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Troglodyte
Joined: 06 Dec 2009
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 Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 1:20 am Post subject: |
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| I usually recommend trying to talk with a former teacher. If the person worked there within the last year then things probably haven't changed much. If the person isn't working there now (and hasn't for a few months) then there is much less chance that the person has much reason to lie for the school. |
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Chaparrastique
Joined: 01 Jan 2014
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| Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 3:05 am Post subject: |
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| RangerMcGreggor wrote: |
Who was the instigator of the problems? Are they still there?
The issue with online reviews is that management can change, and they can get either worse or better rapidly. |
Yep. People posting reviews should specify the name of the main offendor so that interviewees are able to ask the right questions.
Its only one out of about five managers that are absolutely horrendous. Once they move on the sunshine comes out again. |
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EZE
Joined: 05 May 2012
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| Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 2:44 am Post subject: |
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| Smithington wrote: |
| I ignored the warnings and got burned. |
Me too. I worked at Wonderland. |
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Smithington
Joined: 14 Dec 2011
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| Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 11:26 pm Post subject: Re: Bad Reviews |
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| ontheway wrote: |
| The percentage of horrible teachers who deserve to be fired is much higher than 10% of the total who come to Korea. |
That assertion is laughable. What are you basing it on, hard statistics or just a personal opinion. Because of its just opinion, which it is, then it can be dismissed out of hand. Tens of thousands of foreigners have taught in Korea. Have you met them, interviewed them? What about a sampling of even one hundred teachers who've been fired. Have you researched the causes of their dismissals? Looked at labour board statistics? Did you have research assistants, or did you do this all by yourself? Where did you find the time to do all this research? How did you track down the fired teachers you interviewed and their former employers. I think you're just the epitome of awesomeness for your dedication to advancing our understanding of the larger ESL expat community in Korea. Do share your research by way of a link. I'm particularly intrigued by your assertion that "much higher that 10% of foreigners who come here to teach" deserve to be fired. Does your research suggest something like 40%, or a more modest number of say 23%? You've definitely got our attention.
Again, post your research bro. We wait with baited breath. |
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Smithington
Joined: 14 Dec 2011
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2015 5:52 pm Post subject: |
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Just saw over at worknplay that HUFS language institute is opening a new branch near Incheon. Tread carefully. Because it's new it doesn't have a record yet, or a reputation. Before applying be sure to enquire about its relationship to the FLTTC in Dongdaemun.
Be sure to mention the thread I linked to above. |
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talentedcrayon
Joined: 27 Aug 2013
Location: Why do you even care?
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2015 12:39 am Post subject: |
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As Gnawbert pointed out (in a most cruel told-you-so fashion) I made the mistake of disregarding the reviews I was asking about last year in this post. I ended up working for the school and then quitting for breach of contract and for the appalling way that teachers were treated by the owner and head teacher at the time. My experience was so bad that I will never work in Korea as a teacher again.
Many people are saying that you should speak to a current teacher. I did this. Once I got to the school it was clear that this teacher had lied to me. He hated working for the school. He left within one week of my arrival. A few weeks later at a teacher' birthday party he also attended and had nothing good to say about the school.
There are numerous reasons that a teacher might lie.
One is that they are writing it under duress (threats of being fired if they don't write something positive.)
Another reason is that they may have been promised a financial benefit for doing so. Although #1 is far more likely for the school I worked for.
It's also possible that this teacher didn't even write the review. His review also contained some strange claims that I stupidly disregarded. He praised the head teacher (but to an extreme and bizarre degree) and said the head teacher and his "superior people skills" were the best thing about working at the school. It sounded like the head teacher was the greatest ESL teacher who ever lived. More than this, the head teacher was the glue that held the whole organization together... (I think he was a good teacher... Just a terrible manager who lacked a moral compass). About one paragraph of the response was devoted to praising the head teacher. Later I came to believe it was possible the head teacher had written the response.
My advice to myself 1.5 years ago is: listen to the reviews, they exist for a reason. |
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happyinhenan
Joined: 01 Feb 2015
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2015 12:48 am Post subject: |
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| talentedcrayon wrote: |
Many people are saying that you should speak to a current teacher. I did this. Once I got to the school it was clear that this teacher had lied to me. He hated working for the school. He left within one week of my arrival. A few weeks later at a teacher' birthday party he also attended and had nothing good to say about the school.
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I am not violent (well... depends..) but if that would have been me, I would have punched in the face if he had done that to me - the *beep*.
And the only advice I can give you on this one, are you sure you want to go back? It's the old 'Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me'. I knew more than one teacher (this was before 'The Great Flood' of 2008) who kept breaking contracts and returning to bad job situations (always with hagwons). Try and find a new country to work in. |
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talentedcrayon
Joined: 27 Aug 2013
Location: Why do you even care?
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2015 1:22 am Post subject: |
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| happyinhenan wrote: |
| talentedcrayon wrote: |
Many people are saying that you should speak to a current teacher. I did this. Once I got to the school it was clear that this teacher had lied to me. He hated working for the school. He left within one week of my arrival. A few weeks later at a teacher' birthday party he also attended and had nothing good to say about the school.
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I am not violent (well... depends..) but if that would have been me, I would have punched in the face if he had done that to me - the *beep*.
And the only advice I can give you on this one, are you sure you want to go back? It's the old 'Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me'. I knew more than one teacher (this was before 'The Great Flood' of 2008) who kept breaking contracts and returning to bad job situations (always with hagwons). Try and find a new country to work in. |
I ended up making the move to China. The university I work for is great and treats me very well. It's the complete opposite of my experience in Korea.
In the end quitting was harder than I thought it would be (see my last post in this thread.) The owner made my life a living hell for a month. But after that my life improved dramatically.
I will never work in Korea again.
Edit: several of the teachers I worked with were just as bad as the owner. The guy who I emailed had a wife and a new baby. He probably needed a reference for his next job. At the end of the day, people look out for themselves. The new head teacher stabbed me in the back to win a few points with the owner. The old head teacher lied for the school, lied about other teachers and seemed almost Machiavellian. Both head teachers aided the owner in her schemes against the teachers. It's amazing what people will do to keep a crappy job or get a reference.
Last edited by talentedcrayon on Wed Feb 11, 2015 1:37 am; edited 1 time in total |
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happyinhenan
Joined: 01 Feb 2015
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2015 1:37 am Post subject: |
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| talentedcrayon wrote: |
| happyinhenan wrote: |
| talentedcrayon wrote: |
Many people are saying that you should speak to a current teacher. I did this. Once I got to the school it was clear that this teacher had lied to me. He hated working for the school. He left within one week of my arrival. A few weeks later at a teacher' birthday party he also attended and had nothing good to say about the school.
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I am not violent (well... depends..) but if that would have been me, I would have punched in the face if he had done that to me - the *beep*.
And the only advice I can give you on this one, are you sure you want to go back? It's the old 'Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me'. I knew more than one teacher (this was before 'The Great Flood' of 2008) who kept breaking contracts and returning to bad job situations (always with hagwons). Try and find a new country to work in. |
I ended up making the move to China. The university I work for is great and treats me very well. It's the complete opposite of my experience in Korea.
In the end quitting was harder than I thought it would be (see my last post in this thread.) The owner made my life a living hell for a month. But after that my life improved dramatically.
I will never work in Korea again. |
Nice one, glad to hear it all has a happy ending!  |
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