Korean Job Discussion Forums

Desertpearl · Joined: 26 May 2010 Location: California, USA

Hi guys,
I am considering teaching in Korea, mainly to save money which I tend be very good at doing overall. However, i also just want a fairly mindless job. My friend taught at a Hagwon in Korea and said that it met both of those criteria stupendously. From reading many of your posts I am getting the impression this has not been your experience.

So I have the following conundrum for you guys:
I have a BA in Psychology, an MA in Philosophy, 2 1/2 years of experience working as a Teaching Assistant in a U.S. University (where i taught recitations for two sections, of 25 students each, 2X a week). I don't have any experience teaching English. And in fact English is not my first language. I immigrated to the US at age ten, twenty years ago. Nevertheless, i have no absolutely NO foreign accent as is testified by people who had known me for years and I speak English far better than most native speakers.

And as I said, i want a job that would allow me to save money. I tend to be much better at this than the average person.
And I want a teaching job that was akin to what my friend had. He worked for a school where the lessons were already preplanned. He'd come into class, play some tape-recorder for a while, open up the book and read certain chapters etc. It was fairly mindless. Does anyone know how I can go about getting something like that?
I would much appreciate all of the help that I can get!

edwardcatflap · Joined: 22 Mar 2009

I personally wouldn't recommend this as a strategy. If what you have to do is mindless, that fact will probably carry over to the kids you're teaching who will also find it mindless and start playing up. Secondly the lessons will really start to drag after a while if there is no input into the material from you. Lessons to which you have contributed something yourself will be much more fun to teach and the class room time will pass much quicker. Also schools where the work is mindless are unlikely to offer decent salaries. With an MA you could be aiming a bit higher. Koreans like academic qualifications, regardless of whether they're in a relevant field or not.

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Sun May 30, 2010 3:24 pm Post subject:

Desertpearl,

First I apologize if this comes off harsh.

Teaching is NOT a mindless job where you can sit there and save money. You have responsibilities to the STUDENTS. From your post I do not see any intent on your part to actually try and provide these students with decent lessons.

The school that would have the unfortunate missfortune of hiring you would also pay for your flight and housing...yet you intend to deliver the exact minimum in the classroom...wow.

I will also say that with your attitude and goals for Korea you will likely fall flat on your face and end up crying on this forum or elsewhere about how unfair Korea is.

I will therefore ask, without much hope, that you reconsider and find a job where being mindless and putting in zero effort will not be a disservice to students and to other foreign educators.

However, I know this will fall on deaf ears. You can certainly land a job if you apply but guess what? That crazy employer that pays to fly you over and to house you will sort of expect that you do more than play a tape recorder in class and play games...or please do this...you will end up in teaching hell withing 2 weeks as the kids lose all respect for you, along with your co-workers...each class will be a 40-60 minute span of shouting, missbehavior and of you going nuts...maybe that would be best for at least it would be entertaining to hear about.

Best of luck with your money saving venture....

People then wonder why employers say its hard to find good people! Laughing

edwardcatflap · Joined: 22 Mar 2009

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

Just as a side note to this thread:

Does the OP carry a US passport or just a green card?

If a US passport then he can get a visa.
If a green card then he WON'T be able to get a visa to work in Korea.

.

Evanzinho · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Location: California

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Mon May 31, 2010 4:41 am Post subject:

What should an employer expect from someone without experience that ther hire and fly over?

Lets see....

Effort, dedication and at the very least the willingness to learn and work hard.

Nawwwww that is too much to ask...these evil employers hiring inexperienced people...damn them.

Just a hint: sitting on your hands in any job hurts you just as much as it does your employer. Why? Because you waste a year or more learning nothing, not improving and getting work that will not be referenced...so basically you just get older and less competent...but you be right to fight the masta...he be bad.

different · Joined: 22 May 2003

I have a more balanced post than most of the ones above.

The OP want's a "mindless" job, but that doesn't necessarily mean he intends to be lazy or screw around in class. Maybe he just wants the lessons to be planned for him so he can just execute them.

There are a lot of hagwons that have very strict curriculums and give teachers very little flexibility. At such a hagwon, a teacher like the OP would probably perform better than PatrickGHBusan would.

PatrickGHBusan probably likes freedom and the intellectual challenge of putting together a curriculum, but not everybody does. A lot of hagwons do not want teachers who are going to mess around with their curriculums. They just want people to execute. And teachers who enjoy just executing are going to do it better than teachers who need creative breathing room.

Desertpearl · Joined: 26 May 2010 Location: California, USA

Thanks for all of your input guys. Yes Different is right. I do intend to work as much as I am expected to, but no more. Nor do i want those expectation to be very high (although i am aware of the fact that teaching is always intellectually and emotionally demanding). That is precisely why I was asking these questions. I am just really burnt out on work and on life but I still need money. However, my intention is not to screw over anyone although this discussion did force me to further scrutinize my motives.

Anyway, thank you Evanzinho for your suggestion to look at ECC. Unfortunately, the do not seem to have any job postings at the moment. Can you recommend any other schools that would fit with my criteria?

Also, do you guys know if they ever offer 6-month contracts while still paying for your flight?

Oh and by the way, I am not a he but a she Smile

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 2:47 am Post subject:

ECC hires all year long, they do not post job ads on their site.

Thank you for clarifying your initial post OP. However you mention being burnt out by your current job...well teaching will not be a break! Your friend sold you a lot of innacurate information. You will not be able to rest and take it easy for 6 months.

thegadfly · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

Look into the Wonderland chain -- it sounds like a perfect fit for you!

Troglodyte · Joined: 06 Dec 2009

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 1:07 pm Post subject:

No to mention pearl that your minimal effort/stress relief approach to teaching in Korea fits perfectly with the Wonderland ideal.

So, please go apply there as soon as possible.

TheChingu · Joined: 08 May 2010

A female from California, sounds like you could be Wonderland's golden goose!

If you want to do whats expected but nothing more then dont be a teacher. Be a lazy cashier or retail sales rep but not a teacher. Teachers have a direct and profound impact on the lives of their students. Good teachers can create a lifelong respect for learning, but apathetic teachers are just overpaid babysitters.

pikachun1 · Joined: 09 May 2010

though your credentials may land you a job that is not bad, the market these days are just not so good. saving money is great if you make money.