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HeavyTZM
Joined: 25 Aug 2011
Location: USA
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 Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 8:31 am Post subject: High School vs Elementary |
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Hello all,
Can I get some comments on what the general differences are between teaching high school and elementary (both public)? Pros and cons? enjoyable/not?
Also, would it make a difference if a public school was funded by a coperata (whatever that is)? |
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YTMND
Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Location: You're the man now dog!!
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| Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 8:42 am Post subject: |
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Both are different. The younger the student, the more games you play. The older the student the more you study for tests.
Depends on what you want. I couldn't find anything for "coperata" online. Most of the results came up with non-Korean related sites.
Your contract would probably better indicate pay issues. |
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thunderbird
Joined: 18 Aug 2009
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| Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 3:26 am Post subject: |
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| avoid the hs students man, they got all the attitude problems |
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HeavyTZM
Joined: 25 Aug 2011
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 5:52 am Post subject: |
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| thunderbird wrote: |
| avoid the hs students man, they got all the attitude problems |
Geez, that's what I was thinking to. It's just the HS job is in a city I prefer. And the school atmosphere seemed good when I interviewed with 2 current teachers and the principal. It's kind of a weird set up. They are a government school, but they have 2 or 3 native English teachers, 1 Japanese, and 1 Chinese. I checked out their website the best I could...they have an (native English) art, business/biology, and speech/communication teacher. Maybe it's a tech school? I don't know much about those.
Elementary seems like it would be easier, teaching vocab and stuff. |
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Swampfox10mm
Joined: 24 Mar 2011
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| Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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| thunderbird wrote: |
| avoid the hs students man, they got all the attitude problems |
Elementary school attitude problems = kid screaming, running, talking, etc., in your class, drawing other kids into it.
High school attitude problem = kid typing on a phone, whispering to a neighbor, staring into a mirror, or sleeping on their desk.
I'll take the high school attitude problem any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
I have taught both. High School was easier, more enjoyable, and more rewarding. That is my opinion, anyway.
Also seemed to get more random days off due to testing, and fewer "required" extra hours type work. It may have been the school, but the extra hours stuff was actually paid at the high school level. |
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HeavyTZM
Joined: 25 Aug 2011
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the replies.
I'm seriously conflicted on this. HS in Ilsan or Elem in Namyangju |
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fustiancorduroy
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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| HeavyTZM wrote: |
| thunderbird wrote: |
| avoid the hs students man, they got all the attitude problems |
Geez, that's what I was thinking to. It's just the HS job is in a city I prefer. And the school atmosphere seemed good when I interviewed with 2 current teachers and the principal. It's kind of a weird set up. They are a government school, but they have 2 or 3 native English teachers, 1 Japanese, and 1 Chinese. I checked out their website the best I could...they have an (native English) art, business/biology, and speech/communication teacher. Maybe it's a tech school? I don't know much about those.
Elementary seems like it would be easier, teaching vocab and stuff. |
It sounds like a foreign language high school to me. A technical high school would only have 1 native English teacher and would never teach other foreign languages, especially with native speakers of those languages. If it is indeed a foreign language high school -- isn't the school named **** Foreign Language High School or something along those lines? -- then you should definitely take the job. |
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HeavyTZM
Joined: 25 Aug 2011
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2012 6:02 pm Post subject: |
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| fustiancorduroy wrote: |
| HeavyTZM wrote: |
| thunderbird wrote: |
| avoid the hs students man, they got all the attitude problems |
Geez, that's what I was thinking to. It's just the HS job is in a city I prefer. And the school atmosphere seemed good when I interviewed with 2 current teachers and the principal. It's kind of a weird set up. They are a government school, but they have 2 or 3 native English teachers, 1 Japanese, and 1 Chinese. I checked out their website the best I could...they have an (native English) art, business/biology, and speech/communication teacher. Maybe it's a tech school? I don't know much about those.
Elementary seems like it would be easier, teaching vocab and stuff. |
It sounds like a foreign language high school to me. A technical high school would only have 1 native English teacher and would never teach other foreign languages, especially with native speakers of those languages. If it is indeed a foreign language high school -- isn't the school named **** Foreign Language High School or something along those lines? -- then you should definitely take the job. |
It doesn't have that in the name. but they teach biology, business, and art also |
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fustiancorduroy
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
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| Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 3:18 am Post subject: |
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| HeavyTZM wrote: |
| fustiancorduroy wrote: |
| HeavyTZM wrote: |
| thunderbird wrote: |
| avoid the hs students man, they got all the attitude problems |
Geez, that's what I was thinking to. It's just the HS job is in a city I prefer. And the school atmosphere seemed good when I interviewed with 2 current teachers and the principal. It's kind of a weird set up. They are a government school, but they have 2 or 3 native English teachers, 1 Japanese, and 1 Chinese. I checked out their website the best I could...they have an (native English) art, business/biology, and speech/communication teacher. Maybe it's a tech school? I don't know much about those.
Elementary seems like it would be easier, teaching vocab and stuff. |
It sounds like a foreign language high school to me. A technical high school would only have 1 native English teacher and would never teach other foreign languages, especially with native speakers of those languages. If it is indeed a foreign language high school -- isn't the school named **** Foreign Language High School or something along those lines? -- then you should definitely take the job. |
It doesn't have that in the name. but they teach biology, business, and art also |
If there are more native English speakers teaching there, then it means that it is some type of special school and that, probably, most of the students are high level and motivated. At the foreign language high school I worked at, there were native English teachers who taught a variety of subjects, including history, political science, business, and so forth. And the students were almost all fantastic. It sounds like the job you found could be a very good one indeed. |
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HeavyTZM
Joined: 25 Aug 2011
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 10:35 am Post subject: |
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| fustiancorduroy wrote: |
| HeavyTZM wrote: |
| fustiancorduroy wrote: |
| HeavyTZM wrote: |
| thunderbird wrote: |
| avoid the hs students man, they got all the attitude problems |
Geez, that's what I was thinking to. It's just the HS job is in a city I prefer. And the school atmosphere seemed good when I interviewed with 2 current teachers and the principal. It's kind of a weird set up. They are a government school, but they have 2 or 3 native English teachers, 1 Japanese, and 1 Chinese. I checked out their website the best I could...they have an (native English) art, business/biology, and speech/communication teacher. Maybe it's a tech school? I don't know much about those.
Elementary seems like it would be easier, teaching vocab and stuff. |
It sounds like a foreign language high school to me. A technical high school would only have 1 native English teacher and would never teach other foreign languages, especially with native speakers of those languages. If it is indeed a foreign language high school -- isn't the school named **** Foreign Language High School or something along those lines? -- then you should definitely take the job. |
It doesn't have that in the name. but they teach biology, business, and art also |
If there are more native English speakers teaching there, then it means that it is some type of special school and that, probably, most of the students are high level and motivated. At the foreign language high school I worked at, there were native English teachers who taught a variety of subjects, including history, political science, business, and so forth. And the students were almost all fantastic. It sounds like the job you found could be a very good one indeed. |
Glad to hear that! I just accepted this position and just have to get my visa now. Your comment makes me more happy |
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pegasus64128
Joined: 20 Aug 2011
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| Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 4:56 pm Post subject: |
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| HeavyTZM wrote: |
| fustiancorduroy wrote: |
| HeavyTZM wrote: |
| fustiancorduroy wrote: |
| HeavyTZM wrote: |
| thunderbird wrote: |
| avoid the hs students man, they got all the attitude problems |
Geez, that's what I was thinking to. It's just the HS job is in a city I prefer. And the school atmosphere seemed good when I interviewed with 2 current teachers and the principal. It's kind of a weird set up. They are a government school, but they have 2 or 3 native English teachers, 1 Japanese, and 1 Chinese. I checked out their website the best I could...they have an (native English) art, business/biology, and speech/communication teacher. Maybe it's a tech school? I don't know much about those.
Elementary seems like it would be easier, teaching vocab and stuff. |
It sounds like a foreign language high school to me. A technical high school would only have 1 native English teacher and would never teach other foreign languages, especially with native speakers of those languages. If it is indeed a foreign language high school -- isn't the school named **** Foreign Language High School or something along those lines? -- then you should definitely take the job. |
It doesn't have that in the name. but they teach biology, business, and art also |
If there are more native English speakers teaching there, then it means that it is some type of special school and that, probably, most of the students are high level and motivated. At the foreign language high school I worked at, there were native English teachers who taught a variety of subjects, including history, political science, business, and so forth. And the students were almost all fantastic. It sounds like the job you found could be a very good one indeed. |
Glad to hear that! I just accepted this position and just have to get my visa now. Your comment makes me more happy |
definitely the right choice. Not all public schools are formed equal. The better students get into better schools, and Seoul, Bundang, and Ilsan get
better support. So it's sounds to me like you've just taken a job with: good pay, conditions, holidays, great students, and all in a lovely area to top it off - Ilsan is possibly the best place you could be in Korea. You're on Seoul's' doorstep, but in a place that's far more organized, aesthetic and planned than anywhere in Seoul. I'm jealous! |
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HeavyTZM
Joined: 25 Aug 2011
Location: USA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2012 10:16 am Post subject: |
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| pegasus64128 wrote: |
definitely the right choice. Not all public schools are formed equal. The better students get into better schools, and Seoul, Bundang, and Ilsan get
better support. So it's sounds to me like you've just taken a job with: good pay, conditions, holidays, great students, and all in a lovely area to top it off - Ilsan is possibly the best place you could be in Korea. You're on Seoul's' doorstep, but in a place that's far more organized, aesthetic and planned than anywhere in Seoul. I'm jealous! |
It's the standard GEPIK contract, so nothing to be jealous about in regards to pay or vacation.
I did not know that certain students got into better public schools than others. My hopes of not having apathetic high school students just got a little brighter.
As for Seoul, I don't see myself going there often. It was never an issue when deciding on cities. But yes, from what I've read Ilsan seems really nice. Although I have read the debbie downers on the area.
I don't know how I landed this position actually. From what I understand it was rather competitive. I believe I just did really well in the interview. |
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tigress
Joined: 09 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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hey heavytzm,
how are you liking your position in ilsan? just wondering how your experience is... i also may have a similar situation between ilsan and namyangju. you can also pm me if you'd like. thanks! |
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Who's Your Daddy?
Joined: 30 May 2010
Location: Victoria, Canada.
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 5:00 pm Post subject: |
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| The foreign language schools have unbelievable expectations for the foreign teacher. The one in my city, they rarely renew anyone. They talked crap about their current teachers in the interview; they seemed like idiots. Then I met 2 of the 3 and they both had their sh*t together - the school was unreasonable. |
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b-class rambler
Joined: 25 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 5:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Who's Your Daddy? wrote: |
| The foreign language schools have unbelievable expectations for the foreign teacher. |
That's exactly what I've thought about them.
And, in my experience, what you should very often add on to that sentence is
| Quote: |
| ......for no extra remunerative reward whatsoever. |
I've come across a couple of cases of teacher A (NET at a FLHS) who works really damn hard and always seems tired and exhausted whenever we meet, vs. teacher B (NET at an elementary school) who has a much easier schedule, does not seem exhausted whenever we meet AND is getting paid exactly the same.
Yes, I know a lot of people would prefer a job where they work harder but are more mentally challenged and less bored, and that's fair enough. But I think there's also a lot of people who are attracted to what they think is the more prestigious sounding job title and I reckon quite a few of these Foreign Language High Schools really exploit that fact. |
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