Korean Job Discussion Forums

[fromtheuk]

Ever since I first discovered this forum, I have read countless threads on the subject of nightmare experiences working at a hagwon.

I am on the verge of starting my 2nd year of teaching in Korea, this will be at the same school, a public school.

Whenever, this topic is discussed, a handful of posters say there are some good hagwons out there.

If you're a newbie or have never worked at a hagwon and are considering it. I have the following advice.

Would you like to be run over by a truck? Would you like to be stabbed to death? Would you like to be eaten alive by a shark?

I ask these questions because I cannot understand why anybody who is mentally healthy would ever want to work at a hagwon, especially after they have read about the awful experiences people have had.

Fair enough, somebody may choose to work at a hagwon due to poor research. But, if somebody knows all of the dangers of working at a hagwon and then deliberately chooses to work there, what sympathy can they be entitled to, when they have consciously signed up to something they know may be total rubbish.

Finally, my advice is please, if you are mentally competent and have even an ounce of common sense, please, please don't work at a hagwon.

Get a public school job with GEPIK, EPIK, or SMOE, but please don't work at a hagwon. Here are some reasons why:

1) You may have to beg to just get paid, and even then you may not get paid.

2) Your passport may be taken from you.

3) You may be fired just before the end of your contract, in order to get out of paying your severance, which is an extra month's pay.

4) Your employer may not pay for your pension or medical insurance.

5) You may work longer hours than native teachers at a public school, and you will almost certainly receive less vacation time.

In summary, if you want to experience a slow, painful, miserable death, try a hagwon.

Alternatively, if you want a job where you have some stability, and know you will get paid and won't have to deal with shady bosses, try working for a public school.

[thegadfly]

This message paid for by the GEPIK, EPIK, and SMOE Recruitment Foundation -- "You're lucky to work here!"

[Ramen]

[Biblethumper]

Not just some good private schools. Many good private schools. But even at a bad one, and I have experienced two of them, life is not that bad.

Small classes with higher levels of English than typical for the age of the students.

Generally more academic freedom.

Hours are about the same: on average an eight hour day, just less hours sitting bored at a desk in an office full of gossiping Koreans, more with children whom you can at least tell to be quiet when necessary.

It is true about vacation time. However, my friends in public schools seem to work a fair number of special events on Saturdays and even occasionally Sundays.

[esetters21]

This post is preferrenced by someone (the OP) stating that they have never worked in a hagwon. This alone makes you unfit to make any claims or judgements as to why anyone should avoid them.

[Ramen]

[anyangoldboy]

fromtheuk...shut up and grow up you stupid little boy

[WoBW]

OP

Bollocks!

I have worked at three hagwons, and all of them were great. I'm at a public school now because I thought I'd try something different.

You know what? I'm really missing my hagwon jobs.

[Sody]

[Scouse Mouse]

I resigned from my GEPIK job today and feel great for doing so. It seems that 75% of my effirt in that job went into keeping the school happy and had nothing to do with educating. I was also getting a little frustrated at just how effective at teaching to classes of 40 kids in a dirt poor area of Korea.

I reckon a hagwon would give me a lot more satisfaction, and I wouldn't spend half my time completing bullshit tasks in order to put a smile on the face of people who never speak to me!

[garykasparov]

Bain Dae sent fromtheuk several jars of marmalade to write this on Daves.

[bombenhagen]

1) You may have to beg to just get paid, and even then you may not get paid.

I've been paid on time and in full for 16 months straight now

2) Your passport may be taken from you.

Was taken for a week while they got me my alien card and then was returned. My original diploma was given to me shortly after I arrive at the school on day one.

3) You may be fired just before the end of your contract, in order to get out of paying your severance, which is an extra month's pay.

This is my second year, don't see it happening

4) Your employer may not pay for your pension or medical insurance.

Not an issue. The school will even drive me to the pension office when I leave Korea for good.

5) You may work longer hours than native teachers at a public school, and you will almost certainly receive less vacation time

It's a job, not a vacation. I'm happy to work for my money. The diff in vacation time isn't a big deal to me.

All your post proves is that you spend your valuable extra free time making dumb assed posts on ESL Cafe. I'll take my private school over a public anyday. More money, smaller classes, and I work with loads of cool people from all over. If you are happy, I'm happy for you. Just get over yourself.

[mrsquirrel]

OP you do realise that only a tiny percentage of the teachers here actually look at this forum.....actually you probably don't.

[icicle]

I agree with the posters who have said that working in a Hagwon is not necessarily a bad thing ... I worked in a Public Middle School last year and am now teaching Kindergarten/Elementary in a Hagwon and to me it has very much been a positive change ... The smaller class sizes are great and I think end up leading to much more effective teaching ... I don't have to spend hours and hours each week sitting around with nothing much I have to do in relation to my work ... Even when I request it ... Yes ,,, I do end up with more actual teaching hours ... but to me that is a positive rather than a negative ...

Icicle

[mountainous]

There was a thread not too long ago that got DELETED...

It was about GEPIK and/or EPIK failing and refusing to pay salary....