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iggyb
Joined: 29 Oct 2003
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 Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 2:49 pm Post subject: |
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Well, no, I don't think really...It is just a matter of neither jobs being professionally satisfying:
Hakwons can offer more freedom in how you teach, but even there, you don't run it like a class back home.
The emphasis is still (even more so) on keeping the kids happy. Doing proper evaluations to evaluate knowledge and progress (and using grades as a means to motivate kids) aren't done. You also aren't able to concentrate on all four areas - including significant reading and writing - because that is harder for the kids and not as much fun and the emphasis is on listening-speaking almost exclusively...
If you start trying to run it like a class back home, your hakwon boss will step in.
But, you do have more freedom than I (and I think many) did in a public elementary school.
But, the biggest strike against hakwon teaching itself is --- the number of hours you are in class drains all your energy. You don't have proper planning time or energy or incentive to do it afterhours.
Add to that hakwon mismangment issues, and it impacts the value of the hakwon teaching experience.
Public schools give you lots of time and far fewer managment issues, but they give you less control of the class...
Overall, a professional teacher wouldn't find either satisfying for more than making some money and gaining some overseas experience for a couple of years... |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 5:00 pm Post subject: |
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^^^ I'll second that motion.
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isitts
Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 11:40 pm Post subject: |
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| iggyb wrote: |
| Well, no, I don't think really...It is just a matter of neither jobs being professionally satisfying: |
While I can understand that it would be frustrating to teach at either as a certified teacher, I don�t think either is professionally unsatisfying. But you would certainly have to adjust your expectations. If you think that the way you did back home was the right way, then yeah, it�ll be tough. Personally, when I was looking to become a public school teacher back home, I didn�t think that that would be too professionally satisfying.
At any rate, I�m not sure I understand why certified teachers, who put in the time and effort into a BEd or MA in Ed, would bother with EPIK like programs or hagwons, but to each their own. Well� I understand times are tough and that some international schools want you to have teaching experience (Though� if they count teaching in Korean public school programs and hagwons as experience, then we might be able to say that these schools do contribute to professional experience. Certainly my �unqualified� teaching experience helped me to get into a Masters in Teaching program back home. You get out what you put in.)
| iggyb wrote: |
| �Overall, a professional teacher wouldn't find either satisfying for more than making some money and gaining some overseas experience for a couple of years... |
But the OP is a college grad with a TEFL certificate, so may not be a concern for him.
| iggyb wrote: |
Hakwons can offer more freedom in how you teach, but even there, you don't run it like a class back home.
The emphasis is still (even more so) on keeping the kids happy. Doing proper evaluations to evaluate knowledge and progress (and using grades as a means to motivate kids) aren't done. You also aren't able to concentrate on all four areas - including significant reading and writing - because that is harder for the kids and not as much fun and the emphasis is on listening-speaking almost exclusively... |
Depends on the hagwon. Some have set curriculums and methodologies. So there isn�t necessarily more freedom. And I worked at one that did concentrate on all four skills.
| iggyb wrote: |
| But, the biggest strike against hakwon teaching itself is --- the number of hours you are in class drains all your energy. You don't have proper planning time or energy or incentive to do it afterhours. |
True. Won�t argue with that.
| iggyb wrote: |
| Public schools give you lots of time and far fewer managment issues, but they give you less control of the class... |
Again, depends on the school, depends on your co-teacher, and it depends on you. I generally get what I want into the lesson but it�s a process and probably won�t happen as a newbie. And I�d say that contrary to the idea that there�s more flexibility teaching in the hagwon, I�ve been able to more creative lessons (projects) in the public schools that there just wouldn�t be time for with the hagwon schedule.
The main thing I�d say hagwons have going for them is that you aren�t the only foreigner at your school. But even with public schools, you can meet other teachers at the orientations and workshops.
Anyway, just my two cents. |
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PatrickGHBusan
Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Location: Busan (1997-2008) Canada 2008 -
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| Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 4:22 am Post subject: |
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| iggyb wrote: |
Well, no, I don't think really...It is just a matter of neither jobs being professionally satisfying:
Hakwons can offer more freedom in how you teach, but even there, you don't run it like a class back home.
The emphasis is still (even more so) on keeping the kids happy. Doing proper evaluations to evaluate knowledge and progress (and using grades as a means to motivate kids) aren't done. You also aren't able to concentrate on all four areas - including significant reading and writing - because that is harder for the kids and not as much fun and the emphasis is on listening-speaking almost exclusively...
If you start trying to run it like a class back home, your hakwon boss will step in.
But, you do have more freedom than I (and I think many) did in a public elementary school.
But, the biggest strike against hakwon teaching itself is --- the number of hours you are in class drains all your energy. You don't have proper planning time or energy or incentive to do it afterhours.
Add to that hakwon mismangment issues, and it impacts the value of the hakwon teaching experience.
Public schools give you lots of time and far fewer managment issues, but they give you less control of the class...
Overall, a professional teacher wouldn't find either satisfying for more than making some money and gaining some overseas experience for a couple of years... |
I agree with most of this.
I will just say that a professional teacher can probably have more impact and do more in a Hakwon setting than he can in a PS setting as a co-teacher.
When I was working as a full-time teacher in a Public School in Canada (before Korea) I was bringing home work every night. This included planning, grading and other things. This was unpaid and on my time at night. So the Hakwon hours when I started in Korea were not that bad at all. In fact in a Hakwon setting, I found that I started later in the day and had far smaller class sizes to deal with. My planning was done at work in the mornings and the demand on planning decreased as time went by to be replaced with lots of time to improve lessons, create activities and so on.
I am sure a PS offers such opportunities as well (planning time) but in my experience the class size is far larger and the leeway in-class far less vice a hakwon setting.
A certified teacher can do better than either a Hakwon or an entry-level PS position however but sometimes a Hakwon can be a good way to start your time in Korea.
Last edited by PatrickGHBusan on Fri Sep 07, 2012 4:36 am; edited 1 time in total |
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iggyb
Joined: 29 Oct 2003
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| Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 4:31 am Post subject: |
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From reading people online, it seems there is a different in public schools between elementary and secondary - with secondary giving much more freedom.
Even with the CT I had who gave me more freedom, I still only had 20 minutes per class - less because she always ran over time - and wasn't supposed to begin projects that would take multiple days...
Very confining... |
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isitts
Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2012 6:11 am Post subject: |
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| iggyb wrote: |
From reading people online, it seems there is a different in public schools between elementary and secondary - with secondary giving much more freedom. �
Even with the CT I had who gave me more freedom, I still only had 20 minutes per class - less because she always ran over time - and wasn't supposed to begin projects that would take multiple days...
Very confining... |
Fair enough. I know I'm only one person, but I have worked with about twelve co-teachers and have done anything from human tape recorder to completely running the class (with the co-teacher either taking the back seat or not even being there at all). So I'm just not sure what generalizations can really be made. �It just depends. |
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cheezsteakwit
Joined: 12 Oct 2011
Location: There & back again.
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| Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2012 4:59 pm Post subject: Public scools for a first timer? |
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My experience : public high school, 5 co-teachers.
I teach what I want & 3 of the co-teachers translate when / if I need it. One co-teacher takes role, then walks out & 1 co-teacher sits quietly in back & does paperwork.
I have 30 kids per class but the kids are nice. I like my town / friends & free Korean classes at the local Uni. are going well.
I re-upped for another year , then I'll see what I can find at the Univ. level or Int'l schools, as I AM a certified teacher back home.
From reading on-line , I guess my experience isn't typical & I'm lucky, but I have friends in other towns who ARE happy at their public schools.
I don't really know any hagwon workers, for some reason. Different scedules, different social circles,I guess. |
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byrddogs
Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2012 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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| iggyb wrote: |
From reading people online, it seems there is a different in public schools between elementary and secondary - with secondary giving much more freedom.
Even with the CT I had who gave me more freedom, I still only had 20 minutes per class - less because she always ran over time - and wasn't supposed to begin projects that would take multiple days...
Very confining... |
^This. I worked secondary and had total control of everything (did have to teach the text, but when and how I chose to) in my classes. The cts actually preferred it that way. |
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Keeper
Joined: 11 Jun 2012
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| Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2012 4:07 am Post subject: |
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| jeremydc808 wrote: |
As far as the government job goes........ I understand the confusion because of the job market BUT a year in Korea won't be the end all if I decide to come back (which I don't honestly). |
Actually it will be for the government. You will never work for them again. The reason being is the amount of money they put into you for training. They want long term employees. That's what they expected when you were hired. You're leaving shows all future government agencies what they can expect. They will not hire you again. Do what you want but don't think that your job will be waiting for you. |
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AsianLatinaGirl
Joined: 19 Aug 2012
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| Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2012 4:22 am Post subject: |
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| @Keeper I currently work for the government also. I left one government job and returned to it. I even transferred to another department afterwards. There are many government jobs. The OP will be ok. |
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