Korean Job Discussion Forums

Cthulhu · Joined: 02 Feb 2003

Right now I'm gearing up to teach in Canada once again. Looking forward to it.

Who am I kidding? I'm looking forward to having a house, drinking good beer and driving my car fast (not at the same time). It was easier teaching kids in Korea.

Eazy_E · Joined: 30 Oct 2003 Location: British Columbia, Canada

This experience in Korea has made me think seriously about teaching when I get back to Canada. I think that having the kind of "school of hard knocks" experience that Korean childrens hogwans offer could be a real practical asset to teaching back home.

Some reasons why it prepares you:

-The students don't see why they should learn English, and don't want to be there. You have to work harder to interest them.

-Korean kids are reputed to be the worst-behaved kids in EFL countries. If that doesn't prepare you for the worst, I don't know what the hell does.

-The chaotic disorganization of hogwan education forces you to be extra organized to compensate.

-You learn this first: if you don't walk into the class knowing exactly what you're going to do, the students smell blood and feed off of your ineptitude.

tokki · Joined: 26 Jul 2003

I dont teach in Canada because I dont wanna be a teacher. Teaching here however gives me a lot of money I can save every month, more than I could back home, and a lot of free time. I am also living far from Canada, another great advantage. I certainly hope to be out of teaching within 5 years, and doing a masters at a Korean university, but in a field that has nothing to do with teaching.

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

The Man known as The Man · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2004 10:22 am Post subject:

I encourage people who have no interest in teaching for its own sake just to teach for the money.

buddy bradley · Joined: 24 Aug 2003 Location: The Beyond

Joseph Fitzgerald · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

I am a guy teaching back in the states now, in Mississippi, and it is sooo much more work. The discipline is terrible, and I don't know how long I want to do this. I have been back in the US since November, and even with an M.A. in Ed. the pay is not good. The only good part is getting off work at 3:30 P.M. Hopefully I can find another job using my masters degree and getting paid more. Does anyone know of something else than teaching public school I could use my degree for?

Cthulhu · Joined: 02 Feb 2003

I'm in the same boat, Joseph, though I'm in Canada. I figured a bump into administration (board office) might be doable after enough classroom hours are done. It would help to have contacts within the local school board and it's necessary to stay in one place for a long time before you do it.

tokki · Joined: 26 Jul 2003

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

The Man known as The Man · Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 6:40 am Post subject:

J.B. Clamence · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

I don't know many guys who particularly like teaching. For a lot of us, it's just a way of living abroad and having money. I started out that way, but teaching has kind of grown on me little by little. I haven't decided whether or not I'd like to do it back home, but I can say that I definitely would if I could teach at a really high-class high school where most of the students are really serious and go on to top universities. That would be my dream teaching job. I don't want to get shot teaching in the ghetto.

Industrial Strength · Joined: 02 Dec 2003

I think SeoulTrader could give you an honest answer! Wink

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

drcrazy · Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2004 3:50 am Post subject:

The answer is simple, at least for the USA. Tons of applications, few openings. And, when they say women are encouraged to apply, they REALLY mean prefered.