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Smithington
Joined: 14 Dec 2011
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 Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2012 10:54 pm Post subject: Gepik now demanding that we have a TESOL certificate? |
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I taught in Gepik schools for several years, then went elsewhere. Now I'm reapplying for another Gepik job, but the recruiter has told me that they expect all incoming teachers to now have a TESOL certificate. If not, we should at least be enrolled in a program before we go to the interview.
Has anyone else heard of this? |
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pkang0202
Joined: 09 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 12:29 am Post subject: |
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Not sure, but go get a TEFL certificate. Plenty of programs out there (and cheap ones online). Some programs are a breeze and take no time. Others are geared to actually teaching you something.
Its a nice bump in salary also. |
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overdrive2023x
Joined: 08 Aug 2011
Location: San Diego, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 12:31 am Post subject: |
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| Yep. But if you have already taught through GEPIK, doesn't that mean you're already into the Level 2 Payscale? |
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overdrive2023x
Joined: 08 Aug 2011
Location: San Diego, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 12:32 am Post subject: |
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| pkang0202 wrote: |
Not sure, but go get a TEFL certificate. Plenty of programs out there (and cheap ones online). Some programs are a breeze and take no time. Others are geared to actually teaching you something.
Its a nice bump in salary also. |
Unfornately for GEPIK it's no longer a pay bump. With a TEFL certificate in GEPIK, you'll start out at 2.0 million won. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 2:21 am Post subject: Re: Gepik now demanding that we have a TESOL certificate? |
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| Smithington wrote: |
I taught in Gepik schools for several years, then went elsewhere. Now I'm reapplying for another Gepik job, but the recruiter has told me that they expect all incoming teachers to now have a TESOL certificate. If not, we should at least be enrolled in a program before we go to the interview.
Has anyone else heard of this? |
An excess of American economic refugees applying for jobs means they can ask for higher credentials and offer lower wages for them.
. |
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Julius
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 4:28 am Post subject: Re: Gepik now demanding that we have a TESOL certificate? |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| An excess of American economic refugees applying for jobs means they can ask for higher credentials and offer lower wages for them. |
Its not that hard for someone to enroll at an online course before applying then get a refund the moment they start the job. Or pick up a fake cert in Bangkok.
If Korea is actually serious about improving the standard of "teachers" they hire then they will have to insist on a handful of credible and verified on-site TESOL qualifications.
Requiring a degree in English, education or linguistics would also be a good start. |
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Kimchifart
Joined: 15 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 5:02 am Post subject: Re: Gepik now demanding that we have a TESOL certificate? |
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| Julius wrote: |
| ttompatz wrote: |
| An excess of American economic refugees applying for jobs means they can ask for higher credentials and offer lower wages for them. |
Its not that hard for someone to enroll at an online course before applying then get a refund the moment they start the job. Or pick up a fake cert in Bangkok.
If Korea is actually serious about improving the standard of "teachers" they hire then they will have to insist on a handful of credible and verified on-site TESOL qualifications.
Requiring a degree in English, education or linguistics would also be a good start. |
A degree in linguistics is overkill for the job at hand. All that's required for this level of education is a CELTA or similar. |
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Who's Your Daddy?
Joined: 30 May 2010
Location: Victoria, Canada.
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 5:10 am Post subject: |
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| I could have done the job after high school. |
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Julius
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 5:23 am Post subject: |
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| who'sYourDaddy wrote: |
| I could have done the job after high school. |
That may be so but the whole point of being an employer is to acquire the best candidates for the job possible, is it not?
Why make do with cotton when you can have silk?
If I was in charge of the E2 visa i'd tailor it to match the US unemployment rate.
US Unemployment 0%= Accept anyone with a pulse
US unemployment 3%= apostilled CBC, degree
US unemployment 6%= apostilled CBC, degree, 1 yrs exp, and CELTA.
US unemployment 9% = apostilled CBC, degree, 2 yrs exp, CELTA
US unemployment 10 %= apostilled CBC, degree in English/ linguistics/ education, 2 yrs exp and a CELTA. |
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NYC_Gal 2.0
Joined: 10 Dec 2010
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 5:30 am Post subject: |
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I was teaching Spanish to elementary kids when I was IN high school. It was a program for the top students to earn university credit.
As it is, a TESOL could only help you if you plan on doing this long term. I'm doing an on-site one in Korea, and plan on continuing for my MA. I majored in English, though, with an end goal of either working in publishing (I did and hated it) or teaching. |
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some waygug-in
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 5:42 am Post subject: |
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| Julius wrote: |
| who'sYourDaddy wrote: |
| I could have done the job after high school. |
That may be so but the whole point of being an employer is to acquire the best candidates for the job possible, is it not?
Why make do with cotton when you can have silk?
If I was in charge of the E2 visa i'd tailor it to match the US unemployment rate.
US Unemployment 0%= Accept anyone with a pulse
US unemployment 3%= apostilled CBC, degree
US unemployment 6%= apostilled CBC, degree, 1 yrs exp, and CELTA.
US unemployment 9% = apostilled CBC, degree, 2 yrs exp, CELTA
US unemployment 10 %= apostilled CBC, degree in English/ linguistics/ education, 2 yrs exp and a CELTA. |
Someone who is over-trained is most likely to be unhappy with being a
"teacher's assistant" for very long. Especially when he/she finds that the
Korean staff treat him more like a mascot than anything else.
Someone who has very little or no training is more likely to try to do their best.
I'm not against training, by the way. Ttraining is not much good if you aren't allowed to use it. |
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isitts
Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 6:32 pm Post subject: Re: Gepik now demanding that we have a TESOL certificate? |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
An excess of American economic refugees applying for jobs means they can ask for higher credentials and offer lower wages for them.
. |
When you consider the conditions that actual refugees are generally escaping from, your use of the word could come across as insulting. Americans that are in more of a refugee state are most likely occupying their nearest major city and are unable to logistically get over to Korea.
And I�m pretty sure the Americans aren�t the only ones running over there to escape a bad economy. This is not unilateralism.  Even if there are more coming from America than from other countries, that�s really nothing new. |
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Carbon
Joined: 28 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 6:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Julius wrote: |
If I was in charge of the E2 visa i'd tailor it to match the US unemployment rate.
US Unemployment 0%= Accept anyone with a pulse
US unemployment 3%= apostilled CBC, degree
US unemployment 6%= apostilled CBC, degree, 1 yrs exp, and CELTA.
US unemployment 9% = apostilled CBC, degree, 2 yrs exp, CELTA
US unemployment 10 %= apostilled CBC, degree in English/ linguistics/ education, 2 yrs exp and a CELTA. |
And if I am not American? |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 7:07 pm Post subject: Re: Gepik now demanding that we have a TESOL certificate? |
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| isitts wrote: |
| ttompatz wrote: |
An excess of American economic refugees applying for jobs means they can ask for higher credentials and offer lower wages for them.
. |
When you consider the conditions that actual refugees are generally escaping from, your use of the word could come across as insulting. Americans that are in more of a refugee state are most likely occupying their nearest major city and are unable to logistically get over to Korea.
And I�m pretty sure the Americans aren�t the only ones running over there to escape a bad economy. This is not unilateralism. Even if there are more coming from America than from other countries, that�s really nothing new. |
You'll note that I used the term ECONOMIC REFUGEES and not simple refugee.
Definition of 'Economic Refugee'
A person who leaves their home country for a new country, in search of better job prospects and higher living standards. Economic refugees see little opportunity in their own countries to escape poverty and are willing to start over in a new country, for the chance at a better life.
How is an American grad, buried in student debt, with no real job prospects and no hope of meaningful employment any time in the near future, heading offshore for work not an economic refugee?
And the numbers of Americans (both recent grads and experienced teachers) that have applied for jobs in the schools I am affiliated with (in Korea and Thailand) have increased more than 10-fold since 2008 whereas the numbers of Brits, Aussies, Canuks and Kiwis has remained fairly constant. (admittedly, the numbers from Ireland have also gone up but not to the same degree as those from the States).
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radcon
Joined: 23 May 2011
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| Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 7:24 pm Post subject: Re: Gepik now demanding that we have a TESOL certificate? |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| Smithington wrote: |
I taught in Gepik schools for several years, then went elsewhere. Now I'm reapplying for another Gepik job, but the recruiter has told me that they expect all incoming teachers to now have a TESOL certificate. If not, we should at least be enrolled in a program before we go to the interview.
Has anyone else heard of this? |
An excess of American economic refugees applying for jobs means they can ask for higher credentials and offer lower wages for them.
. |
Korea always has been and continues to be an employment outet for Canadian graduates who can't find jobs back home. |
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