Korean Job Discussion Forums

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

I was talking to someone this past weekend who was fined by immigration for teaching in a Kindergarten. He asked what the reason for the fine was and was told that "Americans aren't allowed to teach in Kindergartens".

This seems rather odd to me as there are still lots of ads on this site an others promoting work in Kindergartens.

I'm wondering what is going on here. Are they just pulling rules out of their nether regions because they need some excuse?

Anyone heard of this before?

Busan immigration office, by the way.

AussieGav · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Location: Uijeongbu

not sure if this is an accurate answer, but it's something I have heard before. It's not Americans per sa, but E2 visa holders, why I am not sure. Also kindergarten means registered kindy not hagwon that offers kindy english classes.

Not sure if that helps any, it was reported here on dave's a year or two ago.

T-dot · Joined: 16 May 2004 Location: bundang

ill assume you mean yoochi won. As far as I know they cant sponsor a Visa.

Triban · Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Location: Suwon Station

I have a kindergarten class scheduled each week...

Thumbnail Postermonkey · Joined: 24 Jul 2006

Technically, kindy schools are not able to sponsor E2 visas. I think it may relate to the fact that a 유치원 is not licensed to offer English lessons / language lessons exclusively as a hagwon. It also related to business classifications and certifications as well....nevertheless, I did do a certain number of English lessons at places like this early in my time and I recall it being a rather lucrative go, given the nature of the work and the time involved.

louiloui · Joined: 14 Oct 2008

I was told that if you have an E-2, then you can't work at a kindergarten. However, you can teach kindergarten classes at a Hagwon or public school. I think it is because Kindergartens can't sponsor visas like another poster already said.

asmith · Joined: 18 Jun 2009

big_fella1 · Joined: 08 Dec 2005

Zaria32 · Joined: 04 Dec 2007

E-2 visa holders may not teach in kindy hogwons, nor can such a hogwon sponsor a foreign teacher. I really don't know if it's against the regs to
teach a class of kindy in a hogwon that does, oh, say kindy to 6th grade or something like that.

I taught one kindy class in among a bunch of elementary and intermediate classes...although I loved the kindy kids, I hated the class.. they ran all over me.

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Man, I know quite a few teachers who taught full time in kindergartens and they had their visa somehow? But I don't know how.

How come there are still tons of job ads for work in kindergartens?

And there's no way they would hire a foreign teacher to do anything other than provide English classes.

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

This must just be different rules governing different kinds of kindergartens (unless things have changed).

About 6 years ago, I worked a 6-month contract for Bambini, which was (at least, at that time) one of the most expensive Kindy's around. The gov't was trying to force them to lower tuition -- it was 900,000 per month at my school, and the owner's other branch (there were about 5 branches at the time) in Cheongdam was demanding 1,100,000 per month. It was called a Montessori school, actually, They sponsored my E-2 visa.

Teaching Kindy is easy, but becomes boring rather quickly. You tend to teach 20 to 25 minute classes to different rooms, and shift around a lot from room to room. Days are usually shorter than other jobs, simply because kindy kids are usually at the school for less time. The job was soooo easy, but there was little fulfillment in it.

The kids are really cute/kind at that age, but after a while, I started to view them as mobile germ hosts. By that I mean I was getting sick almost every month with some new bug I'd caught from a kid coughing on me, picking their nose and rubbing it on the desk (where my hands might touch it later), etc.. At that age, the kids are always grabbing your leg or wanting to "high-five" or hug or whatever, and it's a little uncomfortable to those with the Western mindset of keeping distance as a teacher -- not to mention the germs. I'm sure that now, with H1N1 being a problem, I would be more worried about catching some cold/flu.

Oh, and when teaching that age, there are still a few kids who can have issues with peeing their pants. We had one girl who would stand in the middle of the room and start crying, then pee down her leg. Thank goodness there were two Korean teachers there to clean it up when she did it! I'll never forget the look of pure disgust on the co-teacher's face as she just glared while the student peed a big old pool on the vinyl floor .... priceless.

It was a nice place to work, but I was sort of happy to get out of there because I was growing tired of little kids, and getting sick so often.

My wife and I were walking in Samsung Plaza in Bundang three years later, and this ajumma walked up to me and said, "Excuse me, but my son said you were his Kindergarten teacher." I was floored. There stood one of my students, about twice the size he was when I taught him. He made this huge smile, and I almost got choked-up. It was a great feeling.

Dodgy Al · Joined: 15 May 2004 Location: Seoul

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Yes, I read them. The ads I was referring to were directed at new teachers who would be coming on E2 visas.

The phrase " No experience necessary" and "full training provided" were prominently featured.

I am also well aware of the freedoms gained through a different visa.

The teachers I know were on E2 visas, by the way. (some of them anyway)

Dodgy Al · Joined: 15 May 2004 Location: Seoul

I think you are confusing 유치완 with English kindergartens. Lost in translation perhaps. The person you spoke about in the OP was most likely working in a 유치완, which is illegal as they are not able to sponsor E2 visas. English kindies are fine. There are thousands of them.

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

OK. I get it now.