Korean Job Discussion Forums

[pkang0202]

I'm glad someone told me that "white boy" was offensive to some people. If no one said anything then I would've never known. Its the same as someone calling me "oriental". Many people wouldn't find the term "oriental" offensive but I do.

I feel that posting on a message board doesn't give you a free pass to be a jerk. Behind every post, every screen name there is a real person typing. I think sometimes we forget that.

[thebum]

[Cheonmunka]

[Freaka]

Ok, pkang0202 has profusely apologized for having offended anyone with his words. Now, can we please get back to the original question?

Are there any gyopos out there that can tell me about their experiences as private tutors in Seoul?

Thank you!

[pkang0202]

[Freaka]

Pkang0202.

"Pay will depend on where you are. Be reasonable with how much you charge, but remember not to charge too little. From my experience, Koreans like to associate the quality of something with the price. If its cheap then its not as good as something more expensive. What area of Seoul are you going to be privately tutoring and some people on the board here can give you a better idea of what to charge."

This is my dilemma. I don't have any previous teaching experience, but I have a degree from a highly reputable school in the States, and I'm confident that I'll make a great tutor. I certainly don't want to sell myself short, but at the same time, I don't want to be bawked at when I quote my clients 50,000 won an hour - which is "outrageous" according to some of you and "completely reasonable" according to others! So what would be a "reasonable" price point? And yes, I realize that Korean mothers like to bargain, but I also know that they will fork over a pretty penny if they feel it's worth it. I will be living in Gangnam with my cousin and her husband, but I am open to tutoring students from all parts of Seoul even if it means that I will have to spend quite a bit of time traveling across town.

"Do you want to do just conversation tutoring, phone tutoring, TOEIC/TOEFL tutoring, or just your typical 1 on 1 where you help the kid iwth their English homework? You usually charge by the hour so you ask the parents how often you want to meet with their child."

I would be interested in all of the above. I have a firm grasp of the English language and excelled in my English classes in high school and college. Currently, I think my strengths lie with conversational English. I've been working with my Korean cousin for the last six months (she is currently in Los Angeles studying for her TOEFL test), and I'm finding that the most difficult part about teaching English to a non-native English speaker is correctly explaining the rules of grammar. That is, I can point out that A is the best answer, but clearly explaining why A is better than D has proven to be difficult at times. My cousin told me that in her experience, many of her tutors at her old hagwon would explain grammar by simply stating that "A is a better choice than D because it just is." I'm sorry, but that won't cut it in my book. I am looking into taking a basic grammar class here in Los Angeles before I arrive in Seoul next month - hopefully, it will help!

"Getting customers/clients will be pretty easy. I've read that some people just go into apartment buildings and put the fliers on people's doors. Another way is word of mouth. If you can find someone who is currently tutoring, I'm sure they can direct you to a few families who are looking for a tutor."

I pray that you're right! I'm not expecting clients to just fall into my lap, but at the same time, I hope that I won't have to struggle for too long before I'm able to secure my first group of students. After that, I will be heavily relying on positive word of mouth to acquire new students!

Thanks for your time!

[phoenixstorm]

I just have to say this thread cracked me up laughing. I had no idea that being "white" and a "boy" had such a stigma attached to it in today's world.

To me "white boy" is the equivalent of the stereotype of Asians being good at math. Yes, its a stereotype but as stereotypes go thats a pretty darn good one to have.

back to the search engine monster!

[i4NI]

[M-su]

Good luck!!!

[Cheonmunka]

I haven't verbally used 'oriental' in any fashion since your post Pkang. A couple of times it came into my head as any word does, in thought, and I remember each time that it is one of those terms that is going to obsoletion for its racist undertones.
That's a good thing.

I think '교포' is a bit of a sh1tty term actually. It comes with a lot of stereotypes around here.

[jadarite]

Well, we are all "ferners" after it is all said and done. That is a stupid restriction governments around the world box us into by issuing booklets for us to get permission to move around our true homeland, the Earth.

Let's get rid of that label first, then other things like gyopo, oriental, nigger, etc... will go too.