Korean Job Discussion Forums

[aboxofchocolates]

I have been here for a year and I have yet to hear of one single person working at a hagwon who has not been lied to, had contracts broken, been fired shortly before their end of work term, had pay withheld for unknown reasons, had big and small sums of money stolen from them, worked without pay, not given medical and pension, threatened when they refused to resign, etc. Not one single, solitary person has told me they finished with no problems. Are all the lucky ones in Thailand now, sipping margaritas on the beach living like kings on their earnings? Is their one person with a good story?

[Tarkaan]

The guy I replaced loved it here. The only thing I've gone into my pocket for was $1 for a deck of cards so the students could show me how to play "One Card".

[WoBW]

Absolutely no problems at all with my last two hagwons. I'm at a privately owned public school now, and even with all the vacations I get now I miss my last hagwon. That was a happy time for me.

[RJjr]

All good here.

[cazzy3]

i'm a little curious. what is a privately owned public school?

hagwons are generally hit/miss. the one i worked at 5 years ago treated me fairly, but when he had a female teacher, he often tried to manipulate the wording in the contract. there are some good ones out there, but they're hard to find.

[westport]

My hakwon's been fine with me.

[Ya-ta Boy]

[Zaria32]

The OP has been doing some very selective reading.

Almost every time someone posts a "don't ever work at a hogwon" sort of thing, many of us pop up to say that we've not been lied to, cheated, etc, and in fact have had very good hogwon experiences. I've worked at two very different hogwons, and both have been terrific experiences. Both of my bosses have been honest and honorable.

[IncognitoHFX]

I had a good hagwon and a good boss. The student's behaviour was terrible, but aside from that I had no problems. I even got paid my full bonus plus salary when the school shut down a month before my contract ended!

[poet13]

A public private school is actually also called a hakwon. It's a school that operates the same as a regular public school in almost every way. One exception is that they are privately owned. The school I work for is in a family/company of five schools. The teachers also aren't required to move on after 5 or so years as they are in a regular public school. This is both a good and a bad thing. I don't know of any other differences. As a foreigner teacher, I don't the difference affects us....but then again, I haven't worked in a regular public school.

[articulate_ink]

I didn't enjoy working at my hagwon during my first year in Korea but they did handle the financial and contractual matters honestly.

[aboxofchocolates]

[DongtanTony]

http://www.geocities.com/hagwonblacklist/

That's the blacklist.

There is actually a green list of sorts....someone else may be able to help.

There was a thread maybe a week or two ago.....something about rating hagwons....I checked it out once...there weren't that many hagwons listed...but generally good feedback.

Can anyone help?? What's the site I'm thinking of???

And.....yes OP, I'm at a good school too....and was last year as well.

[saw6436]

10 years working at Hagwons and only been paid late one time (one day late). No complaints.

[Ebes]

@ the OP

THANK YOU

this site sorely needs some love, and is especially daunting for newbs. Its noce that all the resources you need are here, and a community to hashi thing out with, but sometimes, the negativity of a public forum can feel like drowning.