Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Taya]

First a little background info. I worked at a Poly School and although I enjoyed my time there, I worked 9 or 10.5 hours a day and had to teach over 40 classes per week. Pretty much every job description sounds like a dream compared to this. I taught kindergarten and elementary kids and even the lowest kids spoke English fluently.

I've been offered a job at a middle school in Changwon. I've never taught at a public school and I've never taught middle school kids before. I know the class sizes and English level will be much different than what I'm used to, but the hours and vacation time sound wonderful.

I have an interview coming up with a hagwon in Bundang. My recruiter says it's a really great hagwon and he trusts the owner a lot. I know all recruiters could be big fat liars but I feel like I can trust this guy. However the hours are 10 am - 7 pm which doesn't sound that great to me. He also said "100 hours a week instead of 120 hours a week" and I have no idea what that means. How can I work 100 hours a week? Can someone explain that to me.

I know some people prefer public school and some prefer hagwons and that it's a risk either way. The hagwon seems a little safer because it's more like what I'm used to, but the public school could possibly be really great. I would really appreciate some opinions on what I should do.

[Chet Wautlands]

Hey.

As for location, most people will prefer Bundang to Changwon, but Changwon is a decent city with everything you need... except a diverse nightlife. In that regard, a public school in Changwon is not a bad find.

As for the hours at that hagwon, I would get further clarification. 100 hours instead of 120 almost certainly refers to the number of hours you would teach in four weeks; not one. So, while most hagwons have you working 6 hours a day, 5 days a week (30X4=120), it seems that they are saying you'll work 20 less than the norm. I'd really double check that though.

Feel unsure about the hagwon but you'd rather not live too far from Seoul? Keep looking

[Taya]

It doesn't matter to me if I live near Seoul. I don't want to be in a really rural town but any city is fine. I'm not a nightlife type person anyway. As long as I have walking trails and parks I'm content.

I'm just not sure if I should take the risk with a middle school or go with the safer hagwon with not-so-great hours.

[OculisOrbis]

[Hotwire]

^^

+100

Being the only foriegner at the school all day si the only drawback of ps over hakwan. On all other fronts (apart from those hakwans that can have nice late starts and 6 - 7 hr shifts) ps is way out in the lead.

I have heard middle school is the toughest though. Apparently getting them too interact with you will be like trying to get blood out of a stone. But you can just learn to go through the motions and keep collecting that paycheck and enjoying the bigger apt and longer vacations.

I would never do 10 - 7 at a haggie. That's a 9 hour shift! I just accepted a haggie job but it's 2 - 8 so pretty low key.

[shifter2009]

[Taya]

Thanks for the advice.

When I worked at Poly, it was 9am-6pm three days a week and 9am-7:30pm two days a week. I taught 40 classes or more per week. Sometimes I would have to teach 11 classes in one day. During prep time I had to plan my classes and grad a ton of work and do report cards AND make up tests.

I like being busy but I think that's excessive!

[blonde researcher]

Get some more detail on the 100 hour hagwon contract as you may find it is equal to the 120 hour contract anyway. Hagwon chains like ECC often sell their jobs as 100 hours as they only add up the exact minutes of the class and not the 10-15 minutes between classes and the lunch breaks etc . The reality is you will be doing 120 hours going from class to class anyway. Also check how the split shifts work in the hagwon as 10-6 may actually be good with ofen getting a late start or a break in the middle of the day or 2-6pm classes.
All full time contracts in Korea (hagwon or PS) must be for 'officially' 40 hours onsite and full time so that a visa can be issed as it being full time employment . In all the PS you have to be onsite approx 8.30am- 5pm no matter what.
Your previous hagwon was not too unusual in the hours you were expected to be on site and the way the hours were counted.

If the hagwon stacks up and the other foreigners there are happy then it could be a good deal. BUT check how the 'hours' of work are added. Koreans are great at stating in contracts that one hour equals 50 minutes!!

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Hotwire]

[sallymonster]

[OculisOrbis]

Sorry to hear youre burning out, but your situation is still less work and more money than your average hagwon job....in addition to more vacation. The OP already works more hours (maybe a couple less on-site, but more teaching hours).

A piece of advice - If the extra classes you teach are outside the regular school hours, you can decline them. The sometimes required by contract of up to 6 hours OT only applies when those classes fall within the regular 9 to 5 schedule. If its after your normal 8 hour day or on a weekend or holiday, you have the right to refuse. Even during your regular 22 teaching hour week, if the teaching hours they want goes above 28 and still falls in your 8 hour day - you can decline. 28 hours teaching per week during the regular 9-5 hours is the maximum a PS teacher is required to accept. Anything over 28 OR outside regular hours is OPTIONAL. However, if you already started teaching the extra classes, youre basically stuck with them until the end of the semester. Tell your CT that you will not continue these extra classes next semester.

Teaching Hour Elementary = 40 minutes
Teaching Hour Middle School = 45 minutes
Teaching Hour High School = 50 minutes

These teaching hour times also apply to you extra classes. If they give you 5 x 60 minute classes extra per week in an elementary school it is actually 7.5 OT teaching hours - not 5 OT hours - a difference of 2.5 OT hours. That works out to 200 000W+ per month you are potentially losing.

Also, if you normally teach, for example, 22 hours per week with 6 hours OT and they cancel three of your regular classes, you still are entitled to 6 hours OT - NOT 3 hours. OT is calculated weekly and is not affected by any of your regular classes being cancelled.

[sallymonster]

[OculisOrbis]

[sallymonster]