Korean Job Discussion Forums

discostar23 · Joined: 22 Feb 2004 Location: getting the hell out of dodge

At my job, I have had it pretty easy for a while. I work from 10-2:30 everyday with an hour lunch and various other breaks inbetween.

Now my school has told me I have to stay until 4:30 everyday and I have to do almost three times the work I was doing before (lesson plans, worksheets etc). I know the hours are still pretty good but it's the principal of it all. Also note I am not teaching anymore classes so I have to basically sit at a computer for the extra time...

besides I can find a public school job with a lot less work.
So I ask would you quit?

cbclark4 · Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Location: Masan

Public schools also make you stay for the full day. 8:30 - 4:30.

Sometimes they let me leave early.

cbc

JJJ · Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Location: Seoul

I'll switch with you in a minute. 10 - 2:30 with a lunch and various other breaks. Now, 10 - 4:30 with a lunch and various other breaks. Come on now, please don't complain about that. . You are not going to be seeing any sympathy soon. Don't quit your job. The grass is not always greener, believe me.

Lessons plans, worksheets, etc., I have to do all that as well and guess what, that's what the Internet is for. They wanted me to type out a 24 lesson plan for an after school lesson that is about to start. Yeah, right, I'll be sure to get on that. It took me about 20 min. to find a plan on the Web, 24 of them, and another hour to print it all out. Done.

Stay where you are, have fun and when your contract is finished, let us know all the details so we can start sending resumes.

Bibbitybop · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

What's the deal agreed to in your contract? Follow it. You both signed it.

kat2 · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Location: Busan, South Korea

That still sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me. Unless they are paying you something horrible like 1.5, its hard to complain.
And, yeah, what does your contract say?

nautilus · Joined: 26 Nov 2005 Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!

quitting is good anytime in the first 9 months. After that, usually better to stick out for your bonus I guess. Thats when they tend to throw cr8p at you though it seems.

merkurix · Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Location: Not far from the deep end.

If you work in a public school, it is informally called "mandatory seat time." I remember on a Friday, I had only one class at 9:30 and after one hour of class time I was finished. So between 10:30 and 4:30 I had to stay there. I only had to plan one lesson a week for all students, so most of the time was used for web-surfing, studying Korean, or reading a book. I know of guys who also took video games with them and installed them in their office computers, but I myself was not bold enough to try that. Keep the job; everyone has to put in their seat time.

plokiju · Joined: 15 Mar 2005

What does your contract say? If the hours were 10-230 in the contract then just show them the contract and tell them it isn't what you agreed, too. If the contract allows them to make those changes then there's little else you can do since technically you'd agreed to it. At least, give it a try before you quit since your job seemed a bit too cushy before that anyways.

I wouldn't quit, especially not right away.

thegadfly · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

Yes, you should quit immediately, then post the name of the school and the contact information for the position that you just vacated, so someone that might appreciate a cushy gig like that can get in with minimal fuss and muss.

Certainly, follow the contract, but from the wording of your original post, I got the impression that there was a lull in the work required by your school (as in, you have been doing less than you signed on for, and been paid in full anyway), not that the work you hired on for suddenly increased. If they are adding 10 hours of OT a week, beyond what you signed on for, with no additional pay, run far run fast and DON'T post it 'cause folks dun need it....

JoelCosmeJr · Joined: 01 Mar 2006

yes, please quit and tell me ASAP all of the information so i can take the position. my school work from 12:40-9:35 MWF (8 classes) with only a 40 minute dinner break and 2:20-9:35 T/TH (7 classes) with no break at all. 12:40-1:40 to make lessons plans, correct sentence homework, essays, summaries, weekly meetings with director, weekly meetings with teachers, etc. not mention being broadcasted over the internet to mothers (and kids say they watch me when they have time at home)....at least it's only 4 kids per class....can't wait for that public school position to make itself available >.< August is hiring month also right? anyone know the website for the Gyeonggi do board of education?

discostar23 · Joined: 22 Feb 2004 Location: getting the hell out of dodge

the deal was suppose to be cushy and thats why I took the job. I worked at the school a year before as a regular teacher where I worked from 900-430. I took this new job because it had less hours then the previous job. Also I commute three days a week so with the new hours they have posted to me I would be getting home later then my original job I left...

My biggest complaint at the moment is that I feel I am being taken advantage of. They are telling me that my position requires all this new work. This has been happening weekly for the past two months. In other words, when I think I finally have all my work finished they pile on more. I have never given them a reason to think my time management skills are not good enough. I never miss a deadline even when I have been given short notice. (ex. You have to write six workbooks in two weeks and write three lesson plans for them as well). It's a case of the usual hogwan BS.

Also they are trying to blame me and my coworker for low enrollment at the school. It is a corporate school which has been growing for three years until this year and now they are getting scared.

I've worked in Korea for four years and I have had the jobs which people above are mentioning. SO I can understand their point of view.

So I talked it over with my partner and have decided it's time for me to get out of the hogwan system..its driving me nuts.

PS. This job is more of a specialized job (teaching drama) you must have experience to recieve it, not a regular ESL gig.

Scotticus · Joined: 18 Mar 2007

JoelCosmeJr · Joined: 01 Mar 2006

i worked at the hagwon for a year and thought it was pretty good and came for another year....big mistake. the second year the director implemented changes monthly and the schedule changes were not optional...the T/Th they gave us an option of having a 25 minute lunch break and leaving 30 minutes later or no break and leave earlier, all teachers decided to head home earlier (besides 25 minutes we can run down to the store and eat in class) >.<. i've got 4 more months to go and it's been getting crazier every month....not to mention the teachers are pretty much creating the curriculum for the hagwon...without us making lesson plans, the director will look the fool when mothers ask about the course work. CORRECTION MWF 12:40-1:40 for lesson plans and all that and 1:40-9:35 schedule. we're given a 5 minute break between most classes, in which we are expected to do any copies, rest room, whatever...the 5 minutes between classes is not added to working hours, so i do my best not to do any work at all....screw that

formerflautist · Joined: 30 May 2006

Public schools will hire at any time, Joel. Get your resume out there if you want to leave.

JoelCosmeJr · Joined: 01 Mar 2006

ok i will ^^ ... just gonna stick it out till the end for the extra month pay...have my son and wife works at the same hagwon, so might have to work at different schools, but just wanna get out of here already