Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sojourner1]

I am soon leaving a hagwon (I didn't like it) and interested to better know what I am getting into if I sign on with EPIK.

How is work culture in public schools?

Is it like where you might have co-teachers and a principal trying to tell you how to teach and then downing you with your every attempt to improve where there seems to be no possible way to be appreciated and left alone?

How about co-teacher and administrative support?

Are you respected or denigrated?

Many rude last minute surprises with no possible way or clue on how to make it right?

Is lying and deceiving the norm or do those you work with generally not have anything to hide or lie about?


Or is like, where you just teach and really don't have issues of these sorts?

I really am curious as I have been seeing more reports of some of you having issues at public schools, while most of you are quiet which means you are happy campers. Please feel free to add anything or volunteer some insights on your experiences. I really am interested in getting a reality check right now.

[Gwangjuboy]

Korean public school teachers are the most awful Koreans you could possibly meet. I wish I didn't speak Korean as well as I do. I am unable to close my eyes to the bizzare confucian work ethic.

[ceesgetdegrees]

hahaha, can't say i disgree with you there gwangjuboy, wish i could but i'd be lying.

[sojourner1]

Oh man guys, you have to be kidding me. Can you elaborate without being defamatory or derogatory to Korea itself on why public school teachers are the most awful people you deal with here?

Is it a miserable and nerve racking experience or does the communication barrier cause many misunderstandings or do they simply not feel right about having you around?

[nomad-ish]

[ceesgetdegrees]

[Dome Vans]

[ddeubel]

Dome Vans,

Thanks for posting that and I echo your level headed and "accurate" comments.

I thank you because it seems of late especially, this messageboard has been filled with lots of very idiotic "Korean teachers are X,Y and Z" stuff...... I wish many people could see outside their bubble.....

DD

[schwa]

The weird thing I sense from lots of new teachers I meet in person as well as from many posters here is the attitude that if the job aint perfect from the get-go it sucks. Not aimed at the OP just a general comment: grow up, people.

Jobs are a challenge everywhere. If you meet the difficulties with intelligence & good effort good things definitely will start to come your way.

Or you can come on Daves complaining that your hand isnt being sufficiently held. Self-reflection time.

Public schools are not perfect but youre dealing with educated & sensitive Korean teachers concerned about their lifelong careers. Concerned about their students too. We're just passers-through. Fit in & you can make a difference & be valued. Gripe & confront & youre one of the reasons native teachers in the public schools are so often disliked.

There are plenty of native teachers doing good work, getting along well in the system, & happy in their situations. Value their input over that of the chronic malcontents on this forum.

[Homer]

Dome Vans,

Good job with the balanced post.

Is it so hard to provide advice without resorting to demeaning comments?

Surely it can be done like Dome did....

[Draz]

[TDR]

I've lurked here for two years and though I rarely post, I thought I'd throw in my two cents on this one.

PS jobs are sort of the luck of the draw. Your coworkers are your coworkers and you've got little choice but to work with them. There's that old adage, "You can pick your friends but you can't pick your coworkers." This is true in any job.

I find the work culture in my PS to be great. Especially compared to the hogwan that I worked at last year. That school was not bad by any stretch of the means but they didn't give two-hoots about what I did with the kids. I just had to be a warm body in the classroom. At my PS, my co-teachers and Vice-principal/Principal are totally hands off with my lessons. On one hand, I could probably be playing games all day long and I'm sure they'd still say "Good work!". However, I do develop lessons around the book with added activities to improve the students English skills and they do their best to help me out. They are always telling me that they're learning new stuff from me! Obviously, that make me feel pretty great.

I have four co-teachers who are clued in and who speak English very well. The fifth is usually pretty spaced out and his English level is pretty low, but he's kind enough and does a bit to help when I make it adequately clear what I need from him. They all give me a healthy amount of respect and the students are expected to bow and greet me before the start of every class. If they don't do it properly, the Korean teacher usually reprimands them and they are made to repeat it. In my classes, I am the main teacher and the co-teacher supports me with maintaining discipline, helping to encourage students in the tasks that we're doing, demonstrating role-plays, translation of difficult words or instructions, and answering questions.

However, I do have friends who have terrible co-teachers. One in particular was told to only play games for the entire year because her co-teacher straight up said to her, "I think you are a terrible teacher." Obviously, that's a horrible thing to tell anyone and she was suitably bummed but, with some support from friends, she took it in stride and has so far enjoyed her year despite that incident. I will completely echo DomeVans when he said "If you are optimistic but also realistic about your work and working environment then you'll have no trouble."

That's just the chance you take. You can rarely know these things about your coworkers until they actually are your coworkers. Every day can be different and there are usually some last minute changes. At my school, however, those changes almost invariably involve classes being canceled, delayed or shortened. Great, more time to tweak my lessons (or check my email)! There are things that you win at every day. It's a series of small victories, I think. It can be tiring some days but the kids are a hoot and really make me laugh quite a lot. Even if they're being difficult, I just remember that they're kids and that it's likely not a personal thing with me or my class.

[Atavistic]

I am mostly happy with my public elementary school (GEPIK) and certainly happier than I was at a hogwon. (I told you, OP, about getting fired from the first job...I got evicted from my second hogwon's apartment! And the bitch still owes me over 2 million.)

I have two coteachers. One is pretty crappy and mean, the other is freakin' fantastic. I almost never teach with the poor one, because she is next in line to be VP and always busy. The nice one, I bend over backwards for her sometimes because she deals with my issues (housing, etc) very quickly and I like her.

My other coworkers, almost none of them speak English, but with my little Korean we do well. All of them are friendly to me, none of them make me feel like they don't want me there. I send the teachers email notes if their class is exceptionally good or bad, and they answer in return. I've poked my head into classrooms to tell them how their class did, and they always thank me. If they're annoyed by it, they hide it well.

My VP is a good guy, speaks a decent amount of English, doesn't bother me. My Principal (the one who asked me if I sleep with my boyfriend) speaks no English but is a kind, if slightly crazy, woman.

I don't get the extra vacation other people do, unfortunately, and my school makes me stay all day during summer camp. Arg. But I am able to leave early if I don't have classes IF I ask (I have tried not to push it, I probably leave early two or three times during a regular teaching month), and they've given me days off to deal with legal stuff (see hogwon 2 story above) without docking my pay.

When I've asked for supplies, books, etc, they've gotten them for me.

The students treat me like they do the Korean teachers, with a bit less fear (I don't hit) and a little more of a joking attitude. "High five Atavistic Teacher! One more time, one more time, one more time!" I like the kids.

I don't know what the other teachers got for Chuseok, probably money, but I did get a gift. For my birthday they threw me a party and gave me little gifts and cards.

I work with nice people, at least on the surface. I keep my nose clean, so they're OK to me.

A few notes. I have a teaching certificate and an M. Ed. Often foreigners are judged in a totally different way than Koreans. BUT your college and degrees can mean a lot. Since they know my qualifications, I think they MAY HAVE grandfathered me in, sort of like, "Oh, she has an M. Ed. She will be a good teacher." I think I am a good teacher, BUT in Korea perception is usually more important than reality. Do you know what I mean?

Second, elementary schools are cesspools of gossip. Be friendly, bring the coworkers you most often see little gifts from trips. (I handed out beautiful, handmade, yet incredibly inexpensive bookmarks from Vietnam...the teachers use them, hang them up, etc. My nice coteacher said it made good "jeong.") Do your job, sort of stay to yourself (WHILE BEING FRIENDLY!) and that will help.

Oh, I thought of two more things. One, lunch. Lunch at my school isn't terrible. Nobody at my school leaves for lunch, so if I did it would look bad. They amy say "sure, you can leave," but what they say and what they feel is not the same.

Second, some last minute things have been thrown on me. I refuse to work late for it. Their piss-poor planning will not interfere with my life. But I will do the Korean passive-aggressive act. Sort of suck air through your teeth, shake your head a bit, mutter "Oh, stressuh" a few times, do t the best you can and let it go. Also, I ask at the beginning of every week if anything weird is going on. That's helped immensely. Unfortunately, most of the last minute crap is coming from the city, not my school.

Sorry to be so long-winded...

[sojourner1]

Dome Vans and TDR, great posts. Thank you very much to all of you. People keep your good posts coming. This is an interesting and beneficial thread, not only to myself, but to many others as well.

I feel I can do public school, possibly have the time of my life, and want to do it in Gangwando. I feel and believe the people and culture are the most hospitable and accommodating there in all of Korea despite it not having much things western or an active neon light scene.

Gangwan-do is where I want to go next year in 3 months from now.

Any Gangwan-do teachers have any input on what it's like to live and teach in a Gangwan-do public school?

I have seen posts from Gangwan-do teachers who really enjoy thier situation and I have seen those who had communication breakdown failures, but a well run part of EPIK is not only why I want to go. I want to enjoy a more natural environment that is not so polluted, stinky, and congested with dangerous vehicle traffic. I like mountain hiking, fishing, and sightseeing while having friends in a small town place who are friendly, level headed, and down to Earth.

While I like the board game of chess, I hate the real life version which makes me not advise hagwons as a viable job despite that most will pay you month to month and then put you in a precarious situation in month 12. I just wanted to teach and travel, not play a hard game of business so I am seeking greener pastures, heavily wooded mountain sides, and trout streams.

[cruisemonkey]

So much depends on the 'institutional culture' of the school, as well as on the individual Korean teachers and administrators you will have to deal with (not to mention your attitude and expectations). Unless you know the school and these individuals already, whether or not you have a poor or a great experience is somewhat of a crapshoot.

In general, a public school will always: pay you on time, enroll you in the National Pension scheme, enroll you in the National Health Insurance, reimburse the full amount of airfare, and pay your severance.

You will probably have 'huge' classes (30-40 students) with widely varying levels of ability. Your co-teachers' English ability could range from 'fluent' to virtually nonexistant. Probably, the biggest determining factor will be the realtionship you develop with your main co-teacher/handler.