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Any Experiences with TaLK?
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noraebang



Joined: 05 May 2010

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 2:28 am    Post subject: Any Experiences with TaLK? Reply with quote

Hey, I'm trying to find people who've had experience with the TaLK program that I can talk to. I'd like to ask about the program.
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ttompatz



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 2:44 am    Post subject: Re: Any Experiences with TaLK? Reply with quote

noraebang wrote:
Hey, I'm trying to find people who've had experience with the TaLK program that I can talk to. I'd like to ask about the program.


Just ask your questions here. There are lots who can give you informed answers.

.
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noraebang



Joined: 05 May 2010

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 3:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sure,

Did you end up working 3 hours after school or did you end up having your three hours placed all over the day?

How well did the orientation prepare you for teaching?

What is the "learning" part of taLk other than the orientation? Are there any opportunities to study Korean under someone?
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noraebang



Joined: 05 May 2010

PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 11:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's hard to find much information on what the work conditions will be like. Are their contracts posted online?

I'm mostly interested in how many hours I'll be required to stay at the school each day and what teachers do on winter breaks.
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ttompatz



Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 12:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

noraebang wrote:
It's hard to find much information on what the work conditions will be like. Are their contracts posted online?

I'm mostly interested in how many hours I'll be required to stay at the school each day and what teachers do on winter breaks.


Typically you work the same job and desk hours as an EPIK teacher.
Your class hours can be (and often are) scattered anytime during the week.
You get about 2/3 of the salary of an EPIK teacher.
There are a couple examples of the TALK / internship contracts in the contract sticky thread if you want to have a look at them.

They do (did?) require that you are currently enrolled in post secondary education or have a minimum of 2 years (associates level) of education if you are not currently a student from one of the accepted 7 countries.

.
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noraebang



Joined: 05 May 2010

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 12:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ttompatz wrote:
Typically you work the same job and desk hours as an EPIK teacher.
Your class hours can be (and often are) scattered anytime during the week.

How do you know that? How many people have you talked to to form that conclusion? For example, you say "typically." I'm just wondering what sample size that is based on. It doesn't say anything about required non-teaching hours in the contract.


Quote:
There are a couple examples of the TALK / internship contracts in the contract sticky thread if you want to have a look at them.

Already read the contract on the TaLK site. This is exactly the reason why I originally posted this thread asking for people with experience in the program. You don't need to tell me the salary, which I didn't ask, nor about the educational requirements. Those are all outlined very clearly on the TaLK site and on basically any page mentioning TaLK. It's almost like you're talking down to me when you tell me those things--I'd have to be pretty blind to have missed them.
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gunners girl



Joined: 30 Oct 2009
Location: London

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 2:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

noraebang wrote:
ttompatz wrote:
Typically you work the same job and desk hours as an EPIK teacher.
Your class hours can be (and often are) scattered anytime during the week.

How do you know that? How many people have you talked to to form that conclusion? For example, you say "typically." I'm just wondering what sample size that is based on. It doesn't say anything about required non-teaching hours in the contract.


Quote:
There are a couple examples of the TALK / internship contracts in the contract sticky thread if you want to have a look at them.

Already read the contract on the TaLK site. This is exactly the reason why I originally posted this thread asking for people with experience in the program. You don't need to tell me the salary, which I didn't ask, nor about the educational requirements. Those are all outlined very clearly on the TaLK site and on basically any page mentioning TaLK. It's almost like you're talking down to me when you tell me those things--I'd have to be pretty blind to have missed them.


umm, sorry to barge in on this thread but from what i can see, all ttompatz was trying to do was help. ok, so you already knew some of the information that he told you - that does not mean he was talking down to you.

plus, you did ask if contracts were posted online. so no need to get touchy when someone directs you to where you could read examples of them.

from what i've gathered, ttompatz really knows his stuff and is always willing to help out newbies (and "oldies" too) with their questions.

if you're that sensitive, maybe you should stay away from internet forums.
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lifeinkorea



Joined: 24 Jan 2009
Location: somewhere in China

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 3:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I'd have to be pretty blind to have missed them.


ttompatz is almost always complete in what he says. I will list maybe 3 or 4 of the essentials you need on any given topic, but ttompatz will add the extra 9 or 10 things to complete whatever process is needed.

Give him a break, he is only trying to help.

To address your question, there was one teacher last year at the school I taught at in the Gyeonggido area who had block teaching after school. She would do 2 or 3 classes depending on the day. She would have her mornings free. She did not have to deskwarm.

This is just one example, and it doesn't represent everyone. I suggest you apply, get an interview date, and then ask these questions.

I thought the TALK program was getting phased out, so it may or may not be available now to join.
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kiwiinkorea



Joined: 17 Aug 2009

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 4:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is a TALK teacher at one of my schools. He starts at 12 and teachers until about 4pm and he doesn't have to be at the school outside of the classes.

During vacation he teaches a camp version of his classes (except when he is on actual vacation).

I know he had quite a lot of training but I don't know how useful it was.

I also would add that ttompatz is very helpful on this site. He gave you some inoformation about TALK and your response to him was not gracious. If you react like that to helpful information, you might not get much more of it.
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noraebang



Joined: 05 May 2010

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

gunners girl wrote:
umm, sorry to barge in on this thread but from what i can see, all ttompatz was trying to do was help. ok, so you already knew some of the information that he told you - that does not mean he was talking down to you.

Yep, that's why I said it's "almost" like that, because it's like coming up to me and saying "TaLK stands for Teaching and Learning in Korea." I know he had good intentions but I'm just saying--save your breath.

Quote:
if you're that sensitive, maybe you should stay away from internet forums.
I'm not sensitive about anything. You shouldn't try and guess my emotional state from a few lines of text, it can't tell you much, and you may end up writing a post for no reason (like this one). I was just telling him to not waste his time with the simple stuff; it was to benefit him.
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noraebang



Joined: 05 May 2010

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 5:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

lifeinkorea wrote:
I thought the TALK program was getting phased out, so it may or may not be available now to join.

That's wrong information.

Thanks for your experience with the other teacher. She was a TaLK scholar for sure right?

As for the interview, it was supposed to be tomorrow but I had to reschedule it. And somebody at the embassy cannot answer the questions I am asking, only experienced TaLK scholars or someone affiliated very closely with the TaLK program can, since I'm trying to get an average on something that will vary widely from POE to POE. Embassy officials are probably more appropriate for asking and clarifying contract questions, but I've read the contract again today so I feel comfortable with it.
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NYC_Gal



Joined: 08 Dec 2009

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 6:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tom's one of the most helpful people on this forum.

You originally asked if the contracts were posted online. Tom gave you some information, then you said that you had already read the contract. He was trying to help because you had stated that you HADN'T read the contract.
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noraebang



Joined: 05 May 2010

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 8:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Alright, I'm sorry Tom. Re-reading the thread, I come off as rash. I guess I got defensive. Thanks to everyone who was in the spirit of helping me including you.

Oh and I'm still looking to get into contact with a current or past TaLK scholar if anyone knows one.
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edwardcatflap



Joined: 22 Mar 2009

PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 11:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm intrigued by your interest in the talk programe. I assume you're collecting more data to push ahead with your mission.

Quote:
you know you are useless. Your job is useless and you are overpaid. Mark my words it's going to be my mission to destroy all of your jobs.


Or perhaps you're planning to destroy the industry from the inside?
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musicmunky



Joined: 05 Oct 2009

PostPosted: Fri May 21, 2010 2:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

not sure of them
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