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CELTA and 9 months experience - should I expect more?
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spanglish



Joined: 03 Jun 2009

PostPosted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 1:18 pm    Post subject: CELTA and 9 months experience - should I expect more? Reply with quote

So I'm considering making the move from low pay Latin America to Korea to save up some money while I build up more ESL experience.

It looks like very few people who teach in Korea have the CELTA (at best they get an online certificate). So what kind of money/work should I be holding out for? Would it be reasonable to shoot for a second tier or (even) first tier university?

Another question: I'd actually like to get some valuable teaching experience, build my skills and have real professional development offered by my employer. Is that possible in Korea?
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andrewchon



Joined: 16 Nov 2008
Location: Back in Oz. Living in ISIS Aust.

PostPosted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 2:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Saving money can be done.

Bachelor degree, barely any experience and Celta can ask for 2.2 mil won.
Universities prefer masters degree holders. So, unreasonable.

For the last question: if I say yes, I'd be the laughing stock of Korea. So, I'm not going to do that.
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xingyiman



Joined: 12 Jan 2006

PostPosted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 2:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

andrewchon wrote:
Saving money can be done.

Bachelor degree, barely any experience and Celta can ask for 2.2 mil won.
Universities prefer masters degree holders. So, unreasonable.

For the last question: if I say yes, I'd be the laughing stock of Korea. So, I'm not going to do that.


2.2 Million? I have a friend who came here no CELTA, no experience and pulled 2.5. Of course you may be referring to the public school system so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.
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Mr. Susan



Joined: 17 Dec 2007
Location: death row

PostPosted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'e heard of people with no experience finding amazing jobs for 3 million.

I used to work 5 hours a day for 2.7 at a community centre, great job, no boss!

They even let me work at a kindergarten in the morning, so 2.7 quickly becomes about 4.1 (before housing)
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edwardcatflap



Joined: 22 Mar 2009

PostPosted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

with the celta you could apply to the British Council. You'd start on around 2.8 with good housing allowance and they help fund MAs and DELTAs
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bassexpander



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

PostPosted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm laughing at these pay rate promises. These days? Most things I'm hearing of have newbies starting in the low 2.1 to 2.2 range.

Good luck with getting a job at the British Council., btw. At least you drink their brand of Kool-aid.

A word of advice: It's not about how much you can get paid in your job, it's about doing as little work as possible for an average wage. I always feel sorry for people who get suckered into a job that pays 2.5-2.6 working 45 hours per week for a "higher paying" school, when their friends work 30 for a base of 2.2. The ones with the lower base often go out and find some additional work in thier freetime (albiet illegal) and make a lot more money working less.
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xingyiman



Joined: 12 Jan 2006

PostPosted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

bassexpander wrote:
I'm laughing at these pay rate promises. These days? Most things I'm hearing of have newbies starting in the low 2.1 to 2.2 range.

Good luck with getting a job at the British Council., btw. At least you drink their brand of Kool-aid.

A word of advice: It's not about how much you can get paid in your job, it's about doing as little work as possible for an average wage. I always feel sorry for people who get suckered into a job that pays 2.5-2.6 working 45 hours per week for a "higher paying" school, when their friends work 30 for a base of 2.2. The ones with the lower base often go out and find some additional work in thier freetime (albiet illegal) and make a lot more money working less.


I've been here a few yers but I pull way more than that. I am at school 8 hours a day but of those only 4 are teaching. When I first applied to Korea intending to come back after having lived a year in Thailand, I was getting low balled all over the place. One lady director told me it was impossible for anyone without a Master's (although I have one) to make over 2.2. That same day I had a sight unseen offer for 2.5 million arrive in my inbox. I didn't take that job because I found a better one. There are good paying jobs out there even for noobs but they sure as heck aren't going to be handed to you on a silver platter and there's no way youre going to find it in a public school.
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bassexpander



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

PostPosted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree, but figures from 2.7 to 3.1 were thrown out. It's extremely rare for a newbie to get a job like that, but I agree, if you are in Korea for a year and start hunting around, you can get lucky and find such a job.
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missty



Joined: 19 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Coming to Korea I had a CELTA and 2 years experience. I chose the public school system, (smoe) and started on 2.2. After working in private schools abroad, I knew I didn't want to do that again. I was offered 2.5 at a hagwon, but the hours were crazy and I knew that I wouldn't be able to do it.

I have to agree with Bassexpander. Although hagwons pay more, I wouldn't change my job for the world. I could be earning 2.5 in that hagwon right now, but I am so glad I turned it down. Maybe I could have held out for a better hagwon job, but I needed to start work and there was nothing better coming my way.
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xingyiman



Joined: 12 Jan 2006

PostPosted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 5:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

missty wrote:
Coming to Korea I had a CELTA and 2 years experience. I chose the public school system, (smoe) and started on 2.2. After working in private schools abroad, I knew I didn't want to do that again. I was offered 2.5 at a hagwon, but the hours were crazy and I knew that I wouldn't be able to do it.

I have to agree with Bassexpander. Although hagwons pay more, I wouldn't change my job for the world. I could be earning 2.5 in that hagwon right now, but I am so glad I turned it down. Maybe I could have held out for a better hagwon job, but I needed to start work and there was nothing better coming my way.


Public school jobs are what they are and for someone who's going to be returning home in a year with a lilttle spending money that's fine. I have a better gig going than you could ever find in a public school. If you are pulling 2.5 in a public school your head has raeched the ceiling.
Personally I need more capital for long range plans and thats what my current job provides me with. I have said it before and I'll say it again - public school jobs are overrated and I mean way overrated. It's not that they are bad or inferior but the public school teachers tend to embellish their untility far more than what it is in reality. Sure, there are bad hogwans out there and people get screwed. I've also known people to get the shaft in the public school system.But if you look around and know how to interact with Koreans you can find a private gig thats way better than what you'll get in the public sector.
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