Korean Job Discussion Forums

Maxwell69 · Joined: 10 Oct 2008

I have just wasted half an hour trying to find a thread on this using Dave's and google's search engines and didn't have any luck, so I would appreciate any answers.

I am wondering what it is like to work for GEPIK. I seem to recall reading some complaints about it, but for the life of me I can't remember what it was that I read. lol.

Thanks.

- Maxwell

valkerie · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Location: Busan

Quick answer is that though you are employed under the GEPIK umbrella you WORK for your school. So experiences are all different.

The standard GEPIK contracts apply (with add on benefits being unofficial and again dependent on school).

Feel free to ask questions and people will chip in their experiences.

Maxwell69 · Joined: 10 Oct 2008

Yeah it's the standard crap-shoot.

Maybe what I remember reading was that GEPIK is bad with dealing with problems, so you are on your own if anything happens at the school.

- Maxwell

hang10 · Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 7:57 am Post subject:

hang10 · Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 7:58 am Post subject:

curlyhoward · Joined: 03 Dec 2008

hang10 · Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 9:07 am Post subject:

Rory_Calhoun27 · Joined: 14 Feb 2009

Gepik really is a mixed bag..... and true, you are working directly for the school, under their "guidelines," but when there isnt even a mandate that certain basic guielines be followed, it really shows itself as a paper tiger.

my exploits with them is legendary here, so I'll leave that be. I found it interesting to consult a Korean prof. in the USA re: the problems, and she bluntly told me a large minority of teachers are against the "foreign invasion," even the the English coteachers.

and yet I know plenty of other teachers with them who are extremely happy and content. the key factor always seems to boil down to the relationship with the coteacher. It seemed to start off well, but it soon unravelled to the point she slaps me, tells me Im no good and has a class say "Youre a bad teacher!" over problem with the computer....

somewhere Vince Lombardi and his thoughts on teamwork are shedding a tear... Crying or Very sad

hang10 · Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 9:39 am Post subject:

Rory_Calhoun27 · Joined: 14 Feb 2009

thank you for not damning me! Wink

I tried to make it work, to the point of consulting my professor back home, but my first coteacher refused to budge on anything.... and gepik may play a good game, but when push comes to shove, the rep. pretty much said "our hands are tied... have a nice day!" Rolling Eyes

my guess for me at least, I'll be happier outside of the "New Jerseyness" of GEPIK.... I'd like to be at a school that actually wants me, so I'm headed south next go-around...

sharkey · Joined: 12 Oct 2008

I work for GEPIK right now and I have no complaints, but I think I landed in a good school. I do after school programs and my co teachers are young and pretty smart. They do all the work in the mourning classes and I do all the work for the after school classes. I have no complaints at my school, I leave whenever I want, half the women teachers want my seed and everyone thinks I'm a rockstar for some reason. My only problem is my co teachers lives are depressingly boring. They always have the lamest stories about their weekends...... brutallllll

Rory_Calhoun27 · Joined: 14 Feb 2009

Just hope they continue that way! I had the rockstar treatment when i started- all the 3-4th graders were asking for my autograph, even some 1-2 graders, who I didnt work with at the time....

but I felt like Ziggy Stardust at the end, or maybe "Comfortably Numb" would be the on the soundtrack at least. The second principal had it in for me as I was both a non-Korean AND a man, and this just backed up my first coteacher's unwillingness to be part of a team....

come to think of it, the rockstar metaphor held pretty true.... that and the feeling that being part of GEPIK is like living in new jersey.... I think I was in Atlantic City, come to think of it. Cool

ThingsComeAround · Joined: 07 Nov 2008

If Dain Bae wasn't so busy looking for a man she could actually use that time to do her job and help foriegners that have a tough time with their school. Other than that, with GEPIK you are close to Seoul, (close enough). That is the only good thing I can say about that...

My school gives me 2ce the work my friend gets (and he is in the same town as me) really, the school determines how much of a prison they will make working for them be.. Rolling Eyes

farrepatt · Joined: 27 Jan 2008

I work for GEPIK and really like my school. My wife has worked for 2 GEPIK schools and both have been pretty bad. It really is complete luck depending on what school you get. Even then, things can change quickly with the changes in administration at the beginning of the school year or even in the new term in September.

I've had my coteachers change each year and that makes quite a big difference. On top of it both my VP and Principal have changed and they also can make a large difference in how you're treated.

Overall you really have no idea of how a GEPIK school will be unless you can talk to the teacher leaving, which is pretty unlikely I suspect. My wife has had to call Dain Bae a few times over problems with her school and she has never been helpful. I don't think the GEPIK heads really do anything unless your school is clearly violating the contract. If it's a gray area at all they basically say it's up the school to decide.

curlyhoward · Joined: 03 Dec 2008