Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jiyull]

Sorry...if there has been a thread like this before...I couldn't find it.

What is exactly the difference?

Government = A bit more security? More required structured teaching plans?

Private School = more pay? Not as much emphasis on structure?

Hakwon = same question as private school, probably would not be as steady as the first two?



thanks in advance

[Whistleblower]

Government = Bend over and get paid.

Private = Bend over and get nothing.

[BS.Dos.]

When you say 'Private' what do you mean exactly? Private Public School or a Hagwan?

[jiyull]

ooh good point, I guess hakwon

I guess I would like a comparison for private schools, as well haha....

[Otherside]

In my experience between Hagwons and public schools is like comparing vinegar and champagne.

The salaries between public and hagwons are very similar, with hagwons being slightly higher across the board (although I'm earning a good chunk more with a MUCH better apartment at my PS).

The biggest benefits of working in a hagwon are:
1. small classes and higher levels students. From grade 3-6 at my hagwon about 90% of the students were equal or better than the top 10% at the PS.
2. Shorter working hours. Many hagwons say 5-6 teaching hours a day, but often this time is added to with prep etc - but its very possible to get a 6-7 hour working day vs 8 a public school.

On the other side, public schools have far fewer teaching hours, 22 classes a week (40min each at elementary level) vs 25-30 teaching hours a week at a hagwon (usually between 45-50min, but mine pulled the 60min stunt, so try comparing 88x40min classes a month vs 133x45min classes).
Public schools have much better vacation. 14 days is minimum, some areas offer more (Gyeonggi rural -19, Seoul -21 etc) and in some areas the vacation is huge (I believe Gangwondo offers 35 days). Hagwons almost always give you 10 days, and some are pretty sleazy with these days. (trying to slip weekends in etc). You also get a couple of bonus days throughout the year, school's birthday, and a few others here and there.

However, the biggest problem with Hagwons is the sleazyness factor, in a nutshell a large proportion of them fall somewhere between "dishonest" and "down right ripping you blind". Issues such as pension, medical and severance are often problems with hagwons, but VERY seldom (if ever) problems with public schools. I've also heard quite a few stories of teachers not being paid by their hagwons, not going to happen in a public school.

In terms of actually teaching: I prefered the hagwon, small classes kids, better students, no co-teacher (bless her) and a lot more 'creative licence' (my co-teacher wants to stick with the text book 100% - which has the benefit of minimal prep). However, from an admin point of view the hagwon sucked, parents will complain and its always your fault ( when you teach a 100 students and 2 complain...you are a bad teacher).

Forgive the rant, i'm a little bitter over the hagwon experience.

[jiyull]

Thank for the reply

excellent:)

[BS.Dos.]

Just to add add to the last but one post. Yeah, smaller class sizes are much, much better. The thing I've enjoyed most at my HS was Winter Camp and teaching 2-classes of ten students twice a day. You're just spread so much thiner in a normal 30+ class and you can often feel that you're not making any progress, which (I imagine) is one of the often over-looked positives of working at a Hagwon.

However, and having said that, you then have to ask yourself what's more important to you; your overall effectiveness as a language instructor or getting paid on time etc. For me, and as much as I try and do my best and am genuinely empathetic towards my students, having the piece of mind that I'm going to get what I'm due each month and on time are more important, hence why I'm working in a PHS.

The ground work you do now will pay you so much more a little further down the line. If you're going to go with a Hagwon make sure that you do everything possible to make sure that they are a decent outfit, in which case, that'll involve communicating with some of the previous teachers, not the current ones as they could be getting back-handers from the owners just to get you through the door. Don't trust the recruiters and don't trust the owners. As much as the FTs get tarnished by the few idiots over here every now and again, so the bad recruiters and bad hagwons tarnish the reputations of the good ones.

Unfortunately, you'll need to be extremely alert and spiky when dealing with these people, but if you conduct your research with a high degree of prejudice, then you may be saving yourself a load of grief and unpleasantness in about 6-months time, unpleasantness that should it appear, will probably sour what should really be a positive, memorable and worthwhile experience of living and working in Asia.

[jiyull]

cool thank you