Korean Job Discussion Forums

[youcollme]

I'm writing to see if anyone who has actually worked in a hagwon can say they completed their contract and left with a positive experience, or even miraculously renewed? I'm currently working in a hagwon, a kindergarten to be exact, and it isn't easy, that's for sure.

As it seems, almost everyone who works in a hagwon has ridiculously long hours, a nutso director, a lack of curriculum, crazy kids, payment issues, zero sick days, small vacay, or a school that goes under all together. If you talk to anyone who works in a public school, their jobs are a total breeze in comparison. (I'm not saying you don't work hard, you just don't have to deal w/a bunch of other BS).

I'm considering moving to Busan, but I don't think I can do the private school route again, and I've already been told that public school positions are almost completely filled. If I can't land a public school position in time, I just don't know if it's worth putting up with another hagwon here, unless someone can give me hope? Otherwise, I'm moving to Taiwan! Thoughts?

[ChilgokBlackHole]

I just left a hakwon in Chilgok County (franchise of a small chain). The hours weren't terrible, the boss was basically level-headed and spoke fluent English and Japanese. I had a furnished apartment with an American style oven, paid for by the boss. I was paid on time every time. I renewed the contract once, and was paid in full at the end of my first and second contracts. My flight home was paid in cash, in Euro, so I could move on to my next destination.

I left because I didn't like working, and the kids that were coming in just didn't interest me anymore.

[Davew125]

My hagwon is great, i've been here for over two years. scheduled 30 hours a week, usually a lot less, working 9-5 and some days 9-2, paid for all over time - marking, writing speeches etc., paid regularly, great apartment with a balcony and a view of the mountans, excellent bunch of co-workers, small classes of no more than 10, no real problem with discipline.

It's resigning that gets you the power to suggest more things. I got an extra three weeks holiday (on top of the two we already get) when i resigned and a paid flight back to my home country as well.

Good hagwons are there, i've met others in good situations as well. You just have to be lucky and make sure you talk to people that work at the school properly before you sign anything.

Personally i would never work in a public school - I've met over a dozen people who worked in public schools and only 2 have said they liked it and that was only because they said it was stupidly easy and left them plenty of time to fit in private lessons. All the others complained of shed loads of bureaucratic crap, obnoxious co-workers, hours of desk warming etc......

[thegadfly]

I have only ever worked in hakwons in Korea -- a year at Wonderland, which actually was a pretty good experience for me, 2 years at a non-chain hakwon in Gangnam, and going on 8 years at my current, non-chain hakwon. I have only ever had good experiences -- which does not mean I haven't had problems, but that is part of one's professional life -- if work were fun and easy, it would be called a hobby, and we would pay to enjoy it, not be paid for performing it. Even the problems at Wonderland paled beside the problems I encountered in US public high schools...but mileage may vary, and the things that I enjoy about my gigs are actually the same things that other people hate.

I see freedom where others have seen "a lack of structure." I see accountability for my classes where others see "administration complaining about my performance." I see autonomity where others claim a lack of guidance. I actually LIKE that you hear about it in 2.2 seconds if something isn't up to snuff -- at my school, every day is an "open class." Parents are allowed to attend any and all classes -- and many usually do. It is pretty common for me to have 10 parents in a class of 15 students, every single day that I have the class. This is VERY off-putting for some people who have come to teach here, but I actually like it quite a bit....

Different strokes for different folks I guess -- in the US, I also enjoyed my "alternative" school students quite a bit -- where others see problems, I see a challenge, I guess....

[edwardcatflap]

I admire your tolerance but don't you experience the following problems when having parents in lessons all the time?

some kids play up to the audience
some kids lose confidence in front of parents
some parents try to coach kids in lessons (usually wrongly)
some parents disrupt lessons by using phones, arriving late, leaving early etc...
some parents think you're not paying enough attention to their kid
some parents complain about kids speaking Korean behind your back when you're helping a particular kid
Some parents don't agree with your teaching methods. You should talk more, talk less, play more games, play fewer games, use video, not use video, etc...

It would drive most teachers up the wall.

[Tycho Brahe]

I love my hagwon.

My boss shows me far more respect than any employer I had in my own country. I think this month was the first I wasn't paid on the day I was supposed to be, but that was because I was too busy yesterday to go and sign off on my payslip.

its a mom and pop place in suwon. The biggest class is 10 students, its a 30 hour contract, although I have never done more than 26 hours. And my ko-teachers spend their prep and free time helping me study korean .... so yeah; they are pretty awesome.

[air76]

My first hagwon was OK...they paid on time and only tried to weasel me a couple times...but at the end of the day my apartment was nice enough and I was paid everything that I was owed....plus we had a pretty set curriculum so that wasn't an issue.

My second hagwon was better, but not extraordinary or anything...no real complaints except for the standard hagwon stuff.

I'd much rather work at a hagwon than at public school....what I don't understand, though, is how anyone can work here for more than 2-3 years and not move into a university job. It's like night and day. Working at a university is the only way to go if you actually want to do this for a while.

[sulperman]

[WoBW]

In my years teaching in Korea I worked at 2 different hagwons and 1 public school.

The public school job was by far the worst job I ever had. I was happy at both of the hagwons and only left when I had to return home to bury close relatives.

I see over and over again on this site people saying "Get a safe public school job; apply to GEPIK/EPIK/SMOE" Personally I'd rather have my balls bitten by a sewer rat than work for a public school.

I'd go for a well-established hagwon every time. There are many good schools out there. The problem is too many whiny, pathetic 22-year-olds who don't yet know how to live away from mama that struggle to adjust.

THERE IS NO CULTURE SHOCK COMING TO LIVE IN KOREA. Those posts where people say it is so difficult to adjust are just pathetic individuals who miss their mamma's warm milk and a lullaby to send them to sleep. Really pathetic. Korea is such an easy place in which to live.

[sulperman]

[air76]

[sulperman]

I suppose this is how a thread gets derailed. People will disagree on this point forever. But whether you agree or not.... (Um, how do you get a thread back on topic?)

[WoBW]

[hamie]

Mine rocks 99% of the time. Last time I was here I did the Wonderhell experience in Seoul but got paid on time and made it through a one year contract. This year (I'm in the middle of nowhere) and am loving it.

Just like teaching anywhere in the world there are good days and those that require alcohol.

[Summer Wine]