Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lifeinkorea]

Below are probably standard conditions regarding work hours. I have three questions. Question 2 better explains why I am asking these questions.

1) Usually teaching time is 40 minutes per class. So, can you argue 20 minutes is needed for preparation or can they legally hold you to three 40 minute classes to get 2 hours?

2) The school I am at has decided to cram 5 days of lessons (with overtime) into 4 days. I decided to refuse the overtime, and now they are dancing around trying to figure how many classes they can stick me with. Normally, I take the overtime and shut up, cause it works out for everyone.

This brings up an interesting question. Am I within my rights to insist that I teach 4 lessons on 5 days instead of 5 lessons on 4 days?

3) It says I might be asked to do camps, does this mean I can refuse to do them, or does "ask" in Article 7 actually mean "require"?

"Article 7(Work Hours)

1.Employee shall work eight (8) hours per day including lunch hour for five (5) calendar days per week from Monday to Friday and shall not work on Saturdays, Sundays and Korean national holidays.

2. The Work Hours of Employee shall follow the normal work schedule of civil servants of the Korean Government; however, such Work Hours may be adjusted by school principal as he/she deems appropriate as necessary.

3. Employee�s regular teaching hours shall not exceed twenty-two (22) hours per week. Employee may be asked to teach extra hours within and/or out of the regular working hours. Extra teaching should not exceed 6 hours per week without Employee�s consent.

4. If an employee does not fulfill his/her teaching quota of twenty-two(22) hours per week, the Employer may ask the Employee to teach classes in other subject areas, outside of English, for the remaining hours.

5. For the extra class teaching hours aside from the normal twenty-two(22) hours per week, Employee shall be offered with supplementary class instruction pay at the rate of 20,000won per hour or use it as contribution holiday in which eight(8) hours� teaching will be considered as one(1) day.

6. During school vacations, Employee may be asked to participate in special classes or English day camps up to twenty(20) hours per week."

[Otherside]

You are working public school right...that looks a lot like a GEPIK contract.

Let me answer:
1. At elementary classes are 40 mins each. You teach 22 classes a week. So your actual teaching time is 22x40=880mins. The rest of your day is "prep time" or if you teach in addition to that, It's overtime.

3. (I'm going to answer no2 last as it is less clear-cut). No you can't refuse you to do camps. It is worded as such that you may or may not do camps, but if asked you have to do camps up to 20 hours (of teaching a week). Either way, you'll likely have to spend 8 hours a day at work regardless.

2. I don't get what you are saying here? Are you talking about under normal circumstances, or for camp? For normal classes, they can divide those 22 classes a week how they like. For example, on Mondays I teach 8 classes, On Tuesdays, 2 classes, as long as the total adds up..it's all good.

Secondly, overtime is not optional (for you) for the first 6 hours. Read clause 7.3 again...So you actually aren''t allowed to refuse overtime, unless they want you to work over 28 classes a week.

Regarding working 5 classes a day for 4 days, vs 4 classes for 5 days. This I'd guess is for summer camp. Again, the total is 20 hours a week, doesn't mention how many classes/day. So in your case, you are teaching 20 classes mon-thu, with Friday desk-warming? Am I correct. If so, as long as you aren't over the 20 classes/week, you don;t have an issue.


Simply put, and this is not a dig at you, from the evidence presented, you are in the wrong. Follow the contract, teach your classes, and complain less, everyone will be more happy.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[lifeinkorea]

Otherside and TUM, thanks for the information.

Maybe I need to clarify some things. I was under the impression that when I taught at a public school, I would be teaching a regular CONSTANT class 5 days a week. I look back at my school days and see young relatives of mine go to each class everyday. To me it seems like common sense. The schools I am used to don't put one class in for 2 hours straight. Now that it's summer camp, the school wants to have 2 day camps for 4 groups. We would finish in 2 weeks, and the Fridays would be nothing more than just sitting at the desk. Each two day camp would only have 1 group visiting.

I find it a complete waste because I can't work with the students over a longer period of time. New students are constantly coming for some English "fix" for two days, but it has no real meaning (when they did during the school year, it was once a semester). The head English teacher thought of this schedule, yet she can't say a single sentence in English. She has to talk to me through my co-teacher who happens to agree with me but he can't make the decisions he says.

I suggested the students come Monday through Friday instead, because then I could plan the next day's lessons accordingly for the same students. The head English teacher even went to observe classes at other schools and found that class sizes were smaller, there were more teachers, and they didn't teach in this manner. I am just curious why we aren't entitled to some rights regarding how classes should be run.

We are nothing more than puppets if we can't teach the lessons how we want.

As far as hours go, I am shooting myself in the foot, I understand that (as well as reducing pay). However, I would like to actually meet with the same group of students and :::gasp::: teach them instead of entertain them for 40 minutes, say goodbye, and never see them again.