Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Halcyom Chimera]

I begin teaching in January at a school in Ilsan. I have recently spoken with my recruiter, and he says I will not have a co-teacher. He said that since my students will be "returnee" students, they will be proficient enough to not need a co-teacher. Is this accurate? I will be working through Poly School... If anyone has any information regarding this, please let me know..

Also, I was told I will be provided page numbers and information to teach; my only job will be to decide how the information will be delivered and to deliver it. Is this also accurate? I have a bachelor's and master's in education, and I am used to designing my own lesson plans. I am assuming these are already set up and just need implemented?

Thanks in advance for any positive feedback!

[andrewchon]

That sounds like a makings of an utter disaster.

Tell them you'll need more support, at least in the beginning month.

[blonde researcher]

Returnee classes are for kids who have lived overseas and already have a lot of English exposure. These can be fantastic and invigorating to work in as the kids can do debates and topics and develop their conversation and vocabulary. The last thing you would wantto do with these kids is follow a text book !!

Co teachers are only in the public school system EPIK programs - not in hagwons. You are going to a hagwon system

[frankly speaking]

poly returnee school is a Hagwon and they have a very strict methodology of teaching. You really should ask them a lot more to make sure that you believe in their approach and methodology.

If you don't have a lot of experience or Knowledge in EFL, then it is a good idea to follow exactly what they have. You might have a masters in Education but for teaching what? If you are a science teacher, you might be able to create your own lessons or even develop a curriculum, but for someone knew to teaching EFL in Korea, without background knowledge, how will you develop your own lesson plans.

I actually avoid Poly school like the plague. I really didn't like their strict curriculum or their belief in discipline. I don't think that yelling at students is a good way to help them grow but at the few different ones that I visited I saw a lot of firm handed teaching.

[lifeinkorea]

Could be good or bad. They could have also told you YES you will get a co-teacher, only to find when you arrive that the co-teacher is not going to be in the classroom with you. They will be teaching another class or doing meaningless computer work and sending notices to parents which lie about the program.

[littlelisa]

Is it normal for hagwons to have coteachers? I don't think so.

[blackjack]

Never heard of a hagwon with co-teachers

[Halcyom Chimera]

Oh, okay. Thanks, everyone. For whoever asked: My bachelor's and master's are both in English language arts secondary education.

One of you commented that you did not agree with Poly's belief in discipline-- what IS their classroom or school wide discipline plan? I know you said yelling, but what else?

Thanks again