Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Shredd]

I have a Mechanical Engineering degree and I am very comfortable with math. Although I am in no way opposed to teaching English, I am curious whether or not there is a demand for native English speaking Math/science teachers. Any experience with this? I have a friend who is currently doing this in Thailand.

[jaganath69]

[cwemory]

like jaganath69, i also taught math at an elementary school. There are quite a few elementary schools that offer immersion programs, teaching their students their core curriculum in English rather than Korean. This is almost always done at an elementary school level though, there are very few middle schools or high schools with these programs. When doing your job search, look for positions at private elementary schools, specifically, those with immersion programs.
Another option would be teaching math at an international school, but these schools usually require teacher certification from an E-2 country.

[sojourner1]

Yes, I am teaching math, science, literacy, Backpack 1 through 5, and phonics and hate it on account of the kids failing to cooperate and then hating me for getting strict. While it is super easy material from my viewpoint, it is tough for Korean students on account of lacking vocabulary, a KT to translate, and students not bringing an English/Korean dictionary to school.

The hard part in teaching subject matter is getting the youngsters to listen to you as they will do everything to ignore you, slow you down, inconvenience you in every way possible, and waste time in attempt to avoid these lessons. When you're in a school that is pushing more than English who is checking up on your students progress by looking in their books, it's tough to make it fun for the kids. When you slave drive your students into doing math and science in English, they will hate you and then the director acts puzzled in a fake manner why the're unhappy. Discilpline for bad behavior is almost non-existent.

Engrishee teaching needs to be fun, not monotoneous work with no play involved. My students don't even get one period of recess a day and no art projects which leads to boredom. Now I could cover less material and take the time to make it fun by clowning around allot, but the school demands more out of me than that. Korean staff are always telling me I going too fast, while telling me not enough is covered, and then at a later point, they tell me to hurry the students through a book such as literacy. They have me in a catch 22 situation which is stressing me out and the kids know it.

[robot]

another option if you have a decent degree and experience would be teaching math at a test prep center or foreign language high school. they are often looking.

[Len8]

Mathematics is taught at a very level in Korean Highschools. They pretty much have one of the highest levels in mathematics in the world. I am at a private highschool teaching mathematics and science, and I am battling with the discrepancies between the Korean students who studied in America and the Korean students who studied in Korea. The students who transferred from a Korean school are just so far ahead. There are the occasional American educated students who out of shear dint of hard work shine, but they still aren't up to the level of their Korean counter parts.

Someone said that Korean schools focus on speed, because they cover so much in their syllabus. The shortest and most efficient way of doing things
are learned, and to do that you have to know your material back to front. And believe you me Korean students do know their material back to front. There are mathematics hogwans everywhere, so if a student isn't up to scratch guess where his parents send him. Ever hear of a mathematics academy for aftter school practice in the U.S. or the U.K. or in Australia or New Zealand?

Because students at our school want to go the best schools in the U.S. they are all carrying around AP study guides for Chemistry,Biology, Economics and mathematics. There is a center in Seoul which offers the exams under the auspices of the U.S. based exam. One guy passed the AP maths Calculus AB exam in his second year of Highschool.

Korean parents in their new found western countries are frustrated with the standards of education, so it's my guess you will see extra learning institute popping up in countries that didn't have them before.

[ddeubel]

Sorry I don't have much to add other than this collage of math related simpson material. You math, science teachers will get a howl out of it.

I do agree that CBT - Content based teaching / Immersion will become more and more the norm as Korean education enters the 20th century. Along with ESP (no, not that! English for specific purposes...).

I'm rooting for it to be sooner than later. For the sake of our kids.

DD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLPC8vlKSFI

[faster]

There are also Math SAT, SAT-II, and AP-Calculus jobs around, but they are almost always filled by F-4 visa holders, since the work is pretty seasonal.

I'm sure there are full-time jobs around, but if I were you, I'd try to get in at a top test-prep hagwon & sell myself as able to teach the Verbal (Critical Reading / Writing) side AND Math.

Good luck.

[root555]

Do any of you out there teach math classes for your Korean highschool students???? Or do any of you out there have a Math background (i.e. engineering, economics, the 'hard sciences,' ect,) and live in the Seoul area????

[sojourner1]

I studied for a bachelor of science emphasizing in finance which involved a great deal of math such as calculus, but I am 5 or 6 hours out of Seoul in the SE part of Korea. It was said to be the very most challenging degree my university offers, but good jobs lack these days without an MBA and someone to sponsor you for experience in the financial analysis career field. An MBA can get you the analyst job that used to only require the bachelors degree, but things are very competitive in today�s economic environment. I would jump on an MBA now, but the cost is astronomically high. I would be looking at about 40K a year job with 90K of debt, but with possible future upward mobility.

A poster mentioned that Korea have one of the highest levels of math in the world. I sure 100% believe that as my kindy students are fast and mostly accurate to the point they are doing a math book in 3 months designed for Americans to complete in one year. My director is disappointed that I let them do that much, but the kids are just that good and so eager to do math as they love math so they are accelerated learners of math naturally. This is my students� favorite course, even over their art and music classes.

[robot]

from worknplay:

- - - - -
ISA is taking interviews for highly qualified instructors who can teach the Math subject as below:

Subject: Mathematics (Algebra I & II, Geometry, Pre-Calculus)

1. Working days and hours: Monday ~ Friday (04:00PM ~ 10:00PM)
2. Salary: KRW 2,500,000 ~ 3,500,000 /Month (120hours)
3. Housing negotiable

Qualifications:

1. Native English speakers or Kyopo with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
2. Bachelor�s degree or higher from the United States
3. Preferred Major related to the above mentioned subjects
4. Enthusiastic about teaching & working as a team

How to apply:

If you would like to learn more about this position, please email your application to [email protected]. Your application should include a resume, cover letter, and a photo. For more information, contact James Kim at 02-573-5534.
- - - - -

[Shredd]

Wow, I was just looking for some general info but these responses are great!
Thanks a lot everyone.