Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Longun]

Hi,
trying to put together a set of questions for new and older teachers here.What are your concerns, wishes and suggestions for improving your Program?They don't seem to want or ask for direct feedback(funny that) so perhaps we can all give them some here.I put together 20 questions, answer the ones you want to or not at all.Just interested(any other questions send to me and I'll add)



1- Were you made aware of the law and your rights here? Did you ever have any class on the laws of this country, in your induction? Are you told what you can be renewed and non- renewed for? Do you know if Private classes are legal yet, for instance? Do you get legitimate appraisals?

2- Did you have a medical for every year you have taught? Would you say it was useful? Do they test for Drug use? Do you feel this test is an invasion of your privacy? How do you feel about the resettlement process?

3- Are you represented by a Committee? Is it truly representative of your community’s age, religion, race or creed, etc? Does this Committee serve a purpose?

4- Have there been any unfortunate events like suicides? Was there any counseling available to advise you on work and health issues? Any harassment issues?

5- School allocation process- is it fair? Did you get a choice, year on year? Were you or others allowed to change? What’s the most times a teacher has changed schools? Do you know why? Can you rotate?

6- Opportunities- does everyone get informed of the opportunities? For example- to be judges, training, funds, resources, etc .When there is an extra bit of money to be made. Is this process done in an equal and timely manner?

7- Do you have a teacher of the year? Was the teacher contest and selection a fair process, in your opinion? Who has won it?

8- Do people get different deals on salary, holidays and money, is that OK? Why is it you are on equal contracts, but all school arrangements seem to be different? Or how is this explained?

9- Notifications- is the Co teacher notified of meetings in their language, before you are in English? Why do they have regular meetings about foreign staff and you are not able to see the minutes?

10- Are you happy “an outsider “, may know your private details or about your non renewal? That he may have access to you confidential medical records. Is that person suitably representative or qualifies as a legitimate recruiter? Were you informed of this?

11- Timing of important notifications- could you say whether it is thoughtful or not? Were you on holiday? Could this done better?

12- Class Allocation- do all teachers have the same hours or are some more favorable than other e.g. 17 as opposed to 25.How about the issue of Camps? Is it a level playing field?

13- Travel- Why are some teachers posted in the boonies? Is that fair, when others are situated more conveniently in the center? Is there any rotation system? Is the assessment process clear? Would you have liked to be able to walk home for lunch?

14- Are you allowed to assess the Co teacher’s performance? Can you pick and chose them? Who’s the boss? Do you clash? Any support from the local authority? Can you say no or do you feel uncomfortable?

15- What complaints procedure or grievance process is in place? Is it true to say teachers have one? Can you appeal this decision? Has anyone been successful? How about Bonus entitlements, do you get the same if you have to do 9-5.Do they teach as many classes as you in reality?

16- Sick days- Is this taken as part of the vacation- I'm confused as to how some people interpret this.

17- One hour rule- Does this benefit anyone? Do you know what it is? Some teachers can leave one hour after their last class? Does it occur in your area? Why not?

18-a. Improper relations- if there were any possibilities of this happening; do you think it could ever happen here? Yes or no will suffice here!
b. Convenient relationships- do this kind of situation have any merits-again yes or no will do here!

19. -Punishments- do any teachers get punished or get their wrists slapped?

20. - Competence- are you competent to do the job? If so, explain why? What do you think would be a good example of incompetence?

[Yu_Bum_suk]

1- Were you made aware of the law and your rights here? Did you ever have any class on the laws of this country, in your induction? Are you told what you can be renewed and non- renewed for? Do you know if Private classes are legal yet, for instance? Do you get legitimate appraisals?

* No, I got to figure this out all on my own, and in some cases inform my school what the law is.

2- Did you have a medical for every year you have taught? Would you say it was useful? Do they test for Drug use? Do you feel this test is an invasion of your privacy? How do you feel about the resettlement process?

* I've had to do one once, last year. Since someone else took me there and paid for it, I really don't care.

3- Are you represented by a Committee? Is it truly representative of your community�s age, religion, race or creed, etc? Does this Committee serve a purpose?

* No.

4- Have there been any unfortunate events like suicides? Was there any counseling available to advise you on work and health issues? Any harassment issues?

* No.

5- School allocation process- is it fair? Did you get a choice, year on year? Were you or others allowed to change? What�s the most times a teacher has changed schools? Do you know why? Can you rotate?

* I chose my school and we've been happy with each other ever since. If they tried to move me I'd quit.

6- Opportunities- does everyone get informed of the opportunities? For example- to be judges, training, funds, resources, etc .When there is an extra bit of money to be made. Is this process done in an equal and timely manner?

* It's haphazard and I don't really care so long as I'm adequately compensated for what I do.

7- Do you have a teacher of the year? Was the teacher contest and selection a fair process, in your opinion? Who has won it?

* No.

8- Do people get different deals on salary, holidays and money, is that OK? Why is it you are on equal contracts, but all school arrangements seem to be different? Or how is this explained?

* Every school's a bit different. I'm happy with mine. If someone else doesn't like it, well, they haven't worked at my school for 3 1/2 years and have a different job, so I don't care. If someone gets a better deal than me, good on them.

9- Notifications- is the Co teacher notified of meetings in their language, before you are in English? Why do they have regular meetings about foreign staff and you are not able to see the minutes?

* I'm often out of the loop but it's usually about things that don't directly concern me anyways. Sometimes the KTs are just as clueless as I am.

10- Are you happy �an outsider �, may know your private details or about your non renewal? That he may have access to you confidential medical records. Is that person suitably representative or qualifies as a legitimate recruiter? Were you informed of this?

* I have no idea what 'outsiders' might know what and don't care much.

11- Timing of important notifications- could you say whether it is thoughtful or not? Were you on holiday? Could this done better?

* Never been a problem.

12- Class Allocation- do all teachers have the same hours or are some more favorable than other e.g. 17 as opposed to 25.How about the issue of Camps? Is it a level playing field?

* I don't know and don't care what all the other FTs in the district may or may not be doing. I generally have a better deal re: workload than the contract KTs at my school so I can't complain.

13- Travel- Why are some teachers posted in the boonies? Is that fair, when others are situated more conveniently in the center? Is there any rotation system? Is the assessment process clear? Would you have liked to be able to walk home for lunch?

* In the boonies you can often live much closer to your school. It's a 120-second from my front door to my desk.

14- Are you allowed to assess the Co teacher�s performance? Can you pick and chose them? Who�s the boss? Do you clash? Any support from the local authority? Can you say no or do you feel uncomfortable?

* It depends on the CT. With my one younger one I'm more or less the boss. With my four older ones they are, they're the bosses though they generally let me teach how I want and let me lead the lesson, if they even come to class.

15- What complaints procedure or grievance process is in place? Is it true to say teachers have one? Can you appeal this decision? Has anyone been successful? How about Bonus entitlements, do you get the same if you have to do 9-5.Do they teach as many classes as you in reality?

* My grievance process is to complain to senior teachers, the VP, or Principal. I've rarely ever complained about anything to anyone past the senior teachers. I've never complained to the principal about anything.

16- Sick days- Is this taken as part of the vacation- I'm confused as to how some people interpret this.

* Workplace culture very much frowns on sick days. I've never taken one. Quite frankly I like knowing that all my coworkers will be at work and there won't be any subbing or schedule changes due to absenses unless it's because of something drastic.

17- One hour rule- Does this benefit anyone? Do you know what it is? Some teachers can leave one hour after their last class? Does it occur in your area? Why not?

* Never heard of it. I usually leave at 5PM or later if I have something to do, just like all the KTs.

18-a. Improper relations- if there were any possibilities of this happening; do you think it could ever happen here? Yes or no will suffice here!
b. Convenient relationships- do this kind of situation have any merits-again yes or no will do here!

* I don't really understand the question.

19. -Punishments- do any teachers get punished or get their wrists slapped?

* Younger teachers on rare occasion have got told off by the VP or a senior teacher in a rather childish way but it's never happened to me. One younger contract teacher got sacked / forced to resign for faking sick leave a few years back.

20. - Competence- are you competent to do the job? If so, explain why? What do you think would be a good example of incompetence?

* I generally get along all right. My lessons are usually carefully planned and conducted in an orderly manner with most of the students learning at least something. A good example of incompetence would be a teacher who only plays low-educational-yeild games, cannot keep most classes well managed, or simply has given up and is content with putting on the odd facade.

[Longun]

Thanks for that! Good to hear your going well.

[sobriquet]

[afsjesse]