Korean Job Discussion Forums

georgina_and_micheal · Joined: 08 Jun 2011 Location: Halifax, NS

Hello everyone,
I was just wondering if anyone has any feedback for I sponge English Institute in Daegu city?
It would be my boyfriend and myself going and everything seems pretty reasonable but I cannot find much in the way of reviews for it online.
Any help would be appreciated
Thanks

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 5:08 am Post subject:

Best source: teachers working there now or recently.

Contact them and ask your questions.

What you will get on here is unreliable at best and uninformed rumour is par for the online course....

kimchikowboy · Joined: 24 Jan 2003

Which one? There are several.

daz1979 · Joined: 29 Apr 2006 Location: Gangwon-Do

I SPONGE

Jesus!! What a name.... Almost as good as TOSS ENGLISH

InDaGu · Joined: 28 Jun 2010 Location: Cebu City, Philippines

I'm gonna guess you're talking about the one in Chimsan, since the 2 current teachers are also a couple and will be finished soon.
Avoid this place at all costs. The owner is an alcoholic buffoon who frequents the same bar I went to before I left Korea.

As far as the regular teaching conditions, I don't know much. What I do know is that the school is under-staffed and in danger of closing at any time. Since I know the owner socially instead of professionally, I know that he is losing money every month and would have closed a long time ago if his father wasn't bailing him out. I have literally seen him crying about his school's financial situation. A Korean friend of mine worked for him and, upon leaving, was told he couldn't pay her. It took her several weeks to get paid, and he only owed her for 2 weeks.

Edit to add: The school was also in some big trouble a few months ago for having teachers working illegally (the K-teachers, not the NETs), and had to pay some big fines over that.

TMR · Joined: 10 Sep 2009

My girlfriend and I are the current teachers at the Chimsan branch. Is that the one you're looking into? We're well on our way to finishing our contracts here. If the Chimsan branch is the one you're looking into we'd be happy to answer any questions you have about it. When are you looking to start?

You can email me at [email protected]

shifty · Joined: 21 Jun 2004

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 4:34 am Post subject:

Well OP there you go: contact these teachers are really they are the only ones with actual information on how things are at this particular school.

shifty · Joined: 21 Jun 2004

Yes, check out TMR's post history....sounds a godawful place.

I hope TMR's question re starting date is not encouragement. That is, I'm hoping TMR is not desperate for replacement teachers so he can get outa there!

marsavalanche · Joined: 27 Aug 2010 Location: where pretty lies perish

SNOTOSEOUL · Joined: 12 Apr 2010

My buddy head-butted the director in the chest because he was talking s*. Wink

kris131 · Joined: 02 Oct 2009 Location: Ilsan

I'm the other teacher at the Chimsan Isponge. We talked with our boss today and it doesn't appear that he's started looking for new employees yet. So it's likely the original post was asking about a different iSponge in Daegu - I think there's 3 or 4. I hope this negative turn on the thread regarding this specific iSponge hasn't turned the original posters off of their school. If you guys have any questions about iSponge in general, feel free to ask! Good luck!

shifty · Joined: 21 Jun 2004

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 9:19 am Post subject:

Well just perhaps things are good at the school where Kris works. No thats just not possible! I forgot we are on Daves...its impossible that a school treats people well.

Therefore Kris and his ilk (posters who "claim" to me "working" at these "schools") must be recruiters or evil employers who are spuing propaganda to lure poor unsuspected teachers to their salt mine like schools.

Laughing

shifty · Joined: 21 Jun 2004