Korean Job Discussion Forums

lost_seoul · Joined: 08 Feb 2007

I'm wanting to get those working in public schools opinions on your level of job satisfaction.

Job satisfaction meaning;

1. Do you get overtime hours during your normal 9-5 hours? Were you given the option of working overtime or taking vacation time instead?

2. Do you have supportive co-teachers, and other staff, including the VP and principal? Does your co-teacher communicate with you on a regular basis, and help to discipline the students?

3. Do you feel respected by the students/parents/staff for the job that you do? Do you genuinely like your job and accept challenges? Or are you bored and loathe going to school everyday?

Any comments accepted. This is my first poll, so hope it works out okay.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

I'd be somewhere between sometimes and always. I always like coming to work, but I sometimes sure get frustrated with the English education system here and the confines of working within it and with some of the incompetency here.

butlerian · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Location: Korea

My job is generally good. So far I've received the same amount of vacation as Korean teachers, except for 1-12th Feb when I did overtime (2 hours a day) but I only had to come in for the two hours. Also, on a Monday and Tuesday I only have to stay at school until after eating lunch. Plus, since 9 of my scheduled 22 hours a week are teaching teachers, I actually teach less than 22 hours as teachers never want to stay for a full 3 hours after school to learn English.

There is not much overtime available, but I'm quite happy without it as it's not like I have to stay in school when I'm not teaching. My apartment is less than five minutes away from my school, so that helps. The apartment isn't great as it's fairly old by Korean standards and, although it's quite big (2 bedrooms) that just increases my heating bills (using gas).

The supervisor at the Office of Education is great. He's very kind and often takes some of the English teachers out for a meal, accompanied with and followed by beer and soju, and usually culminating in a trip to a noraebong which can be quite fun after a few drinks. We also all went on a 'cultural trip' to Andong and Gyongju in October which was a nice alternative to teaching for two days.

So, as you can see, there are many good points. The bad points include the lack of any materials or structure that I can follow when teaching, which can be quite daunting for a new teacher. Also, my main co-teacher is very nationalistic and was particularly displeased when he discovered that I was living with my Korean girlfriend. The teachers are also generally not very good at helping me in the classroom. I also don't get told anything until the last minute, but this seems to be fairly standard across Korea.

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

I would vote sometimes.

I am on the home straight so to speak, and I know I am not going to continue teaching.
The little things like yesterday when I wasn't told that one of my classes was cancelled and then I was told that I couldn't have the workbooks I was promised annoyed me.

But hey, not much longer.

ilovebdt