Korean Job Discussion Forums

margaret · Joined: 14 Oct 2003

I'm considering working at REI in Myungyeng. Has anyone worked for or heard of this school?
Thanks,
Margaret

fandeath · Joined: 01 Nov 2004

No, but I always tell new teachers to make sure they talk to a teacher who has been working there more than a month before they decide anything. In most cases, your recruiter or school will arrange a phone meeting with a current teacher.

What are the conditions offered?

margaret · Joined: 14 Oct 2003

Yes, I have requested to talk to or email an English speaking teacher. I'm having an interview set up but don't know if I'll be speaking with a teacher or the director. I emailed a teacher at the school I worked at the last time I was in Korea before I came, too.
Conditions are: work hours 2:30 to 9:30, 2 million won, elemetary and middle school students, 10 days vacation (I need to clarify if this is in addition to national holidays) single apartment, pre-paid round-trip airfare, severance pay at end of contract. Sounds standard.
Margaret

fandeath · Joined: 01 Nov 2004

Seems fine. But I always suggest to talk to a teacher directly. There are many things that do not show up on the contract....including if the boss is a tyrant or not...

visviva · Joined: 03 Feb 2003 Location: Daegu

By Mungyeng/Myungyeng do you mean �� (Mungyeong)? That's the area where I live and work at present. However, I'm not aware of an REI school in the area -- perhaps it was known by another name until recently.

Or perhaps you're talking about another area altogether.

If it is Mungyeong you're looking at, I'd be happy to provide any local knowledge I can. Send me a PM or post here or whatever. This area is fairly isolated by most standards, very few foreigners -- not for everyone. For general information, mostly irrelevant to living in the "city", see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mungyeong.

--edited: sorry for the misleading double negative, folks.

Unreal · Joined: 01 Jul 2004 Location: Jeollabuk-do

I don't know about this school in particular but you might want to find out how much of the REI curriculum is used by the school and how much freedom you have to choose your own. We had a guy try to sell our school the REI franchise but the teaching materials he showed us were full of errors.

margaret · Joined: 14 Oct 2003

Visviva,
Yes, I do mean Mungyeong, which I have discovered is the more common spelling. Thanks for the link. We have a Korean friend here in Oregon who says it's a beautiful area. I love mountains, and prefer remote areas. I would like to take you up on your offer of local knowledge and you can either pm me or answer here.
Margaret

t bear · Joined: 24 Aug 2003 Location: south central rok

I used to work in jeomchon (mun gyeong) until june last year, and I know of REI and knew the foreign teacher who worked there. I have even been out to dinner with the director/owner and he seemed like a really nice guy. The guy that worked there said the same. I could send you the old teachers email if you wanted (pm me).

Visviva- what school are you at, out of small town gossip type of interest? I'm missing jeomchon gossip.

visviva · Joined: 03 Feb 2003 Location: Daegu

I'm working for Top hagwon, which actually isn't far from REI (once I figured out where it is). Your first name wouldn't happen to be Tim, would it?

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 24 Jan 2003 Location: Middle Land

Take it from 3 years' experience in Korea: do NOT work for REI.

Why?

Do a search on REI on this very board and see what you come up with.

margaret · Joined: 14 Oct 2003

Whiner--I did the search and came up with nothing. Maybe I searched incorrectly. Can you give me some links? I also searched every blacklist I could find and didn't see that particular REI.
T bear-I pm'd you but I guess you haven't checked this site lately.
Margaret

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

i did a year of hell with a different REI

crap curriculum

crap directors

crap owners

crap hours

Halfway through the contract they changed the hours from 2-8:30 to 2-10

margaret · Joined: 14 Oct 2003

Grotto-
I have read terrible things about other REIs, especially Andong, but not this one. I have, by now, contacted the current teacher and am satisfied with what he says, but it you could tell me more about the crap curriculum I'd appreciate it. Of course, the director is different.
Margaret

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

At the REI I was at they told me only speaking and listening. Teaching reading and writing was not allowed. The texts are drama and memory based which is kind of stupid if your students are unable to read them.

The dialogues are poorly written, the grammer atrocious and the content inane.

Basically if they use the whole set there are 3 books. A drama book, an activity book and a text book

Various levels but they arent necesarily progressive or assigned in proper order.

margaret · Joined: 14 Oct 2003

Thanks. It sounds like the stupid system in place at the last school I worked at. There the memorized dialogs were bases on inane vidios designed for older childern. We completely overhauled the system--the new one still had flaws but it was much better.
I'm currently negotiating over a clause in the contract I won't accept, so who know, I might not end up there after all. I'll email the current foreign teacher again and ask him how much flexibility he has teaching the curriculum.
Margaret