Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dmsarchet]

My fiance and I are leaving very shortly to go to South Korea and we are seriously looking at the wonderland school in Pohang. I read some reviews of Wonderlands and they aren't very good but not any specifically from the Pohang school. Could anyone help us and shed some light to help us in our choice of schools?

[chellovek]

Although I enjoy a good horror story, I think the general consensus is to avoid wonderlands completely.

[drama_addict]

God keep you if you end up going with Wonderland.

[curlyhoward]

Don't work at any Wonderland the light has been shed

[Ramen]

Take the job and let us know how things turn out.

[dmsarchet]

Please explain your reasons, the contract looks fine and the recruiter has said they have had no problems with this school. I also got an email address from one of the teachers. Please are any of you currently working there or have worked at this school? I have read mixed reviews of wonderlands....

[Senior]

http://www.google.co.nz/#hl=en&q=wonderland+pohang&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&fp=3073f9523a0755a4

http://www.google.co.nz/#hl=en&q=wonderland+korea&aq=f&aqi=g4g-m6&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&fp=3073f9523a0755a4

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=182122

Disclaimer: I have never worked at any Wonderland. I only know one thing about Wonderland, and that is that you should not work there. I know one person who works at one (not Pohang) (I may know more, I don't tend to discuss work with my associates), she is consistently paid late and is owed about a mil in back pay.

[Donkey Beer]

[SeoulNate]

talk to one of the teachers who works there while they are at home, not emailing you with the boss breathing down their back.

[drama_addict]

[Nester Noodlemon]

[ttompatz]

3 easy questions to ask the current teacher:

1) do you have the NHIC booklet (national health Insurance).
2) do you have a pension account with the national pension office?
3) is your tax rate about (a) 1.7 % or (b) 3.4-4.5%.

If you get a NO to #1 and/or #2 and a (b) to #3 then you can count on it being "less than stellar".

Additionally, ASK, How many classes per day/week NOT how many class hours.
30 hours can mean anything from 30 classes to 45 classes full of kindy and young elementary kids.

The rest is already noted in the other threads.

.

[mission_weasel]

I worked at Wonderland and I can vouch for what everybody has said on this board about the franchise. Some locations are more tolerable than others but across the board they are just varying degrees of bad.

For example my school:

-Never paid overtime.

-Forced all teachers to work 8 and sometimes 9 classes day (during intensives).

-Did not provide health insurance.

-Did not pay pension.

-Deducted 3.5% tax

-Rewarded bad teachers with less classes and punished good teachers with more classes.

To give credit where it is due I was always paid on time.

The classic trick that Wonderland and many other schools pull is this:

Contract says 120 hrs/month

1 class = 40 min

You potentially work 180 classes with no overtime pay.

That works out to 7-9 classes a day 5 days a week. You makes lesson plans, schedules, and grade papers during your "off periods". Where I come from working 9 hours straight with no breaks is not acceptable. (I was forced to serve lunch and babysit during most of my lunch break and/or finish grading.)

Many people have asked me about how to get job in Korea since I came back to the States. I wish there was one thread I could refer them to that would explain all about contract tricks, tell tale signs of a sucky job, shiesty recruiters, etc.

Then I remember it's not my responsibility to save everyone from a terrible job. Everybody is responsible for taking the time to research everything thoroughly and figure it out on their own.

I sometimes get tired of explaining the pitfalls over and over to people who either don't have the patience to listen or just don't care. They may get lucky and fall into a decent position or they may get stuck in a shithole.

As another poster pointed out, people often don't realize they are in a horrible job until 5-6 months in. I didn't start to realize how I was getting screwed until 6 months in. Thats when they started really laying on the classes. They kind of ease you into it so you don't complain too much.

There are many different opinions on this board and it is not often that posters come to a consensus on anything. I would say 95% of teachers who have heard anything about Wonderland in Korea will tell you the same thing. DON'T WORK THERE.

[mmstyle]

OP, this is a warning from last month:

http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/forum/index.pl?read=61692

Seriously, I would CANCEL my plans and find another job if I were you (but no, I have not worked at any Wonderland, and I never, ever would).

[Italy37612]

May God have mercy upon your souls if you decide to go to a Wonderland.