Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ajgeddes]

I would appreciate any help that anybody can give me. I got offered a contract yesterday to work for the EWHA school in KangNam. I have no problems with the contract, it seems fine, in fact the contract is for my friend and I, so we can work and live together. My problem is that I seem to read a lot of negative things about EWHA everywhere I look, but I have never seen anything about EWHA KangNam specifically; the complaints are usually about the other EWHA schools. Maybe somebody can give me some feedback on this school if they have any, EWHA in general, or even any advice. Hope to hear from somebody.

[ajgeddes]

If anybody knows anything about the current situation at EWHA MokDong, I would like to hear what you have to say. Thanks.

[hellofaniceguy]

Each school is different and so is each teacher. Where one teacher has had nothing but problems, another will have good luck. The first rule in the hokwon game is: if the school owner does not speak English, do not sign a contract. What is the use of working for someone when you need a go-between to run interference when you have problems. Most korean teachers don't interpert verbatim and you'll have more headaches!
Anyway...
you need to be talking with the current teachers and read between the lines. If this school is always posting looking for teachers, that a warning sign. Just use common sense, visit the school and ask questions. After all, you're going to be there a year!

[own_king]

I also got a job offer from Ewha Kangnam, so I did some research and this is what I found out. Please let me know anything you hear. I would really appreciate it. In fairness, these post are only about Ewha in general, not specifically Ewha Kangnam.


THE SCHOOL IS ALSO KNOW AS EWHA. WHICH ONE ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? THEY ARE ONE OF THE BIGGESTCHAINS AND ALL MAKE YOU WORK ON SATURDAYS. THEY HAVE BIG BROTHER CAMERAS IN EACH CLASSROOM WHERE THE DIRECTOR CAN EAVESDROP ON YOU. THEY ONLY PAY FOR A 50 MINUTE HOUR SO DEMAND 60 MINUTE PAY FOR BREAKS. YOU'LL HAVE TO WRITE MID TERMS AND FINALS AND GRADE THEM ON YOUR OWN TIME!

Lots of conflicting issues, late pay..."Oh the head office hasn't deposited the funds yet"! Or "Well I didn't agree to pay you that much"!

Also,the pay there is low---only 1.8 mill won,when the going rate is 2
mill won ,and she makes you work your butt off for it!!!! In short,her
school is a dictatorship-style,feudal-type institution where the teachers
obviously have no rights or freedoms(as exemplified by my difficulties
upon leaving). Do yourselves a favour and stay away!!! There are much better schools out there!

Foreign teachers are expected to do a lot of work outside of teaching.
Foreign teachers are supposed to make and grade exams each term (there are six terms in a year). They are also expected to call each of their students when they're at home and have a conversation in English. During the intensive periods (twice a year and each period lasts a month) foreign teachers are expected to teach 9 classes most days and there is no overtime or bonus given for extra hours worked (despite what the contract says).

Upon arrival of the new teachers from Canada, they were informed that
they would have to work Saturdays essentially breaking their contract.
The teachers refused and were never paid for their return trip or given letters of release.

We worked overtime and weren't paid for that. And we had to call all of
our students once a month, who could often not be reached, for an extra hour every night. God help those who didn't meet their quota.

We were required to be there for mandtory meetings 2x a week which were primarily in Korean anyway. Since there was no 2-way communiction, a memo would have been better.

To say that the atmosphere there is miserable would be an
understatement. Working there is like a giant black cloud had permanently blocked out the sun with an S.S. officer standing on your neck in jackboots.

[ajgeddes]

I have read all of those as well, but they seem to be dated in the past and I don't know if the situation is still the same. I have a phone interview with the director tonight, so of course I will ask for a contact at the school, so hopefully that will clear things up. I have actually heard some positive things about EWHA, well not so much positive as just NOT negative, but that seems to be a plus in Korea. Well, if anybody else has some input, it would be greatly appreciated. You can also e-mail me if you have any info.

[kangnamdragon]

Find out if the Kangnam branch is owned by the corporation or is a franchise. If it is corporate, it would have the same problems as the other corporate schools.

[itaewonguy]

kangnam is the head office..
it is the first school which never opened of ewha..
when I was there it didnt have cameras, itwas a busy school and it was all sweet back then. but it has had its ups and downs. with managers coming and going. it was great when an american man was manager there I will not mention his name but people in the know him. back in those days it was good to work. after he left it turned into your typical hakwon where ajumas and managers with no experience come in and enjoy expressing power over you and treating you like nothing. most of us left that school and I have kept in touch with others who all finshed their contracts and left too.
make sure they provide you a good apartment!!!
dont accept crap. you will have to do usually reports and come in early etc.. its an alright school but not that great anymore.

MOKDONG school!! I dont know anything about.. some of the others I do know..
I have been in and out with ewha for 5 years. worked at 3 schools my self and my friends at some others..
Its all changed now.. now with the koreans thinking they know ENglish education just becuase they got hired as a manager makes life worse!!

[own_king]

make sure you also ask for the email address of a recently finished teacher so there won't be any on-site pressure

[ajgeddes]

Talked to the director last night, and she has only been there for nine months, but she seemed alright, what can I really tell over the phone though. She gave me the e-mail address of a current english teacher but it didn't work, so either she ls lying to me, or I just wrote it down wrong, I don't want to say either way. Hopefully, I will be able to clear this up and get a proper e-mail address so that I can get a hold of somebody. I would like to think positive, but if I don't get a good contact then I won't be signing a contract.

[stephenlinetsky]

I worked at the EWHA in Daejon and they shafted me and the other teachers. I had a NO SATURDAY clause ibn my contract. That meant nothing to them. The home office was supposed to send us the mid-term and final exams, buit didn't. We had to write them and grade them ourselves on our own time. There were cameras in each classroom. The pay was always sporatic as to timing. I would stay away from any EWHA or Wonderland.

[lush72]

What should I do with an EWHA contract? Line the birdcage with it?

[Ilsanman]

I work at one and I have had no problems, either have the other 4 teachers who finished their contracts and got their severance and pension, no problem.

I say, sign it. You can do a heck of a lot worse.