Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wonkavite62]

I am an experienced English teacher. I have some savings. I am attracted to South Korea, because once there, I could save even more.
And if I teach in Korea, it has to be in a major city, because I want there to be facilities for playing different sports.
What I really want is to have adventures and go travelling through Asia, try surfing in Bali, or climb volcanoes in Java or go diving in Thailand again.

Eh do Korean public schools have enough holidays to allow for this? Last summer I met a woman who had been teaching in Seoul. She said the contract they give you is not a clear guide to the holidays you'll actually get. The school will tell you when you arrive, and you can get holidays throughout the year. Really? Or do they just put you in a summer school so you get no vacations? Tell me what happens?

[Bibbitybop]

That woman you met is a bloody idiot.

Teaching in S. Korea takes research due to corrupt hogwan (private academy) owners and stupid people like the woman you met.

All contracts have specific numbers of vacation days. Most public schools give 14 business days a year, SMOE (in Seoul) gives 21.

Some give more, but they are bonus for doing camps, re-signing contracts or having a cool school that let's you "stay home" when no school is in session.

The more competitive privately funded schools and universities may offer you 4 weeks to 5 months of vacation. All of this is in the contracts.

[wonkavite62]

Well if some private schools offer more than 2 weeks holiday, it's a surprise to me. What private schools do this?
By the way, the woman I met had spent 2 years teaching in Seoul, and I can't say whether she was an idiot, but she was a bit too MANIC. A BIT TOO LOUD.
Korea appeals to me for financial reasons. In Japan I was with Shane. They gave holidays. I might just go to Japan again. But tell me about which Hagwons offer more than 2 weeks vacation. The very idea seems weird.

[Otherside]

Bibbitybop is pretty much correct.

However, what that "woman" told you, refers to discretionary days.
While you will get your contractual allotment of holidays (about 20 working days, can vary due to location), some schools will give teachers extra time off during the vacation, when school is not in session. This is at the principals whim, and I've known teachers to get an extra 3 weeks off gratis during the winter vacation.

Bare in mind, there is no consistency. You may have to come into school during the vacation, and when there is not a camp, sit at your desk from 9-5 twiddling your thumbs, while the teacher at the public school down the road gets a couple of bonus weeks off.

In addition, there are often bonus days off throughout the year. This year, I got the school's birthday, the friday before children's day, and an extra 3 days for Chuseok off. None of these days are in my contract and I usually found out about them pretty close to the time.

[jonbowman88]

You get a lot of vacation time at public schools, Korea is the place to come

[expat2001]

[expat2001]

[expat2001]

[Ukon]

In my elementary school, holidays that fell on weekends were celebrated monday with a few days off....Also if we did something like sports day we had the following monday off....

If your lookin for more vacation than a hagwon, pub jobs are gretat unless your boss is a real hard ass....you won't however be trekking it up to thailand every single month however...get a Uni position for that.

[Bibbitybop]

[maingman]

jonbowman88 wrote :

You get a lot of vacation time at public schools, Korea is the place to come

[ChinaBoy]