Korean Job Discussion Forums

[emelius]

Back in Korea a 2nd time, and my new boss is absolutely bonkers. At first she seemed nice, but recently, with lots of the Korean coteachers quitting (because of how absolutely insane she is), a lot of the students started leaving the school, causing a downward spiral of mothers pulling their students out and her increasing anger. It got so bad, she hit one of the oldest and most respected Korean teacher in our school, who is the only teacher to maintain class sizes over 10 , in front of her students TWICE. She also constantly says bad shit about the foreign teachers behind our back (I know Korean pretty well, but because I'm white she doesn't know this). But in comparison to me working for TaLK in a public school for 18 months, where the principal was a jovial happy senior teacher who did gardening every morning in the school garden, i can't possibly possibly understand this situation or her behavior. The boss is an ex IT-tech, lonely, and close to menopause, and the principal is an accountant who brown nosed into her position. Both of them are running the school into the ground.

Basicly when I'm asking, is it common for teachers to quit after 6 months (to not pay for the plane ticket), and is it easy for them to get a new job (with a letter of release) ? I'm afraid any prospective schools would look down on the fact that I quit my job and broke my contract, but I can't stand the pressure of the bosses. I love teaching, its always been a passion of mine, but dealing with the non-educators makes me angry. I'm a TESOL certified TESOL major who did part time work at an ESL institute in my university and 18 months for TaLK, and I don't like being treated like I don't know how to ----ing teach by an IT tech and an accountant, both of whom are the sole reasons for causing the school to begin to faulter.

Any advice? I've been here for a month, in Geumjeong-gu, Busan.

[maximmm]

Ah, welcome back!^^

When I think of it, the most horrifying stories I've read come from people that have tried to leave a bad hagwon in the middle of a contract. In other words, if you decide to bail out the proper/legal way, get ready to get slapped around by your mentally disturbed boss^^

If she is as disturbed as you say she is - she'll cause you all kinds of problems prior to your departure, and she won't give you a letter of release. In other words, you should be concerned more about her rather than the other schools. To answer your question though, people have quit hagwons (even other hagwon owners are well aware of how dodgy other hagwons can be) and were able to find other jobs - as long as you get a letter of release, it's doable.

[YTMND]

I don't know if this will work/help, but you could step it down. Offer to work part-time until the numbers go back up.

After a month, if it doesn't improve ask to be let loose. Whatever you do, try to be friendly and helpful about it all.