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kbgriffi
Joined: 25 Jun 2010
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 Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 6:56 pm Post subject: Kid's Club/ LCI in Ulsan |
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Thank you for your time.
Last edited by kbgriffi on Mon Sep 27, 2010 8:16 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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flickerflight
Joined: 25 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:34 am Post subject: OMG Don't do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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Don't go there! If you've signed the contract, get out of it. I don't care if your plane is booked already. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!!!!!!!!!!!
1. they don't pay on time (including not paying the last months pay until more than a month after it was due!)
They force overtime, they force saturdays.
2. they discuss medical issues with co-workers (forgein and non) and the supervisor has called a doctor, without the employees consent, to see if the person was really sick, then forced the employee to work. (the person really was sick!
3. They have told employees, your contract is meaningless (they obey 30 teaching hours, which is 43 classes/week, and thats about it)
4. They fire people, and have mass firings, and will post peoples jobs before they give them warnings, let alone fire them.
the Korean employees constantly change because one person in management is verbally abusive, controlling(of course), and vindictive.
I know there are worse Hagwons out there, and far worse horror stories, but there are wonderful schools. really truly wonderful.
Find one, find a worthwhile teaching experience. |
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flickerflight
Joined: 25 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:38 am Post subject: |
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You are supposed to be here in a week aren't you?
I'm so sorry.
Good luck!!!!! |
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kbgriffi
Joined: 25 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 9:05 am Post subject: |
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| Do you currently work there Flickerfight? |
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dharmasister
Joined: 23 Aug 2010
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
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| Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 1:54 pm Post subject: |
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Is this the same group that operates the LCI Academy in Bundang? My recruiter is working with me to try and get me placed there. My recruiter has been a very straightforward and seemingly all around good guy (unlike a couple that I have been working with who seem a little shifty, one even kind of lecherous).
I worry that one person's bad experience with a school in a particular chain may not acurately reflect the chain as a whole. Have a lot of people had bad experiences with this particular chain? It would be nice if there was some sort of "Better Business Bureau" that prospective teachers could turn to when checking out a school's record. |
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kbgriffi
Joined: 25 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Well my theory is if you google the full name of the school and nothing comes up on any blacklist sites or forums, such as this one, then your prob good. No news is good news, isn't that the motto. When I googled the branch in Ulsan nothing came up thus I figured it to be alright however now something comes forward. |
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kardisa
Joined: 26 Jun 2009
Location: Masan
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| Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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| No news is good news, |
I don't think that necessarily applies with hagwons, which is why many of the old-timers on the board recommend that newbies stay away from them.
To give you an example of how faulty internet searches can be: My school has changed their name 3 times in the past 2 years. The most recent time was a few months before I was hired, therefore i could find zero information about them online. Now, my school is awesome, but the situation could have easily been on of those hagwon horror stories you read about. |
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flickerflight
Joined: 25 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 3:56 pm Post subject: |
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| dharmasister wrote: |
Is this the same group that operates the LCI Academy in Bundang? My recruiter is working with me to try and get me placed there. My recruiter has been a very straightforward and seemingly all around good guy (unlike a couple that I have been working with who seem a little shifty, one even kind of lecherous).
I worry that one person's bad experience with a school in a particular chain may not acurately reflect the chain as a whole. Have a lot of people had bad experiences with this particular chain? It would be nice if there was some sort of "Better Business Bureau" that prospective teachers could turn to when checking out a school's record. |
The Hagwon in Bundang is completely separate. The LCI in Ulsan is independently run. Other than the name, they don't have any real connections (or even similarities) to other LCI's.
Ask to speak to someone who has recently finished their contract, that should give you a better idea.
kbgriffi
You are probably stuck now aren't you? I really don't mean to freak you out. Have you spoken with someone who has recently finished their contract? Or did you only speak with Eddy (who has been their for only a couple of months..._ |
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tua111111
Joined: 20 Apr 2010
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| Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 4:28 pm Post subject: |
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| flickerflight wrote: |
| dharmasister wrote: |
Is this the same group that operates the LCI Academy in Bundang? My recruiter is working with me to try and get me placed there. My recruiter has been a very straightforward and seemingly all around good guy (unlike a couple that I have been working with who seem a little shifty, one even kind of lecherous).
I worry that one person's bad experience with a school in a particular chain may not acurately reflect the chain as a whole. Have a lot of people had bad experiences with this particular chain? It would be nice if there was some sort of "Better Business Bureau" that prospective teachers could turn to when checking out a school's record. |
The Hagwon in Bundang is completely separate. The LCI in Ulsan is independently run. Other than the name, they don't have any real connections (or even similarities) to other LCI's.
Ask to speak to someone who has recently finished their contract, that should give you a better idea.
kbgriffi
You are probably stuck now aren't you? I really don't mean to freak you out. Have you spoken with someone who has recently finished their contract? Or did you only speak with Eddy (who has been their for only a couple of months..._ |
Looks as if he is speaking with someone who just finished their contract. Not everyone has such a horrible experience there and complains about everything. If it's who I think it is, you are just a bunch of downers.
I'll save you guys the embarrassment of publicly replying to your original post warning about how bad it is and just reply to the e-mail he sent me about your "warning". Unless you want me to publicly combat the statement.... |
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3DR
Joined: 24 May 2009
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| Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 4:46 pm Post subject: Re: OMG Don't do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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| flickerflight wrote: |
Don't go there! If you've signed the contract, get out of it. I don't care if your plane is booked already. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!!!!!!!!!!!
1. they don't pay on time (including not paying the last months pay until more than a month after it was due!)
They force overtime, they force saturdays.
2. they discuss medical issues with co-workers (forgein and non) and the supervisor has called a doctor, without the employees consent, to see if the person was really sick, then forced the employee to work. (the person really was sick!
3. They have told employees, your contract is meaningless (they obey 30 teaching hours, which is 43 classes/week, and thats about it)
4. They fire people, and have mass firings, and will post peoples jobs before they give them warnings, let alone fire them.
the Korean employees constantly change because one person in management is verbally abusive, controlling(of course), and vindictive.
I know there are worse Hagwons out there, and far worse horror stories, but there are wonderful schools. really truly wonderful.
Find one, find a worthwhile teaching experience. |
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dharmasister
Joined: 23 Aug 2010
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
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| Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 5:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
The Hagwon in Bundang is completely separate. The LCI in Ulsan is independently run. Other than the name, they don't have any real connections (or even similarities) to other LCI's.
Ask to speak to someone who has recently finished their contract, that should give you a better idea. |
Thanks flickerflight, good to know and I have made it one of my standard requests to ask for the email addresses of former and current instructors. |
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BottomBull2
Joined: 31 Aug 2010
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| Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 2:59 pm Post subject: Long Overdue as well as Kim & Joe Criticism |
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I think I've seen LCI Ulsan in/on other threads/blacklists but it's worth sounding the alarm again.
This is a truly awful school and it would honestly be in your best interests to stay away.
They do not pay on time. They do not honour agreements in your contract such as: healthcare, pension, fair pay for overtime and hours you are supposed to be in the classroom teaching.
They have a monotonous curriculum for both their kindergarten and elementary programs and do not seem interested in changing it. Their books are outdated and are quite awful to use, even before their absurd restrictions on what can be taught.
They have quite a track record for employing utterly incompetent managers with dubious characters. They may have changed managers since, but the latest one- Seo Young-eun or 'Ellie'- was particularly notorious for her incompetence, emotional instability and sinister character.
This is a major issue as the directors seem to be largely absent from the day to day operations of the school. Thus, she (and past managers) were given free reign to make disastrous interferences in the daily curriculum. As well, foreign and korean teachers were either harassed until they quit or even fired outright for fabricated reasons and all at the whims of the dysfunctional manager.
In fact, their standards overall seem to be slipping quite rapidly and it wouldn't be surprising if the school itself is teetering on bankruptcy by now.
There are not worse hogwons out there, only better ones. You sign with LCI Ulsan at your own peril. Their recruiter, Kim & Joe's, will probably try to push the line that this school is great for beginners. Obviously beginners are preferred because they would likely not know any better. In fact, it would be advisable to be highly skeptical of Kim & Joe's as standards seem to be slipping with this recruiter as well in terms of who they will recruit for. Pretty sad as they use to be fairly decent.
I really hope this steers someone away from the place. However, as their seems to be about 'one born about every minute' as they say.. well, I hope this helps nevertheless! |
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son of coco
Joined: 14 Mar 2008
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| Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 6:49 pm Post subject: Re: OMG Don't do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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| flickerflight wrote: |
3. They have told employees, your contract is meaningless (they obey 30 teaching hours, which is 43 classes/week, and thats about it)
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Actually, I've always been under the impression that 1 class = 1 teaching hour and they decide how long the classes will be. If the elementary classes are 35 mins that = 1 teaching hour, and if the middle school classes are 40 mins that = 1 teaching hour.
I told my current hagwon that I would do 30 classes (i.e 30 'teaching hours') before overtime would kick in and they agreed to this. I've only had more than this once and they offered me overtime.
43 classes is A LOT in my opinion. Not a normal contract at all.
To answer the rest of the OP's questions re: Ulsan though - it's alright! Mugeodong is an area with a lot of foreigners in it, close to the university so the nightlife is ok and there's a 50m swimming pool and sports facilities at the stadium nearby if you want some stress relief. The air is probably cleaner there too, I live in the Samsan area and the air quality sucks thanks to Mr Hyundai and others in the industrial area. It stinks, literally.
Would avoid the school at all costs though if there have honestly been bad experiences there. |
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tua111111
Joined: 20 Apr 2010
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| Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 9:17 pm Post subject: Re: Long Overdue as well as Kim & Joe Criticism |
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Hope this BS doesn't continue because it's getting a little ridiculous. It's one thing to be honest but another thing to lie about the work environment at LCI.
| BottomBull2 wrote: |
I think I've seen LCI Ulsan in/on other threads/blacklists but it's worth sounding the alarm again.
This is a truly awful school and it would honestly be in your best interests to stay away.
They do not pay on time. They do not honour agreements in your contract such as: healthcare, pension, fair pay for overtime and hours you are supposed to be in the classroom teaching.
1. The latest teacher to leave (just this week) got paid, in full and on-time. The couple before them did not (for reasons I can only speculate about), but the teacher who left before them did get paid in full and on time.
2. True they don't offer National healthcare or pension, but they do offer AIG insurance or to pay you a 400k additional bonus at the end to compensate. I personally don't care if they don't follow the contract regarding healthcare and pension. If you do care then don't work at LCI.
3. It is fair overtime pay, especially if you are so concerned with the language in the contract. Nowhere in the contract does it say 1 teaching hour is 1 class. It does say 20k for 1 teaching hour. If you do the morning kindergarten overtime class you get the 20k anyway (although it's 45 min class), but if you have to make up someone else's class for elementary students it's 15k. It is very rare for you to have to cover someone's elementary class. Actually right now, 3 of the 7 teachers are teaching 39-40 classes and their overtime in the morning still counts.
4. The hours worked is exactly what it says in the contract. To assume that one teaching hour is one class is your fault. It's also your fault for signing a contract before getting it clarified. To complain about it afterward and say they don't obey the contract in that regard is completely ridiculous.
5. Not sure if you the person posting has ever had a real job before. I've worked 55 hours weeks before, have you? Additionally, Koreans work way longer hours. I have friends who work 12 hour days and don't get paid as well as the teachers at LCI or have the benefits we do. Teaching is not a right it's a privilege, try looking at it in that perspective. Compared to some of the jobs out there where you have 30 classes a week, we do work a lot. In my opinion, our salary makes up for the longer hours... did you come here for vacation or to teach children?
They have a monotonous curriculum for both their kindergarten and elementary programs and do not seem interested in changing it. Their books are outdated and are quite awful to use, even before their absurd restrictions on what can be taught.
It can be monotonous, but part of being a teacher is making it creative enough for the students to enjoy learning it.
They have quite a track record for employing utterly incompetent managers with dubious characters. They may have changed managers since, but the latest one- Seo Young-eun or 'Ellie'- was particularly notorious for her incompetence, emotional instability and sinister character.
Sounds like you have a bone to pick with the current manager... I think she has a job consisting of some shitty tasks, horrible hours, little pay and she does her best.
This is a major issue as the directors seem to be largely absent from the day to day operations of the school. Thus, she (and past managers) were given free reign to make disastrous interferences in the daily curriculum. As well, foreign and korean teachers were either harassed until they quit or even fired outright for fabricated reasons and all at the whims of the dysfunctional manager.
No one is harassed. The teacher who recently got fired, let's call him T, had of teaching style which consisted of yelling at the children. Personally, I would have fired him too. They did make a bullshit letter of release with some fabricated reasons for being fired but he was not a good teacher to have in the office. Not everyone is cut out to be a teacher. Although LCI fired him, they still recommended him to Kim and Joe to help him find another job.
I would have fired another guy,'C', who recently left as well. I assume it's harder to fire someone who came with someone as a couple, because he stayed 'til the end of his contract although he would frequently yell at students as well and had the personality of an old, bitter man. Only worked with the guy for 2 months, but when I was there he was impatient and dreaded teaching most of his classes. The only time I saw this guy and his wife happy was when new teachers arrived. They put on a facade for the first week and then it went back to being plain out rude. They'd walk by in the morning and I'd say good morning just to be ignored. The fact that the new teacher who took over his classes really loves the kids he teaches says a lot about 'C'. My favorite memory of 'C' is walking to the teacher's area after class to see him in the playroom repeatedly punching the indoor jungle gym. If you can get that upset over a child, you really shouldn't be teaching herds of children.
In fact, their standards overall seem to be slipping quite rapidly and it wouldn't be surprising if the school itself is teetering on bankruptcy by now.
Standards could be slipping, I am in no position to judge that. But with almost 300 students it would take a hell of a lot more than that to have the school "teetering on bankruptcy".
There are not worse hogwons out there, only better ones. You sign with LCI Ulsan at your own peril. Their recruiter, Kim & Joe's, will probably try to push the line that this school is great for beginners. Obviously beginners are preferred because they would likely not know any better. In fact, it would be advisable to be highly skeptical of Kim & Joe's as standards seem to be slipping with this recruiter as well in terms of who they will recruit for. Pretty sad as they use to be fairly decent.
I really hope this steers someone away from the place. However, as their seems to be about 'one born about every minute' as they say.. well, I hope this helps nevertheless!
You can act like you're helping, but its obvious you're just blasting the school because of personal reasons. Every job has its upsides and downsides. Being honest about them is cool but making stuff up proves you're a bitter, angry person. To say that LCI Ulsan is at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to hagwons is quite the statement. I'd like to see you back it up a little more.
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Last edited by tua111111 on Fri Sep 03, 2010 10:28 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Otherside
Joined: 06 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 9:21 pm Post subject: |
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| tua111111 wrote: |
| flickerflight wrote: |
| dharmasister wrote: |
Is this the same group that operates the LCI Academy in Bundang? My recruiter is working with me to try and get me placed there. My recruiter has been a very straightforward and seemingly all around good guy (unlike a couple that I have been working with who seem a little shifty, one even kind of lecherous).
I worry that one person's bad experience with a school in a particular chain may not acurately reflect the chain as a whole. Have a lot of people had bad experiences with this particular chain? It would be nice if there was some sort of "Better Business Bureau" that prospective teachers could turn to when checking out a school's record. |
The Hagwon in Bundang is completely separate. The LCI in Ulsan is independently run. Other than the name, they don't have any real connections (or even similarities) to other LCI's.
Ask to speak to someone who has recently finished their contract, that should give you a better idea.
kbgriffi
You are probably stuck now aren't you? I really don't mean to freak you out. Have you spoken with someone who has recently finished their contract? Or did you only speak with Eddy (who has been their for only a couple of months..._ |
Looks as if he is speaking with someone who just finished their contract. Not everyone has such a horrible experience there and complains about everything. If it's who I think it is, you are just a bunch of downers.
I'll save you guys the embarrassment of publicly replying to your original post warning about how bad it is and just reply to the e-mail he sent me about your "warning". Unless you want me to publicly combat the statement.... |
I dont have a horse in this race, but I'd like you to publicly combat the statement. In every search for LCI kids club (that location and otherwise), this thread will come up, so unless you're happy with the one-sided story that's being told, I and any other future/potential employees would like to hear both sides.
EDIT, Tua, I've seen you've just posted your response. Ignore my comments. |
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