Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wonkavite62]

I put in this post because I have been granted a public school job in Jeollanamdo! I go there next week, and I am excited about going. I'd like to hear ONLY from people who are teaching there now, or who taught there last year.

1) What if I am placed in a rural position? What can I do in my spare time? How accessible are sports and entertainment facilities? Are there lots of local beauty spots to visit? Am I likely to feel isolated? What if I am NOT placed on an island? In that case are most amenities still accessible?

2) I would like you to tell me about daily work. For elementary schools, how much lesson prep do you do? What went right? Is there anything you wish you had prepared before coming?

3) Ditto for middle schools and high schools.

4) Are there any real [/b]horror stories? Have most of you been able to stay for the full year? Has anyone been fired or had to leave?
If so, how could this have been avoided?

5) What makes the job positive, exciting or worthwhile?

I do appreciate you taking the time to answer. No silly wisecracks like "the only person who can help you is you." I do intend to help myself.

[ippy]

Taught in naju 2009 to 2011. Kids are really really nice at middle school. Bus to gwangju was less than I'm paying to make two stops on Tokyo metro. Express buses go from every smallish town. Even little yeongsanpo. If you're a bit further across there's mokpo and further south there's yeosu which is soooooo pretty. Basically, public transport is amazing if you don't mind buses and you're never too far from a social life if you want it. If you're near a ktx station you're also barely a few hours from Seoul. Busan was a bit trickier from naju at the time, about 3.5 hour bus ride. Basically it ain't anything like you imagine. Rural in Korea, unless you're on an island, is always near enough to an express bus to head anywhere you like for a weekend.

2. Can't say, taught only middle.

3. Workload at middle was pretty light though of course this is an every situation is different. Max was 23 classes, once I included my 7 and 8 lesson classes, I was teaching maybe 12-16 classes depending on the term. Pretty light. The school day was 9 to 5. I was the main teacher for all classes though so if you haven't taught before, Google weigook and englipedia. They'll keep you In ideas and lesson plans. Classes were 45 minutes long. Kids are really really nice. I honestly loved teaching in Korea. I mean they aren't ALL nice... well they are, but they won't all pay attention and you'll be endlessly pestered for YouTube bids and diget... which reminds me, giving them treats is an arms race. Go with a stamp system. Small candies become chocolate becomes diget becomes choco pie becomes ice cream. If you're a soft touch, which I really am, they'll exploit the crap out of it. Go with a stamp reward system and stick to it rigidly. oh, and they'll cheat in every game making a twenty minute activity a five minute one if you aren't watching them like a hawk :p great kids though. Prepare to be overwhelmed by attention from day 1...

4. Co teachers can be er... tricky. But aside that my time there was pure peace live and happiness. It didn't hurt that my apartment overlooked a meandering river into a few mountains.
A few things that someone new to Korea would have trouble with might be...
domestic violence does happen. You just have to look away and stay out of it.
animals can be treat like crap.
40 year old guys will give you the stink eye on occasion. Just brush it off.
Kids might get the love stick. It was banned I believe, but it did still happen on occasion up until I left. This may however be out of date now.

5. Honestly, and without even the slightest hint of BS, genuinely the kids. Loved teaching them. Your high level classes will not only be filled with kids who are great at English, but they're also just really enthusiastic, a little bit cheeky, and full of personality. Aside that Korean people just seemed lacking in any real agenda. In japan it feels very cynical, you're always treat as an object, but in Korea I never felt that. Korean people, at least uni age Koreans were just happy to hang out.

Hope this helps... obviously its all e.s.i.d. but that's just my experience and impression of it all. Give it a chance, and don't panic That you're bf nowhere. You can easy get away for a weekend to a bigger place. And their should be one or two others nearby if you need a weekday social life. Its all good. And if you live in or near yeosu, congrats!

[Allthechildrenareinsane]

[Squire]

I can't comment at all on what goes on in public schools outside of Jeollanam-do, only that the experiences I've had lead me to believe there isn't a significant difference and nothing special about public school work here.

Dating is not what it would be in a big city, and I think it's true that the people here are more socially conservative than in bigger cities and wealthier provinces.

Get a form of transport and Jeollanam-do can be a fantastic place to live. Probably pretty boring if you aren't an outdoors type of person or you can't be happy without a nightlife scene, but if you are into hiking/fishing/general exploring etc. then practically anywhere in the province would be nice to live in.