Korean Job Discussion Forums

pianowill · Joined: 11 May 2009 Location: Bundang

I got to Korea a week ago. I started teaching today.

First of all, this isn't a walk in the park. This is work. This is a lot of work. You will need to teach several classes a day, and when you are not teaching, you need to be preparing lesson plans. Preparing lesson plans is work. Researching lesson plans online, preparing a lesson plan weekly table, going through teaching materials like books, teacher's guides, books about classroom games: This all takes time.

Enjoy your quarantine week while you can because you are about to be BUSY.

If you came here to relax, you came to the wrong place. However, you will learn to appreciate your free time much, much more. Be careful about accepting extra classes not specified in your contract. You will be paid for these extra classes, but they will add these on before your other classes, after them, and/or between them. I'm teaching extra classes Tuesday morning, Thursday morning, Thursday afternoon, and Friday afternoon. Though I'll be getting about 100,000 KRW more a week, it will be a lot more work.

Good luck and godspeed. I have a feeling that I don't even know what I'm in for yet. After all, I've only given my introduction four times out of the fourteen total I'll need to give.

DrugstoreCowgirl · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:13 pm Post subject:

I think it all depends on your school and grade level. I also started recently and I do not feel like I'm working hard. It's fairly easy and I have a lot of free time.

pianowill · Joined: 11 May 2009 Location: Bundang

Oh. Maybe I am overanalyzing everything. After all, it is my first day. I sure hope this job is not as intimidating and overwhelming as it appears to be so far.

AgentM · Joined: 07 Jun 2009 Location: British Columbia, Canada

I suspect that, as with most things, it will get easier as you get used to it. Once you get in the groove, maybe you'll have more free time.

DrugstoreCowgirl · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:37 pm Post subject:

smoggy · Joined: 31 Jul 2009

I have worked a week in Daegu, and I have to write lesson plans for the first month. The books are bad, but the plans are easy to make. If I run out of time, I add questions to the plans while I'm teaching class. I try not to do that though. The books teach themselves. I make sentences for the students to say using the new vocab. I work about 20 hrs. per week, and 5 hrs. of prep. time. Good luck to others who are just starting.

Triban · Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Location: Suwon Station

I am also just starting, just finished my 2nd teaching day today. However, this IS work. So far all of my games (that I got the ideas for from this site) have been a hit, which is good. It is taxing though. Tuesday is my busiest day, where I teach from 9 AM to 4 PM solid with only a lunch break. So far it has been rewarding, but I will admit I am pretty beat...that could be because I went out with the faculty for galbi and noreabang though...too much soju doesn't give a good night's rest I am finding.

flarestar · Joined: 05 Sep 2009

I do mental lesson plans, that's to say I just mentall rehearse which pages i will be covering a week. I dont exactly plan much out, I just do it freestyle and that works out most of the time. I dont ever look online for materials i just follow the text and just have a pulse at my desk where i post on this forum.

soviet_man · Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Location: Seoul

Peeps with 2009 join dates are so sweet and innocent. Confused

I mean you either learn to swim ... or you sink and go home. You are on Korea time now.

The key is to look after yourselves and establish your own social/support network.

Peddle hard when you start, but once the K teachers and your wongjangnim get to know you - you can actually back off and not be so over prepped for class.

sugarkane59 · Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Location: Seoul

Hey OP,

Are you in a public or private school, out of curiosity?

Thanks,
Sugar

dragon777 · Joined: 06 Dec 2007

Pinaowill, you have left a great impression upon me. What is next great

leap?

wakingup · Joined: 20 May 2009

All depends on where you work and how much it suits you.

Even if you're at a school where it really is hard work (I am, so I understand where you're going, but not everybody is - there are a lot of different gigs in Korea), it gets way easier with time. Prep especially gets easier, and if you see the same students, management gets pretty effortless once you've 'trained' them.

How do you like Bundang?

Chambertin · Joined: 07 Jun 2009 Location: Gunsan

Fishead soup · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Location: Korea

Listen repeat listen repeat listen repeat listen repeat listen repeat

D.D. · Joined: 29 May 2008

Don't listen to fishhead and dont repeat what he does. Korea does not need anymore robots who can't think for themselves.