Korean Job Discussion Forums

endo · Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Location: Seoul...my home

Hi, I was just wondering if public and private schools (not Hakwons) in S.Korea hire year round, or only in late August early September to coinside with the upcomming school year?

Thanks

CanadaCommando · Joined: 13 Feb 2004 Location: People's Republic of C.C.

Most public (both public-public and private-public Very Happy

) schools seem to hire both for august and for Feburary/March...most schools I know start the new year March 5 or so.

International schools all hire for August/September. Some of the lower budget (though still nice) ones hire people with experience and a simple B.A....no Ed. degree required Shocked

Nolan Ryan · Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 6:04 am Post subject:

hi...

I work at a private elementary school in Kyonggi province. I was hired in February to start work in March. I think it's best that you get your resumes ready for distribution in mid January and then visit the schools in need of a teacher near the end of that month.

Usually,the school will have made a decision to keep the existing teacher[s], and tendered a new contract. Otherwise, they have to pay for a recruiter. When hiring, they prefer to hire someone already here with some experience and usually at least a year at the same job. Also try to make sure that you leave your previous job on good terms. I did, and it was a good thing because the Korean dept head called my old hagwon!{that was a first!] to confirm my employment there and to assess my character and work ethic from talking to the boss.

Anyways...good luck with it! If you get one,it's a sweet job with decent perks{the holidays) and beats any hagwon job out there!

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Toby · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: Wedded Bliss

Got hired yesterday to start in October.

PM me if you want the email of 2 companies placing teachers in elementary schools.

peppermint · Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 10:13 pm Post subject:

I think most middle and high school teachers have co-teachers, but most elementary school teachers don't. I have one or two homeroom teachers that try, but their English is worse than the students.

Elementary schools are a very different ball game from middle and high schools. I've made a ton of posts here about my experiences.

Nolan Ryan · Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 6:38 pm Post subject:

Hi..

as for my actual experience in this particular school, it was a pain at first.
Things were "slightly" disorganised(Korea-go figure!),but after the smoke cleared,the transition was rather easy.

I have a Korean teaching partner. We divide the class by student number"odds/evens" . One day she gets "the evens" and I get the "odds". Then we change the groups. Her English speaking ability is terrible along with her teaching ability. She has been teaching at this school for about 8 years. But I'm not the boss here,and so I do my job and do it well!

We use the" Let's Go" series AND I SUPPLEMENT MY LESSON WITH OTHER RELEVANT MATERIAL.IF THE STUDENTS ARE WELL BEHAVED I OFFER THEM A GAME OF THEIR CHOICE TO PLAY. These last two points are most important because they deal with classroom management problems effectively and also help ensure that your students hold some degree of positivity about learning English. You also never get negative feedback from your superiors as well. Don't get me wrong here...I'm no angel and I can be a "*beep*" sometimes with my students when they are not on task ,and so I take away their opportunity to play games by providing more work. Next class they never forget that and dramatically alter their negative ways.

The school itself seems to have a "laissez faire" attitude. The English department is relatively free from the school politics. We have meetings to organise camps and speech contests,more so to appease the parents, and we are consulted if there is new money coming into our budget. Basically, you bring your credentials,your experience and the ideas in the ol' noggin' to this job and then teach. There is MINIMAL interference,(that being the odd intrusion by the co-teacher to tell me that there is an event coming up tomorrow. Other than that you are free to teach with your own style.

The school experience can be a positive or a negative one. If you decide to teach in these schools, be well equipped to deal with a possible lack of curiculum materials and games, by supplementing with your own. It is important to use your imagination and to be prepared to improvise. Most importantly, bring a sense of humor! If you do this you will not become a hostage or a victim to Korea's lack of organisation and common sense.