Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wsiggins]

Just wondering why Gangwon do government positions give SO much vacation times to their teachers-

Paid Vacation: 35 Calendar Days + 12 National Holidays = 47 Paid Holidays
(Winter Break: 2 weeks + Spring Break: 1 week + Summer Break: 2Weeks = 5 Weeks/Annum)

I have been told it is incentive to attract teachers, but isn't that a heck of a lot of vacation for a public school teacher?

[bogey666]

[Gamecock]

I'm not in that province, but my small, rural school district has 6 weeks of vacation written into the contract (+2 more weeks if you re-sign). Yes, it's simply a matter of enticing teachers to come into the rural areas. A great majority of teachers want to live in Seoul, or at least an urban area.

I have to drive an hour to get to a movie theater or any of the big department/grocery stores like E-mart or Homeplus. And there aren't many other foreigners around. I love my life here- the clean air, lack of traffic, laid back nature of the people- but for many teachers it's far too quiet.

[jvalmer]

It's basically 30 days in January. Plus 2 to 3 weeks in February. They do that in the other rural provinces too. Especially if you work in a middle school. Most teachers don't want to be working in January or February, and will do all they can to get any required work and "english camps" done before December 31st. It's great, you can go traveling and still get your monthly salary.

[genezorm]

I am not in Gangwondo, but in a small city near it, at a private high school

7 weeks paid vacation and regular holidays

the vacation is pretty sweet compared to other jobs....and it's not really in the sticks per se, a city of about 150,000.....while its not seoul, i find it pretty comfortable....

i'm finished in august if anyone wants more details

[I_Am_The_Kiwi]

thats the minimum.

I know of people who get around 2 months over winter cos their schools are simply closed. And about a month or so in summer for the same reason. This is usually elementary or middle school though.
High school is not usually closed...extra study classes keep em open and they can make you come in if they want.

But 5 weeks is still pretty good in my book.

[schwa]

Comes to 7 weeks if you renew.

It was kind of a no-brainer really. When the province hatched its expansion plan (from 16 to 400 teachers in 2 years) the recruiters needed something extra to market Gangwondo. Why not turn idle time during school vacations into a contractual perk? Didnt cost a cent & it has proven a pretty effective benefit.

It forced districts & schools to tighten up & preplan vacation camps too.

National EPIK apparently wasnt too pleased but they got over it. Now other rural provinces are catching up in their offers so the search continues for new enticements that wont bankrupt the POE.

Theres a new focus on pitching "lifestyle." Gangwon really is a good fit for more adventuresome outdoorsy people & with the influx of new teachers the experience of living here isnt as isolating as in years gone by. There are sizable towns & cities with a good range of urban amenities too, but decidedly more low-key than Seoul. Some prefer that, & those people tend to get on pretty well here.

[pandapanda]

35 calendar days = 2 weeks in the summer, 3 in the winter. I get from Aug 1st -> Aug 17th off for paid vacation (10 working days) and also have about 10 days of camps.