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joshuahirtle27
Joined: 23 Mar 2008
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 Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:58 am Post subject: |
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| kprrok wrote: |
| The name on the front of the school means, nothing. Research the school and find out if it's good. That's good advice for any school you're looking at. If you can't talk to the current or past teachers, there's probably a reason and you want to look elsewhere. |
Exactly. |
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Creeface
Joined: 08 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:01 am Post subject: |
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damn, im waiting to hear back from SMOE, i had the interview 2 days ago.
should i just go with that? Ill be makin 1.8 as opposed to 2.1 at wonderland. |
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crusher_of_heads
Joined: 23 Feb 2007
Location: kimbop and kimchi for kimberly!!!!
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:02 am Post subject: |
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| Maserial wrote: |
| merkurix wrote: |
| ex-Wonderlander checking in. I worked in the Ilsan branch 5 years ago (when I didn't know any better). It wasn't bad. But it wasn't good either. There were a lot of extremely pointless tasks we had to do, the entire Korean teaching faculty turned over almost three times, and employee morale was not very high when I was there. Maybe now they've mended their practices, but when I was there, I had bit of a storm cloud looming over my head daily. The students, however, were lovely. It was rewarding to see a bunch of pre-schoolers who spoke only Korean at the beginning talking in nearly good English-only by the end of the year. |
I'll never forget the daily log of classroom 'accomplishments' that we were expected to fill out. Fun stuff. |
You know, after reading this post, I am tempted in the future to sign and say "I'm sorry, this is insipid, and I will not do it." Yeah it's a lot of hassle, but damn it would be worth it. |
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joshuahirtle27
Joined: 23 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:03 am Post subject: |
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| I"m getting 2.1 at WL... I probably could have got 2.2 I was offered a job at 2.2 but had to turn it down before WL. I'd do some research. |
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Monkey82
Joined: 18 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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The pay difference is not worth losing all your benefits and only having 9 days paid vacation. Wonderland will push you as far as they can with out destroying their own reputation. The best thing I can say about them is they won't rape you...physically. Even the people posting positive reviews are saying as much. If there are differences between branches that's temporary, they're trying to unify policy across the board. When you ask about pension etc. they'll say its wonderland corporate rules and that foriegners don't deserve benefits. Don't believe the lies, they will say anything to new teachers. Hell, I would say anything on the phone to new teachers just to get some new staff so I can stop teaching 11+ classes a day.
I could write pages about this and a lot worse but I don't want to be identified.
You're stupid if you don't stay away after reading this forum. |
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dean_burrito
Joined: 12 Jun 2007
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:16 pm Post subject: |
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in defense of wonderland.
it is not a bad first job. you will get paid. you work more classes than other schools sure but the extra classes are things like sword fighting, art, cooking, and other activity based classes. you also get to go on a field trip once a month.
there is some false information i read earlier. like not getting paid or having to work on national holidays. that is false. you also get one week paid vacation in summer and one in winter.
and whoever that is that was saying they were offered 2.1 you should negotiate that for sure. you will get more.
but after you are in korea you will hear about a lot better jobs. that is the truth. you will also hear about jobs that are much worse. wonderland being a franchise means that one owner will be dependent on the other.
also it means one person's criticisms can affect the entire chain.
now if you are a person that likes absolutes in their life and being filled in on any information that you may feel is important i wouldn't even bother coming to korea, be it wonderland or elsewhere. |
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TDR
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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| The FRANCHISE has gotten some bad raps over the years but it's like judging all McDonalds on finding 1 hair at one location. |
My, my, what a huge understatement. It's like judging all McDonalds after many people you know went to many different McDonalds and each one was served a burger with a dead rat in it. That's more like it.
My ex-girlfriend worked at a Wonderland here in Busan and I've never heard of more total bullshi* from a hagwon. Extra classes on top of extra classes, paid late, docked pay for minor infractions, less vacation days than in the contract, a hostile boss, very little to no discipline and it goes on and on.
My ex got pneumonia very badly and was hospitalized for almost two weeks. The school had to hire someone to stand in. This guy realized they were desperate for a fill-in teacher and so he negotiated a higher daily salary than my ex was being paid. They not only docked her pay for the days that she was in the hospital but they also took out the extra money they were paying this guy. She was having to pay for being in the hospital, for chrissake. She came out in the red for that month, that's for damn sure.
Monkey82 said:
| Quote: |
| The pay difference is not worth losing all your benefits and only having 9 days paid vacation. Wonderland will push you as far as they can with out destroying their own reputation. The best thing I can say about them is they won't rape you...physically. Even the people posting positive reviews are saying as much. |
I completely agree. |
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dean_burrito
Joined: 12 Jun 2007
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:59 pm Post subject: |
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| TDR wrote: |
| Quote: |
| The FRANCHISE has gotten some bad raps over the years but it's like judging all McDonalds on finding 1 hair at one location. |
My, my, what a huge understatement. It's like judging all McDonalds after many people you know went to many different McDonalds and each one was served a burger with a dead rat in it. That's more like it.
My ex-girlfriend worked at a Wonderland here in Busan and I've never heard of more total bullshi* from a hagwon. Extra classes on top of extra classes, paid late, docked pay for minor infractions, less vacation days than in the contract, a hostile boss, very little to no discipline and it goes on and on.
My ex got pneumonia very badly and was hospitalized for almost two weeks. The school had to hire someone to stand in. This guy realized they were desperate for a fill-in teacher and so he negotiated a higher daily salary than my ex was being paid. They not only docked her pay for the days that she was in the hospital but they also took out the extra money they were paying this guy. She was having to pay for being in the hospital, for chrissake. She came out in the red for that month, that's for damn sure.
Monkey82 said:
| Quote: |
| The pay difference is not worth losing all your benefits and only having 9 days paid vacation. Wonderland will push you as far as they can with out destroying their own reputation. The best thing I can say about them is they won't rape you...physically. Even the people posting positive reviews are saying as much. |
I completely agree. |
None of the above is a Wonderland policy. I would stay away from that school though. New folks should always talk to someone from the a school before signing the dotted line. |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 8:01 pm Post subject: |
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| dean_burrito wrote: |
in defense of wonderland.
it is not a bad first job. you will get paid. you work more classes than other schools sure but the extra classes are things like sword fighting, art, cooking, and other activity based classes. you also get to go on a field trip once a month.
there is some false information i read earlier. like not getting paid or having to work on national holidays. that is false. you also get one week paid vacation in summer and one in winter.
and whoever that is that was saying they were offered 2.1 you should negotiate that for sure. you will get more.
but after you are in korea you will hear about a lot better jobs. that is the truth. you will also hear about jobs that are much worse. wonderland being a franchise means that one owner will be dependent on the other.
also it means one person's criticisms can affect the entire chain.
now if you are a person that likes absolutes in their life and being filled in on any information that you may feel is important i wouldn't even bother coming to korea, be it wonderland or elsewhere. |
Everyone who knows many expats in Korea knows someone who didn't get the pay to which they were entitled by a Wonderland franchise. There may be the odd Wonderland that is mediocre but to say that there are worse jobs is simply deceptive. Wonderland is *the* worst franchise chain in Korea, plain and simple.
Indeed, it's quite a bit different from chains like GnB that will just sell their name and (crappy) books to anyone. There are systemic flaws at everly level that manifest themselves in most Wonderland branches. There are enough trends that owners who purchase Wonderland and teachers who work for them should realise that they are contributing to the proliferation of one of the worst types of education sold in Korea. |
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Creeface
Joined: 08 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 8:15 pm Post subject: |
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so let me know if i am understanding this correctly,
although I have directly spoken with three foreign teachers (from the USA) who seem to be satisfied with the school, i should continue looking simply because the name of the school is "wonderland".... is this what everyone is trying to say? |
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dean_burrito
Joined: 12 Jun 2007
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 8:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Creeface wrote: |
so let me know if i am understanding this correctly,
although I have directly spoken with three foreign teachers (from the USA) who seem to be satisfied with the school, i should continue looking simply because the name of the school is "wonderland".... is this what everyone is trying to say? |
If you want to be in the "in-crowd" when you get here you better accept a job that offers no less than 3.5 million per month and offers at least 4 months of vacation.
Otherwise you are getting screwed and will not be a respected poster on Dave's. |
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NightSky
Joined: 19 Apr 2005
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 9:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Creeface wrote: |
| the director (very hot korean woman) ? |
cause that's important. 
sign the contract and get what you deserve. |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 9:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Creeface wrote: |
so let me know if i am understanding this correctly,
although I have directly spoken with three foreign teachers (from the USA) who seem to be satisfied with the school, i should continue looking simply because the name of the school is "wonderland".... is this what everyone is trying to say? |
Which branch is it and have you done a search on that particular branch? Do the three Americans with whom you spoke represent the entire staff? Have you considered the possibility that they may be understaffed and in desperate need of someone else to help ease the burdon? Have you contacted them via a confidential medium (e.g. email) or by telephone at work when their boss or supervisor may have been listening?
It's entirely possible that you've had an offer from one of the few 'OK' Wonderlands. However, if nothing else, if you plan to teach EFL for a while and ever want a job at a university or professional hagwon that has a foreigner help with hiring, your employement with Wonderland on your CV will be viewed as one year of babysitting, not teaching, experience. |
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joshuahirtle27
Joined: 23 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 3:38 am Post subject: |
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| dean_burrito wrote: |
If you want to be in the "in-crowd" when you get here you better accept a job that offers no less than 3.5 million per month and offers at least 4 months of vacation.
Otherwise you are getting screwed and will not be a respected poster on Dave's. |
I want 3.5... |
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joshuahirtle27
Joined: 23 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 3:43 am Post subject: |
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As far as looking for another school just because it's a Wonderland, the idea is completely absurd. IF THE FOREIGN TEACHERS aren't saying anything bad then it must be an okay place to work. Sure you may be overworked but that is HAGWON life and I refuse to believe that it is any different at another school with another franchise affiliation.
The NE Teachers at this Wonderland are saying this privately right. They aren't just saying this because they have to. |
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