|
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 |
pmwhittier
Joined: 03 Nov 2011
Location: Korea
|
 Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 11:32 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
| Why does everyone that ever worked there like to give such detailed, outlined answers to a question that nobody's asking? It must be exhausting to work with people that give hours-long speeches in response to simple questions! |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
DaeguNL
Joined: 08 Sep 2009
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 7:39 am Post subject: Re: ICEV Incheon English Village |
|
|
| philomath wrote: |
I’m writing this review about ICEV to give a fair evaluation of the school. The people who seem to write reviews, do so because they personally had a bad experience and they tend to be way more bias, leaning towards the negative side. I wouldn’t say that what they experienced was untrue or not accurate. The experiences that people have are different for all and usually specific to them.
English is big business in S. Korea, hence the reason why foreigners can find employment in S. Korea. The opportunities for foreigners to travel, make money, and further their skills are abundantly available. But with any industry that is profit driven (like English in S. Korea), at the end of the day the main focus is to have a business/product that generates a profit/gain. Furthermore, the businesses are run in S. Korea not our country of origin, thus the rules, customs and expectations are somewhat different. So as a foreigner who expects the environment to mirror the experience to that of a company back at home will have to adjust.
Having said that, it’s time to get on with the review. There are positives and negatives to consider when picking a school to work for. I will avoid interjecting rumors or unsubstantiated facts that I haven’t personally experienced or seen for myself.
Curriculum:
(Positives) ICEV is a unique environment when compared to public schools, hagwons, or even other English village jobs. There are a variety of subjects to teach such as music, art, cooking, architecture, game developer just to mention a few. You will also be teaching group activities like soccer, American football, swimming, quiz games, yoga and many other activities. The curriculum is set but teachers are given enough creative license to incorporate their experiences/character into the classroom. The school also has numerous different programs running simultaneously which gives you more options to choose from. You will teach a variety of age groups from kindergarten to college students to adults. As well as, you will also teach Russian students, Japanese, and Chinese students during summer/winter camps.
(Negatives) The curriculum is very repetitive because it is only a week long program. The students change each week so the teachers use the same lessons to teach the new students the following week. You don’t get as much of a chance to bond with the students like you might in a public school or a hagwon. However, there are ways this can be done through the other programs. And on the topic of other programs (both positive and negative), the negative is that sometimes you don’t have a choice which programs you will be a part of. Also, with all these programs going on teachers are kept busy. You will have to be able to teach students of all age groups, mainly elementary students though (negative if you don’t want to teach a particular age group). One more thing, as a teacher you must be flexible because the schedule can change quickly.
It is an activity based teaching environment (the main program, there are other programs which are more focused using western curriculum) so if you are hands on and like to get involved with the students it will be a good fit for you. However, if you prefer to teach from a sitting position, directly out of a book or teach to an exact page, then maybe a hagwon or public school would be a better fit for you.
Teachers:
(Positives) You get to work and live with people from all over the world. People from countries like USA, Canada, UK, AU, NZ, S. Africa, and of course Korea. So you get a built in community of people who speak your language and who are more familiar with your customs and experiences. Teachers work, travel, and hang out together.
(Negatives) Not much here. Teachers are your best resources and generally all get along. There is always the annoying personality or bad attitude but that is to be expected with any work force.
Accommodations:
(Positives) The school does provide accommodations. It is a dorm style living environment with about 26 rooms. Half of the rooms are filled with teachers from ICEV and half from the sister school. No utilities need to be paid and the school is walking distance from the living quarters. However, a bus is provided to and from the dorms. In the addition to the dorms, ICEV also has apartments which half of the other teachers live at. As new teachers arrive and move into the dorms, dorm teachers then move into the apartments. The apartments are in a convenient location but the travel time to school is longer. A bus is also provided to and from school.
(Negatives) The dorms are not big and you do have to share laundry facilities and a kitchen. Also some of the rooms view directly into a scrap yard. As for the apartments you do have to pay utilities (but you are given extra pay to help cover this cost) which can be expensive if you use you’re A/C or heat too much. Both of the residences do not come with bedding or utensils. There is some furniture in the dorms but the apartments aren’t furnished expect for bed, closets and kitchen appliances (many items are passed down from teachers who are leaving otherwise you need to bring or purchase your own items).
Vacations:
(Positives) Vacations are one of the best benefits at the school. You get 4 weeks of paid vacations per contract. You are able to combine vacations to get 2 or more weeks of paid vacation. In Korea most jobs don’t offer consecutive weeks off. You also receive 5 sick days with a doctor’s note. If unused you are paid for those unused days. Also, you can earn comp time, which can be added to the vacations.
(Negative) 3 out of the 4 vacation weeks are set so you must plan around those times. Also we work on national holidays including Christmas, Halloween, Easter etc…
Pay:
(Positives) The pay is as competitive as any other school. It all depends on your experience and qualifications. Overtime is available and is often needed. Everyone works 40 hours a week. Payday is on the 5th of every month. And contrary to what I have read in other posts, it was always been on time or early if the payday falls on a weekend or holiday.
(Negatives) You actually have to work for your money.
I’m sure I haven’t stated all the positives or negatives aspects of working at ICEV. But there should be enough helpful information to make an informed decision. I can definitely say things like being fired right before the end of your contract for no reason just doesn’t happen. Or that they purposely try to cheat anyone. But if people had a bad experience at ICEV it unfair to just blame the school, people need to look at their actions too. There is no such thing as a perfect job. But each experience is what you make of it. I personally had a good experience at the school. Granted there were some difficult times with a few of the decisions and decision makers but I felt I got out of it what I put in.
So in closing, ask yourself first why you want to work in Korea. What attracted you to this position? And, am I ready to work in a foreign environment with different rules and expectations? If you are comfortable with your answers and comfortable with yourself as a decision maker, than ICEV can be a great experience for you. But if you still have some growing up to do (meaning immature) and living on your own in a foreign country may not be the decision you are ready for. |
what was the point of digging up this thread just to post EXACTLY what you said a year ago in another thread? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
wanderkind
Joined: 01 Jan 2012
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 12:26 pm Post subject: Re: ICEV Incheon English Village |
|
|
| DaeguNL wrote: |
| what was the point of digging up this thread just to post EXACTLY what you said a year ago in another thread? |
Management probably gave them some shit about the school's poor rep online and wanted it addressed....again. Why reinvent the wheel? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TruthTella
Joined: 08 Nov 2015
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 6:42 pm Post subject: Ignore this |
|
|
Posted more than once and won't let me delete, sorry!
Last edited by TruthTella on Thu Dec 10, 2015 9:05 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TruthTella
Joined: 08 Nov 2015
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 6:47 pm Post subject: Ignore this |
|
|
Posted more than once and won't let me delete, sorry!
Last edited by TruthTella on Thu Dec 10, 2015 9:06 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TruthTella
Joined: 08 Nov 2015
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 6:48 pm Post subject: Ignore this |
|
|
Posted more than once and won't let me delete, sorry!
Last edited by TruthTella on Thu Dec 10, 2015 9:07 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TruthTella
Joined: 08 Nov 2015
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 6:50 pm Post subject: Ignore this |
|
|
Posted more than once and won't let me delete, sorry!
Last edited by TruthTella on Thu Dec 10, 2015 9:05 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TruthTella
Joined: 08 Nov 2015
|
| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2015 7:34 pm Post subject: Edible "International" Academy and ICEV main progr |
|
|
This is a review for both Edible and Main program ICEV
So I was a teacher in the Edible International Academy/ Main program at ICEV this past year (2014-2015). I didn’t finish my contract due to my personal values and happiness. I am a very laid back woman that can handle tough situations but when it comes to my happiness, no amount of money is going to keep me planted in a place that continues to bring me down. The year started off great, promises of wonderful things to come but once Edible started it all went downhill. There is an extreme lack of understanding of what it takes to run a school and what children need to thrive. Teachers were expected to do way more than what a one day a week program needed with a lack of the proper prep time. As a teacher I understand how plans can change quickly so you have to be adaptable, which I am. Edible often would throw changes at you without much notice at all. Sometimes you’d even find out you were getting a new child the morning of his or her first day. This was extremely irritating considering you want to make sure this child is comfortable and feeling welcomed. So having a child come in with no books ready, no name tag or desk assigned and without being able to announce to the class that a new student is coming is extremely unprofessional and inconsiderate toward the classroom teacher, the child and the other students. Not to mention ignoring the fact that a student knows almost no English whatsoever and is invited to join an all English Speaking program due to the fact that their parents can afford to pay the absurd amount of money for a one day a week program is ridiculous and unfair to the child who would need extra one on one attention.
I was asked to re-sign which was surprising to me considering how I always gave them a tough time and didn’t really let them walk all over me. But for happiness sake I left the program about 10 months into my contract. Somehow I got talked into signing onto a 13 month contract so I only had about 3 months to go but I ended up bailing and doing a “runner.” Korea has a lot to offer and so many other schools to teach from but sadly this specific school really tainted my feelings toward Korea in general. I was supporting a school that didn’t care about its students or foreign teachers, just money. Maybe this is something popular in Korea but I no longer wanted to support a school that’s sole purpose in life was to get as much money as possible and lie and sneak their way through to make that happen. It began to really be unsettling and stressful to be working for such a greedy place. I actually found myself getting a little greedy and caring more about money than anything else. Once I realized how bad it was for me to be working for them I decided to take off. I am glad I did because since them it’s only gone downhill. Many Korean teachers left and are leaving (main program ICEV), nearly all prep time has been taken away leaving just the hour lunch break, and no overtime. One great thing that this school had to his advantage was the crazy amounts of overtime you could get if you really wanted to save money. Since then overtime has been taken away and everyone works 5 days a week with mandatory Saturday’s. So taking away overtime is a huge mistake on their part considering most people resign because of the ability to save so much.
Main program is also falling apart. There are some great Korean teachers who are all treated unfairly and are subjected to mandatory overnight’s with students in the dorms. Many Korean teachers are leaving, ones that have been there for years so that says a lot about ICEV as a whole. It’s really a shame too because these two schools which ARE two schools ran under the same owner having people work for both schools at the same time has such potential to be great. Their greediness and lack of understanding has caused them to drastically decline. Teachers sign on and work a few weeks and take off. Another teacher in the Edible program recently did a runner. Thats 3 runners in less than 2 years. Think about it.
I am not writing this to bash the school. I am writing as a severe warning that it would be in your best interest to choose another school. Through the skype interviews you are painted this beautiful picture on how life at this school is then you go there and you realize everything you were told was a lie. Which leaves you with the choice to stick it out the year and be stressed or choose the smarter path and leave. Never let them make you think you can’t leave. Do what’s best for yourself.
Pro’s to main program
-You have new students each week so things stay fresh
-You get occasional free leftover breakfast
-You teach an assortment of classes
-You get to go on field trips to a number of cool places but only if the -Korean managers really like you.
-You play games, laugh and can have fun with the kids
-Cooking class
-Dodgeball
-The CU
-You might get a co teacher
-The soccer field
-You meet a lot of awesome people from different countries and work with many other foreigners. A lot of schools only have one or two...this school has about 20.
-JD is extremely helpful and understanding about scheduling and days off
Con’s to main program
-No more overtime or much prep time
-Sometimes you get stuck teaching the same classes over and over every week which becomes robotic
-Lunch ladies will serve you so you don’t take too much food
-Song and dance and being forced to be MC
-Parents in service (forced to perform in front of parents like puppets)
-YMCA all day everyday
-Games, Games and more Games so make sure you know some
-Lack of respect toward Korean teachers
-Quick changes of the schedule last minute will have you all over the place
-The “zoo” ( a few deer suffering in a small fenced in area for the last 10 years)
-Overcrowded cafeteria will cause you to stand with a about 20 kids waiting to be seated for about 10 minutes or so unless you get there first. This is also your break hour and you don't get to skip the line for lunch you have to wait at the end even if there is 4 classes ahead.
-You'll feel drained from running around all day...1st floor to the 4th to another building then back to the 3rd then the 1st over and over all day each hour.
-No real gym
Pro’s to Edible International Academy
-Lunches and dinners have some more familiar food which is a nice change
-Art’s and Athletics break time for teachers
-You get your own classroom
-You get paid more
-Taking the kids to the soccer field
-Growing food and cooking it with the kids (great time for kids, not always for teachers)
-You get to know your specific group of kids well
-The CU
-Your fellow Edible teachers that all feel the same as you do, so its a good support system
-Bonus’s which you may never get
-You make the midterms and finals so its fair to the kids
-You can order materials you need, if they get to you on time is a different story
-Managers want you to be happy so if you aren’t speak up. You have the power, not them. Never forget that! They need you there, its tough to find teachers for a school with bad reviews.
Con’s to Edible International Academy
-ALL management
-$$$$$$$$ Greed $$$$$$$$$
-The lack of help when you are cooking with the students, meanwhile managers are walking around taking pictures
-If grades are too low you are asked to change them
-Allowing any student at any time during the year to come to the school as long as they pay no matter what level they are on even when there’ s supposed to be a certain level of understanding of the English language.
-No services for students with special needs and a lack of understanding that a student needs professional help.
-Lack of knowledge when it comes to running a school properly
-For a one day a week program the crazy amounts of work required
-They choose the themes and are strict about what you're teaching
-Lack of prep time to do that work
-Everything’s usually due at the same time
-Camera’s always around and someone constantly coming to the class to disrupt teaching to take pictures and talk with the students about nonsense
-When you go to your room to escape main program you are bombarded by -Edible managers during your break time to do them favors, like interviewing.
-You slowly become more negative as the year goes on, constantly complaining
-You can’t take a day off since its a one day a week program unless its family emergency...which often can ruin vacations.
-G-class will make you want to rip your hair out (online teaching with a few students at a time teaching the same thing up to 4 times, back to back) meanwhile kids are playing on the other end or parents are whispering answers. Solution: hangman and games
-Edible dinners are both good and bad...free food, you can get drunk for free but your hanging with all your managers that are fake and are your friend for about 3 hours.
The list can go on forever. If you are reading this and are thinking about working for ICEV or Edible please do yourself a favor and read all other reviews because I also agree with the others and didn’t want to repeat things. If you decide its what you want then may the force be with you because you’ll need it to get through the year. Korea has a lot to offer and I’ve heard of so many great schools where people are happy teaching. This school ruined my experience in Korea and I hope it won’t do the same for you. If you make the mistake of working for ICEV or Edible as I did, its never too late to walk away. Never hesitate to reach out I’m here to answer any questions.
Last edited by TruthTella on Thu Dec 10, 2015 9:15 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
alpope23
Joined: 15 Mar 2006
|
| Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2015 4:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| You can say that again! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TruthTella
Joined: 08 Nov 2015
|
| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:01 pm Post subject: lol |
|
|
| lol I tried getting it deleted but can't figure out how and not sure why it posted so many times. Anyone know how? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
wonkavite62
Joined: 17 Dec 2007
Location: Jeollanamdo, South Korea.
|
| Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 4:41 am Post subject: About ICEV |
|
|
This is about ICEV. You wrote about it in June, but people are still adding to the thread in November! It's obviously a controversial topic.
I have just gathered all the documents and apostilles necessary to start applying for jobs. It won't be my first time in Korea, and I did get a written reference the last time I was there. I suspect a lot of hagwons want fresh meat, though. They want young, American kids, and ICEV looks like my main chance of being placed near Seoul, where a lot of my friends are. Being able to spend meet them is a priority. So too is having Saturdays off. On a positive note, I got interviewed for another English Village, (in 2014), but the Sewol ferry disaster intervened, and they cancelled all new applications. In that job, I would have gotten the whole weekend off.
One plus factor was that I got a review from teachers there, and it was positive. It felt like the summer schools I had taught in lovely Oxford, where foreign kids would arrive for 2 weeks to learn English and then leave and new people would come. But ICEV is different. Having read the reviews here, I realise that I would hate ICEV! I am an experienced teacher and I deserve better.
Thanks for telling us how it is. Giving us the facts and figures and not just saying "ICEV sucks" is helping me to make an informed decision. I am really thankful that you have taken the trouble to do this, and create a realistic picture for us. This is something that not all people on Dave's esl are mature enough to do. As someone who wants to be placed near a city, I know the temptation to just say "WOW IT'S IN INCHEON" (the bait) and not notice the stressful working conditions (the switch). By the way, I am not afraid of hard work-I have taught 6 days a week before, and I have had to get up before 6 a.m. for teaching jobs in China. It's just that at ICEV I would be "at school" 24 hours a day. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
wonkavite62
Joined: 17 Dec 2007
Location: Jeollanamdo, South Korea.
|
| Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 4:41 am Post subject: About ICEV |
|
|
This is about ICEV. You wrote about it in June, but people are still adding to the thread in November! It's obviously a controversial topic.
I have just gathered all the documents and apostilles necessary to start applying for jobs. It won't be my first time in Korea, and I did get a written reference the last time I was there. I suspect a lot of hagwons want fresh meat, though. They want young, American kids, and ICEV looks like my main chance of being placed near Seoul, where a lot of my friends are. Being able to spend meet them is a priority. So too is having Saturdays off. On a positive note, I got interviewed for another English Village, (in 2014), but the Sewol ferry disaster intervened, and they cancelled all new applications. In that job, I would have gotten the whole weekend off.
One plus factor was that I got a review from teachers there, and it was positive. It felt like the summer schools I had taught in lovely Oxford, where foreign kids would arrive for 2 weeks to learn English and then leave and new people would come. But ICEV is different. Having read the reviews here, I realise that I would hate ICEV! I am an experienced teacher and I deserve better.
Thanks for telling us how it is. Giving us the facts and figures and not just saying "ICEV sucks" is helping me to make an informed decision. I am really thankful that you have taken the trouble to do this, and create a realistic picture for us. This is something that not all people on Dave's esl are mature enough to do. As someone who wants to be placed near a city, I know the temptation to just say "WOW IT'S IN INCHEON" (the bait) and not notice the stressful working conditions (the switch). By the way, I am not afraid of hard work-I have taught 6 days a week before, and I have had to get up before 6 a.m. for teaching jobs in China. It's just that at ICEV I would be "at school" 24 hours a day. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TruthTella
Joined: 08 Nov 2015
|
| Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 7:02 pm Post subject: Re: About ICEV |
|
|
| I'm glad my post guided you away from ICEV. Don't get me wrong there are benefits but it seems things are changing majorly from what I've heard and not for the better. So keep searching and good luck! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
wanderkind
Joined: 01 Jan 2012
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2015 10:18 am Post subject: Re: Edible "International" Academy and ICEV main p |
|
|
| TruthTella wrote: |
| I was asked to resign which was surprising to me considering how I always gave them a tough time and didn’t really let them walk all over me. But for happiness sake I left the program about 10 months into my contract. |
Re-sign.
At the top right of each of your posts there should be a little 'X' box. You can use this to delete those duplicate posts. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
isitts
Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea
|
| Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2015 8:37 pm Post subject: Re: About ICEV |
|
|
| wonkavite62 wrote: |
| This is about ICEV. You wrote about it in June, but people are still adding... |
You should probably post this three more times, otherwise TruthTella will have you beat. You might even see his/her five and raise them one. I'm sure no one will mind. |
|
| 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
