Korean Job Discussion Forums

[zipperhead2]

Hi folks. I've heard much about S.M.O.E. If you've dealt with them please give me a thumbs uo, or a thumbs down. Thanks!!

[Yu_Bum_suk]

They won't give you a letter of release if you feel you cannot continue at your school but would like to try another job in Korea. This means you cannot change jobs until your contract with them would be up. For this reason alone you should go with a different government placement agency.

[esetters21]

Hmmm..let's see. I taught 8 classes last week with a day off for national testing and was able to leave early 2 days. In my previous hakwon I taught on average 40 classes a week and had to make up vacation days on Saturdays.

[pkang0202]

It really depends on what school you end up at.

Its a crapshoot. You might get lucky and go to an awesome school that lets you stay home when there are no classes, gives you a bigass apartment, and leaves you alone.

You might end up at a school that likes to micromanage everything you do, and treat you like you OWE them a favor because they "let" you work at their school.


Generally, SMOE main office won't help you out until you go through the proper channels first. Meaning, if you have issues, you take it up with your VP/prncipal. If that doesn't work, you go to your district supervisor. IF that doesn't work, then you contact SMOE main office.

Even then, SMOE main office has a hire and forget policy. Once you are hired, you are no longer important because they've done their job and putting you at a school.


Seems to be more red tape with SMOE too. With GEPIK, if you wanted to renew, you school just asked. With SMOE you have to pass an Open class, have a performance review signed off by your school admins, and then interviewed again at the SMOE main office.


On a positive note, I worked in GEPIK before, and SMOE is definitely better.

[Bibbitybop]

SMOE is going downhill. It's getting bigger, but they aren't staffing anymore people in the SMOE office. SMOE doesn't fix problems, many have existed from the beginning of the program. SMOE has a lot of gray area in the contracts. SMOE lets principals and district supervisors treat foreigner teachers like garbage.


But like pkang said, if you get in a good school, you'll be fine. 21 business days of vacation is a better than other public schools or hogwans.

[suge]

i would NEVER renew my contract with SMOE.

[Seoul'n'Corea]

[Bibbitybop]