Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Large Hadron Collider]

Hello everyone,

I am considering a teaching position in a Hagwon in Gangseo, Seoul and I have been told that I would be required to teach 6 or 7 '40 minute lessons' a day, there is a set curriculum to follow and I would only have to focus on planning and teaching my lessons aside from attending the occasssional meeting.

My question is: does this seem like par for the course in South Korea in terms of workload or is it a nice little number. Oh salary is 2.0 - 2.3 million won a month but with my TEFL qualification and TEFL experience I will ask for 2.3.

Thanks in advance.

[John_ESL_White]

Possibly yhe WORSE job I've heard of in Korea; REALLY.

And, you have a TEFL cert. You can find a lot better for a little more money.

Basically, at a hagwon, a 40 minute class or a 50 minute class ALWAYS should count as 1 teaching hour. This is the norm.

I've never seen anyone get wrangled into the "a 40 minute" class is a "a 40 minute class" BS.

You should teach no more than 30 classes per week at a hagwon and each class should definately be NO longer than 50 minutes. After each class, you should have ten minutes to pick your nose, make copies, smoke a fag, eat a chicken on a stick, drop a deuce, etc...

DO NOT TAKE THIS JOB

[Xuanzang]

I hope it`s not consecutive 7 in a row or you`re going to be overstressed. ideally you want 5 or 6 in a day with a break in between for dinner or what have you.

[Chris_Dixon]

thats not many hours??? its pretty much par for a hagwon gig with no exp

[Cheonmunka]

What, four or five hours a day, what are you guys complaining about?

[moosehead]

I'd be more fearful of their "set curriculum."

often this means you are bound and chained to a ridiculous and worthless text which is either too hard, too easy or just plain boring as hell and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.

[VanIslander]

[moosehead]

He appears not to have experience in K - and "nosy supervision" can be overbearing, intrusive and unavoidable - especially by K moms

there was a time when a set curriculum was something I would have wanted but anymore - no - I don't. furthermore - as for a good teacher making do w/lousy materials - I'd rather have the option to choose my own or use the given materials how I want.

some hakwons - even the public and private schools - insist on limiting to a certain number of pages during a given time. essentially it's designed to limit learning, IMO. even if the NET is allowed to improvise - that can be a lot more effort than just providing a decent text and being able to expand on that.

a "set curriculum" should always give off warning bells that one should at the very least discuss what is meant and what is expected.

[hagwonnewbie]

OP, you should ask how long the breaks are between classes and if there is a dinner break. The hours are completely normal, but do you want to teach 7 40 minute classes in a row with 5 minute breaks separating them? You won't even have time to take a piss, let alone grab the correct folders and books for each class.

If you get 2.3, they are gonna make you work for it, chances are they will also push off extra work on you. I don't now anyone who worked at an academy and had a boss who stuck to the agreed schedule or working hours. I'd wait another week or so and see what kind of responses and offers you get from other jobs before you commit. Don't be pressured into accepting the job. It's par, maybe even sub par for 2.3mil. All these academies are such a crap shoot. You need to get as much info as you possibly can and be patient!

[Hyeon Een]

My first year in Korea I taught 6 or 7 classes a day. It was 6x40 minutes (5 minutes between classes) and then, when I had the 7th class, here was a 40 minute break before I taught it.

I liked having the classes back to back. I'd rather get my work done and leave then sit around between classes. I worked 3-7:30 or 9 depending on the day. I would much prefer to work 6 or 7 classes like that than teach 5 classes within a 1-9pm schedule for example. Once I'm 'in the zone', in teaching mode, I feel good.. when I have a long break between classes it takes me a while to get my energy back again.

I was pissed off at one job I worked where the schedule was scattered over an 8 hour period "So that you can get a rest between classes!". I taught about 4 hours a day but had to be there for 8 hours.. it SUCKED. I'd much rather do 4 classes back to back then have breaks all the time.

[Xuanzang]

Long breaks suck but 3 then dinner then 3 more isnt so bad. That would be my ideal schedule if I had to do hagwon life again.

[John_ESL_White]

OP---> "I have been told that I would be required to teach 6 or 7 '40 minute lessons' a day, "


That means they are counting 40 teaching minutes as 40 teaching minutes and not one hour. Most schools treat 45 or 50 minutes as 1 teaching hour.

6X5= 30
7X5= 35

He'll be teaching between 30 and 35 hours per week for 2.123..., if he takes this job. God knows how long he'll have to spend at the school!

I teach 30, 45/50 minute classes. Each class is counted as one teaching hour.

There are no gaps.

I am physically in the school for 6 hours/day.

I have a feeling his hagwon job will require 8 hours in the school. This is a crap job.

[Large Hadron Collider]

Thanks everyone.

The hours are 2pm - 8:30pm so obviously there would be breaks; one has to eat after all, pace the millions of starving children in the world.

The name of the school is Cambridge School English in Gangseo, Seoul if anyone has heard of it? I would be the only foreign teacher there which I have mixed feelings about but I can live with that and it could actually be a more positive than a negative thing.

If the working day consists of 7 lessons a day that would equate to 4hrs 40 minutes teaching a day which I think is just about manageable. If it consists of 6 lessons a day that would make 4 hrs a day which I think is just about ideal. Either way it's not too bad surely??!!

I like the idea of there being a set curriculum. If there is a set curriculum you can always tinker with it but if there isn't you have to make hundreds of decisions a months concerning subject matter, grammar and vocabulary items taught, teaching and learning styles employed, teaching materials utilised. Some people may disagree with this but that's my view.

[moosehead]

[Xuanzang]

If you`re the only NET then you`re going to have to work your ass off...