Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Gwangjuboy]

[tokki]

IF, IF, and I stress IF, the extra classes were beneficial, in the sense that the students would learn more at school than at a hagwon, then I would say its a good idea. However, Im damn sure that learning English in a class with 35 other students from a Korean who cant even have a conversation in English, will be far less beneficial than learning in a class with 10 students, from a native speaker. What exactly is the point of this anyway? Is it done just to spite the hagwons? I see no benefit, other than saving the parents some money. Its pointless and yes, I think it is a case of the government pointlessly flexing its muscle.

Anyway, I was glad to see that today alone, 5 new students signed up, and another was in the office when I was leaving work. A few signed up yesterday too, and the classes are getting bigger.

[Gollum]

To answer Tokki and Gwangjuboy's last posts, and add a little more info....

I have a Korean female friend who teaches at an all-girls Public high school in Seoul -- not much different of a situation than mine. I've seen her school before, and it's similar, other than that mine is "privately-owned". Hers is "public." We also seem to have more resources than her, at least from the way it sounds.

She was asking me about pay and stuff. Somewhere, she heard that foreign teachers at public schools were going to be offered 3 million in pay, and wondered if that was true. I get 2 million plus housing (not sure what my housing costs here -- it's a nice, brand-new bundang offictell though), so I corrected her on that. Made me wondered if I'm supposed to be getting 3.0, but the school is skimming or something. Really curious now. I don't recall the other high school teachers I met on the visa run to Osaka saying they were getting any more than average.

Anyway, my Korean female friend asked about my school, and I told her about some of the good points, like how our class has big-screen TVs with a computer (although old) in every English room, and also a new multimedia room with brand-new computers that just arrived this week, and a movie/video projection system for presentations. She then launched into this tyrade about how my school is considered "low class" to work at, because it's privately-owned -- not an actual gov't public school.

Apparently, teachers at the public schools are pretty much "in there for life" unless they royally mess up in some way. Teachers at my school can be fired more easily, I guess. She said something about how the teachers at these schools were the ones who "weren't good enough" to get into the public schools like hers. I was just trying to give my friend some basic facts about the school and pay, etc, and she seemed to retort as if she'd been hurt. I hope I wasn't bragging too much. Must have been. Anyway, according to what she said about the teachers, Gwangjuboy is correct. I appreciate getting more information about that, Gwangju...

As for the Tokki's argument about extra classes, and classes with a native speaker being more or less "beneficial" than at a hagwon, I'd say less, if the student stops going to a hagwon.

We simply don't see the students enough at the school to offset the difference in time a student might spend in one week at a hagwon (of course, there are good and bad hagwons -- but still). I see my own classes for 2 fifty-minute sessions per week, and I co-teach with other classes just once per week. I also will start teaching a class for the teachers next week. I look forward to that one, actually (I enjoy teaching adults when they're not complaining). That class should be enjoyable, because we are told just to teach whatever we want -- not a lot of pressure. I intend to teach a lot of idioms from my favorite idioms book by Broukal.

Also, the classes I teach are painting with a broad brush, so-to-speak. The girls are grouped according to level, but obviously, there is a big difference between those in my classes who can actually speak English, and those who can read and answer test questions correctly. Due to class size (20 to 40 on average) there is simply no way I can give much individual attention in class. In such a situation, you are somewhat limited to the "say it -- everyone repeat it" type of situation. I might call out on a few random students to say it, and point out the common errors in speech, and how to correct those errors, then have everyone repeat again -- but that's really the best I can do with such a large class. That and having them do conversation in groups, then floating around the room for assistance.

On another note, I have found I can't go anywhere near Yatap or Seohyun stations in Bundang without some girl in the crowd blushing, screeching (yes, screeching -- they did that the first few days at the school too, but in groups... ugh) pointing, and whispering to her friends. I was ordering food at a McDonalds in Samsung Plaza yesterday, and one of the girls about dove under the counter when she first saw me -- totally freaking out that her English teacher might expect her to speak English when he ordered his choco-cone. Her co-workers got quite a laugh out of that one.

I ordered in my simple Korean -- saving her the big scare.

[Medic]

The national examination to teach in the public school system at either a highschool or a middleschool is marked so that 80% of the candidates fail. I think the exam is given twice a year, and the poor candidates have to spend months in one of those hell places where they cram for exams.

Most newer teachers in the system probably tried three or four times before they were succesful. I also heard that there are upwards of 4000 people who prepare for the examination at any one time, and I'm sure that at least 60% of the candidates would pass on merit alone.

Seems as though the ministry of education could easily have more than enough staff to fill smaller sized classes in all subjects.

[tokki]

[Gord]

[just because]

I'm with Gord.
They are my sentiments exactly. If interest is whipped up even more at school than the parents are gong to want an even greater advantage which means more for us.

[tokki]

Perhaps.I know that last week I saw maybe ten new students in my school. Doesnt look like attendence is dropping. Although I did lose one class, 4 students, who are going to HS and have no time to study at the hagwon. Hell, if the boss doesnt schedule something in that time slot, that gives me 3 classes I dont have to teach per week hehehe. Good deal for me.