Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Kiwi Tart]

Are international school positions better than Hagwons, and how do you get them?
What schools are considered "international" schools, like KIS?


Thanks

[Konglishman]

International schools are absolutely better than hagwons. Lets put this in a hierarchy of jobs.

Universities
International Schools
Public Schools
Hagwons

In order to qualify to work as a teacher at an international school, you usually need a teaching certificate and some previous teaching experience. However, sometimes, you still get a job at one of the less known international schools without a teaching certificate.

For one thing, you will be working regular hours. 8AM-4PM would be a typical schedule. About half of that time, you would not be teaching. Instead, you would doing preparation for classes such as making lesson plans.

In terms of vacation, 14 to 15 weeks of paid vacation is the norm for well established international schools. Some schools offer less since they might require you to teach a summer session. In my case, I have 9 full weeks of paid vacation. If you add up the regular holidays plus some additional odd days we are given off, then you would end up concluding that I have 11 and half weeks of paid vacation.

Of course, the final advantage is that you will be teaching a subject of your expertise. Thus, unless you majored in English or some related field, you will not be teaching English. Essentially, international schools are for the education of "foreigners". Of course, in reality, many of these "foreigners" are actually Koreans who have lived abroad for a while. But generally speaking, most of them are fluent in English.

[Manticore]

Would anyone care to state any international schools they know about in the Seoul area?

Thx

[Konglishman]

Seoul Foreign School
Korea International School
Yangsan International School
Seoul International School
Asia Pacific International School

These are some of the more well known international schools in the Seoul area. Incidentally, next year, a new international school is probably going to open in New Songdo City.

[PRagic]

Konglishman, you are a kind soul. OP, try..YAHOO.COM, MAMMA.COM, MSN.COM!