Korean Job Discussion Forums

frozenpeas · Joined: 23 Nov 2005

You are entirely at the mercy of your co-teachers. This is a real problem with EPIK and the reason I have decided to leave after 5 years here.

The co-teachers have too much control over you, plain and simple.

I found this out first hand last year. I had been at my school for a year and it had been a really nice experience. The co-teachers were wonderful, we worked well together and generally got on. I signed on for a second year.

Then three of them got pregnant at the same time and left for maternity leave. They were replaced by a string of AWFUL substitutes who couldn't manage their own classes, and actually disrupted my classes by talking to the students and taking their side when I tried to discipline them. One co-teacher would actually fall asleep on their feet at the back of my class. Another let a special needs student go absolutely berserk and start hitting people, because she refused to step in when I asked her to (and left the classroom early). It was utter hell. They were awful teachers and they ruined my classes too.

I was blamed for this. This is to be expected, because they had to cover their asses as much as anyone else. The problem was that they got to then decide if my contract should be renewed.

The day of the decision they were REALLY nice to me. I already knew that they had tried to get me fired because one of the senior teachers had pulled me into an office and explained what this evil little cabal was up to. Luckily, I had a good relationship with the VP and he tore up their report and wrote me a new one. My contract was renewed, but because of the difficulties I was made to look like a terrible teacher to the Education office.

Still it was an awful year and I decided never to go through that again.

It's a shame though because this final contract has me at a wonderful school, with wonderful co-workers, but like before, some of them are leaving before the start of the next term, so the whole process seems to be beginning again.

The worst thing about this job is that whenever it seems like you are actually making progress as a teacher, someone else comes in and rips up everything you did. I don't see any way around it though. We're hired as guests and it seems impossible to ever be more than that.

The reality of it though is that you have to avoid all conflict or disagreement with your co-teachers, because even one misstep can prevent you being re-hired. I don't know of ANY other job in the world where your job eligibility is determined by your "peers". Co-workers can be great, but they can also be as spiteful and mean as you can imagine, why should NETS be subject to these whims?

Has anyone else been through anything like this? Do you have any advice?

tanklor1 · Joined: 13 Jun 2006

I understand and feel your pain. I hate knowing that my current position at my school depends on the rationale of a co-worker that I don't always agree with.

I've been in the private sector three years before starting at public. Honestly, I'm not worried if my contract isn't renewed at public. I'll just swing on over to the nearest hogwon and set up a new shop.

That doesn't mean that I'm looking to "shake" things up at school. I'm actually being as quiet as I can at public; I'm just observing things to see how things work and honestly I found that the less I say about anything the easier time I have.

Again I feel your pain. The obstacles that we face sometimes are absolutely retarded and are things that we wouldn't have dreamed of having to go through in a job back home. But we choose to continue to live here knowing the bs that we face.

WadRUG'naDoo · Joined: 15 Jun 2010 Location: Shanghai

Can't really put any heart into your job. Maybe some places, but it's really, in the end, all for nothing. The public school jobs are really, for the most part, putting your time in and getting a paycheck. It's not you that's the problem. Some kids learn a little English and you've done your job. If you care too much and try too hard to improve the students English, you'll just end up with a headache.

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 7:33 am Post subject:

Then again....as a foreigner you are hired as an assistant teacher and not as a full Teacher with all the duties and responsabilities that come with such a position....

From a Public School standpoint this makes sense because unlike Hakwons, Public Schools issue grades that have a direct impact on the students progression and future. Since foreigners that are hired to work at Public Schools are not (for the most part) certified or qualified (in the strict professional sense) it therefore makes sense to limit their role.

Of course this may be frustrating to many foreign teachers but I can well imagine it is frustrating for Korean PS Teachers as well.

It is also evident that many foreigners do not understand or accept that they are hired as assistant teachers or have a desire to do more in class (a good point for those who have this attitude).

Not the best arrangement of course but Public Schools cannot and should not hire foreigners without the proper qualifications as full time Teachers in the comprehensive sense.

Hiring them as language instructors for supplementary classes and give them their own class without grading powers.

MalFSU1 · Joined: 27 Jan 2009

Fishead soup · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Location: Korea

Three key survival tactics in Public schools.

Stay off the radar- Most of your co-workers and POE officials will only know about a problem if you allow it go out of control or you talk to them about it. Be invisable be a ghost. POE officials will always take the KETS opinion over yours so STFU.

SMILE NOD IGNORE PROCEED- Co-teachers always feel they should offer advice some of it's good some of it's really bad. take everything with a grain of salt. Remember most people here expect you to entertain. So do that. It's the best way to control 35-45 students.

If you walk into a class and it's just chaos. Don't try to teach. Just do something to get their attention and calm them down. Put on a Mr. Bean video. It'll get the students attention it will get them focused once you have their attention you can do whatever you want.

Misiuras · Joined: 01 Mar 2010

Another tip - buy gifts for everyone. . . even if it's just fresh fruit or cookies. A little gift will go a long way and you'll get more support in the classroom.

Ramen · Joined: 15 Apr 2008

hapigokelli · Joined: 04 Aug 2009

MalFSU1 · Joined: 27 Jan 2009

Donkey Beer · Joined: 20 Jul 2006

So don't forget to bribe the principal?

NYC_Gal · Joined: 08 Dec 2009

I bring in oranges for the admins and leave the rest in the teacher's office. I don't make a big show of it, but the admins always get snacks first. They handle the budget (which includes my direct deposit for extra programs, things my apartment may need, etc...) and it's good to be friendly with them.

The P and VP go to the teacher's room all the time. I usually can't find them in their respective offices anyway. Big gifts, like the pie for my new principal, and the stuff I brought back from home leave, I made a show of bringing to their offices, but fruit? It's for everyone. They share with me, so it's a nice gesture. I did this at my office job back home, though didn't bring in anything special for my bosses.

frozenpeas · Joined: 23 Nov 2005

The best thing that ever happened to me was making friends with my VP. We used to go outside to chat, bum cigs off each other, talk about English and Korean etc. He was awesome.

He totally saved me when it came to contract renewal too.

Donkey Beer · Joined: 20 Jul 2006

Here are 2 more:
TAKE UP SMOKING- this common interest will allow you to bond with your colleagues. You don't need to know Korean to enjoy a smoke.
TAKE UP DRINKING- much like smoking, it's a common vice enjoyed by all. If you really want to fit in and stay under the radar, look no further than Korea's favorite social lubricant.

Horangi Munshin · Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Location: Busan

Yeah be careful with gifts.

Each time I visited home I bought back little gifts for the P, VP HT and all the jondam teachers, graded accordingly.

I used to bring in fancy coffee, snacks etc for the jondam teachers. First year it made a real difference. The second year not so much, had the drinks I brought in thrown in the trash when we shifted floors, nice. Bought in yakgwa for the teachers, they had a conversation about Chinese flour and how I shouldn't have bought supermarket yakgwa. Again how nice.

It all depends on your co-workers. Give it a go and if it does nothing, forget about it doing in the future.

I'm changing from a public to private elementary in September. Here I went from leading classes to being in charge of games to being a tape recorder. (All co-teacher related).