Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Intrepid]

I took over the academic supervisor spot at a hagwon a few years ago and a few degrees looked suspect--one month TESL-course "diplomas" of US/Canada degree size/shape. The previous supervisor had left incriminating copies of faxes to those then-candidates about how it "doesn't matter if you don't have a degree" etc. He had been under pressure to hire teachers en masse.
So, while I agree with kangnamdragon that it might devalue the occupation, it's a tough one. I wouldn't hire a teacher with a fake degree, but I didn't fire those I had. I presented the fake degrees/correspondence to the wonjang and he said there was no way he would not RENEW those teachers' contracts: they were too popular, and their degrees had already passed muster at Immigration. Which brings us to the question of Is delivering the goods in the classroom enough? At kids' schools I can't even imagine how many fake-degree/good teachers there must be.

[panthermodern]

Congratulations ...


Been there, done that ...


I hope you have better luck then I did ...

My opinion:

I would bring him in and tell him no dice and let him walk ...
(no and job look else where)

There is no margin in turning someone into immigration and I would rather have the underqualied working for the enemy ...

Telling immigration hjust makes enemies all around ...

Hell, immigration might get pissed that you made them get off their asses.

Again good luck ...

[Homer]

Kiwiboy,

You quoted the rules, not me.

I just responded to your words. No real ambiguitiy in "always keep your mouth shut and never rat on your friends" is there?
Not much room for interpretation.

What? Not standing by what you said Kiwi?
Backpedaling?

Oh wait, I forgot, you are never wrong...

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

[Homer]

K-boy,

Your words not mine.

[humanuspneumos]

I think guys (some) especially suffer from this in Korea- an-over-inflated-view-of-their-roll. It seems to me when people fall into this that they lack a sense of significance and are tripping out on making teaching in Korea some GREAT BIG DEAL to compensate for a sense of not being important. Really- it's not. Korea's not a GREAT BIG DEAL to the degree we start phoning immigration on persons just wanting to teach English. Anyway- what did the guy ever do to you that you'd go that far- it kind of says something about your personality that you'd even think about it.

I've been in the position of hiring/advising and I'm sure others have too and have seen first hand- those with "inadequate" paper-work actually became more devoted teachers/more skillful than those with paper coming out of their ....s. I've seen people with BA's pull-off magic in universities up against people with PHD's. The paper doesn't mean anything except that we spent money on a whole bunch of credits we were forced to take and of which- according to stats- we now remember 20% . Awe come one HP- that's going to drive things down. Sick- what's driving things down these days is that things are moving towards the likes of Australia where people need a blooooody certificate just to make a coffee. Our parents got rich in an environment where there was a distinct lack fo people taking "paper" over seriously- not in the anal retention we see these days.


The bottom line- it's up to immigration t say "Yay" or "Nay" - not us. That's just anal.

[Juggertha]

If I had my own school, i'd spend more time on my own business and less in others.

[Mosley]

I certainly wouldn't hire the guy, if only because to do so would be breaking the law of the land. I don't agree w/the law-I think you should be able to hire whoever the hell you want for ESL-but that's the way it is. I wouldn't turn him in either-just say "no" & it's no longer your problem.

[CanadaCommando]

While I admit that hiring a guy with a fake degree would be far more trouble than it's worth, I truly do understand anybody who says "rat him to immigration"

Why? Cuz he's not qualified. BS. The only thing that make you more qualified than him is the debt you procoured through taking University, and that little piece of paper that you walk out the door with. Are you trying to tell me that people with Psych degrees are "qualified" to teach English!? Even B.Sc....show me the part of your training that has Adoloscent Psychology, Evaluation, and Lesson Plan development!!

Not trying to troll on ANYBODY here, but the fact is many of the people who teach here are VASTLY underqualified when they get here, and they all have degrees. And so we live, we learn, and we improve, and soon enough, you ARE qualified through your own hard work (at least I hope this is the case). I have an Education degree....should I start saying that everyone who doesnt is unqualified and should be kicked out? No, I don't. Because I believe that here, experience and effort play far more a role than education.

So fine, don't hire him. But why the hell would you cause the man sooo much grief. You wanna "serve the industry" and get rid of him? Simply send him an email, tell him his degree checked out as fake, and that when immigration tries to process it, he'll get in a s-load of trouble. He'll thank you for the warning and be on the next plane out.

[Alyallen]

[CanadaCommando]

deleted

[CanadaCommando]

First, thanks for the location. People's Republic of CC...I like it.

Secondly, I didn't say to let him get away with it. I am just saying that there is no point in PUNISHING the guy to the degree that immigration can. We don't know his scenario...he could be a right bright guy that simply never had the coin to go to University, and is still not content to stay at home and work for a liquor store. Considering that 1/2 if not 3/4's of all ESL teachers I know do privates (too tired myself...) the legality of it is really not an issue. If you want to take that moral high ground, I think you should start phoning immigration about all your friends doing privates too. Selective morality anyone?
Not trying to cause trouble with anyone, but in a system as inherintly corrupt and quasi-legal as the ESL industry, why the hell would you choose to go out of the way to screw somebody? There are in fact several companies I know that specialize in finding ways around visa scenarios, and some of their teachers are excellent and dilligent, and they are able to teach here because their Korean bosses know loopholes.

[Alyallen]

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

[Homer]

Kiwiboy wrote: