Korean Job Discussion Forums

[smeggysmeg]

I've read loads of information/facts, but what I'm looking for is more subjective statements and opinions.

From 2009-2010, my wife and I taught in a hagwon in Busan. It wasn't a fly-by-night school, but it wasn't a well-respected nation-wide chain, either. It was a sizable local chain.

The kindergarten program was well-developed, since it was the hagwon's bread and butter, but the elementary and middle school programs consisted of a single page of work, often just pictures, that were supposed to fill 40+ minutes of class time. We would teach about 8-10 classes/day, and at first we worked our butts off to develop curriculum to fill our class time. The teaching material being what it was, the other foreign teachers were used to simply spending the whole class playing games and giving the kids the run of the class; only the occasional class was actually a structured experience. We eventually had to give into that classroom style, as that's what the kids expected(and wouldn't accept anything else); we simply couldn't get them to respect us at all - why should they? There were no consequences. Plus, developing the class curriculum was eating every waking moment. Even with a class of all games, it was stressful and really hard to manage them.

In short, I left work every day feeling like I accomplished nothing, and I was completely stressed out.
I did survive the year, however, and maybe was getting to feel a little less stressed in the last few months.

We're now back in the States and I've been working in IT. Right now, we're considering to make a complete permanent career shift to TEFL, but I want to know whether a public school environment will be more structured.
Real textbooks, some sort of planned curriculum, prep time, hopefully a teacher's guide for suggested activities - and at least some basic respect from the students.

Is that a reasonable expectation, or should we scrap this idea?

[itiswhatitis]

First of all:

HAGWONS ARE BETTER THAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

A public school job being "more structured", with all respect my gut emotional reaction was to laugh out loud when I read that. I started at a hagwon (survived the year-similar to you) and I thought that a public school job would be better. The public school was disorganized in every way and I made it throught a year and now I'm back at a hagwon (same hagwon now for almost 2 years). The hagwon is also disorganized at times but it's pretty much commonly accepted that anyone who works in education (in any country or in a private or public setting) needs to have a great deal of patience. The ONLY thing more organized about the public school was that I didn't get told the day before that we had a field trip the next day (probably only because public schools don't have field trips).

It sounds like you're not a teacher in America (working in IT). "Making the jump to TEFL" is your dream.....a public school job isn't likely to be a springboard to that. REMEMBER: in a public school you are officially considered to be an "assistant teacher", you assist the Korean teacher and it is their classroom.

If you want a career in TEFL then I recommend taking an MA in TESOL or some other education. Coming back to Korea will be a change of pace and you will save some money but it is not exactely a direct path for someone who wants a career in TEFL. The only way that teaching English in Korea would make sense for that is if you are not sure if you really want to do that for your career and you want to get a feel for it, it seems like you already had a feel for it (you were here for a year).

Again REMEMBER: PUBLIC SCHOOL JOBS ARE NOT THAT GREAT, IF YOU COME BACK GO FOR A HAGWON

[smeggysmeg]

So... same stuff, different people writing the paycheck?

[runthegauntlet]

[Gary-Korea]

I worked in a technical high school for two years. For the most part I enjoyed it.

Pros
- Set hours 0830-1630 and no weekends
- Teach max 22 hours p/wk (I was down to 12 by the time I finished)
- Freedom to teach what I wanted (doesn't happen for everyone)
- Ample prep time
- Some students who really want to learn English
- Earned respect from the kids

Cons
- My school didn't really know what to do with me
- Low over-time pay
- Awful textbooks (I didn't use them)
- If relations with co-teachers go sour then your done
- Lots of last minute changes to everything and you're lucky to be told
- Every school is different and you don't know what you have to deal with until you arrive
- Plenty of overworked, stressed and jaded students who like English class because they can go to sleep (this might not be the same in elementary or middle school).

Like the other poster said, go to Korea for a change of pace and to save some money but don't treat it as a long-term career prospect.

If teaching is something you want to do long-term then look into qualifying to work in international schools (with US or UK curriculums) or universities. This is what I will be doing when I return in a month or two.

Are you aware that a lot of funding for NETs in public schools has been cut recently? You might find trouble finding a position even if you decide it's something you want to do.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[missty]

Edit.

[Modernist]

[World Traveler]

[Dazed and Confused]

From what I've seen public schools are only as good as your co-teacher and administrator. Hogwons are only as good as your co-teacher and owner/manager. Seems to be a crap shoot either way.

[cincynate]

I love how urban myth slams the OP for making a generalization, and then does so himself. Each has its benefits and drawbacks. It is correct that SOME hakwons (not a majority of them) are fly by night operations and go belly up, and even some of the established ones have unscrupulous directors/owners that will do anything to save/make a won. However, public schools have also been known to screw over teachers. I know of a couple of experiences personally. And, the organization as a whole has done it to mass groups of teachers.

I've taught at both, and here is my prespective:

PS- So much beauracracy and there are so many levels to deal with. You are unimportant to the school, and are just basically 'there'. As long as you can keep your classes occupied, they are happy. If anyone at the school dislikes you for any reason, you are in trouble. They can make life hell for you. You are at the helm of your 'coteacher'.. and whatever whimisical thoughts she has that day greatly affect your job and life. The textbooks are horrible, and you have to teach them. The classes have around 40 students in them, and the levels vary from someone who can't write ABC's to someone who is correcting the past present progressive sentence you just wrote on the board. The students generally don't want to be there and simply don't care. Neither do your co-teachers who are probably sitting in the back of the class reading the news paper or grading tests while the kids walk all over you.

Hakwon- You are importnat to the hakwon, because you are the cornerstone of his business. It is a pain and a great expense to replace you, so they want to keep you somewhat happy. You can have a personal relationship with the top dog.. so no bearucracy and if something needs to be changed, you can at least talk to the decision maker, instead of a co-teacher who will never question the great and mighty decisions of the all-knowing and infallible principal. The hours are much better and you aren't expected to sit and stare at the wall just to fulfil your time requirement. Done teaching=go home.

Hakwons are much better. Don't let the bureaucrat ps teachers tell you otherwise!!

[SeoulNate]

[Who's Your Daddy?]

[nukeday]

[TheUrbanMyth]