Korean Job Discussion Forums

[curtiscurtis]

Hello!!! Okay... I posted on the forums about my job being a LOAD of work before and in comparison to everyone who replied IT WAS!

However... It was WAAAY better than it is NOW... My Director changed the schedule and listen to THIS!

I make 2.1 Million Won a month. I have paid housing.

My work hours are from 9:30am - 6:35pm

on Monday Wednesday Friday I teach 9.5 forty minute classes.

On Tuesday and Thursday I have 8.5 forty minute classes.

My director expects a LOT of preparation.... I have a tonne of marking to do... For each class I have to carry out an 8 minute quiz each day that I have to prepare. I have to keep track of attendance...

I have loads of paper work that I have to keep organized on my LITTLE tiny *beep* desk. My director is always on my case about teaching the curriculum which is next to USELESS. He doesn't want me to use any supplements!

The director is very strict that we always talk and NEVER let the kids speak Korea! He often watches the security Cameras and gives us shit if we let the kids deviate from what he expects... One time I came into the office and he was watching a Camera recorded class that I was teaching and I was really PO'd!

No I am an open minded individual who wants to grow from shitty experiences rather than just quit... But honestly I don't want to get taken advantage of... It's guaranteed that I can not work this crazy schedule but I want to know how screwed over I'm getting in comparison to everyone else.... I'm going to have a meeting with him so any Korean negotiating tactics would be appreciated as well!

Let me know how bad I'm getting ripped and tell me what to do and I will do it!!! Thanks all

[ttompatz]

How bad are you getting ripped off?

Well, a newbie teacher in the public system gets 2.0-2.1 + housing + medical + pension + 3-6 weeks paid holidays + 15 days sick leave + national holidays and no weekend or holiday work

AND

only teaches 22 * 40 minute classes each week and has a maximum of 40 hours per week (sometimes much less) in the school (8:30-4:30 job).

I think you will be looking for a new job next year.

The rest of the nonsense you get is par for the course in Korea and you will get that or some other equivalent form of crap at just about any job.

.

[drunkenfud]

I'll leave the real experts to supply the negotiating tactics.

Advice? Get a public school job. It's easy to do quickly if you're not focussed on a specific area. Don't worry about the 2 hiring dates throughout the year, there are ALWAYS schools hiring. I started work at my school in June 2007, 1 month before summer vacation. All you need to get a new visa is a letter of release from your hagwon, which you SHOULD get if you give them 1 months notice. Of course, if your director is a (insert swear word here) it may not be so simple!

A public school job (GEPIK at least) will entail 22 teaching hours per week, and having to be in the school Monday to Friday from 8.30-4.30 or 9-5. You will get 14 days holiday, 19 if you work in a rural area. If your school is cool, you may get extra holidays, or at least reduced hours during vacation (I had to come in at 10, teach a class at 11, and leave at 12). Your salary will depend on experience, but should be 2mil for no experience, 2.1 for 1 year, and an extra 100k if you're working in a rural area.

This sounds like a better deal than you have now.

Good luck

[funkywinkerbeans]

Sounds like a Poly school schedule!

That's alot of work! Can only do it so long before you burn out! Presonally, I've never had a problem if they want to tape, but others find it infuriating!

[I-am-me]

Get out of there quickly!!! Tell them your mom died or something. Out of my 4 years here at hagwon, this is first time I will be teaching 7/40 minute classes twice a week. Today was hell.

[Otherside]

Well, you asked.
Public schools ask for 22x40 minute classes a week (elementary) vs your 44-45x40minute classes a week. So you're teaching double. Sounds like you got shafted on the ol' "30 ***hours*** a week deal, where they say its 30 classes of 45-odd minutes and then when push comes to shove they turn around and say 30x60=1800 so 45x40minute classes. My old Hagwon did that.

Also, 9:30-18:30, sounds like your school is taking liberties with a 10:00-18:00 job. My old Hagwon did that. Started out as a 2-9, then I was told to come in early 1-9, then they gave me overtime, and I didn't have time to prep so 12:30-9.

About the prep/curriculum. You are forced to stick to the curriculum 100%, (usually I had abour 35minutes content for a 45min class) BUT then they also expect quizzes, games, tests etc, which meant I'd struggle to cover the content in time. Not to mention the curriculum required little more than a brief look-over but if a detailed lesson plan wasn't presented for each class there'd be hell to pay. My old Hagwon did that.

Keeping track of attendence was fun - I'd have to fill in the attendence sheet for each class, yet the director/administrator would come and check my class for attendence anyways. If students were going to be absent and they let the school know, I'd usually find out about after the fact. (Was great during summer camp season where i'd prepared a couple of cool activities for my 8 student class, to have 2 show up.)

Fortunatly, we never had cameras in the class, I had the director peering through the window for a few minutes a couple of times a day though.

Let me guess, your contract is very vague (on working hours, preparation etc.) and your director is exploiting you for that. All in all, sounds like a typical "first-year hagwon sucker deal". Sounds very similar to my old job, many of my friends' jobs and a lot of the jobs advertised on this site with "move along" written between the lines. Yup, it sucks. How far are you into your contract? If your still in first half, I'd get out if possible (The situation will most likely degenerate to the point where your posting in 3 months saying "how much better your current situation is than this one"). If you're nearing the end, just stick it out and learn from it for next time.

[Mix1]

Considering your workload AND the fact that your boss constantly rides you...I'd say you have it pretty bad.

Any weakness, perceived or real, will be exploited by your boss. If you act like a sheep, you will be treated like a sheep. That doesn't mean you can go waltzing into the meeting like some badazz though.
Take a stand. Phrase it something like you want to do your best for the company, but the workload is too high and it is affecting the quality of the classes. Tell him you are a good teacher who tries hard, and that very few teachers could be able to work like you do. Also mention that some institutes would probably employ two teachers to do the job you are doing. This might get him off your back some.
And after that, if you really want to take a chance, you could set some conditions like longer breaks or shorter classes or whatever. But as your boss is a control freak, be aware that this could cause major friction. At any rate, stop being such a pushover.

[Hanson]

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=115595

[shifty]

That's one horrendous schedule.

Don't attempt to appease the situation by asking the director how he can improve matters. Rather fix it by taking and maintaining the initiative.

Meet with above-named, say in the following words: "I'm thinking of quitting". Pause, let his anxiety grow. Then, "I must have, I want only 300 minutes a day teaching. And no preptime. My total time must be six hours."

Speak little, look resigned.

He will bluster of contracts and you reply, "I don't care about contracts", it's a lingo that K's wholeheartedly understand. Repeat doggedly what you want and need. He will attempt a rearguard salvage action.

Graciously submit that cameras may be maintained, but thereupon, bring up the quizes. No more o' that. He won't have further stomach for bonanzas, when he gets fresh demands every time that he opens his mouth. Gird youself to refight the battle later, so don't walk out of the meeting all euphoric, b/c once he's digested matters, he'll try something. But by then you'll be au fait with the medicine.

1. 300 contact mins per day
2. Total six hours on the premises.
3. Quizes as when and if.
4. Any more guff and I walk.

[tomato]

[Oreovictim]

Your jobs sounds like crap, but it's not as if you need to hear it from me. How much time do you have left in your contract? If it's a couple of months, I'd stick it out. If it's nine months or something ridiculous like that, than, well, as they say in Thailand, "Up to you."

If you're considering doing a second year in Korea, just remember to question the hell out of the other teachers via phone and find out how much prep time is involved. I like very little or no prep time.

Good luck with your situation.

[spliff]

I always finish my classes by noon, some days before that and one day a week no classes. I'd say you should be getting 3mill for that schedule...way too many classes. Hope you can handle stress well...

[ED209]

[TheChickenLover]

I was given a schedule this week that I knew would be very hard to do. Being tired everyday & potential burnout is not an acceptable state of affairs to be in.

If your boss is asking too much, simply say no.

I refused my schedule this week. I was prepared to leave over it (I had actually packed up half my stuff & it's now in my home). When I work, I work well, but I won't accept too much for the sake of appearances that will drain me, lower my classes & make me get home so tired I just want to watch TV then sleep. There are better positions out there.

End result, they lowered my classes & I start only 1 day @ 9am & the rest between 10-11am (which I come in about 30min beforehand). Though they have 'asked' me to stick around. I politely meet them half way. I stay long enough, but the teacher's room is so noisy that I politely tell them that sitting for hours on end in a very noisy room is not healthy nor appropriate. If they want me to stay the full session, I will require a quiet office. They can't provide the office, so I'm out usually between 3-4pm

My classes have been full of energy. I get enough sleep & enjoy working again.

Go figure.

Your case is a clear example of just giving you more work to do without the realization that you may not be able to sustain it. He risks nothing since he will probably be expecting to replace you after 1 year or so. Sorta 'fresh meat' to replace the worn out employee.

My advice, simply state that you are not able to do this much work. It's not an option, clearly state the fact that you are not available to do this much. If he bends, you're ok. If not, you'll get fired & can get a more suitable position.

Trust me on this one, you can't lose.

Chicken

[Hanson]