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grandpa
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
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 Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 1:40 am Post subject: Anyone else been in this catch-22 position? |
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My contract is coming to an end at the end of March.
I enjoy my school, and my school seems to enjoy me. They love to do things last minute, including renewing contracts.
This waiting for renewal is making me want to look for another school to transfer to, but if I tell my school that i am tired of waiting, then they will likely become upset, and therefore give a poor reference to any other schools that I may be interested in transferring to.
Anyone have a similar experience? If so, what happened? |
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GreatUnderachiever
Joined: 08 Apr 2011
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| Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 1:50 am Post subject: Re: Anyone else been in this catch-22 position? |
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| grandpa wrote: |
My contract is coming to an end at the end of March.
I enjoy my school, and my school seems to enjoy me. They love to do things last minute, including renewing contracts.
This waiting for renewal is making me want to look for another school to transfer to, but if I tell my school that i am tired of waiting, then they will likely become upset, and therefore give a poor reference to any other schools that I may be interested in transferring to.
Anyone have a similar experience? If so, what happened? |
Are schools allowed to give poor reference?? Do they often make things like this up, even if not true? |
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YTMND
Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Location: You're the man now dog!!
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| Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 2:17 am Post subject: |
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| They love to do things last minute, including renewing contracts. |
How would you know unless you already renewed with them? I think you are over-dramatizing things. |
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grandpa
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 2:22 am Post subject: |
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| YTMND wrote: |
| Quote: |
| They love to do things last minute, including renewing contracts. |
How would you know unless you already renewed with them? I think you are over-dramatizing things. |
Based on previous experiences that co-workers have had... |
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YTMND
Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Location: You're the man now dog!!
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| Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 2:48 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Based on previous experiences that co-workers have had... |
Highly unlikely, next... |
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Julius
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 4:23 am Post subject: Re: Anyone else been in this catch-22 position? |
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| grandpa wrote: |
My contract is coming to an end at the end of March.
I enjoy my school, and my school seems to enjoy me. They love to do things last minute, including renewing contracts.
This waiting for renewal is making me want to look for another school to transfer to, but if I tell my school that i am tired of waiting, then they will likely become upset, and therefore give a poor reference to any other schools that I may be interested in transferring to.
Anyone have a similar experience? If so, what happened? |
After year two I would have been happy to renew. My school was happy with me, but 3 months prior to my renewal some sly recruiter pitched up with a file full of pictures of blue-eyed blonde american women.
Up until then the principal had almost daily called me over for tea and a conversation. Suddenly that stopped, became stand-offish.
He sheepishly avoided asking me to renew for as long as he possibly could. Finally I was told that if I wanted to renew I had to "apply"..and then I would have to undergo "evaluation". Strange because a year earlier they had come running to me 4 months ahead of time urging me to sign up again. I took the hint.
Its a case of reading the signs. Public schools (at least in the seoul area) seem to have a two-year itch. Even if you have taught wonderfully, they tend to want a new face after a while. |
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Dodge7
Joined: 21 Oct 2011
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| Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 4:44 am Post subject: |
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| OP sounds like a scardy cat. MAN UP! This is called LIFE. |
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grandpa
Joined: 19 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 5:16 am Post subject: |
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| Dodge7 wrote: |
| OP sounds like a scardy cat. MAN UP! This is called LIFE. |
It's not so easy in this industry when you have gray hair. |
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isitts
Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 5:23 am Post subject: Re: Anyone else been in this catch-22 position? |
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| grandpa wrote: |
My contract is coming to an end at the end of March.
I enjoy my school, and my school seems to enjoy me. They love to do things last minute, including renewing contracts.
This waiting for renewal is making me want to look for another school to transfer to, but if I tell my school that i am tired of waiting, then they will likely become upset, and therefore give a poor reference to any other schools that I may be interested in transferring to.
Anyone have a similar experience? If so, what happened? |
How is this a catch 22? Are you working for a hagwon or public school? If the latter, then you're supposed decide this with your school two months before the end of your contract.
I do have a similar experience, but it's probably not the testimony you're looking for. I was at that two month mark at the end of my second contract at my last school here. The first year, they were on top of things, but the second year, my school wasn't sure if they were getting funding at the time of renewal so had to wait a few weeks.
Then my school was told it would get funding, but the VP was waffling on whether or not to keep me. (The administration had changed after I signed for a second year and we did not get along. In fact no one got along with them. I was leaning toward not resigning with them anyway. But, I had reasons to stay, so considered if they wanted me, I may well stay on for a third year.)
Anyway, with less than a month and a half left of my contract, I asked my school to please let me know what they were going to do, since I needed to plan what I would do next if I were not recontracted. I mean, there are visa issues here (plus it's a contractual obligation).
They decided not to, but I don't think they were going to anyway. And I really don't think I could have taken another year under that administration. In the end, it didn't matter because the school lost it's funding from the GPOE (as did all the rest of the schools in Gyeonggi-do).
Anyway, somewhere in all that blathering is your answer. Bottom line is I don't think it hurts to ask them when it's time for them to make their decision. It may seem like it did me, but I don't think it's because I asked.
Anyway, good luck. |
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Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:38 pm Post subject: Re: Anyone else been in this catch-22 position? |
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| Julius wrote: |
| grandpa wrote: |
My contract is coming to an end at the end of March.
I enjoy my school, and my school seems to enjoy me. They love to do things last minute, including renewing contracts.
This waiting for renewal is making me want to look for another school to transfer to, but if I tell my school that i am tired of waiting, then they will likely become upset, and therefore give a poor reference to any other schools that I may be interested in transferring to.
Anyone have a similar experience? If so, what happened? |
After year two I would have been happy to renew. My school was happy with me, but 3 months prior to my renewal some sly recruiter pitched up with a file full of pictures of blue-eyed blonde american women.
Up until then the principal had almost daily called me over for tea and a conversation. Suddenly that stopped, became stand-offish.
He sheepishly avoided asking me to renew for as long as he possibly could. Finally I was told that if I wanted to renew I had to "apply"..and then I would have to undergo "evaluation". Strange because a year earlier they had come running to me 4 months ahead of time urging me to sign up again. I took the hint.
Its a case of reading the signs. Public schools (at least in the seoul area) seem to have a two-year itch. Even if you have taught wonderfully, they tend to want a new face after a while. |
Was this back in 2009? I was reading here a lot on the board about teachers getting dropped and non renewed in Seoul / Gyeonggi area for everything from performance to looks to old age. But, have they snapped out of that and started being more professional nowadays?
As for the rest of the country, I don't think EPIK does that, thought a year later they were more willing to drop teachers and non renew them (2010) but don't think it was looks based. Then again some small towns could be unprofessional that way. The POE will just go along with whatever the local school or education office says.
Only thing I had noticed was new hires were early 20's and less people in their 40's and 50's even in the rural areas. Was only American whites being hired for a time. But now more even amongst colors and races. That said, not so many 40's and 50's like before the recession, though. |
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nathanrutledge
Joined: 01 May 2008
Location: Marakesh
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| Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:59 pm Post subject: |
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Don't tell them you are tired of waiting. Just lay it out there - you need to look towards the future. If they will renew you, you'd be interested, but if they aren't, then you need some time to line up a new job. Simple as that.
I doubt they want to screw you or anything, so they should understand. Personally, I wouldn't say that I want to sign on another year. Don't put yourself into a position of WANTING the job. Just put it out there that it's that time, and you need to start making decisions. Keep it neutral.
Should be fine. |
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Troglodyte
Joined: 06 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 12:28 am Post subject: |
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| nathanrutledge wrote: |
Don't tell them you are tired of waiting. Just lay it out there - you need to look towards the future. If they will renew you, you'd be interested, but if they aren't, then you need some time to line up a new job. Simple as that.
I doubt they want to screw you or anything, so they should understand. Personally, I wouldn't say that I want to sign on another year. Don't put yourself into a position of WANTING the job. Just put it out there that it's that time, and you need to start making decisions. Keep it neutral.
Should be fine. |
I agree. Just remind them that your current contract is coming to an end and you need to get everything in order - whether it's a renewed contract with this school, or finding a new one.
Anyway, if you finish this contract, then you don't really need anything from this school. Sure, a new letter of recommendation would be great, but it's not necessary. Since you're already in Korea and can start work the day after your current job finishes and you don't need to do all the paperwork of getting a new E2 (your simply extending your current one albeit with a new employer) then you are in demand. If you're not sure that your school will give a good reference, then just tell the recruiters that. You can say that they aren't happy that you aren't renewing but you really want to move a new school. The fact that you finished your contract and didn't get fire or run away is all that the recruiter cares about. It shows that you'll complete your next contract as well and therefore he'll get paid his commission.
Don't sweat it. Just ask the school if they'll renew. If not, contact recruiters. |
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