Korean Job Discussion Forums

[FredDaSked]

That is, the fall-back stability.

I mean, why on earth would it be illegal for teachers to tutor small groups of students when it seems obvious to me that that's what the progress of the typical English language learner in this country is crying out for?

Putting FT's in immersion classrooms with large groups of students on a roller coaster of abilities just insures that none but the dedicated student--working independently to excel the group--will succeed. In my PS elementary classes, no one has to point out to me that all but two or three are present to forward their parents' vicarious hopes and dreams.

But when I take the time to work little by little, from student to student, each responds, each concentrates for that little bit of their classtime.

Tutoring is the real way to deal with 1. peer pressure 2. student disinterest 3. low grades in class 4. Teacher-student noncommunication

Imagine, and I can, how full the ranks of the parents advertising for supplemental tutoring for their kids would be if something so individual as the decision to make extra money tutoring were not illegal. I understand somewhat the motivation toward control, child protection and, well, I don't understand other half-sown motivations--but making money is the motivation to be here at all. The restriction should really be to teach English only, not do other work. And who wants to flip Korean burgers, anyway?

But tutoring--that's where the rubber would really meet the road for millions of students in terms of getting ahead in English and for foreigners looking to make and do--money and a the most good for the students.

[crossmr]

because immigration controls your employment on an E series and says you can't do it. People on an F series can get a tutor license or they can open a study room, which is basically a mini-hagwon with small groups of students.

[PatrickGHBusan]

It is mostly a visa rule and a taxation issue.

The act of teaching small groups is not the issue. The issue is that the E-2 visa does not allow you teach private lessons. Furthermore, if you do teach them, the income goes undeclared and hence untaxed: tax evasion.

Tutoring can be a boon to students if and only if it is offered by a qualified teacher who prepares a lesson plan and a learning program. For that to happen, regulation would need to be introduced.

Also, never forget that the E-2 is an employer sponsored visa. Without your employer you get no E-2. That has legal implications for the Teacher and for the employer.

Look up what sponsorship means in employment terms. It will possibly shed some light on things.

[Juregen]

[Hamlet]

It's very simple. It's about money.

Hagwon owner brings you here as a teacher so he or she can make money from students.

If you teach students privately, those students will pay you directly instead of paying the hagwon.

Don't forget, if you work at a hagwon, you work for a business. You are only there because the hagwon owner can make money off of your presence. If he or she couldn't, you wouldn't be here.

If you're at a public school, you're here for education, but you are on the same visa as a person at a hagwon.

In the end, the e-2 visa rules are in place to protect the economic interests of hagwon owners, not to promote education.

[Juregen]

[Hamlet]

[PatrickGHBusan]

Hamlet you may have a good point but it is far from certain that the E-2 rules and consequent restrictions on private tutoring are there solely to protect the financial interests of Hakwons.

You forget Korea has tried many times to even the playing field for English learners by removing private tutoring, hence the big push for Public Schools hiring foreign teachers (shoot for equal access). The other issue which is not linked to Hakwons at all is taxation of the income made from private tutoring. Finally, there is the issue of controling what the foreign working population can and cannot do while living in Korea. There are lagal implications on that issue alone. I think it is far more complex than hakwons protecting their profit margin.

You could easily make the argument that a Hakwon should expect some sort of protection when it invests a substantial amount of money to hier and bring over a foreign teacher. Why would a a hakwon accept that the teacher it hired at great cost go and teach private lessons often to the neglect of the teaching duties at the school? Also remember that a foreign teacher is here on a sponsored visa (by the employer) and that by sponsoring someone, the employer then becomes legally responsible for the employee on certain issues.

Like I said, it is far more complex than some nefarious plan to keep money in the pocket of hakwons.

[Kurtz]

I agree, the E-2 restrictions are not about the hakwons, it's about making things fairer for poorer parents of kids who can't afford that Native English tutor. If it was OK, E-2 visa holders would be going mad doing privates and who misses out? Parents who can't afford 50,000 Won for an hours work with a foreigner.

I think this push for a little more fairness can be seen also in the pilot schools for after school programs in elementary schools. If successful, after school lessons might eventually spread to other schools and eventually might take business away from the more expensive hagwons.

As a side note, there I was doing my little phonics bit for my 2nd graders in the after school program, and out of the blue in rocks the camera crew from KBS to film my class and put it on prime time TV, to showcase our schools pilot program, just shows you always must be prepared!

[crossmr]

[Hamlet]

[Juregen]

Private Education is NOT prohibitively expensive, the issue is that knowledge is considered a race in Korea. They compare the relative amount of knowledge of children with each other. Are you going to tell me that paying 250k won per kid per month is thus unavailable for low income families? No.

The effectiveness of education only depends slightly on the amount of money spend. A far higher effect is how the family supports the overall education efforts of the child. A lousy family education will not be helped with throwing a lot of money at it. A great family education supported by some private education will do wonders.

The E-2 visa's are not designed to protect the hagwon industry. They are initially created to support public schools. But, due to the Korean constitution, where education is considered a right, E-2's have to be extended to private institutions.

If E-2's do become mobile, there will be a huge overhaul in the hiring practices of English teachers, and it might not be in the best interest of the teacher. Mainly due to the increased risk of "importing" teachers. F-visa will then be even more valuable then now.

[crossmr]

[Hamlet]

[crossmr]