Korean Job Discussion Forums

philipjames · Joined: 03 Feb 2003

I teach at a hogwan. I enjoy the work. The kids are great. But my 30 teaching hours is broken down into forty 40-minute classes per week. And a 40-minute class ranks as just 40 minutes. I find the days really long.
Does anyone else work so many classes in a week?

Thanks.

shawner88 · Joined: 01 Feb 2003

Holy cripes! That's ridiculous. How do you cope? I remember having 7 classes one day a week and 6 the rest and thought that was hell.

discostar23 · Joined: 22 Feb 2004 Location: getting the hell out of dodge

yep and it is long u at wonderland???

Paji eh Wong · Joined: 03 Jun 2003

I did it last year. Up to 45 classes a week, but the average was just under 40. It's a waste of everyones time.

phaedrus · Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Location: I'm comin' to get ya.

That's too many.

I do twenty forty minute classes per week. One day I have three, but another day I have five. The day with five is HELL. Wink

VanIslander · Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2004 3:59 am Post subject:

40 classes?

It doesn't matter that they are only 40 minutes long because, as far I'm concerned, the lessons are the same length as in 50-minute classes, but with less time for review games and practice fun that make it all enjoyable for the students and teacher alike.

I can't imagine prepping for 40 classes every week. You'd only have time to slave through a set textbook, eh?

What are your class hours, 2 to 10? If you are working earlier than 1 pm with that heavy a class load, then you should know there're plenty of shorter work days out there for you next time around.

I really get a charge out of teaching a lot of classes back-to-back, and have even eagerly taught an additional three classes on Friday nights last year. But I never have a class before 3 p.m. and always start prepping at 1:30 p.m.

I hope your unusually heavy basic schedule doesn't end up lessening your enjoyment of teaching. It sounds like a recipe for burn out. Get plenty of exercise, and sleep!

Bunnymonster · Joined: 16 Mar 2004 Location: Tokyo

one word,
[size=24]YES[/size]

I should know I'm hunting good ways out of my 'contract' which has me doing up to 50 classes a week from 9.50 to 7.25 each day.................
The end is nigh, Japan is calling

osangrl · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Location: osan

holy crap!! I teach 25 , 45 minute classes a week.... and that is enough!
i love my job... we need a teacher for November.... hint hint.

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

11 classes a day 5 days a week=55 classes a week
= 220 classes a mont...I hate my hogwan....I hate the Korean government for allowing crap like this to happen...I hate myself for putting up with this crap hours for the last 4 months when they changed my hours and screwed me.

hellofaniceguy · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: On your computer screen!

No one can use you unless you let them and you are letting the hakwon use you big time! WHY?
Maybe 4-6 50 minute classes a day or 4-6 40 minute classes a day. Never agree to teach by the hour in korea. Agree to "X" amount of classes a day. The idiot school owners tell you that the classes are shorter and so it's easy! Wrong answer! You have to still prepare for those classes! That's a lot of prep time.

phaedrus · Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Location: I'm comin' to get ya.

Yeah, a lesson plan for a forty minute class takes just as long to prepare as one for a sixty minute class.

However, I think it is obvious that they don't want you do to any sort of preparation, or put in any kind of extra effort, if they are trying to scam 40 classes per week out of you. Cool

Wangja · Joined: 17 May 2004 Location: Seoul, Yongsan

Adamusiak · Joined: 17 Jun 2004

Just be glad you aren't in my boots, plus my hogwan sucks! I look forward to a 40 hour work week. but at least yo must be getting some over time for all of your hours that you put in.

Al

prosodic · Joined: 21 Jun 2004 Location: ��

How many different textbooks do you use? The OLD Hagwon model is that you have a different teacher for each textbook. That way, you do one prep and teach the exact same lesson plan all day long. It's boring but very efficient. Plus, the last half of the day goes great because you get better at the lesson each time you repeat it.

Ask them to arrange the schedule that way.

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

My supervisor thinks I'm a little crazy because I'm always asking for extra work. But even I don't want to each 6-8 classes a day. Holy. We're in a bit of a lull because many of our elementary students have been promoted to middle school. I'm down to about 2 classes monday/wednesday, 4 on tuesday, and 3 on thursday/friday. Personally, at weeks end, I want to feel like I've done a solid week of work. I've worked 8 hour days, 5 days a week for the last 13 years and if I'm only work 3 hours a day, I don't feel right.