Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Darkness]

What are the REAL advantages between the two, besides the obvious that you wont get ripped off at a public school...or at least you're less likely to get ripped off.

[Snowkr]

This is the pefect thread for me to participate in at this very moment as my last class of the day has just left and I'm here logging in 5 more office hours.

Hogwans seem to have the lowest appeal and worst reputations but I have to wonder if that is only because the people who have good experiences with them don't participate in this forum. Every teacher I've ever met in my country who has taught in a hogwan here has said it was an awesome experience.

I worked in a hogwan for a year. I didn't love it because I got burned out on teaching children but I still had an awesome experience. I wouldn't trade if for the world and I'd go back in a split second if it were an adult school.

Now I teach in a public high school. I love high school students. They are as young as I will ever go again but I don't like public school. Hours of sitting around when there are no classes has really been bothering me. I think public schools are probably wonderful for many people here but if you are a professional in the TESOL field, I think a hogwan actually may be the better option provided it is well managed.

There are good hogwans here. There are also good public schools here, but the teaching is so different. If you want to really get to know students on a personal level and sharpen your skills as an academic English teacher, be able to truly monitor progress and see real results, I can't see how public schools would be the place.

Then again... I'm sure there are those who would disagree. There are many much more seasoned teachers here who have been around in Korea a lot longer than I have.

Just don't be so quick to jump into public school teaching because you think hogwans are from the devil. I personally think that Walmart is from the devil but I don't avoid them all when I'm home.

Benefits appear better in public schools but hogwans can also negotiate if you're dealing with a reasonable director. They do exist here.

[Darkness]

What a great non-biased response. Thanks for that. They're are a ton of negative people here. I got burned at my last hogwon, they fired me right before my contract ended, so I'm just worried about missing out on the bonus etc this time. I've only had the one teaching job at a hogwon, and I didnt like it, cause the director's were ok, but the books sucked, and I wasnt properly trained. I am doing my TEFL and watching my g/f teach English (she's a certified teacher) and learning a lot, so I think I will be better for it. Seems like hogwons are great for people wanting small classes,and no early mornings. Public schools seem to be better for making "extra" money at night time....

So I guess it's a matter of perspective....

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Snowkr]

Urban Myth

I really wouldn't know about any other hogwans except for my own and I've only worked for one. My friends who worked in hogwans nearby were happy with their situations too. Guess I just tend to surround myself with contented people.

As for public school, I have no doubt that there are special circumstances which would make public school better even for me but my personal preference having done both now is going to be the hogwan.

For years I've refused to work in a public school in my own country... I think I was pretty unwise to think I could work in one here and be contented.

As with most things on the discussion board, it really all just comes back to each individual situation and perspective.

My expectations concerning actual teaching were entirely too high for the general public school opportunities here. It was my mistake.

[BS.Dos.]

I'm at a PS HS and am very happy.
My GF works at a Hagwon and she is very happy.

Our shared +/- are thus:

Class sizes
Hers 2 - 6.
Mine 28 - 30.
It's difficult to manage a class full of teenage boys when 50% of them aren't interested in what you're saying and would rather talk to the person sat next to them. Some days, it can leave you feeling very dejected.

Hours
Hers: 2 till 8/9 (she starts teaching at 16.30)
Mine 08.30 till 17.30
Her workload is considerably less than mine. I'm generally tired when I get home. She has every morning to gym it/shop/email etc

Holidays
Her: 10 days per year + national holidays
Mine: 28 + national holidays.

Pay
With my monthly OT from club activity lessons, I pull in 480,000 more than her per month. My basic is higher by 300,000 per month.

Happiness.
Her: Generally, she gets paid late every month by a few days, but has never not been paid. Moans about the food her boss serves up everyday.
Me: CTs English is pretty poor meaning even when I'm told what's going on, I still don't know what's actually happening. Couple of the other teachers are to$$ers.

Gold stars
Her: She loves teaching her adult classes and gets on very well with her CTs.
Me: Plenty of cancelled lessons. Very good rapport with my VP. Left alone to do what I want.

Right now, I wouldn't change places with anyone, even if the money was increased by 500,000 I'd still opt to stay where I am.

PSs are a good gig, as are the right Hagwons.

[schwa]

Since we're talking balance.

I've worked both.

I spent a couple happy years with a hagwon (an ECC). I enjoyed the small classes & never got stiffed on pay. It was work -- 6 classes straight every day with one week in winter & one week in summer off, but I got into the rhythm. I also liked the age ranges, going from young elementary to adults in the course of each day -- a pleasant variety. I could well have stayed longer. Friends who did started getting nice perks in terms of longer vacations & extra earning options.

I switched to public school when a friend here was giving up her job & suggested I might take over. I really debated it. A few less class hours a week vs huge classes. Relative isolation but more independence & more downtime & vacation time. As it turned out for me, a lot more fun too.

I've actually come to prefer large classes -- I feel like I can work my influence on a much larger number of students. But I'm also grateful for my hagwon experience, it afforded me a lot of insight into what makes these kids tick. My experience might have been altogether different jumping into public middle school cold.

But I've met a lot of first-time teachers doing fine in public schools too. Those doing best I could characterize as confident & outgoing (regardless of credentials) & not expecting their hand to be held at every step.

If you care about your students, either path can open into rewarding opportunities. But maybe public schools moreso.

[Voyeur]

It is just too hard to generalize nowdays esp. since Public School contracts seem to have become fairly differentiated in terms of how they are enforced.

If you get an old-school, non-government contract from a private school, or one of the more independent public schools, that has the FULL 4 months paid vacation with NO camps and that does not enforce your prep time (IOW as long as you are there for class, they don't monitor your office hours) then you have scored nicely. But those are pretty hard to find.

Hogwons are a riskier proposition - but you can mitigate a lot of that by doing your research. All-in-all, I'd take Hogwon over Public School on average. I just don't want to be on-site 40 hours a week.