Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mararowan]

Everyone says wait until you get a "good" job but how do you know what you are getting until you are there. Is talking to the previous teacher the only way? Thanks

[Gorf]

That's only for hagwons. All PS is a gamble, plain and simple.

[some waygug-in]

Public School jobs change yearly as co-teachers and principals get moved around.

There's no way to tell for sure.

Good Luck.

[sojusucks]

The only guarantee you have at a public school is that you are more likely to be paid than in a hogwan. Other than that, just about anything goes. Public schools can screw around with your: move-in money, overtime, flight tickets, re-signing bonus, apartment, and you never know with the actual workplace situation. This goes for GEPIK, EPIK, SMOE, and all public school programs. Sorry.

[brento1138]

[rainism]

too many variables, as others have mentioned.

if the p, vp and your coteachers stay the same and the previous NET was happy with them and if the Koreans like you in the same vein they liked the previous NET, then your odds are good the school will also be "good" for you.

the longer you stay, the more things may change, as Korean people around you rotate to and from different schools. However, the longer you stay, the more cachet you may carry with the holdovers so you're less likely to be negatively affected.

[winterfall]

[ThingsComeAround]

I'd go a step further than other posters, and ask the OP- what is your definition of 'good'?

Super smart students i.e. lived in other countries for a yr +?
A principal that wants to give unlimited resources to the English program?
Lots of opportunity for overtime?
Lots of time off?

I have a friend in an affluent neighborhood but she works her butt off. What's more, she is pretty much doing everything alone because her co-T refuses to help. On the surface though, her job is 'good'.

Contrast that with a guy I know in a poor neighborhood. He gets random days off and gets to go home early, contributes little but the staff like him because he knows how to 'play the game'.

Every job has its ups and downs. In public school, just like in hagwons- things change at the drop of a hat.

[tophatcat]

[Ramen]

just roll the dice.

if you crap out, roll again.

[rainism]

[cincynate]

I first worked for a public school. My co-teacher hated me because we taught along side each other for every class (we had the exact same schedule), and the principal wanted me to run the class, because I was the native speaker. Your co-teacher is the person who handles everything for you. She really made my life miserable. On top of that, I had problems with Pay.
I have worked for two hakwons now, and couldn't have had better experiences. I never have to desk warm, am in charge of my classes, and if there is ever a problem, I can go directly to the director. No 500 layers of bullshit korean bureaucracy to go through.
I think ps are worse than hakwons. There have just been some real horror stories of some really shady hakwons (but in my experience, they are far and few between). But those few experiences scare people into thinking that PS is better, because I agree some of these things would never happen at a ps

[rainism]

[schwa]

Not to mention a "good" school can turn sour rather quickly if their NET doesnt appear to be making a reasonable effort.

[mararowan]

Is it possible to talk to previous net or is that only in a hagwon?