Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Xanadu123]

Search function isn't working to well.

I am looking for peoples schedules in hagwons and how many hours they actually teach and how many hours they are actually at the school.

Mainly wondering about the afternoon schedules.

From what I have read it seems that hagwons have about 30 hours teaching, and you have an extra hour that you are at the school. Because most say 2-9(30 hours teaching) so the extra hour must be coming early and prepping, I am guessing.

Also I am wondering why most people say that YBM ECC overworks their employees when according to their website, you have an average of 26.5 teaching hours per week. Do they make up for it with lots of overtime? It says you have a max. of 5 overtime hours per week. But if they did that every week I would not like it.

Any input is appreciated, just really want to figure out this whole working hours thing.

[lhasa]

Hagwon teaching/working hours and conditions vary dramatically. Those teaching for the first time tend to be stuck in schools demanding more.

At my first school I was maxing out teaching hours the entire year. Currently I get to work at 2 or 3pm and finish at 8:30 teaching 4 or 5 50minute classes.

Never sign up for split shifts. Make sure working hours are stated in the contract and that anything outside of that time frame is optional and overtime.

If possible, best to do the job search while in Korea so you don't get stuck in one of the hell holes. Arrive on a tourist visa then the school will pay for the visa run to Japan.

[schwa]

Some schools calculate class hours by counting actual teaching minutes & dividing by 60. Its more customary (& much more preferable) for schools to include your hourly breaks in your hours worked.

Some schools also schedule shorter classes & pile them on. Meeting too many different groups of students in one shift will make your workday feel longer & more tiring.

So to avoid ambiguity the question to ask a prospective school is "How many classes will I teach each day?"

[Karea]

I'm interested in this thread too as I was recently sent a contract that stated 26.5 hours. Yet when I read the contract it said things like "must attend at least 1 hour before the start of the first class to prepare" and "will be required to work at least 6 hours extra per week".

It kind of makes a mockery of the original stated contract schedule. Is this normal for South Korea?

Also what is the deal on over-time. What happens if one refuses?

Thanks.

[pootle]

Yeah, gotta watch for those prep time/office time clauses - they can add a lot to your basic teaching hours. Make sure it's 100% clear in your contract.

[OculisOrbis]

Also nix the 'schedule may be changed at any time to suit the needs of the employer' clause. Some leeway is ok, but dont put up with 3-9pm suddenly changing to 10am - 1pm plus 7pm - 10pm.

Oh yeah, and get your range of working hours written in, too. Overtime and outside regular duty hours (for any reason) with mutual agreement only (pay rates detailed for all overtime in the clause).

Define a 'teaching hour' for payment purposes. Is one 45 minute class a teaching hour or is it robbery at 60 minutes standing in front the ankle biters to get your 1 hour of OT pay? (you prob also want to get a calculator to make sure your OT rate is not less than your regular hourly cause it likely will be in the contract)

Overtime will be calculated on weekly basis and paid monthly. 45 hours one week + 15 hours the next week does not mean 30 hours average - it means two week regular pay plus 15 hours of OT pay.

Paid holidays do not include weekends or national holidays and I also make sure that vacation must be allotted in a mon - fri block to include two weekends in both the summer and winter terms. Ideally, also try to get a stat holiday in there.

Hagwons love the "Thats right. wednesday to sunday is your five days of vacation' routine. Its the korean way." don't be a sucker.

[Xanadu123]

So what are generally peoples schedules and working hours like?

[lifeinkorea]

Usually at hagwons, they don't want you around unless you are teaching. If you don't mind split schedules, you don't have to be there. However, you do have to be available. This means you can't go too far out from the school. It works well when needing to run errands, like going to a bank when it closes before your next shift.

At a public school, you are stationed at the school. I can't leave the school unless I get permission from the principal. I don't know if this is the same with other public school teachers.

I think the actual scheduling is what bugs me about hagwons compared to public schools. The schedule will change very often and they don't tell you until you probably planned something that works with the original one. At public schools, when you are done, you are done. There is no need to worry.

[Xanadu123]

[ohme_ohmy]

In relation to the question about working hours....

Is it true that when teaching in hagwons, afternoon/evening hours are only for middle school kids? Most of the recruiters I speak to say the same thing. That if you want to teach kindergarten or elementary kids, most of those positions are during the morning/afternoon work hours.

Any thoughts on this?

[AgentM]

[lifeinkorea]

[Xanadu123]

[Gnawbert]

I teach for 30 hours a week. Kind of a long load by most standards, but I like my school, students, and co-workers so it goes by fast and is, mostly, pretty fun.

55 min classes x 6 per day = 5.5 hours (paid for 6 hours) per day x 5 days = 30 hours.
+30 mins each day for prep at least.
+15 minute meetings twice a week each week.

My total time, at school, over the course of a week:
33 hours, sometimes a little more depending on report cards.

Overall, it beat the hours I've worked before, including my time working at Google and Apple, and I'm much more satisfied with my job, despite the frustrations.

[Xanadu123]