|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
sal2ahj0y
Joined: 17 Feb 2010
Location: San Francisco, CA
|
 Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 10:53 am Post subject: Experience with Sewoon & Simon English Academy? |
 |
|
Hello,
We responded to a job listing on this site, and this school sounds very small compared to other institutions in South Korea. The contract sounds straightforward, although they will not arrange for deductions for pension or medical insurance.
Does anyone have any experience with this institution? I know they have recently changed their name, and I don't know what their previous name was.
Thank you for your help! |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
curlyhoward
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 1:30 pm Post subject: Re: Experience with Sewoon & Simon English Academy? |
|
|
| sal2ahj0y wrote: |
Hello,
We responded to a job listing on this site, and this school sounds very small compared to other institutions in South Korea. The contract sounds straightforward, although they will not arrange for deductions for pension or medical insurance.
Does anyone have any experience with this institution? I know they have recently changed their name, and I don't know what their previous name was.
Thank you for your help! |
This school seems familiar. Did/have you talked to a guy there that goes by the name of Simon. What city is the academy located in? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sal2ahj0y
Joined: 17 Feb 2010
Location: San Francisco, CA
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 1:33 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| yes! His name is Simon, and the school is located in Gwang Joo. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
curlyhoward
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 1:48 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| sal2ahj0y wrote: |
| yes! His name is Simon, and the school is located in Gwang Joo. |
OK. Any chance this school has mentioned that you might be room mating temporarily, or suggested you should buy your own plane ticket and they will reimburse you on arrival, etc? Anything fishy? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sal2ahj0y
Joined: 17 Feb 2010
Location: San Francisco, CA
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 1:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| curlyhoward wrote: |
| sal2ahj0y wrote: |
| yes! His name is Simon, and the school is located in Gwang Joo. |
OK. Any chance this school has mentioned that you might be room mating temporarily, or suggested you should buy your own plane ticket and they will reimburse you on arrival, etc? Anything fishy? |
We are in the very preliminary stages of the application process, and as of yet, all we've received is a sample contract. Nothing has been mentioned about roommating, or having to buy our own plane tickets. So, nothing fishy at this point.
The only thing that struck me as odd is that the site he directed us to with pictures of the school is his personal website, and contains personal and family pictures as well. That didn't strike me as very professional...
You'll have to pardon my ignorance of Korean institutions. I don't have experience teaching in Korea, and I'm not 100% sure of what to expect. I suppose I'm just trying to protect myself.
Thanks! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
curlyhoward
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 2:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| sal2ahj0y wrote: |
| curlyhoward wrote: |
| sal2ahj0y wrote: |
| yes! His name is Simon, and the school is located in Gwang Joo. |
OK. Any chance this school has mentioned that you might be room mating temporarily, or suggested you should buy your own plane ticket and they will reimburse you on arrival, etc? Anything fishy? |
We are in the very preliminary stages of the application process, and as of yet, all we've received is a sample contract. Nothing has been mentioned about roommating, or having to buy our own plane tickets. So, nothing fishy at this point.
The only thing that struck me as odd is that the site he directed us to with pictures of the school is his personal website, and contains personal and family pictures as well. That didn't strike me as very professional...
You'll have to pardon my ignorance of Korean institutions. I don't have experience teaching in Korea, and I'm not 100% sure of what to expect. I suppose I'm just trying to protect myself.
Thanks! |
Check your personal messages. I sent you a PM. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
curlyhoward
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 2:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Another PM has been sent to sal2. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Pretorian
Joined: 12 Feb 2010
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 10:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Curly could you PM me as well please, I'd like to find out more about Simon if you know anything. Thx |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MarketFresh
Joined: 17 Feb 2010
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 10:51 pm Post subject: Re: Experience with Sewoon & Simon English Academy? |
|
|
| sal2ahj0y wrote: |
Hello,
We responded to a job listing on this site, and this school sounds very small compared to other institutions in South Korea. The contract sounds straightforward, although they will not arrange for deductions for pension or medical insurance.
Does anyone have any experience with this institution? I know they have recently changed their name, and I don't know what their previous name was.
Thank you for your help! |
I knew a brother who's gf used to work there. It was a hogwon hell, lots of inside problems, she ended up quitting and so did a few of her friends. I'd stay away if I were you. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Pretorian
Joined: 12 Feb 2010
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 12:02 am Post subject: |
|
|
I just thought I'd report back about this school. After I posted above four months ago I decided to work at this school.
Upon arrival I got my settlement bonus and plane ticket reimbursed. My partner and I got a huge apartment right across from the school. In the morning you teach at one of the most expensive and oldest Kindergardens in Gwangju. All the parents are wealthy. It's really nice, you get a free lunch and a nice snack everyday. The co-teachers are always being pushed to perform up to some amazing standard so they can be frantic at times, but most are friendly and will help you out a lot. The owner of the Kindergarden is an oldish lady who always tries to make the foreign teachers feel at home. Once a week (usually on Wednesdays) we go on a school outing. That means you get to see places around gwangju and get paid to chat to the kids.
In the afternoon you work at the Hogwan which Simon runs. You can have 2 - 9 children in your class. It all depends on whether another foreign teacher is sick or on holiday. But in general, classes are small. The building is new so all the classrooms have aircon.
There are 9 other foreign teachers here and since I've been here we've all gotten paid on time. Many have actually extended their contracts for a month or two. Your contract states that you are an "independent contractor" which means you don't have to pay medical or pension. Do the maths, you save so much money this way. I've been to the doctor and have bought tons of medicines and it all totals less than one months Medical Insurance fee. It's cheaper to buy travel insurance for a year from back home.
What really pisses me off is this blog that belongs to a girl named Chantelle (its called Elle and Russ's unexciting blog). In her blog she talks about how horrible the school is.. and in all fairness.. it could have been like that while she was here, who knows. But after I tried to leave a comment on her blog, she disallowed my comment and immediately added her own comment as "anonymous" making up lies about how the teachers aren't happy there and how they wished they had read her blog. So she leaves this comment a year later.. straight after I tried to post a comment. It's all lies. So far our contract has been honoured 100% and we are happy to stay here till the end of our contract.
I think the main problem Westerns have is that they can't understand how Koreans run a business. Everything is done last minute and things change constantly. If you can't deal with that then you will find it difficult to teach in Korea. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
curlyhoward
Joined: 03 Dec 2008
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 6:31 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Pretorian wrote: |
I just thought I'd report back about this school. After I posted above four months ago I decided to work at this school.
Upon arrival I got my settlement bonus and plane ticket reimbursed. My partner and I got a huge apartment right across from the school. In the morning you teach at one of the most expensive and oldest Kindergardens in Gwangju. All the parents are wealthy. It's really nice, you get a free lunch and a nice snack everyday. The co-teachers are always being pushed to perform up to some amazing standard so they can be frantic at times, but most are friendly and will help you out a lot. The owner of the Kindergarden is an oldish lady who always tries to make the foreign teachers feel at home. Once a week (usually on Wednesdays) we go on a school outing. That means you get to see places around gwangju and get paid to chat to the kids.
In the afternoon you work at the Hogwan which Simon runs. You can have 2 - 9 children in your class. It all depends on whether another foreign teacher is sick or on holiday. But in general, classes are small. The building is new so all the classrooms have aircon.
There are 9 other foreign teachers here and since I've been here we've all gotten paid on time. Many have actually extended their contracts for a month or two. Your contract states that you are an "independent contractor" which means you don't have to pay medical or pension. Do the maths, you save so much money this way. I've been to the doctor and have bought tons of medicines and it all totals less than one months Medical Insurance fee. It's cheaper to buy travel insurance for a year from back home.
What really pisses me off is this blog that belongs to a girl named Chantelle (its called Elle and Russ's unexciting blog). In her blog she talks about how horrible the school is.. and in all fairness.. it could have been like that while she was here, who knows. But after I tried to leave a comment on her blog, she disallowed my comment and immediately added her own comment as "anonymous" making up lies about how the teachers aren't happy there and how they wished they had read her blog. So she leaves this comment a year later.. straight after I tried to post a comment. It's all lies. So far our contract has been honoured 100% and we are happy to stay here till the end of our contract.
I think the main problem Westerns have is that they can't understand how Koreans run a business. Everything is done last minute and things change constantly. If you can't deal with that then you will find it difficult to teach in Korea. |
so if I work there I get NO PENSION, NO MEDICAL?
so are you and your partner SHARING an apartment? I was asked to share when I was checking out a job there.
so are you working MORNING and AFTERNOON, aka SPLIT SHIFT?
so you are registered as an INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR?
Wow! I always miss the great jobs! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
tophatcat
Joined: 09 Aug 2006
Location: under the hat
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 6:38 am Post subject: Re: Experience with Sewoon & Simon English Academy? |
|
|
| MarketFresh wrote: |
| sal2ahj0y wrote: |
Hello,
We responded to a job listing on this site, and this school sounds very small compared to other institutions in South Korea. The contract sounds straightforward, although they will not arrange for deductions for pension or medical insurance.
Does anyone have any experience with this institution? I know they have recently changed their name, and I don't know what their previous name was.
Thank you for your help! |
I knew a brother who's gf used to work there. It was a hogwon hell, lots of inside problems, she ended up quitting and so did a few of her friends. I'd stay away if I were you. |
Yep! One of my friends worked there. He was lied to from the beginning. He was promised a private room which he never got, among other lies. Finally, he quit. He said it was a real headache. He later came back to Korea and got a job that he really enjoyed. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Pretorian
Joined: 12 Feb 2010
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 7:06 am Post subject: |
|
|
| curlyhoward wrote: |
| Pretorian wrote: |
I just thought I'd report back about this school. After I posted above four months ago I decided to work at this school.
Upon arrival I got my settlement bonus and plane ticket reimbursed. My partner and I got a huge apartment right across from the school. In the morning you teach at one of the most expensive and oldest Kindergardens in Gwangju. All the parents are wealthy. It's really nice, you get a free lunch and a nice snack everyday. The co-teachers are always being pushed to perform up to some amazing standard so they can be frantic at times, but most are friendly and will help you out a lot. The owner of the Kindergarden is an oldish lady who always tries to make the foreign teachers feel at home. Once a week (usually on Wednesdays) we go on a school outing. That means you get to see places around gwangju and get paid to chat to the kids.
In the afternoon you work at the Hogwan which Simon runs. You can have 2 - 9 children in your class. It all depends on whether another foreign teacher is sick or on holiday. But in general, classes are small. The building is new so all the classrooms have aircon.
There are 9 other foreign teachers here and since I've been here we've all gotten paid on time. Many have actually extended their contracts for a month or two. Your contract states that you are an "independent contractor" which means you don't have to pay medical or pension. Do the maths, you save so much money this way. I've been to the doctor and have bought tons of medicines and it all totals less than one months Medical Insurance fee. It's cheaper to buy travel insurance for a year from back home.
What really pisses me off is this blog that belongs to a girl named Chantelle (its called Elle and Russ's unexciting blog). In her blog she talks about how horrible the school is.. and in all fairness.. it could have been like that while she was here, who knows. But after I tried to leave a comment on her blog, she disallowed my comment and immediately added her own comment as "anonymous" making up lies about how the teachers aren't happy there and how they wished they had read her blog. So she leaves this comment a year later.. straight after I tried to post a comment. It's all lies. So far our contract has been honoured 100% and we are happy to stay here till the end of our contract.
I think the main problem Westerns have is that they can't understand how Koreans run a business. Everything is done last minute and things change constantly. If you can't deal with that then you will find it difficult to teach in Korea. |
so if I work there I get NO PENSION, NO MEDICAL?
so are you and your partner SHARING an apartment? I was asked to share when I was checking out a job there.
so are you working MORNING and AFTERNOON, aka SPLIT SHIFT?
so you are registered as an INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR?
Wow! I always miss the great jobs! |
Yes, no pension, no medical. Normally an employer would pay half of these but if you want to be part of the national medical scheme you can join it yourself. If you want it.. PAY for it.. here you have a choice.
Yeah we did get a nice apartment, but it's probably because we were two people. From what I've read on the forums sometimes people are asked to share accommodations when they come to Korea. If that was the reason you turned down the job then that's your decision.
There is no split shifts at all. Depending on what payscale you want, you can either work 8 or 9 hours a day. Now if I said that you work mornings and evenings then it would be a split shift.. but I didn't. Seriously, try think about it.
Don't make it sound like the plague being registered as an independent contractor.. especially when you don't have a clue what you talking about.
Curly I can see you feel very passionate about missing this job, but personally I'm glad someone as sarcastic as you didn't come work here. Maybe in future don't take someone's online advice based on "what they heard" from "year or two ago". I'm trying to tell you that things are good here, contrary to what was posted initially.
That's it, hope you don't try misinterpret what I've said (again). Let it go. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
iwillteachyouenglish
Joined: 07 Jul 2010
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 11:49 am Post subject: |
|
|
I don't really get sick (I'm totally B.A.) so I wouldn't care too much about insurance as long as I wasn't charged for it.
If you're being paid on time, have nice housing, and enjoy your work environment, then I'd say you're doing fine there. Then again this could be a shill account lol trying to church up a terrible place. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Pretorian
Joined: 12 Feb 2010
|
| Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 1:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Haha, no.. if you look at my first post I was also trying to find out about the place 4 months ago  There are three couples here and three single guys. The one guy that just arrived recently has taught here for 3 years before.
The schools is quite far South so if you like to party a lot at downtown then you'd have to pay a 7000won taxi ride there. But if you are cheap, the bus also works (1000won) and takes 20 minutes. There is a subway in Gwangju, but it only runs east to west and doesn't help you if you stay in the schools area. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
