Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Bucheonguy]

Ok, anyone who's read my other posts can pretty much figure out I'm having a rough time here. My school keeps me locked up like I'm in a prison, they hide me away when we have school assessments, they won't give me references, they've threatened me with not writing release letters... the list goes on and on. I've been having a miserable time. My students really like me and so do a few of my coworkers. I'm a good teacher but I can't get any help from ANYONE! Every time I call those morons at GEPIK all they say is deal with it on your own or it's up to the schools principal. I will never, ever work in the GEPIK program again!

How do other people feel about it?

[Ramen]

[Fishead soup]

It's the luck of the draw and you rolled snake eyes. Good luck with your next job prospect.

[sobriquet]

Not quite sure what you expected? Dain Bae the current GEPIK co-ordinator (if you can call her that) doesn't have a clue about what it's really like to be teaching at these schools.

Her answers to questions are usually wrong or inaccurate.
She will never step in and clear up any issues with the schools directly.
Things that were in the contract regarding severance pay are now being changed by her when asked.

Basically she is a complete waste of oxygen and she knows it.


People take on these public school jobs because they will in theory provide more security than the hagwon positions. Problem is hagwons are geared towards foreign teachers (in theory anyway) but schools in arseendofnowhere-dong aren't and have no idea what to do with their bits of foreign meat that they get.

[nicam]

[seethetraffic]

Did you use a recruiter? Your recruiter should be able
to help you deal with many of those issues you mentioned.

If you are sticking around to finish your contract, you are
more likely to find more "luck" with your situation. It
doesn't surprise me that they don't want to help you quit.
It's a hassle for them every time to replace and have the
students adjust to the new situation.

At any rate, try asking your recruiter for some assistance.
He/she might be willing to help.

[Bucheonguy]

My particular VP is really high up in the board of education. When my recruiter tried to help me, she phoned the board who then called my agency. The board told them that if they didn't reign in their recruiter that they wouldn't use the agency for any more staffing needs. So the agency threatened to fire her if she tried to help me anymore.

These people are the most horrible people I've ever met in my life. Pray you never encounter them.

[jiyull]

Talk to your regional co-ordinator, I don't think GEPIK can really help you at all except for whatever is in your contract.

[frankhenry]

[xCustomx]

Each person's experience with GEPIK will vary, and it's mostly because of the VP and how strictly he follows the contract.

In my case, my VP followed the contract exactly as it was written during my first year. I couldn't leave early, I had 3.5 weeks of camp in the summer, 2 weeks in winter (Because I saved my vacation time from summer) and a 2 week spring camp. Needless to say I wasn't too happy because I'd often read about other teachers in public schools getting a lot more vacation.

I negotiated my contract for my second year and I really couldn't be happier. I have a nice amount of vacation, I can teach anything I want in class, I made a school newspaper instead of teaching extra classes after school, and I received an increase in both salary and housing allowance. If my school wasn't willing to meet my requests then I would have walked.

[wylies99]

[brandonna]

[ManintheMiddle]

The OP exclaimed:

[johnny_larue]

I am beginning to think that I am really lucky that I got a job with the Incheon School Board. Things certainly aren't perfect here, but it seems compared to most stories I have heard my situation is pretty good.

I get paid for my after school classes even though I only teach 18 hours a week. My school opted to give me the full refund for my plane ticket because they said it was easier that way. They administration doesn't bother me that much at all.

I was having a hard time getting my vacation time arranged, but I agreed to be in an english teacher play and they seemed pretty thrilled with that and the vacation problems were gone the day following the play.

At any rate, most of the people I have spoken to about the their experiences so far working for the Incheon school board have been happy too.

I would also add that the English teacher coordinator for school board, Sera, is great. She is a bit cold, but if you have a problem she will work hard to resolve it.

I am only four months in though. Bad things could be coming, but I have no complaints so far.

[mountainous]