Korean Job Discussion Forums

th3 · Joined: 05 Sep 2014

For an inexperienced teacher with a TEFL/ TESOL, is 2.1m for 34 teaching hours wayyyy too low? Confused

What would be a fair wage?

World Traveler · Joined: 29 May 2009

2.1 = $1,781 a month. That's about 20k for a year.
http://www.xe.com/currencycharts/?from=KRW&to=USD&view=1Y

th3 · Joined: 05 Sep 2014

trueblue · Joined: 15 Jun 2014 Location: In between the lines

Ouch.

Well, how does the school define a teaching hour? Is it based on one class, minutes in the classroom? What is the total amount of working hours?

Either way, the pay is awful, especially when the exchange rate is considered.

Perhaps asking nothing less than 2.4..?

Then again, there are always others who are desperate enough to accept that low ball salary.

SeoulNate · Joined: 04 Jun 2010 Location: Hyehwa

34 teaching hours is a ton of classroom time, but as Trueblue said, someone will take that job, there are too many desperate people out there.

Coltronator · Joined: 04 Dec 2013

34 teaching hours is extreme. I wouldn't touch it for less than 3.0 + Housing

SeoulNate · Joined: 04 Jun 2010 Location: Hyehwa

outbound_22 · Joined: 05 Feb 2015

GENO123 · Joined: 28 Jan 2010

I don't really understand why anyone new would choose to teach in Korea anymore. It ought to be close to last on everyone's list of teaching destinations.

World Traveler · Joined: 29 May 2009

An interesting discussion here:

Coltronator · Joined: 04 Dec 2013

Because some people can work 30 teaching hours a week and make 4.5 or more a month. (Not saying it is great but it is quite livable)

GENO123 · Joined: 28 Jan 2010

No hogwon or university pays 4.5. Also if a hogwon claimed they pay 3. 0 because they pay airfare severence and housing. no one would accept that description.

So if that 4.5 doesnt include the above then it is more or less like 3.8.

Even if someone makes 4.5 with extra work or only extra work it doesnt work out to that number every month because there are always occurrences like cancellations, delays or transportation problems. .

A lot of posters earn less than they claim ( not saying you) if you use accurate numbers.

Since the going rate is 30 to 40k an hour 4.5 would be exceptional if one is using accurate and realistic numbers. About 3.5M is more representative figure and one would need an f visa and avoid bad luck to even to do as much as that.

Coltronator · Joined: 04 Dec 2013

Yeah your Math is right.

I do it with a 4.5 teaching hours a day 2.6 + Housing base job.

With 40-65k/hr Privates & Business classes peppered tightly (before I was able to tighten my schedule to no more than 15 minute gaps it was a bit stressful) around the base job of about 10-14 Hours per week for about 1.8-2.5 more per month.

Total Teaching is about 33-36.5 hours per week.

But Caveat is I also have 1.5 hours a day of off time to be used as I see fit for prep or my personal breaks. Usually it means an hour of break and 30 mins prep. Business classes currently are lucky as the students only wish to have casual conversation and want to touch the book maybe 1 out of every 4 classes.

So if you include the time spent at work it would be more like 4.5 for 35 Teaching and 42 office hours and 45 total (with private class travel) a week.

And yes you need an F series visa for this

DaeguNL · Joined: 08 Sep 2009

northway · Joined: 05 Jul 2010

My issue with this job is that you're probably going to have the least gratifying teaching experience imaginable. 34 teaching hours basically means that you're always in the classroom, allowing for little to no time for prep and grading. This in turn suggests that this is either the perfect definition of a cram school or that you'll be spending a fair bit of your own time dealing with whatever you need to do outside of the classroom.