Korean Job Discussion Forums

thegadfly · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

Hello all -- talking with the future-mrs.thegadfly about stuff again, and the question has come up -- how much of a pay increase would a foreigner get in a "head teacher" or "lead teacher" position? You know, the foreigner that does teacher training and is the go-between for the real administration and the teachers, but is mostly just a teacher with a different title?

Of course, one would try to negotiate the most one could get from a title, but I am wondering what folks who have worked in such a position got over and above the base salary -- head teacher pay, as it were, not salary raises due to increased workload (admin hours) or pay for loyalty/time in company....

PM me if you care to help me answer her questions, or post if you do not feel it is a private matter. My current estimate is that "head teacher" is good for 100,000 won a month increase in base salary, with perhaps some paid admin hours each week. Am I far off?

The_Conservative · Joined: 15 Mar 2007

thegadfly · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

I agree, Conservative -- the discussion we had was more like :

Future-mrs.-thegadfly: "With your background and history, you should be able to become a head teacher, which will pay more!"

Me: "Well, maybe, but head teacher doesn't pay that much more a month, and there are a LOT of headaches that go with it -- not really worth it overall (since *I* don't care about the title, but extra pay IS extra pay)."

Future-mrs.-thegadfly: "...but it is a LOT of extra pay!"

Me: "um, I don't think so -- I have only heard it is like 100,000 won more, plus the title, plus administrative hours with some kind of pay for them -- so basically administrative overtime at an hourly rate -- pretty much the same as working extra classes for an hourly rate."

Future-mrs.-thegadfly: "Only 100,000 won a month? I don't think so -- I think it is a LOT more!"

Me: "Well, I know how we could find out!" <Enter the magic that is Dave's Forums>

I think it would be a huge pain to be a head teacher somewhere, and a special kind of pain to enter a new school as a head teacher -- without paying the same "dues" at the school as the other teachers.

jay-shi · Joined: 09 May 2004 Location: On tour

There are so many factors involved that it's impossible to gauge a pay increase without knowing all the details.

I do agree that walking into a new job as head teacher without paying your dues there could be seen as suicide, especially without head teacher experience.

I was named head teacher at my school last year and it was officially put into my contract when I renewed it, for the 4th year. Actually my director told me if I wanted to be head teacher I should write my contract myself, and I did just that! Smile

In my case the pay raise versus the extra work has definitely been worth it, I was doing a lot of this extra work before I was officially head teacher. I am not going to get into numbers on here but you can PM me for details.

xCustomx · Joined: 06 Jan 2006

I know that head instructors at CDI earn from 600-850,000W more per month. You're gonna have to work there for 1 or 2 terms though before they offer to promote you up to one of those positions.

faster · Joined: 03 Sep 2006

When I first came to Seoul I was made head teacher immediately and received $300,000/month more than standard contract for my job (this was 2002).

Atavistic · Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 9:34 pm Post subject:

faster · Joined: 03 Sep 2006

Unposter · Joined: 04 Jun 2006

What the Conservative and Jay-shi said is about right.

It is great when you are paid for responsibilities you have already taken. And, the Conservative is right on when he said it all depends on your staff and your administration. Even with a good staff and administration, you are going to have good days and bad days.

There is curriculum development and teacher training as well as politics and developing cultural understanding.

Did I say politics?

And, so much more...

If you like such things, it is the job for you!

Definately ask for more than 100,000 won per month but I guess it depends on what they want you to do. You may want to spell it out as they could ask a lot more than you are willing to give (though you could be lucky and it could be the other way around).

But, I wouldn't just think about it as extra money; I would think of it as extra-work. And, you have to ask yourself, is it worth spending my time on this rather than on something else?

I didn't seem to have much choice in the matter. It was kind of thrust upon me. I have no idea how one goes "looking" for such a job. If you are naturally leadership oriented, it could be a good fit.

Good luck!

thegadfly · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

Thank you for all the replies. I wouldn't say I am looking for the position -- I am just exploring options and all -- looking at taking the plunge, looking at US prospects compared to Korean prospects, that sort of thing. The responses so far have been helpful and informative, and I thank everyone that has taken the time to PM me or respond here.

Otus · Joined: 09 Feb 2006

The salary increase is relatively insignificant. Here's a couple of suggestions. You can:

1. Arrange to farm out teachers at exorbitantly high prices and pay them less than 30% of that. (Pocket a large amount of the difference, but keep a small stack of cash in the top draw of the filing cabinet to pay off immigration when they raid.)

2. Sometimes the room salon bill does get a bit out of control, in which case you can extort generous loans from subordinates who desire to win your favor. Hire in a conducive way for this policy.

Don't focus too much on just a legitimate salary increase.

thegadfly · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

Otus, your second suggestion is EXCELLENT -- the first was great, too, but more like common knowledge than innovation.

I have also heard about opening a school on one floor and a bar a floor above or below it -- and allow the teachers at the school to run a tab, to be deducted from their pay...talk about getting folks to work for (beer and) peanuts!