Korean Job Discussion Forums

[markband]

I recently got a job at an Avalon school in Gimpo. Now, barring the pros and cons of Hagwons in general I just want some opinions. I recently got out of a job dealing with a-hole customers all the time, really crappy co-workers and the worst management ever. I worked at a Fed-Ex Kinkos where the boss wouldn't listen to any of the issues the employees had like scheduling more people to cover weekends and yet he had to have at least four people in store to cover so he wouldn't have to leave his office. He would screw us in vacation and make B.S. excuses to yell at us. Now I was wondering given the really bad two years I worked at Fed-Ex and after reading the negative feedback about Hagwons I feel that because Avalon is a very large chain I won't have to worry about the basics like being paid on time, Insurance, etc. and for the most part I'll only be seeing my students. I can take a-hole bosses who are only about appearances when I only see them from time to time and I have be used to being blamed for things that are not my fault, I feel that I have mentally prepaired myself for the worst. My question is that given my experience with all of the above, are my chances of being able to deal with working at a Hagwon good?

[lifeinkorea]

An Avalon job is for someone who is new to Asia. You might have all the fixings (I have never worked there so I can't be 100% sure).

However, after you crack the shell and experience living in the country, you will want to move on to somewhere that isn't so rigid and get away from the corporate style approach to teaching English. It's the same in Japan and China. They have a set curriculum, and you can't do your own thing. Maybe this is good for a start, but it will gradually become a factory job.

I place my bets you will last 4 months, find out you need 6 (well, now you know) months to avoid paying back airfare and settlement allowance (if any, usually 300,000 won), and then you will realize a public school is more suited for you. You will only have to deal with a principal. Since principals don't know as much English as a private school owner, they will want to avoid you as much as you want to avoid them.

Being with a good co-teacher is critical here. I got lucky twice, and they were great to work with. They understood what I wanted and communicated that with the principal. I never had to deal with the principal.

[sulperman]

Compared to any customer service job like Kinko's a hagwon will be heaven. You will be listening to your co-workers who have never had a job before whining about every little thing, but you will not understand what their problem is.

Don't worry, you'll like it.

[bobbybigfoot]

[Skippy]

Oh teaching here has its customer problems too. Remember you will likely be teaching children who have parents who will think their children are perfect and can do no wrong. Hagwons are more business orientated but you can still get these scenarios in public school too. Just the words customer is replaced with tax payer.

Here is a scenario to consider. So the first the time you are dong-chimmed (two fingers poked in your bum) and you react that most people do with a back hand and you have knocked some kids block off and he is crying. Your still shocked from your ass being poked, so you do not react for a min. Lets say your lucky and nobody comes into the classroom and the kid does calms down. Later when he tells mom and dad that teacher hit him really hard today for NO REASON at all. Do you think the school or the parents will believe you or the kid? Know the school is embarrassed or does not care but wants the whole mess gone - either decides to fire you or have you apologize. So their you stand either trying to find a new job or having to stand before a fat Korean mother that it was completely wrong of you to hit their kid and that next time you will bend over and give the kid direct access to your ass but please make sure he washes his hand first if he is so kind.

Or new kid comes to your class. His level is low but his friends are medium high and guess where he goes .... with the friends to their class. A month later poor kid is floundering in your class has failed some tests, has not improved. Know parents come to the school complaining that their kid is doing badly and they want changes - NOW.

OR you are teaching really young kids like 6 or 7 years old. You are from someplace that has a thick accent. Now the most you are teaching is your kids is ABCs and some basic words. But the parents again feel you are going to permanently give their kids a Newfie or Irish or Aussie accent with that one hour or two you teach them a week so they being perfectionist parents complain to the school and ask for a better teacher - preferably blond and blue eyed woman from the US. Once again your are either trying to defend yourself and not get fired. Or being given an order to try and speak AMERICAN!

The list goes on...