Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sluggo832004]

How is it? How are the kids?

I thinking about highschool in Seoul.

Anyone here have any insight?


Thanks for reading.

[rowdie3]

I worked in a high school in Seoul last year. It was a good job. There were two of us foreign teachers, so we had half a class each at one time (20-22 students each vs the usual 40-44). We shared an office with a Korean English teacher and had our own desks and were given laptops. The kids were generally good and the homeroom teachers supported us if we had any problems.

Drawbacks: there was no book or material given. I had to make all of my classes from scratch. Alsok, with high school kids, sometimes you just can't make them do your lesson. Doesn't matter how fun or interesting it is. If they are tired or have decided to not do anything that day, then good luck making them.

[crisdean]

[sallymonster]

Be careful with asking for public high school. You might get placed in a technical high school. I hear this is especially common with newbies.

Technical high school is where the kids go when they don't make it into regular academic high school. The kids learn to do trades like carpentry and car mechanics, etc., as most do not go on to university. Many of these kids come from impoverished backgrounds, have serious family problems, have learning disabilities beyond English, and stuff like that.

I teach at a public middle school, but I have beginner classes full of students who are likely headed for technical high school in a year or two. Most are not motivated to learn and don't bother to try. They often don't pay much attention in class and can be disruptive. Most have attention problems, I'm pretty sure a few of them have learning disabilities, and I think at least one is developmentally disabled. In other words, these kids have problems that we can't help them with, especially not in Korea.

If you're set on high school, I suggest trying to apply to schools directly so you know what you're getting into. If you're a certified teacher or have a Master's in TESOL, you can even try for global high schools where the overachievers go. Good luck!

[Weigookin74]

As far as Public Schools go, TESOL and Certified Teaching is over rated. You can be an experienced teacher at home and come across a language barrier here. If kids aren't motivated to cross it, nothing in the world is going to save you. If you want your teaching experience to help you, learn Korean. Otherwise, you have use different teachniques to get the kids attention. High school or middle school can be a bad or good experience depending on how you can connect with the kids. You need to know the local culture and maybe how to interest them. I use pictures and humor often to get through to them. I also have to be patient and repeat myself slowly and often. Sometimes, I will say it in Korean. (No gaurantee the K teacher won't just stare into space instead of helping or leave in the middle of your class.) TESOL theories are great for teaching adults and motivated learners who actually want to learn ENglish. Ive seen experienced trained teachers come here and have a miserable time. That's my 2 cents worth. Feel free to put in your own.

[Weigookin74]

Those of you in North America now waiting to come over and teach for EPIK, let me give you some advice. Take pictures of your family, a few of some places or streets in your home town and maybe some interesting countryside (farms, mountains, sea, etc). Think of taking pictures of a supermarket and inside. Maybe some excercise equipment, sporting events, etc. Take pictures of your house and the rooms and furtniture inside. Take pictures of different dishes your family cooks. WHen you get over here, you can convert these to lessons. Every classroom has a computer and a TV screen. You can choose a topic and put together some pics you took before coming over here. Then you can ask questions and get the kids to respond.

[Fishead soup]

Unless you work in a foreign High School you'll be playing second fiddle to the exam. Students will view your class as a joke or a time to sleep. Use Wondergirl video's off Youtube at least that will keep them interested.

Most of the English teachers won't care about your class. If you are lucky you will get into a school where the Principal can't speak English and won't try to interfere with your teaching. The main thing is don't let the noise in your class disturb the class next door other wise you can do your own thing. If you are lucky your school hasn't installed one of those internet blocking softwares there are tons of useful materials on youtube.

[alljokingaside]

Tech high school here.
All I gotta say is this- Candy is a great motivational tool. Even the cheap kind.

And yeah, if they're not into it, good luck. If you try n force the issue, you may progressively end up seeing more heads nodding off and down. Games/activities where they get to "get" each other or have some illusion of control/autonomy works a bit better than not.

And ditto on the LPs from scratch.

Actually, quirky story- one of my more resistant classes decided against english that day, opting to play a German card game (no german class in the school). Another day, they felt like playing bingo amongst themselves. etc

[jvalmer]

Tech High schools are awful. If they aren't in an academic school then reality sets in and they realize they have minimal chance of getting a cushy white-collar job. Really have no advice, since I've only done camps in academic high schools.

For those students in academic schools, that reality is delayed until they face the real world after they graduate college/university.

[ttompatz]

You realize that unless you are lucky/unlucky (depending on your point of view in regard to teaching at a HS) the chances of landing a HS position in Seoul are about 32-1 against you (as compared to landing an elementary school anywhere else in the country).

./

[caniff]

I taught for year at an academic HS in Ilsan about 7 years ago. It was good, but maybe because I was the first foreign teacher the school ever had and times were a little different.

I had that "celebrity" cache and the school admin pretty much left me alone - no deskwarming, etc.

From what I read I doubt the conditions are the same at the typical K HS these days.

[waynehead]

I work at an academic high school in Seoul. I'd say the most important tip I could give would be to make sure your class counts for some % of their grade. That keeps my students motivated (well...more or less).

[carleverson]

[sluggo832004]

[discostu333]

I'd avoid middle school. Same situation;

Your classes don't count for anything, ergo kids / teachers view your lessons as a joke. Que bad behavior / lack of concentration which your co-teachers are reluctant to help with.

Middle school kids behave worse than high schoolers. Think of all those hormones kicking in as they go through puberty.

Mixed classes. Some kids get your lessons, some dont. Some don't care, and just mess about. Very hard to find a balance between keeping the higher ability kids interested and the lower ability kids in line.

Generally no curriculum. Co-teachers teach the textbook on their own and they have no intention of helping you with the material.

You are more likely to have a good experience in an elementary school. All my friends who teach at elementary love it. All my friends who teach middle school (including me) have a lot of difficulties. High school, depends if you are teaching Tech or not.