Korean Job Discussion Forums

[DIsbell]

Hi all! Newbie here looking at a first job offer with the school in the title. I searched and found some topics about other SLP schools, but not this one in particular, so I felt it was worth asking. It seems like SLP doesn't have the greatest reputation, but it seems part of that is due to the 8 hour shifts- but looking at their site, the 8hours a day covers breaks and prep time, giving you about 28 40 minute classes a week. Is that good/bad, normal/abnormal?

A Seoul location has some appeal, and the salary isn't terrible. Any thoughts or experiences would be welcome.

[ttompatz]

[DIsbell]

alright, thanks for the advice. I'll be passing on this offer.

[egrog1717]

From all the SLP contracts I've seen, people call it the Slave Labour Program for a reason

[Adventurer]

Sometimes, when I think of the SLP program, I think they should send in some GIs to liberate the foreign teachers from slavery. I haven't heard good things about SLP except for one in Cheonan. I knew a girl who ended up doing a midnight run recently after working at an SLP.

[timmeh]

I've worked at this exact school. The only reason SLP still exists is because of the teachers who bust their asses everyday. I'd advise against the SLP chain. You'll work a ton of hours with minimal holidays.
I still know a majority of the teachers there and needless to say most are not planning on renewing their contract.

Keep shopping around! Goodluck!

[waynehead]

AUD - Avoid Unless Desperate. This should apply to all SLPs.

[DIsbell]

Thanks for all the tips, here and in PMs.

Has anyone heard anything about EOS in Suwon?

[ttompatz]

[jakeh0723]

I will soon be starting my 3rd contract at SUNGBUK-GU SLP. I am incredibly satisfied with my school�s program and with the way I am treated as an employee here by my director and supervisors.
Teachers only ever see the negatives in their job, seldom the positives.
Some of the positive things that are overlooked by teachers and Sungbuk SLP are:
1. NEVER EVER any issues of payment. Period. 2. Caring and understanding director and supervisors who actually SPEAK ENGLISH so your concerns can be addressed.
3. The school takes care of getting your alien card, health insurance, bank account, visa extensions, etc.(where many schools leave that up to the teacher to take care of).
4. You are NEVER forced to work outside of your scheduled 40 hour work week.
To address the previous replies let me say this:
What most people fail to realize is that when you come to Korea to teach English you are here to work. It�s not a vacation where you work a little on the side. You are an ENGLISH TEACHER which is in fact a job. This is a job not slavery; What company in existence would stay in business if the employees didn�t �bust their asses� (and by �bust their asses� I mean work 40 hours a week) For many teachers here this is their first job out of college and they don�t really know what work is. If you got a job back in the States or Canada you�d have the exact same thing. Think about it: still 40 hours a week but� no vacation until after your first year� a long commute to work� and believe it or not probably lots and lots of OVERTIME!
Finally I�d like to correct the numbers in the first reply by ttompatz
At SUNGBUK-GU SLP teachers work from 1200 to 1680 minutes per week; never as much as the 1800+ he claimed. Currently among the 18 foreign teachers they all teach within 3-4 working hours of each other per week. Foreign teachers are given 3 days of sick leave. While that is not many, at the same time it is not zero days as he had mentioned. In response to the 4-6 weeks vacation time, he probably forgot to mention that in exception for a university job which requires experience, certifications and connections (not a typical first job here for a college graduate) which offers that much time off, you�ll have to do summer English camps during your 4-6 week �vacation�, so don�t get a one month tour of Asia planned in your head for your vacation because you�ll still have to report to work every day. The 10 days paid vacation here are strategically placed using holidays and weekends to make a summer and winter vacation both 9-10 days long.
Sungbuk-gu SLP is a good place to work. It�s dependable, and honest, and that�s why I�m still here.

[wesharris]

[roadballmint]

I work for an SLP branch in Seoul, and overall I have been satisfied with my job. The one thing you must keep in mind is that all SLP's are independently operated by a different director. They occasionally share teaching materials and report back to corporate, but how the branches are run depends completely on the competence or incompetence of the director. Some SLP's are total basket cases, others are model hagwons. You really have to look at every branch individually. The only thing every SLP branch has in common is the SLP name. Honestly, that is where the similarities end.

SLP certainly isn't the best you could do, but it's far from the worst. I don't think it's fair to say avoid the SLP chain altogether. But I would advise you to check out the individual branch very carefully before committing to a year contract.

[balzor]

[TimothyWilkinson]

Another thread about SLP schools...

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?p=1536913

[wesharris]

Please stop resurrecting old threads. Search Functions work fine.
As does Google.
_+_+
Wes