Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Danofthepeople]

Hello English teachers! I have been in Korea for one year teaching in Gimhae at a small private academy. After a year of "interesting" employment, I want to find an academy with a curriculum and good organisation.

I am speaking to YBM at the moment and wonder if any of you are either teaching or have taught at a YBM school in Busan.

Is it a decent place to work? Are you respected? Do they pay you on time? etc etc.. Im sure you know the usual Hagwon questions...

Anything about your experience with this company will be useful as I want to make the right decision for my second year in Korea.

[Whitey Otez]

It's a franchise, meaning every branch is going to be different, depending on who owns it and who is running the show.

FWIW, I didn't hate my time at an ECC in Seoul. I stayed for eighteen months. The owner was a tough guy, but the manager held it together nicely. I put my focus on the students and did a decent job.

[geedeebain]

I work in an ECC franchise.

Not bad at all. Pay on time, small classes, good hours and only have to teach one lesson one Saturday a month.

They are always helpful when you need help and the manager runs a tight ship.

However, as the previous poster mentioned, if it is a franchise the quality among schools may differ quite alot.

[Danofthepeople]

I am sure the one that I was applying for was Company Owned - which they state means that head office is directly involved in what goes on there. As to whether that will make an overall difference is still to be known.

what are their textbooks like? do they have a decent curriculum to work from? What kind of freedom do you have to make the lessons your own?

[smoggy]

I worked at a franchise and the books were terrible. They were filled with mistakes. The students did not want to be there, and they were losing students. The manager was ok, but she was more interested in fashion than in teaching. She only had 2 years of teaching, and she knew more than the "older" teachers. They had a funky way of paying. They did not have regular vacation and they only gave you a day off when they felt like it. It was ok, but I hear that ECC is the worst Hogwan in K. land. I agree.

[PatrickGHBusan]

[wesharris]

YBM' Corporate is quite nice to work for.
I 've enjoyed my two months so far. 10 more to go of course.
I find my classes to be enjoyable and the hours are short.
Depends, if you do go corporate OP. You'll be alright.

[Whitey Otez]

[Tigerstyleone]

I worked at ECC in Busan, Deockcheon. It sucked
Two weeks of unpaid training oh i got 10,000 won a day for food and transport.
Then day one I had 8 fourty minute classes a day 5 days a week with no break and no food and only 5 minutes between classes. NO heat or aircon not to mention model lessons every Wednesday so come in an hour early for that and weekly teacher meetings don't forget to mention the piles and piles of ridiculous paper work grading journals, evaluations, checking for speaking contest, stupid lesson plans, but what takes the cake was when I had a throat infection and influenza at the same time.
My doctor said I needed to stay in the hospital one day for evaluation and take IV fluid, fevers can be serious..
The director came to the hospital and pulled me out of their telling the doctor that I had no choice but to work.
The korean teachers were very distant and didn't seem to enjoy working there either. They were always leaving before their contract was over.

[Toju]

Simply - don't.

[Danofthepeople]

Yeah Tigerstyle I got the same thing in my third month teaching in my academy. I lost my voice and was unable to speak. Director took me to the doctor and told him that I needed to teach in 30 mins so he had to give some medicine. Crazy stuff.

I think ill be at the YBM in Geumjeong if you have any specifics about there?

Are there any larger Hagwon chains that are reasonable? ChungDahm perhaps?