Korean Job Discussion Forums

[IncognitoHFX]

So, I'm working on a little theory. Well, it's not little and it's not really a new theory.

My theory is that people who work in the public school system generally are more satisfied with their their job, housing situation and ultimately more satisfied with their pay than hagwon teachers.

So why do people choose hagwons over public schools most of the time, especially when the public schools are so desperate for teachers?

It all boils down to carrots. Hagwons do pay more (if they pay you on time / at all) and require you to work less hours (teach more, be at the school less). Also, hagwons have more a freedom and less responsibility, which is idyllic for half you dolts.

There are good hagwons, which I do admit, but if hagwons were taken out of the equation all together, would people really complain about Korea nearly as much as they do now?

Let the numbers speak for themselves.

(There are two repeats in the polls... I wanted many more poll options, but sadly Dave's is using the same code used to generate the vector graphics for the movie Tron).

[nautilus]

At hogwons you don't have to deal with co-teacher issues...

[Tathen]

Hagwon = More money, shorter hours.

Public school = More vacation, more security.

If you are able to pre-judge and screen a potential hagwon before hand, and professionally handle any unjust situation that arises, hagwons have a much larger potential for personal benefit then a public school by far.

Mind you, I'm biased as I'm married with an F-2. Basically my wife can assist me, along with the freedom of my visa, to get out of any bad hagwon situation I might find myself in. So, there is little risk for me, with a lot of financial gain to be considered.

If I were unmarried, I would probably take a public school. Though the idea of being stuck there for 8hours isn't appealing, when I can make more money at a hagwon for less work. Anyway, I'm not experienced enough with Korea to make sure a Hagwon is a safe bet before hand to risk it if I weren't on an F-2, unless it was given a reference as a good hagwon by someone I knew.

Honestly, we can't really just put all hagwons and all public schools into one category each. I hear plenty of problems on both sides. It all just comes down to personal skill related to judging and handling the situation, and of course, a large amount of luck.

Play the odds I suppose, there is a risk vs reward issue to consider.

~Tathen

[Draz]

[Starla]

[alex83]

[Draz]

[ReeseDog]

[Draz]

[moosehead]

hey OP there are also private schools - I work at a private elem

small classes for E; minimizes stress - tho we do have our share - longer vaca than hakwons but we do camps also - reliable pay, pension, insur

pay scales vary but all in all, I think private schools work out the best of the lot.

[Biblethumper]

A teacher at a private English school who is actually doing his job will work as many hours as a public school teacher, because classes must be prepared, homework and tests prepared and marked, and report cards made. Those private English school teachers who seek short hours essentially want something for nothing: let them work at McDonalds.

[toph]

@OP: You should also take into account the fact that more people answered for the public school questions than did the hagwon questions.

Also, upon viewing the survey, it seems that the answers were fairly even in terms of satisfaction-rate for both school-types.

And yes, I do believe that there would still be a lot of the complaints we see on here if hagwons were taken out of the equation. Mostly because many of the whiners suffer from an extreme form of culture shock, which they then blame on their school.

Unfortunate, and unnecessary.

[Illysook]

I worked my not so little behind off at my hagwon last year. My public school job is a walk in the park in comparison. I've also got a much better apartment. I got paid a couple hundred thousand won more last year, but I don't miss it one bit!

[tophatcat]

bump

[AsiaESLbound]

If you get in a large public school, it will be long busy tiring days. Not only will you have a full schedule, you will constantly be barraged with loud, "hello," and have little to no space and quiet during your 1 to 2 sitting hours a day. The 35 student classes can give you a real headache and actually hurt your ears. Because it's a big school with many pressures, they are competing very hard to the point it becomes burn out over the dreaded stress of how aggressive students react to being pressured to perform under less than ideal conditions. I take it a large school is less likely to support you, except that they offer more teaching facilities such as a dedicated English classroom and a co-teacher or two that can speak some English fairly well who will teach English with you. Co-teaching is a double edged sword, because that co-teacher is competing to produce work that is hers only so you are in effect, pitted from the get go. We are in a very competitive school with a vertical organization structure with military style dictatorship for management.

I got a not so good tiny apartment that's has more than 3 serious issues going for it seriously effecting my quality of life and even my work, but they just say, "Ah, that's too bad." Issues like insane weeknight noise, no fresh air, thieves trying your door, strange men showing up any time and just trying the knob to walk in, a lack of privacy to feel content, and faulty plumbing among other things. They do not care about your well being and well just tell you, "Ah, that's too bad, no we can't." Even something as simple as requesting a fan for the classroom, because it's too warm is met with a, "Ah, that's too bad, no we don't have." Even a simple suggestion that will help the students as well such as putting a fan in the classroom is met with opposition and not considered. It's not about teachers nor us, but is about the top brass's interests more so than even the students. It's a JOB, not pleasant good living.