Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Rue_Meridian]

I am currently teaching here in Korea for a man who I think must be related to the facist dictator Stalin himself. I will probably finish this contract (if he doesn't continue to break it every bloody chance he gets ) But hey, the one thing I have learned is to do MORE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH and not to believe a single word of the "what we have to offer" section of Job Posts. Anyway with that little rant aside I want to see what the populos (sp?) thinks of the Hagwons in this country (I mean, I have read a lot about CRAP schools but surely there must be a few good ones out there). I want to continue teaching in Korea but I must escape this regime of terror if I am to survive!

[katydid]

I think since there are like 3 hagwans on every block, even if we tried a survey, it would not be an accurate representation of how the hagwans are here. I know...Lost Seoul (?) keeps a white and black list of hagwans. He might be the guy to PM if you really want to do your research. Also, don't be shy to ask other people here what they think about the hagwans they worked at.

[TECO]

Anyone here teaching for BERLITZ?

I personally despise the company and management but met some nice people teaching there.

Are the 2 renegade male teachers still there who refuse to wear their ties? LOL!!

[schwa]

Impossible question. Theres all shapes & sizes & they can change their stripes overnight. If youre jobhunting you winnow it down to the best on offer that suit your needs & question teachers there now. Dont underestimate your own influence on a scene either. A lot of jobs start out neutral & your input can sweeten or sour the deal.

[busan_boy2000]

From my limited experience in Korea so far and with Hagwons it seems like as long as they are franchised out to whover can afford to buy one, that it is next to impossible to judge. Pagoda for example seems to get high reviews but this can change from location to location.

Are there Hagwons that are run like, say, Starbucks - with area managers and a strict set of managment guidlines to follow ect? I don't know the answer - but imagine once a few start to run the whole franchise from a macro perspective and all that western bussiness managment/eco stuff we learned/experienced or maybe just heard about catches on in a big way here - inevitable - things will change.

But then where will the love be when that happens?

[kimchiqueen]

My hogwan is the best. Been here for 2.5 years if that says anything...and I'm FIERCELY loyal to my boss. He and his wife are good people. It's a small town (Nonsan), small hogwan (I'm the only foreigner).
Granted, last minute class changes, and sometimes there are things that aggravate me, but I have 100% backing in EVERYTHING I do, and it's been proven time and time again. Perhaps it's because it's NOT franchised and impersonal...we all work together.
I'm a lucky girl.

[Mosley]

Please don't slander the good names of all us honest, decent fascists. Stalin was a COMMUNIST dictator....

[princess]

ECC sure isn't one of them. I don't see how my friend has lasted at an ECC for 6 years. I was making more money in my second year than she was in her fifth year with an ECC branch.

[wormholes101]

[Butterfly]

Note how nobody will list a name and say that it is good because nomatter what hagwon you put up here, someone will come back and say the opposite. ECC is a classic, some have a great time at ECC others have the worst time, and of course much depends on the expectations and attitude of the teacher. It's endless and boring. At the end of the day you just have to take a chance, talk to the other teachers at the school, leave some room for your own 'feeling' about it and just get on with it. Some of it will just come down to luck. There is no failsafe method of securing a job in Korea.

[riverboy]

Perhaps I should not be so hard on the Franchise, but I heard horror stories from all ove Korea. My former Wonderland(Pupyong in Incheon) Works the hell out if thier teachers. They have this silly volunteer clause which essentially says that you work free overtime.
The sinker, however, is the fact that they would not give me a good reference because my mother died and I left three months early. They were, in fact, punishing me because my friend, who was there for three years, wanted to leave becuase his mother came down with cancer and they fired him.

[Bulsajo]

[Lost Seoul]

[crusher_of_heads]

[twg]