Korean Job Discussion Forums

[R. S. Refugee]

I think the answer to that is obvious.

Many of us really like teaching. Doing the best we can, making the most progress we can with our students is a real turn-on (whatever their level, whatever the lack of a productive, organized English educational system). But when you have to spend as much time as we do (this board is a great example) wondering how an employer -- hogwon, uni, and, yes, even the public schools -- will screw you next, it is an extreme diversion from getting the best results as a teacher. This board quite well exemplifies that problem. How many posts relate to teaching issues on this "Job Forum" and how many relate to such issues as "How will I survive," "How will I have a place to live," "How will I get the money that was promised to me," "How will I be allowed to stay in the country?"

There is a needs hierachy. Food and shelter come before other considerations on Maslov's self-actualization pyramid. If the people you work for keep you focused, to a somewhat extreme degree, on worrying about food, shelter, and getting paid what was promised, it is not surprising that the amount of time and energy left for creative teaching will be somewhat truncated.

Today, one of my best students (i.e., one who can try to say something more complicated than "Hi Teacher") came and sat beside me at the bus stop. (He was actually going in the other direction but wanted to try communicating in English so sat on my side of the street until he saw his bus coming). He said (as best he could) that he was looking forward to being in an after-school drama class on Saturday mornings that he was told that I would be teaching.

I told him that things had changed and I would not be working on these every-other Saturday things after all. That was as much as I could say because his English is very limited and because it would be inappropriate for me to discuss office politics with a student.

The reality was that I had asked for grown-up housing (not college-student housing) as part of the deal when the ps asked me to renew my contract. And after telling me that they would find something suitable, they told me a month later, "Sorry, couldn't find anything bigger than 7-pyeongs you're in now(within our budget), so 7-pyeongs it is on your next 1-year contract.

So, now I will not do the unpaid 9 Saturday mornings that they requested of me over the next 6 months to get ready for the October school festival after all. I was willing to do a little give and take, but now their attitude is that it is all take.

My response is no. I will do what the contract requires and I will do it very well. But little extras, I don't think so.

I asked them for a letter of reference too since they always tell me how marvelous my teaching is. No, said they. Not now. Only when you've finished working here if we still like you.

How many Korean employers "still like your performance" when you tell them you're leaving for greener pastures?

Yes, this is a little rant.

[Draz]

Maybe if you'd negotiated a higher overtime rate to work Saturday instead of settling on $0, they wouldn't have thought they could get away with giving you a tiny craphole apartment. Maybe. I don't know, I'm not the king of Korea or anything but SATURDAYS. FOR FREE. What were you thinking? They do have a budget for overtime for you.

Also, where were you living before?? It was smaller than 7 pyeongs??

[R. S. Refugee]

[Draz]

[R. S. Refugee]

[pkang0202]

Different schools, different situations.

I terminated my contract with my old school early so that I could get a better job in time for their start date. Not only did my old PS give me a letter of reference, they told me that I'd always be able to come back if I wanted. Just give them a month notice.

So, what's wrong with the school refusing to give you a letter of reference until after you finish working for them?

Your room is 7 pyeong. Why don't you go to the Dongdaemun CO-OP residence where SMOE teachers stay and see how they react to you complaining about your "tiny apartment."

[R. S. Refugee]

[Unposter]

My two cents and that is all it is worth: If they won't give you a reference letter now, they probably won't give you one later.

Same things goes for the housing. Trust your instrincts on this one; they aren't going to give you anything more than they already have.

[TexasPete]

There's no incentive to being a good teacher here and in my contract in particular, there's no incentive to even get more qualifications. Why put in a ton of effort when the minimal suffices and still makes you look good? Why try really hard when we all know that our employers are (for the most part) looking to screw us over any way they can? It's not worth it (not even for pride's sake) to do my best every day. Having said that, i do actually try in this job and get a lot of satisfaction from it (especially seeing the little ones or shy ones speaking for the first time) but i'll be damned if i'll go crazy trying to do my best every day.

[aarontendo]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

I do a Satursay morning drama CA class. My house is about 900 square feet and I get some extra perks for doing it, too. It's wonderful to work at a school that has some understanding of the term reciprocation.

[DongtanTony]

My question is...OP...why didn't you negotiate before accepting the overtime?? Give and take...I fully support that position...but what were you getting...before they were taking??

For your situation...a new apartment sounds like it would have been worth a few months of Saturdays??

So now it sounds like you're backing out of a verbal agreement...you'll have very little chance of getting your letter, let alone any other type of renumeration for your services.

Go back to the negotiating table as fast as you can...if they still want you to do this program.

Good luck!!

[PGF]

Do you really need a reference letter from this school?

---Next time, look at the new apt., BEFORE agreeing to stay at a school.

Basically, you agreed to teach a class that exists in exchange for an apartment that does not exist.

-----don't trust these people....

if you let your guard down, you get screwed......they do it to their own on a regular basis....don't let them do it to you

[R. S. Refugee]

[Yu_Bum_suk]