|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
bmaw01
Joined: 13 May 2013
|
 Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 6:03 am Post subject: I'm over 40. Did I just luck out? |
 |
|
Before I applied for a teaching job in South Korea, I read a few articles on the the pros and cons about teaching here. The one constant thing that the authors would talk about was age. They kept stating that if you're over 40 your chances on finding a teaching job will be pretty awful. I was worried, but I never traveled before, and I thought that teaching in South Korea would give me an excellent opportunity to see Asia.
I have been here for close to two years now. It's been a good experience. I've gained a ton of experience in the classroom. I was able to save money. I have met wonderful people. Overall it's been a good experience.
It got me thinking. Maybe I was just lucky, or just maybe I was the right person for the job. I will list the things that were in my favor when I got hired.
1) The school is located in Jeonju. It's definitely not Seoul, so it's not a desirable place for most young people.
2) The school is new as it has only been in operation for 2 years now.
3) My boss is a woman, and she has been in California for 3 years. She is a typical Korean boss, but she's a bit softer. She just lets us do our job without interfering too much.
4) I look young. I have all of my hair, few wrinkles and I still work out. Knock on wood! 
5) I am a certified teacher. My specialty is in special education.
There you go. I guess I am not the average Hagwon teacher. All of my coworkers are about 25 years old. I work with a Korean lady who is 40. My boss is only 27! No complaints. Working with younger people keeps me youthful. I like it.
Thanks.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
joelove
Joined: 12 May 2011
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 9:23 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Good for you. 40s is not that old anyway, though it may seem so to someone in their 20s. Don't really get the fuss made over age if one is healthy. I've worked with guys in their 60s who were doing fine. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 10:18 am Post subject: |
|
|
| 5 trumps all. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
tob55
Joined: 29 Apr 2007
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 12:13 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Not unusual for us 40+ people to come here and find employment. I came at 47 and had no problems finding work ever, but I too was a certified educator with experience in teaching for more than 28 years when I came. Glad you found Korea suitable to you, hope it remains positive for you as long as you plan to stay. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
PigeonFart
Joined: 27 Apr 2006
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 4:04 pm Post subject: |
|
|
There are many young koreans who don't give a damn about age (and rightly so) like their confuscian elders do. It's nice to hear about your good situation.
I've known other 40 somethings who also had a good time in hogwons.
Since when was 40 old anyway? he he. I'm nearly there myself! arrrghhh! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Who's Your Daddy?
Joined: 30 May 2010
Location: Victoria, Canada.
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 4:14 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Sad certified teachers are coming here. I have a masters, but I could have done this job without any university education. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
tob55
Joined: 29 Apr 2007
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 4:53 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Who's Your Daddy? wrote: |
| Sad certified teachers are coming here. I have a masters, but I could have done this job without any university education. |
When I came here in 2004 the handwriting was already on the wall. At that time I was already competing with between 500 - 1000 applicants for teaching jobs in the States when the government was telling prospective educators there were 1000s of teaching jobs available. That was the story then, and it has only gotten worse in today's job market. So, really it wasn't as much of a "choice" matter as it was existence and having a steady income for me. I never regretted the move and although those of us with credentials as educators back in our home country are not seen any differently than the fresh out of uni people who do the job, I am satisfied to have come here and made it okay during the past 9+ years. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bmaw01
Joined: 13 May 2013
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 6:19 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| tob55 wrote: |
| Who's Your Daddy? wrote: |
| Sad certified teachers are coming here. I have a masters, but I could have done this job without any university education. |
When I came here in 2004 the handwriting was already on the wall. At that time I was already competing with between 500 - 1000 applicants for teaching jobs in the States when the government was telling prospective educators there were 1000s of teaching jobs available. That was the story then, and it has only gotten worse in today's job market. So, really it wasn't as much of a "choice" matter as it was existence and having a steady income for me. I never regretted the move and although those of us with credentials as educators back in our home country are not seen any differently than the fresh out of uni people who do the job, I am satisfied to have come here and made it okay during the past 9+ years. |
The last school in America that I worked in had one opening for a 3rd grade teacher. We got over 400 applicants. This was for a small school in a poor distract. This is in NJ though. The starting salary is $50,000 and with a full benefits package. Not bad. The person who got the job was the daughter of an ex-mayor. In another case we had a special ed opening. We had about 30 applicants for the job. Guess who got the job? It was a young guy fresh out of college whose mother was the head of the school board. She left her position just long enough so her son could get hired. When he got the job she got her old position back. People tell me that he absolutely sucks as an educator. Nepotism runs deep in my district. 
Anyway, when I decide to go back I will have a few years of teaching experience under my belt. Also, I'm fortunate to have worked with an American curriculum. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Who's Your Daddy?
Joined: 30 May 2010
Location: Victoria, Canada.
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 7:15 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| tob55 wrote: |
| Who's Your Daddy? wrote: |
| Sad certified teachers are coming here. I have a masters, but I could have done this job without any university education. |
I am satisfied to have come here and made it okay during the past 9+ years. |
Does you job require or utilize your education?
I could have done my job with no university education. I wouldn't have been mature enough at 19 to do it, but say at 26 years old with only a high school education, I could do it no problem.
What I'm saying is, I think it is a waste of most certified teachers, because they're working here way below their ability. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Dodge7
Joined: 21 Oct 2011
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 7:41 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Who's Your Daddy? wrote: |
| tob55 wrote: |
| Who's Your Daddy? wrote: |
| Sad certified teachers are coming here. I have a masters, but I could have done this job without any university education. |
I am satisfied to have come here and made it okay during the past 9+ years. |
Does you job require or utilize your education?
I could have done my job with no university education. I wouldn't have been mature enough at 19 to do it, but say at 26 years old with only a high school education, I could do it no problem.
What I'm saying is, I think it is a waste of most certified teachers, because they're working here way below their ability. |
"Working way below their ability". You got that right. I do feel it is a waste of my precious teaching degree working as an esl teacher and many of my fellow collegues knows what a shame it is we're here. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
tob55
Joined: 29 Apr 2007
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 2:45 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Dodge7 wrote: |
| Who's Your Daddy? wrote: |
| tob55 wrote: |
| Who's Your Daddy? wrote: |
| Sad certified teachers are coming here. I have a masters, but I could have done this job without any university education. |
I am satisfied to have come here and made it okay during the past 9+ years. |
Does you job require or utilize your education?
I could have done my job with no university education. I wouldn't have been mature enough at 19 to do it, but say at 26 years old with only a high school education, I could do it no problem.
What I'm saying is, I think it is a waste of most certified teachers, because they're working here way below their ability. |
"Working way below their ability". You got that right. I do feel it is a waste of my precious teaching degree working as an esl teacher and many of my fellow collegues knows what a shame it is we're here. |
It is/was way below my ability as an educator back in 2004 and nothing much has changed since then except me. I say that because I decided somewhere along the line during the past 9+ years that I needed to do what was necessary to continue improving my skill set that I worked hard during the last 38 years to develop. So, I do many things that the normal "professional" would probably not consider doing. I am not saying everyone is going to enjoy the life or lifestyle here, but I work hard to find ways of keeping myself ahead of the trends to do things that are important to me first. I am one semester away from completing my PhD, I have done a bit of writing for professional journals, I keep apprised of the changes in the Korean education system and try to keep connected to some friends in that arena that are willing to listen to useful ways they can change the system for the better. However, I mostly just do what is important for me and my family. I truly don't want to be teaching conversation classes forever, but my university schedule is suitable enough for me to keep all of my other interests intact.
I enjoy reading the comments from others and offer my posts, not as a way of arguing points, but simply as throwing out my perspective of the situation. To me, ALL opinions are valid for their own reasons. That's why I will not attack other posters who's opinion may differ from mine. Their opinions are just as valuable to the dicussion. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Who's Your Daddy?
Joined: 30 May 2010
Location: Victoria, Canada.
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 3:39 pm Post subject: |
|
|
^^I didn't mean it as an attack. Sorry if you took it that way.
In 1967 my parents finished teachers college in the UK. At that time the Canadian and Australian government recruited teachers in London. They applied to both, the first to give them the visas and jobs was Canada. They were both given jobs, visas, and a low interest loan to get them established in Canada.
Compare this to teachers finishing teachers college in Canada today who can't get jobs in their own country. Each of my parents' monthly pension is greater than my salary here. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
cheezsteakwit
Joined: 12 Oct 2011
Location: There & back again.
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 4:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
41 years old here. MA in Education, certified in History , add-on cert. in Biology.
Pennsylvania is one of the better paying states IF you can get into a good district. It seemed like the ONLY job listings were for charter schools or jobs through temp agencies.
The last teaching jobs I had before I came to Korea were both obtained through temp agencies , so NO health benefits & low pay. I had to work nights selling Medicare Supplement plans at a call center ( a job ALSO obtained through a temp. agency) So, I was selling health care plans at a job that didn't offer me healthcare .. aint THAT a kick in the teeth ?
After a year in inner city Philly, I thought I'd died & gone to heaven when I got here, discipline-wise.
I'm on my second contract at a public high school where I teach whatever I want with zero interference from my co-teachers. I'll make the jump to the Uni level after this contract , or see what the International school circuit looks like.
In short, I'm done with the USA.
Not to derail the thread, but the article below is an interesting read. Strange days, indeed.
http://prospect.org/article/upside-down-economy |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
tob55
Joined: 29 Apr 2007
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 5:38 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Who's Your Daddy? wrote: |
^^I didn't mean it as an attack. Sorry if you took it that way.
In 1967 my parents finished teachers college in the UK. At that time the Canadian and Australian government recruited teachers in London. They applied to both, the first to give them the visas and jobs was Canada. They were both given jobs, visas, and a low interest loan to get them established in Canada.
Compare this to teachers finishing teachers college in Canada today who can't get jobs in their own country. Each of my parents' monthly pension is greater than my salary here. |
Not taking it as an attack from you or others. I was just mentioning this for the benefit of everyone to realize that everyone has their reasons for coming and working in Korea, and as such we should respect those reasons. I found what you said to be anything but offensive. I appreciate your candor and honesty. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
joelove
Joined: 12 May 2011
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:38 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Frightening how hard it is to get (and keep) a decent job sometimes even for the well qualified and experienced. Is it any wonder many find their way overseas? I have a feeling even more people would go abroad but are held back for whatever reason -- maybe family, or fear of making the transition or the uncertainty of doing so -- but when it's a struggle at home, it is good to have the option. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
