Korean Job Discussion Forums

Skininho · Joined: 30 Nov 2009 Location: Belfast

Just had an interview for Nowon Private Elementary School in Seoul.
Just wondering if anyone knows anything about the school / area to aid decision making!
Thanks Smile

chachee99 · Joined: 20 Oct 2004 Location: Seoul Korea

Nowon Gu isn't a bad area to live. However, I can't tell you a thing about the school because you've never given the name. I've never heard of "Nowon Private Elementary School"

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

Make sure it's actually a private public-type elementary school that holds class between 8 or 9am and 4pm or so -- NOT a hagwon with a fancy name that would have you working evenings.

Privately-owned public-like schools at the elementary level are generally very nice. Your job can be anything from pure cake to pure hell, depending on what the principal is like. At private schools, the principal is king -- literally. When the principal speaks, employees jump! Expect an ego the size of the nearest mountain. Good king = good school. Bad king = hell-hole.

A privately-owned public-like school (don't know what else to call it) is about 90% funded by the gov't, but privately owned. That's how it was explained to me, anyway. It's a different concept than in the West. Any student in an area can be assigned to a private or a public school. The difference is just in how it's owned (interestingly, my passport stamp still had "hagwon" in the name of the school, because it was privately owned).

I worked for a private high school for a few years. It was a great job, but I was in good standing with the principal (heck, her husband married us). If I hadn't been, I wouldn't have been there long. Generally, there is a ton of nepotism at private schools like this, as well. The principal at my school was married to the vice-chairman. The chairman was his father, and his sister was the vice-principal. Mom was the former principal. Get it? It's a problem that former President Noh tried to tackle, and he had a heck of a time at it.

For what it's worth, there are a lot of nice people living in Nowon. I wouldn't mind living there, but the wife won't have anything to do with living so far away from her workplace in Kangnam. Even still, you're not all all that far from Kangnam if you just shoot down on the olive line. The light blue line will take you to Dongdaemun and the center of the city, too.

Nowon isn't a bad place to be.

RyanInKorea · Joined: 17 Jan 2008

There are at least four or five private elementary schools in the Nowon-gu area. Which one are you talking about specifically?

Ryan

Skininho · Joined: 30 Nov 2009 Location: Belfast

Hey all thanks for the info,
Apologies re school name, our recruiter just kept calling it 'Nowon Private Elementary School', but on closer inspection it's called
Hwarang Elementary School, website http://www.hwarang-s.es.kr/. So Nowon-gu is a nice enough area? We're still waiting to hear back from the interviews but always good to have an idea if we want the job in the first place Very Happy

RyanInKorea · Joined: 17 Jan 2008

Honestly, I don't know anyone who works there, though a couple of my old kindy students attend it, so I can't give you any insight into the innerworkings of the school. It is closer to Taerung station than it is to Nowon station, but still relatively close.

Basically, I can't help you at all.

Good luck,
Ryan

lacolahan · Joined: 14 Jun 2009

Wondering if you got the job. I am finishing the semester next week. I know that a new company is coming in to manage the English program, and I'm wondering if you got the job. I won't be working for the school, so it doesn't affect me. But I was under the impression that the new school hadn't hired anyone yet. I don't even think they told us about the management change until the beginning of December.

If you questions, PM me.

lacolahan · Joined: 14 Jun 2009

Sorry, I wanted to say also that I didn't even know that the new company had a contract to show teachers.

Skininho · Joined: 30 Nov 2009 Location: Belfast

Thanks for the help folks!

We have been offered a job, but what you say about contracts makes sense as we haven't yet received the contract, it is due to arrive in the next day or two apparently.

I will send you a pm, lacolahan.

lacolahan · Joined: 14 Jun 2009

If you can't pm me, email me. I can tell you about the school, the neighborhood, etc., even though your job will be different than mine.

lacolahan · Joined: 14 Jun 2009

From what I have heard, the new company is going to really make a mess of things. They will be cutting the vacation time in half, making longer hours, make you "desk warm" when you do not even have class. The contracts are not finalized yet, but really make sure you know all the details before signing but it really sounds like the school will go from having a really good english program to turning into a hagwon type setting.