Korean Job Discussion Forums

kingplaya4 · Joined: 14 May 2006

I recently got married and have started doing a couple of private lessons. I'm not sure they're worth the trouble. I live south of Seoul in a fairly well to do area. Most people complain about paying 40,000 an hour, and the parents can be really pushy. (This is a small sample size of 3, but so far this is my experience).

One listened to my lesson in the bedroom while I was teaching in the livingroom and then complained to my wife's sister in law later that it was too easy for her daughter. (This women speaks virtually no English, I usually speak Korean to her). They want me to give more homework but then the students don't do most of it. Anyway, the whole thing just seems like a pain, and for forty thousand an hour, unless I can figure out a way to get more, I think it is worth it financially. Forty thousand an hour might sound okay, but keep in mind I usually prepare an hour for every hour I teach.

Do I just have a couple of bad parents or is this the norm with the bad economy and all?

denverdeath · Joined: 21 May 2005 Location: Boo-sahn

I have a handful of privates. Most of them are pretty good and are done either in my home or in nearby apartments. One newly-started one has been a bit of a problem. The kid turned out to be a bit better than when I interviewed him. I think the mother was disappointed at my 2/9 evaluation of him(nine being the highest). She complained that the material was too easy at the end of the first lesson. I said that we'll take him up a level next week, and have since put him up yet one more level. Those are increases in material difficulty. He's still, at best, 2.5/9. Long story short, I was new for them, and they were new for me. If they decide to not continue next month, it'll no big loss for me. However, I think they're beginning to warm up to me. I also live in a fairly affluent area(granted, of Busan) but getting more than 35 or 40k is like pulling teeth. I guess that's how the rich get richer, by being cheap. Regardless, I have enough extra work to keep me more than busy, and pretty much all of my clients are parents of kids that I enjoy teaching. If any of the students were really terrible, or the mothers were worse, I'd just tell them a week before the end of the month that I'm too busy to continue teaching their little (evilly spawned) child.

Bread · Joined: 09 Oct 2008

Kimbop · Joined: 31 Mar 2008

crosbystillsstash · Joined: 12 Oct 2008

Privates are the only way to make decent money if you are teaching.

40 thousand is far too cheap.

If you want to do privates you have to take on board what parents say, even when they have crazy ideas. It doesn't mean you do what they say. If they are paying you a ton of cash that is, then you listen.

Korean mentality is more is better and a higher level is better even if their kids don't know what you are talking about. That's just Korean style, and if you want big money you have to deal with it.

Because of the Korean mindset some students will not succeed because their parents won't trust a teacher. That's not your problem. Just take the cash and do your best.

Huh Kyung-young · Mod Team Joined: 06 Jul 2008

Even if we presume that the OP is married to a Korean and is thus legal to teach privates... this discussion is in the wrong place.

The private lessons sticky thread in the Job-Related Forum, http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=75788, is where this issue should be discussed. If you wish to continue this discussion, please do so there. Thanks!