Korean Job Discussion Forums

[I_Am_Wrong]

I'm wondering what working conditions are like for most of the teachers on these forums? Hakwon or Public School? Curriculum or No Curriculum? How many hours a day do you teach? How many hours a day do you do prep work? How many students per class? Pay? Do you teach in the morning, night, or split shift? How much free/spare time do you have in a day? How much sleep do you get a night?

I'm wondering because I would like to see in comparison to my current situation and whether or not I have valid complaints or not.

My Working Conditions:

My contract before coming over was 1.9 million for 30 teaching hours. I would teach for 20 hours a week at a public elementary school and 10 hours a week at a hagwon. Public school in the morning and hagwon in the afternoon.

I am expected to be at the public elementary school everyday at 8:30 and until 2 pm. On Monday and Tuesday I have a 50 minute prep block first thing in which myself and my Korean co-teacher prepare and go over the lesson plan. I then teach three 40 minute classes, have lunch, and then have another 40 minute prep block in which myself and the Korean teacher plan further classes in the week. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are largely similar except that I teach 4 classes with no prep block in the morning. Also, on Friday I teach my 4 classes (40 students each) my own lesson plan with no Korean co-teacher.

During my first week I was expected to be at the hagwon from 3-5 to teach 2 classes. Now for the last two weeks he has only wanted me to teach one hagwon class but still expects me to be there for two hours.

Before Chuseok he asked me to teach one class a week every Thursday at another elementary school. He told me that the class was one of about 10 advanced students who had lived overseas. When I asked him about prep for the class he told me that the Korean teacher would pretty much take care of that. Now...here's the first kicker: At first I opted that I should get contract renegotiation and be paid more for this. However, he and my recruiter brought up the fact that my contract is for 30 hours and I'm only teaching 25. So I end up agreeing to it on the condition that if he wants me to teach anymore hours I get overtime.

I get there the first day and sign the contract that I cannot read based on what he has told me. I go to the class and the first thing the teacher asks me is "so what do you have planned for today" and of course I have nothing planned because I was told I didn't need to plan anything! So we decide to do an exercise involving writing down things about yourself, presenting them to the class and asking questions of each other. During this exercise it became painfully obvious that a couple of the students were fluent in English, a couple were intermediate, and one or two were complete beginners. They weren't all advanced but, rather, shared in common the fact that they had all lived in another country (even if said country happened to be CHINA!!!)

At the end of the class I asked the korean teacher what she expected of me and of the class. She said, "I expect you to make lessons for the class" The class has no curriculum and they don't know what they want from the class. She then said, "uh...I don't know how to teach this class!" wtf...this is an experienced Korean teacher and I'm a first year teacher!!!!! It's pretty obvious that you don't know how to teach this class because almost every student here should not be in this class!!!!

So of course I complained about this to my director and he brought in my recruiter to talk about it (seeing as how my director is very limited at english) and my recruiter tells me that I have to make up a test to determine the students skill level and then divide the class into three groups and teach each group individually with different exercises during the class. Also, each class should have a specific theme. So essentially, I have to make up three lesson plans for a very difficult class that has no curriculum. not easy and very time consuming. My director seems to think that I can just take one of the hagwon lesson books and teach a lesson from there. I've explained several times that I cannot just take a lesson from there because it'll either be way way too easy for a few of the students or way way too hard for some of the other students.

So now, my director and recruiter have asked me if I would teach 2 more 50 minute classes three times a week at another public elementary school (this would be my fourth place of employment...which they assure me is all legal with immigration). This class would take place Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and on these days I wouldn't have to work at the hagwon. I would get paid 18,000/per hour for 3 hours of overtime a week. However, these classes also would have no curriculum and I would be responsible for all of the curriculum and lesson plans. And again, they have no idea what they want or expect from the classes.

Now, except for lunchtime, I'm extremely busy from 8:30-2:00 at the public school with teaching and preparing for lessons. after two o'clock they want me to teach two more hours monday, wednesday, thursday, and friday and one more hour Tuesday. Also, there is lots of travel time involved. 20 minute commute by taxi (30 by bus) in the morning. and 15-20 minutes from one public school to the other in the afternoon and 15-20 minutes from public schools to hagwon in the afternoon. So, where is my prep time going to come for these extra public elementary schools? From my personal time which I figure is going to become absolutely zero from Monday to Friday. I figure teaching 2 classes 3 times a week that have no curriculum will take 2-3 hours each night prior and another 2-3 hours for the other one "advanced class."

Anyways, I think this is way beyond unreasonable. What do you think of this and what are your conditions like in comparison?

edit::sorry didn't think this post would be so long. has anyone ever tried to start a union?

[oneiros]

In regards to secondary work places - they need to be registered with immigration. You need permission from immigration to work on more than one site. If they haven't been registered with immigration, you are working illegally, and are running the risk of being deported. I would seriously check this out if I were you.

[schwa]

Union is moot -- much discussed but positions are way too various & transient & the legality is doubtful.

Your position is nuts. 30 hours contact time should relate to one location & small classes (ie hagwons). Your public school work is almost a fulltime job in itself (22 hours max is standard with full benefits). I'm sorry but you've been had. You can ride it out & maybe gain some resiliency as a teacher in Korea, but I doubt you have much recourse now to fixing the situation in the short term, short of quitting.

[I_Am_Wrong]

well...I think they're trying to take advantage of me. I've e-mailed my real recruiter in Vancouver (who also has a crush one me) and told her what is going on to get her opinion (the recruiter here is her contact). Technically, the director has already broken my contract with him because it says I'm to be paid on the 5th but haven't been paid yet (get paid on the 10th). Should I call my recruiter and stick it to him a bit and tell them I want contract renegotiation? I'm lost, and so damn tired....

[Zyzyfer]

[teachingld2004]

Please read what many of us have been telling you. This is not meant to hurt you, so please do not be angry, You are new, so u do not quite understand. We have told u that itis not legal to work in these places unless itis on your e2. I do not care what the recruiter told u, recruiters lie. (not all, but some). The recruiter will not care if u get deported, but u will. Did you get your e2 yet? If y didnt you are free to get a new job, and I really would advise u to do that.
Good luck to you.

[captain kirk]

The visa only allows you to work in one place. You've got the bosses and the recruiter giving you assurances otherwise, but they've either paid off immigration or are lying. Probably both. If you make a scene about it you won't have a job anymore, and will have to reimburse the airfare and start looking for another job after returning from the cheapest visa run. Do you want to do that? Before the visa is finalized. It isn't finalized until the ARC card is obtained, I think (anybody correct me if I'm wrong ).
It's too late now but that job looked dodgy from the start, but you didn't know that. Can't work in two places legally. From the sounds of your whitey wranglers the accent is on sweatshop.
If I was you I'd go home and start over. Unless you can work out a deal with them for less work, more money, etc. But it sounds like they're sticking to the 'but it's under thirty hours' thing. Usually it's a block shift, at one place. Drop in, do your classes, go home.
All this moving around and 'prep time' is madness.

[I_Am_Wrong]

Perhaps your director means that you should have different points where students are in the book.

---I wish...there isn't even a book for the class...I'm expected to make ALL of the curriculum...as if that stuff magically comes from thin air.

[FUBAR]

[I_Am_Wrong]

well...I don't know what to do.....

*beep*

Should I talk to my director who speaks zero english and doesn't understand a thing...even when it's explained to him in Korean or should I talk to my recruiter who I don't exactly trust at this point in time? I can always go to the labour board if it gets to the point that I need out of my contract. I'm supposed to be paid on the 5th of the month but the public school doesn't pay til' the 10th so my contract has technically been breached. This sure has become a hell of a lot more than I could have ever expected.

[CustomX]

k

[captain kirk]

If you want to stick around, and personally I wouldn't, get them some books. First year teacher and they expect you to 'make a curriculum'. Boss doesn't speak any English. Man . The pay is ridiculous for the hours. Do you feel saintly. It's gonna make you a demon, man. I'd say to them, politely, adios.

[Toby]

If you've got your E2 it is harder to walk away.

If you haven't got your E2 as yet, with all the other jobs detailed on the back, then walk away.

I am not sure about the legality of this, but, you could call immigration and tell them that your school is asking you to work in other places, but it isn't on your alien card. What should you do? Pose that to them and see what happens.

Someone may correct me on that though, but it may make the school wake up a bit though.

[mindmetoo]

I work 17 hours a week for 2 million won a month plus free cable and a free modern 1 bedroom loft with a/c.

I work in a small office with 4 beautiful female math teachers and three beautiful female Korean english teachers. We all get along and share our food.

I'm the only foreigner and don't have to deal with any freaky waegooks. I treat my Korean coworkers with humble respect and kindness and thank them profusely for their efforts on my behalf. They seem to like me and call me "angel" behind my back.

My boss lets me teach anything I want and in any way I want. I can pick whatever textbook I want to teach and if I want to do something different or wacky she gives me lots of space.

The kids are kids, of course.

I can't complain over much.

[sadsac]

The bottom line is in the end you are going to be the one shafted. Working at four different places as has been stated is illegal. They will not care what happens should you get busted. Fix it now, don't wait any longer.