Korean Job Discussion Forums

2i2dk1ny2i3 · Joined: 26 Jun 2011

i just got offered a position and i think they may either video tape in the classroom or at the very least have CCTV in the halls

i wanna know if there's more stress or any other disadvantages

the company is very well known in the US (Sylvan Learning)

iggyb · Joined: 29 Oct 2003

I had a hakwon with CCTV in every class. I worked at another place in Korea where other teachers had CCTV in their classes.

I also knew someone who worked for Sylvan. She did a lot of recruiting for them. Recruiting to the point I got the feeling they had a lot of turnover and didn't expect to be recruiting people who'd stay long term.

In the hakwons where I worked, the CCTV in the classroom never directly came up to cause a problem, but both schools were into micro-managment. The CCTV was just one part of that. And the micro-managing made the places a pressure cooker and bad environment for a teacher.

I made it through the one year of working under the gaze of the owner who had a panel of TVs in his office to watch us, but I left for another hakwon at the end. Some instructors didn't make it a full year.

Teaching with frequent interference is not fun.

yellowdove · Joined: 19 Aug 2009

I worked in a hagwon last year that had CCTVs in the classrooms. I figure, as long as you're not doing anything wrong (which you shouldn't be), what difference does it make? The CCTV was really for the parents to watch their kindy kids in class, just to check up on them. (They could log onto the school's website with a password.) I like the idea, you should be accountable for what goes on in your classroom. There shouldn't be anything to hide.

bbunce · Joined: 28 Sep 2011

Every hagwon I've visited or worked at had CCTV's. In our school, the monitors don't work which is to bad. I'd love for the parents to see how their kids act sometimes. Why hasn't Suzy learned any new vocabulary? Maybe it's because she likes to pretend she is in a swimming pool and then do butterflies on the classroom floor. Rolling Eyes

Gorf · Joined: 25 Jun 2011

Yep. My first school. It was a nightmare, our owner spent most of his time just watching us in his office, looking for things to criticize us on. They claimed that it was to make sure kids weren't misbehaving, but in reality it was a way for them to micromanage us to death and to make sure we weren't molesting the kids or something.

iggyb · Joined: 29 Oct 2003

I don't mind the cameras. I can't stand the micro-managing. Anyone who has been a full time teacher wouldn't do it (unless they have forgotten what it's like to be one).

TellyRules986 · Joined: 09 Nov 2009 Location: Korea

Yea, at my first school they had CCTV in every classroom, and the monitors were in the lobby area for the parents to see.

It wasn't a big deal for us at all. But I can see them being a real pain if they use them to micromanage you to death.

Times30 · Joined: 27 Mar 2010

You enjoy them after a while. There's a lot of advantages

1) Bad students, you have video evidence that students are acting up

2) You can get advice how to be a better teacher

3) If you're an exhibitionist you can sneak in a dance in front of the camera once in a while or get away with scratching yourself.

There are a lot of good things about them

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

young_clinton · Joined: 09 Sep 2009

The CCTV's are a good idea to protect the kids.

iggyb · Joined: 29 Oct 2003

Squire · Joined: 26 Sep 2010 Location: Jeollanam-do

I wouldn't be so opposed to the idea if it's pointed from one of the front corners of the class at the students, but filming me teaching? It would be like every class being an open class. To hell with that

SeoulNate · Joined: 04 Jun 2010 Location: Hyehwa

They have been used at all the schools I have worked for in Korea.

Personally, I have never had a problem with being micro-managed here, but I know others who have.

My advice, dont base your choice on whether they have CCTV in classrooms or not, base it on if the owner and managers are pieces of crap or not.

northway · Joined: 05 Jul 2010

I have CCTV in my current classrooms and it really doesn't bother me. That said, I think it really depends on how they use it. At my school it's basically there for the occasional mom who is passing through to watch for a couple minutes (generally only a small window of a 42 inch screen), or to protect the school (and teachers) in cases where they might be liable (it was installed after a foreign teacher was accused to hitting a student). At my friend's school, however, audio and video are recorded and sent to the head office for occasional evaluation. The latter is much more invasive (and potentially nerve wracking) than the former.

rollo · Joined: 10 May 2006 Location: China

It can cause problems but it protects you also from unfounded complaints.