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Korean Job Discussion Forums "The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
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cj1976
Joined: 26 Oct 2005
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 6:29 pm Post subject: Which job is better? |
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Job A:
SMOE all girls middle school
18 classes per week (45 mins)
21 official vacation days, but extra days at school's discretion
2.5 million per month, plus 500,000 housing
Students largely apathetic and not interested in English, often ill disciplined and disrespectful. Teaching duties not far above 'human tape recorder'.
Job B:
Private elementary English immersion school
25 classes per week
8 weeks vacation
2.35 mill pm, 450,000 housing
small classes of 17 students, more motivated and better at English. |
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jzrossef
Joined: 05 Nov 2010
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 6:42 pm Post subject: Re: Which job is better? |
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cj1976 wrote: |
Job A:
SMOE all girls middle school
18 classes per week (45 mins)
21 official vacation days, but extra days at school's discretion
2.5 million per month, plus 500,000 housing
Students largely apathetic and not interested in English, often ill disciplined and disrespectful. Teaching duties not far above 'human tape recorder'.
Job B:
Private elementary English immersion school
25 classes per week
8 weeks vacation
2.35 mill pm, 450,000 housing
small classes of 17 students, more motivated and better at English. |
Just wondering how you got info for the general trend of students... but if you are starting out new... it's probably safer to go with Job B. I really don't like the phrase "at school's discretion".
All girls school often have majority of girls sent by relatively wealthy and conservative parents. (Hence, the all girls school) Girls with that background, as well as school administration spoiled by their apathy in their children's education, may not be worth the 200,000 won.
But if you have experience and know how to deal with those... might accept it at as a challenge. It's a wild gamble.
If starting new, I'd go with B.
Here's an interesting dilemma about the housing if you pick A. Might be outdated by now, but doesn't hurt to be prepared.
http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=89088
Good luck. |
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cj1976
Joined: 26 Oct 2005
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 7:52 pm Post subject: |
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I'm in Job A now, but I might be offered Job B starting next year. The extra vacation sounds nice, but the 200k pay cut might pinch a little in the long run.
Mods, do me a favour please and combine my accidental double post. |
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jvalmer

Joined: 06 Jun 2003
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 7:57 pm Post subject: Re: Which job is better? |
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jzrossef wrote: |
All girls school often have majority of girls sent by relatively wealthy and conservative parents. (Hence, the all girls school) |
You're wrong on this, things have changed since you attended school in Korea. In all girls schools, all students are all girls, not majority girls. Where a student goes to middle school is mostly by chance. In many areas they literally draw names out of a hat (okay I'm exaggerating, but it's basically a lottery) to determine which schools students go to. |
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jzrossef
Joined: 05 Nov 2010
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 8:02 pm Post subject: Re: Which job is better? |
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jvalmer wrote: |
jzrossef wrote: |
All girls school often have majority of girls sent by relatively wealthy and conservative parents. (Hence, the all girls school) |
You're wrong on this, things have changed since you attended school in Korea. In all girls schools, all students are all girls, not majority girls. Where a student goes to middle school is mostly by chance. In many areas they literally draw names out of a hat (okay I'm exaggerating, but it's basically a lottery) to determine which schools students go to. |
Thanks for clarification. |
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RMNC

Joined: 21 Jul 2010
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Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 2:10 am Post subject: |
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Job B for sure. |
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Son Deureo!
Joined: 30 Apr 2003
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Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 2:33 am Post subject: |
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Another vote for Job B here. 8 weeks guaranteed vacation is much better than 3 plus what could very well end up as months worth of deskwarming. Plus, since B is still an elementary school, maybe there's a chance for even more vacation on top of that? Even if there isn't, I'd say that more than offsets the W200,000 a month.
I also prefer dealing with Korean elementary school students middle school students any day. Middle school students anywhere tend to be moody and difficult, and the brutal pressures of the Korean school system tend to make it even worse.
One thing that is missing from the equation is required hours on site. If the SMOE job is requiring you to be on site for the full 8 hours a day, the difference in the number of classes is completely meaningless.
What you also don't mention (and perhaps don't know) is how much work might go into teaching immersion classes. It sounds like it has the potential to require a great deal of additional prep, certainly more than being a walking DVD player for SMOE. If you're up to the challenge, this just might be a real career builder. If not, you might quickly find that 8 weeks of vacation is nowhere near enough. |
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Sector7G
Joined: 24 May 2008
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Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 5:24 am Post subject: |
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Hey, just curious. With the housing allowance for each, who takes care of the key money? |
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littlelisa
Joined: 12 Jun 2007 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 7:18 am Post subject: |
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Does Job B school's name start with an M? Just curious.
I'd go for Job B, I'm at an immersion school now (though not that one). |
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earthquakez
Joined: 10 Nov 2010
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Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 7:14 pm Post subject: Re: Which job is better? |
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cj1976 wrote: |
Job A:
SMOE all girls middle school
18 classes per week (45 mins)
21 official vacation days, but extra days at school's discretion
2.5 million per month, plus 500,000 housing
Students largely apathetic and not interested in English, often ill disciplined and disrespectful. Teaching duties not far above 'human tape recorder'.
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Beware of the school's 'discretion'. When the trend is towards resenting what many native English teachers used to have (longer vacations, not so many responsibilities, travelling outside Korea during vacations) and cutting those conditions, not many Principals are going to let you have it easier at their discretion.
I found out post job that there was jealousy at my school because I took my winter vacations outside Korea even though I was entitled to contractually. It never occurred to my school that taking on the Korean English teachers' workload whereby they relaxed and did what they wanted instead of co teaching was an extra responsibility that I took on as my contract clearly stated I was to have a Korean co teacher.
The 500,000 housing allowance sounds good but it won't prevent your school putting you in the horrible little one room 'apartment' that costs less than 2500,000 per month if they want to. Been there, done that. If you don't want the school to pocket the rest of your housing allowance then strike out on your own using the allowance. But in that case you might get taxed on it.
How do you know the girls are 'disrespectful'? |
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