neighborhood for 2,000,000 a month for 100/hours of work.

Now I'm working for another Christian man at a different hakwon and he is the best boss I've had yet.

I think there are decent Christian places to work at. I'd still recommend the University I was at. I do agree with the post mentioning that the lesser pay to "serve God in a ministry" is frustrating. I decided I could serve God at any school, not just a Christian one, and I could make more money to pay off my massive loans from the Christian college I attended.... pm me if you have questions.

justagirl

[BTM]

I worked at a Christian university for two years. I'm not especially Christian, but I have respect for anyone who actually embodies the tenets of the faith in their daily life. I have encountered very few self-described Christians that actually do so, though, sadly.

My experiences at that school were, for the most part, excellent. Unfortunately, despite there being some very good people there, and truly marvellous (if not very skilled) students that I miss a great deal, there were also a fair few people that (like many in Korea) used the mantle of espoused Christian belief to 'get into the club'. It's no coincidence that most of the wealthiest in this country are also Christian, unpleasantly. Or they profess to be Christian more accurately, while being rapacious, greedy, and exploitative.

But you know, they're part of the club, so it's all OK.

So, anyway, politics happened at my job, and thanks to one person in particular who was concerned more about money and her own personal empire, and who was unfortunately in a position of power, I wasn't offered a new contract, despite my status as top teacher there, so things ended on a somewhat sour note. That said, I had dinner last night with my ex-supervisor, for whom I still have great respect and liking.

My conclusion - if you're looking to teach at a Christian school because you're Christian, you may find yourself (as did some of the actual Christians who came to my ex-university) deeply disillusioned and disappointed at the behaviour of some of the people who declare loudly their faith, but behave in ways that are contrary to what one might expect of a good Christian.

Caution and low expectations would be wise.

[Saxiif]

You'd probably be better working at a hagwon with a christian director and mostly christian teachers (my boss is methodist and there's a huge number of catholic teachers for some reason) so you can get someone who shares your beliefs without them breathing down your neck.

Also us atheists don't bite, honestly!