Korean Job Discussion Forums

Triban · Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Location: Suwon Station

So apparently my school's winter break is from Dec 20th-Jan 31st (approx. 6 weeks) 3 of which I have to teach winter camp; THEN, there is spring break from Feb. 12th-Feb.28th. I am not complaining but this seems like a copious amount of time even if I am teaching rural. Is there something I'm overlooking, or do I really get this much time off?

No lo comprendo.

PIGFACESOUPWITHRICE · Joined: 17 Nov 2009 Location: Electron Cloud

Welcome to the joys of Public school Triban.

Seems par for the course.

The only issue now is, will they make you come in and do full days of desk warming during the hols or will they turn the blind eye and let you not come in and 'prepare materials at home.'

I've always been granted the 2nd option luckilly.

Triban · Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Location: Suwon Station

Well they said during winter camp I could teach in the morning and then leave, so it looks hopeful. God bless rural schools.

bcoral99 · Joined: 26 Mar 2008

this seems normal. i believe all schools have winter break. Then teachers come back for a week or two for graduation and then there is spring break until the start of the new year. i guess it will depend on your school whether you go to school or not. hopefully many of us do not.

oskinny1 · Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Location: Right behind you!

If you do get it off keep mum. Last year some posters bragged about getting the whole break off and not having to desk-warm. Some other posters complained to EPIK or someplace and then everyone was forced to desk-warm.

Loudog · Joined: 22 Oct 2009 Location: Shiheung

My school is new with not a lot of students yet. So I only have one week of camp and the break is from dec 31-feb 9th! and I think that there is also a spring break too. I hope I am not going to have to desk warm the whole time...

Triban · Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Location: Suwon Station

steveinincheon · Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Location: in The Shadows of Gyeyangsan

Yeah,
that sounds pretty typical for vacation time. If you do have to desk warm you can probably just find some good tv shows or movies to watch online and no one will care. If you are one of the lucky ones that gets unofficial time off, do what the other poster said and STFU about it.

kerbythepurplecow · Joined: 02 Mar 2009

I am rural and under 100 kids. I'll have 4 weeks of camp and have to desk warm in the afternoons after the camp. If I'm not on vacation I'll be here keeping my room warm. So, it's not all rural schools, it's just the luck of the draw.

I'm no Picasso · Joined: 28 Oct 2008

Last year's winter break, my school did everything by the book, which meant I kept a desk warm for all but my contracted two weeks of vacation. The VP has started to relax with me though, and this summer I was given an extra week of vacation, and this winter it looks like I'll get the whole thing, save for a week and a half of camps. Cool.

That having been said, before all the new guys start getting bent out of shape, be fair with your schools. Technically you were only promised your contracted vacation. I know it sucks that some of us have to be there for no reason, but the schools are not obligated to give us more than our contracted time off.

Also, from what I understand, most districts have people checking up quite thoroughly on where the NSETs are during vacation time (trying to assure that they aren't getting extra vacation), so your VP and P could get into some hot water if anyone were to find out they gave you extra vacation. It's not always just for no reason. They have people they have to answer to as well. My co-teacher basically had to lie for me to cover up that extra week I had in the summer. Try to understand where they are coming from before you get too worked up.

oskinny1 · Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Location: Right behind you!

I am just trying to understand why there is a need for desk warming. Why send someone out to make sure you are sitting in an empty unheated school with nothing to do but develop resentment for your employer.

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

nomad-ish · Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 1:48 am Post subject:

OP, they technically can make you come in and sit at your desk for 40 hours monday to friday. however, since you're in a rural position, i think it's unlikely they will.

you could feel around to see what their ideas on the subject are. get some details on your camps and casually ask what you should do when you're not teaching.

I'm no Picasso · Joined: 28 Oct 2008

Big Mac · Joined: 17 Sep 2005

I just hope they don't come back a year from now and say that you have to re-pay the money they gave you for that time off. If they get you to fill out an attendance sheet be careful that it only shows that you took the contracted vacation off. The school board has been asking to see my attendance sheets recently and we've been very careful with them for that reason. Even though they gave me permission to take that time off, there is a chance the higher-ups will tell the school that the money has to be paid back.