Korean Job Discussion Forums

Canada2Korea · Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Location: Bundang (Jeongja), SK

Hello everyone,

The English Private School "YES" is interested in having a phone interview with me and after browsing their website I am also quite intrigued. Has anyone worked for them or is anyone currently working for them? any comments?

reactionary · Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Location: korreia

There's tons of information on them.

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You'll get paid and you will get pension, health insurance, and severance (if you don't quit from being burnt out).
Your apartment will be either decent or perhaps even quite nice.
In retrospect, the kids were quite good considering the stories I read on Dave's. I never once got a dong-jjim. Still are some monsters though.

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It's a lot of work for just average pay.
The curriculum is really subpar sometimes.
Staff and parents occasionally use cameras to scrutinize you (hope you can stand for 9 hours a day during intensives - they can be assholes with the NO SITTING rule).

That pretty much sums up my experience at two branches (dogok and mokdong). As a lot of people say, it isn't bad for a newbie. Just DON'T BEGIN DURING INTENSIVES like I did. So that means don't let January or July-August be your first month.

I've heard a horror story or two from branches outside of Seoul (I think Bucheon...maybe one in Bundang), but overall it's a safe gig. Just stay in Seoul (mokdong, dogok, daechi, songpa, gangdong) I guess.

soviet_man · Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Location: Seoul

Been there, done that (and wouldn't ever do Youngdo again!).

Some other YES Youngdo facts:

* CC cameras in each classroom (constant monitoring)
* Frequent lesson observations
* Constant essay grading
* No K teachers (they spend all day and night phoning the parents)
* Little freedom to do anything other than the set lessons, which in 2006 included lessons up to 3 hours long.

reactionary · Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Location: korreia

yes, 3 hour long lessons. and material that obviously cannot cover 3 hours. so if you are creative, you definitely have time to do your own thing....though i gotta say, i'm not the creative type, so i hated those 3 hour classes.

true, it can be lots of essay grading. however, considering students have something like 2 essays a week, they don't take them seriously - you shouldn't grade them seriously either.

i had my classes observed once a month or less. personally it made me nervous, but mostly it was positive (they wanted to see the kids' behavior). the one time i was being lectured by a recent uni grad on my teaching was irritating, though. you do have open classes for parents once every 3 months or so.

i didn't like the cameras too much, but in light of the current fear of pedophilia, i don't think they are such a bad thing at the moment.

MollyBloom · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Location: James Joyce's pants

I don't ever understand the "horror" of the cameras.

I have nothing to hide; why do I care?

If someone is a bad teacher then they should care, because that's that the school is looking for.

We have cameras in my school and it's great because if the kids speak Korean or swear, the boss comes a running and one more trouble maker is out of class!!

reactionary · Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Location: korreia

i don't consider them a "horror" but you must admit they definitely symbolize a degree of a lack of trust or respect. and that they will be used not to scrutinize bad teaching, but rather nitpicking. "You didn't call on youngju enough this class." "Use the board more." And of course, my favorite, "Be more dynamic."

Why do so many people hate working in call centers? A big reason is call-monitoring by nitpicking supervisors.

sketcha · Joined: 05 Sep 2007 Location: Seoul, South Korea

personally I dont mind the cameras, and at times welcome them

I have nothing to hide, I dont see it as lack of trust,

but I do like to share a story of a friend:

well, gist of it is ~ his butt was saved because of the camera, one of his student told his parent that he threatens them with a scissors, parent got all upset and almost called the police - but looking at the recorded video, that wasnt the case at all

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

The dynamic one is a constant criticism. I cry every night and soak my pillow with tears that I can't be as dynamic as Sparkiling Korea...........

Canada2Korea · Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Location: Bundang (Jeongja), SK

thanks everyone, your advice is very much appreciated

TBF · Joined: 20 Oct 2007

Does anyone have an opinion on the Ilsan branch for YES? I had the interview, posted my contract for review, and was just wondering does anyone had any experience concerning that branch. Thanks.

MrWanderful · Joined: 04 Jan 2008

Is the essay grading process under any type of quality check. If not I think i'll just get myself a "Fighting!" stamp... I'm just kidding, but do they ?