Korean Job Discussion Forums

vonnegutjr · Joined: 24 Mar 2009

I have been teaching in Korea for just shy of three years now and after two and a half years with three different hagwons I went to the public school. I heard great things from old timers about low work load and plenty of leave over vacation. However... EPIK and schools and POE's and whoever else have pull over you, are making things less and less jovial for NET's (you). During vacation summer and winter camps are increasing with less and less pay, or no pay. As well, school's are being pressured and told to keep you at school during vacation even if there's nothing to do, hence the wonder of Desk Warming. YOU CANNOT REQUEST VACATION OFF AHEAD OF TIME. Some people complain, some don't, some leave, and so on. I remember our first day at the brutally boring EPIK orientation in March. We had a speaker who talked to us about how dynamic (unorganized) Korea is. By the end of the speech, he was telling us to not organize anything and design strikes or protest not being paid or working too much for free in the summer. He said, "some people have to do it. Others don't and just deal with it. It is stupid to complain." He works for EPIK! You should organize as many teachers together by email and voice your opinions about standardizing EPIK and creating some sort of loosely based NET Union. It should be done so they can stop tightening their grasp and taking away benefits. Basically, the job is the same as a hagwon job, only, you work in the morning.

dmbfan · Joined: 09 Mar 2006

Sarahm · Joined: 01 Jun 2009

On that topic, if you were offered a private job at a hagwon in Bundang for 2.3 mill won per month for 33 hrs teaching on average a week (+ prep) vs 2.2 millioin won in a rural public school for 20-24 hrs teaching a week + prep would you still go for the public school?

All other expected things are equal, hagwon's having the small class size and short vacation days with the public having the larger one and the longer -"on paper"-apparently teaching days.

The public school appointment is through the teach away intake for EPIK teachers. The private is through touch4teaching.

DrugstoreCowgirl · Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 12:18 pm Post subject:

So they're saying you can't request vacation days? What are you supposed to do if you want to take a trip for winter/summer break, just not go until the day before so they can make up their mind whether or not they'll let you go?

billietea · Joined: 03 May 2009 Location: South Korea

Johnny_Bravo · Joined: 27 May 2009 Location: R.O.K.

vonnegutjr · Joined: 24 Mar 2009

Saram- obviously I would go hagwon but maybe not the one you mentioned. Hagwons are no walk in the park and also a gamble. The "on paper" thing is being eliminated. It used to be that the schools would let you go home early or have extra vacation but now the office of ed. is pressuring the schools to eliminate that and make all things oppresively equal. Enjoy 8 hur days looking at youtube. Eventually you just stare at your computer screen wondering "why am I here?" The rational behind it, i don't understand. Your friend's will ask, "how was Korea?" You can tell them they have really fast internet and you got your own computer at work.
Drugstore Cowgirl- They release the summer/winter camp schedule a month before vacation starts giving you about a month and a half to book everything. It sucks.
I am so pissed off about the policies that are infiltrating the PS EPIK system it's driving me crazy. I can't believe I signed up when they started dong this. I am treated like a Korean teacher when it's convenient, and then I'm treated like a waygook *beep* the rest of time. My school is nice enough, good co-teachers, etc. It's just the whole foundation of it all. I want to send the recruiters to the next EPIK orientation and start signing people up for different jobs at the door. I wonder if even an extreme shortage of employees will make them change.