Korean Job Discussion Forums

plato's republic · Joined: 07 Dec 2004 Location: Ancient Greece

Can anyone who has worked at or is currently working at a GnB school, anywhere in Korea, give me the low-down on what the actual teaching system is like?
I'm not concerned with any franchise in particular, but would just like to know about the textbooks used, perhaps how long each class is and roughly how many classes you teach a day.
I'd also really like to hear from anyone who teaches just elementary/middle school students at a GnB hagwon.

Thanks for any help!

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

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

Textbooks are very ordinary...

never taught them but have seen them and they look pretty dry and useless...

Of course if you can introduce some sup material this could change but some owners just want you to stick to the book....

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

I'm a bit familiar with one and it seems it's just a name - what goes on there is completely up to the director and what her staff are willing to do.

knee-highs · Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Location: yes

captain kirk · Joined: 29 Jan 2003

I worked at one branch and, at first, the owner didn't want any breaks whatsoever between the five hour run (block shift) of classes 3pm to 8pm. I baulked and just 'took' five minutes, dismissing class early. Nothing was said. But, technically, I was going against orders.

Re; the book I've heard the in house text is terrible, but I was given complete freedom to produce handouts which were stapled into the book (not Franchise, a book they selected called Smile). So we didn't ever even study the book, just the handouts stapled in.

The owner was the usual hammy personality, alpha mountain pig.

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

philipjames · Joined: 03 Feb 2003

GnB Incheon. I worked there. It almost turned me into a racist. I was treated with disrespect and scorm by the owners and they attempted to fire me without any stated reason. The owner said to me on Thursday that Monday was my last day and that I needed to be out of my apt. that evening. I demanded a) an explanation and b) that my contract be adhered to. His response was a) you don't fit in b) don't raise the matter of the contract. HE was the contract. Twisted Evil

After a great deal of stress I managed to get two weeks notice. I also got an explanation of my firing. This was pure evil. He said "The children don't like you." I was aghast. I adore children and children like me very much. For him to give that explanation was pure evil.

My experience at that school was a real shocker. I had heard hogwan horror stories before. Didn't really believe them until I worked at GnB Incheon. Avoid that school. The owners are the worst of the worst hogwan owners.

Simply bad human beings.

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

babtangee · Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 3:39 am Post subject:

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

babtangee · Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 5:16 am Post subject:

philipjames · Joined: 03 Feb 2003

The location was near DongIncheon Station, a stone's throw from EMart. Owner was Mr. Kim and his wife Mrs. Tae. They had two sons.

If I have to give any advice about Korea it is 'Stay away from that school.' If they should advertise and you apply for the job, be sure to ask the following:

"Have you ever attempted to fire a teacher with two days notice." Shocked

and

"Did you ever say to a teacher, "Don't mention the contract again. This is Korea. I AM THE CONTRACT." Twisted Evil

Pure, pure evil.

howie2424 · Joined: 09 Jan 2003

I've worked part time at two GnB schools over the past two years. Maybe I was lucky but both directors were realy nice. The schedule ran 2:30 to 7:30 or 8:30 depending on how many students they had, 50 minute classes with 10 minute breaks in between. The conversation textbooks are pretty brutal consisting of the kids memorizing a bunch of phrases none of which have much logical connection to one another. Each unit involoved the kids memorizing lines to a 'drama' or short play which they acted out after the book was completed. Pretty mundane. Having said that, the books were easy to teach, the material filled the whole lesson and the younger kids did seem to enjoy acting out the various parts of the 'drama'. The upper level conversation books were especially bad using all kinds of obscure idioms and other material that elementary and middle school students had no hope of benefiting from.

I politely told one of the directors what I thought of the books and she gave me permission to teach from another non-GnB book instead. The other joint said they only teach GnB books so I've just toughed it out teaching their tripe.

I think the botttom line with GnB is that if you're really interested in teaching and want to see your students improve their language skills, GnB isn't the place to teach. If on the other hand you've been here long enough to realize that if you're really interested in teaching and want to see your students improve their language skills you're probably the only person at your school who feels that way, and you only want a reliable pay cheque, go for it. Hope this has been helpful.