Korean Job Discussion Forums

[vonnegutjr]

HI there. I have some issues witht the EPIK program and want to voice a few things. Hopefully, it will clear some things up for people who are wondering about re-signing at their hagwon, pursuing that Uni job, or going EPIK. The essence of my situation and most other troubled soouls lies in a korean infrastructure that is unlike our own western style (most NE teachers). To say the least, things are a bit unorganized and stuff just kinda gets done somehow most of the time.

I would like to inform potential candidates that EPIK is a hagwon. On paper it says it is a public teaching job but when it boils down to it, it is a hagwon. If it were a public school job we would get vacation, work every other staurday, be paid more, and have to have mandatory teaching certificates of somekind, etc. Perhaps a highly certified TEFL or TESOL could suffice.

There are some things that I can't do because of my inability to speak Korean. However, there are things that I must do (like summer camps, desk warming over vacation, and working afterschool M-Fri) and can't do (like participate in fun afterschool stuff like kyte flying and soccer).
Lets talk about the week long unpaid orientation. I started smoking again after 2 years during the week I was there. It sucked. If you've never lived in Korea maybe it's ok but if you have it is slow, boring, tedious, and here it is again, unorganized. I can tell that they put a lot of effort into being organized but it is somehow impossible in the land of the morning calm. One of the lecturers described Korea as dynamic. That is a weasly way to say it's really unorganized. The other lecturers told us every which way possible about how my school and teachers were going to be. That is propably the best way to do it because there is no uniform use of the foreign teachers at school. Some principals let you do what you want and give you summer off with 18 classes a week while others make you sit at your desk for 2 days and then make you work an English camp the other days...for free:)

So here I am, I'm a hagwon teacher working at a public school. I left a job at a better paying hagwon where I worked more but in a less amount of time with no prep. There are aspects that I like about my old job (like the money) which make me regret this choice. I sit at a desk that is labeled as "the foreigner teacher" while even the assistant has her name on her desk. I got a computer though. It's not all that bad, it's just the luck of the draw. If somehow they could get organized things would be so much better. And all these years of changing the contract and tightening and loosening the grasp on the foreigners has given us what we have now which is mediocre.

I have to come to work in the summer during break. I like to prep for classes. I teach 2 classes one day and seven the other (but get paid for 2). I have to teach teachers. they want me to teach parents. My classes get moved around suddenly sometimes. My co-teacher is overly friendly and will go to a conference later this month on 'how to use your foreign teacher.' I can't wait. I have to pay 600,000 over two months for a deposit on myself that will be returned at the end of my contract. Apaarently, my bonus is not enough to keep me around, they have to starve me.

They actually increased vacation time to two weeks per break (4 weeks) and lessened the ransom money to 600,000 from 900,000 this year. I used to get 4 weeks vacation with no ransom at my last hagwon. I know things used to be better. I have read articles on the internet talking about public schools in the ROK 4 years ago and how happy they were. Hell, there are still PS in ROK that offer FT full vacation, or most of it. But you have to draw the right card and I think more and more school's are using the contract as much as they can. They know that you will honor that piece of paper with your name on it so they'll hold you to it. My contract already is broken on their end because some of the Korean teachers don't show up for class. I don't care though, I prefer it. The only lecturer that had anything intelligent to say said he broke his contract over vacation. He said "you can fire me" and he claimed and did academic research during that time. Also, another lecturer told us that the contract is written for us. That is really not intelligent. The governing language of the contract is Korean and among other nuiances that help keep the foreigner in place the interpretation of the contracts meaning is not even fully ledgible for us. It is used by the school as they deem fit. Perhaps if enough people do not sign the contract, go to hagwons or elsewhere, maybe things will get better. If there are not enough bodies to fill the gaps maybe the contract might offer a few extra perks to get foreigners interested.

I need to make some money and I don't want to go on another VISA run especially with the documents required. Otherwise I would quit. I have money and my own place so I'm not worried about what they can take from me(flight money, deposit, etc.) but another month or two of documents, job hunting, and a visa run is not appealing. Like I said, its luke warm here. Maybe I can strike a deal with my principal for vacation in the summer. Maybe I will resing. Maybe I will work a lot, do privates and finish it up. Either way, I want you to know, there are better hagwons then the public school. I know it for a fact. As a general rule of thumb, sign up for a hagwon that is large, has a lot of employees in many citiies if possible. Or, find a Uni with low hours and pick up some privates for money. And if you go EPIK, prepare and possibly expect not the worst, but an average hagwon experience that will leave you wishing you drew a different card.

[frozenpeas]

That's really unfortunate for you. Not all public schools are like that though. I really love my job and don't face any of the problems you seem to.

The biggest problem with EPIK, as you mention, is that it really is luck of the draw whether you end up with a decent school or not. The best thing for anyone planning to join up would be to talk to people in the city you want to work in, know in advance what kind of level you are suited to and find out what areas contain the sort of schools you'd like to work at.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Every school is different. I worked at a crapwon for half a year and I can't stress what a world of difference there is between that place and where I am now. I do put in far more hours and work a lot harder, but it makes an enormous difference when it's because I'm doing a job I like. Plus I don't have to teach anyone under 12.

[yeremy]

Everybody needs to rant once in a while. Unfortunately, getting a good job in EPIK is often by chance, the luck of the draw, the whim of the EPIK manager for that province.

[Ukon]

It's not a Korean thing, I've heard similar complaints about people in other public school programs in other countries(like Japan). It really depends on your school.....I have a great school, while other people I know have a school that tries to milk them for all it's worth....

I personally like the flexibility....probably because I got a good school....a bad school can use that flexibility to rape you ten ways to Sunday....a good school can use it to reward you graciously.

[cruisemonkey]

As has been said so many times - with PSs (not just EPIK) so much is 'luck of the draw'. I would say any individual school's principal & v.p. are the biggest determining factors (more so than anyone at the POE) in whether someone likes the job and/or is given 'perks'.

You sign a contract that says you will work eight hours a day, five days a week and get 'X' no. of days holiday in a year. Expect to be held to the contract. Would it be different back home? If you 'get more' it's a bonus!

[oldtactics]

I respect that you're going through a rough patch and needed to vent, but my experiences with EPIK have been completely different. I work at a great school with great coteachers and coworkers that treat me like everyone else and are interested in what I think and what I like doing outside of work.

I spend my seatwarming time researching, writing, lesson planning, etc. Yes, there are some days when I just veg out on facebook, but who cares? You're getting paid to literally do nothing.

As for your summer break complaints - technically the students get about 3 months off. Our contract states that we get 4-7 weeks, depending on where you are. Didn't you realize coming into this that that means you'd be at school even when the students weren't? You're getting paid to come to work, so you're expected to come to work. I don't understand what people find so confusing about this. You think it's stupid? Work somewhere else.

My pay is always on time, my apartment is big, well maintained, and in a great location, and I'm treated like any other teacher here except I only work 8 hours a day and they work 12+. I'm sorry that you've taken it upon yourself to slag the entire organization just because you can't take 12 weeks of vacation, but you should keep in mind that some if not most of the EPIK teachers in this country are having a good experience and are learning as they go. Expecting your school to change its entire structure and schedule just because you feel inconvenienced is ridiculous.

[Michelle]

[Ukon]

My school thinks desk warming is stupid....so I don't have to do it.

[vonnegutjr]

[vonnegutjr]

[Jimskins]

I work at a great EPIK high school in Daegu. I teach 1 lesson plan a week to 15 1st grade classes and have a minimum 3 months of vacation. In the other 5 hours of free time I have each day I study Korean/EFL or play guitar. Would I go back to the Hogwan for that extra .4 or so a month? Would I bobbins.

To repeat the above posters, luck of the draw.

I know the original poster is not saying this exactly but I can't believe the amount of PS teachers who complain on Dave's that its terrible having so much free time each day at school -complete and utter morons.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[Rusty Shackleford]

OP, you are focussing too much on what other people get with regards to vacation, conditions etc. Your best bet would be to stop worrying so much and try to come up with ways to maximise your current situation.

If you don't want to desk warm try to swing some sort of deal with your VP, eg study Korean/TEFL at home etc.

Basically your school hasn't broken your contract so you have no real right to complain just because the other guy fluked out and got a better deal.

[cubanlord]