Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bballgirl]

I wouldn't do this normally, but after all the crap this school has put me through, I'd feel guilty if the next teacher wasn't warned.

If you have heard of this job or have been offered this position, please read this first.

I have worked there for just under 6 months and from day one there were huge problems. Monthly pay was often late, they insisted I work 4 evenings a week ( i got them down to 2 after threatening to quit as with 2 I was working 55 hour weeks), they always made mistakes (in their favour) on my pay. They are inconsiderate and although there are 8 Korean English teachers, they rarely conversed with me and when asked, did not have time to help. I asked to be taken to the hospital last month as i thought I really might have hurt my knee and no one would, they were too busy.

This is a private school, boys and girls, but they were more disrespectful than the hogwan students I taught last year. There is no textbook and although I liked making my own lessons, the students don't care as they don't get marks for my class. Classes are large with 35-40 students and english abilty varies greatly per class.

Communication is extremely lacking in this school and I was given wrong information more than I got the correct and although I think of myself as flexible, it was too much for me. The disrespect for foreigners at this school and particular dislike for women made this such an inhospitable environment that I am amazed I stayed there this long.

I am not running as I finished yesterday after giving them a full 2 months warning. But as disorganized as they are, they haven't started looking for a replacement teacher. Please don't get me wrong as there are good things about this school, but it is not worth for most.

Please message me if you have further questions about this position or my experiences there.

Hope this helps!

[ohfamous]

very informative bballgirl. i'm sure people appreciate the warning. hope your next job is better!

[Gollum]

My students told me that some Private high schools really suck. Not all. Just some.

[inkoreaforgood]

Good of you to post this info. Good luck with the next job!!

[bballgirl]

Thanks for your support everyone!

High Schools can be great positions and I agree they are good experience for those who want to get out of hogwans and into post secondary positions. Each high school is generally the same, but I would be wary of ones that are not in EPIK or other educational programs. I was hired independently, meaning I worked vacations, but got higher pay that my EPIK friends.

Really I see this system in the high schools as glorified babysitting. Chances for actual learning are just not possible under those circumstances. Just be sure to keep expectations low and one can do quite well. And it all depends on coworkers too, they can make or break an experience!

I am off to Canada for now, I teach elementary and looking forward to some real teaching!

Best of luck to all of you!

[Gollum]

Sorry you felt like it's "glorified babysitting" at your school. I can see why your school experience sucked, if that's what classes amounted to.

It all comes down to how much respect the students have of you. If the school doesn't stand behind you, or have much of a policy for keeping the students in line, I could see where it would be hell.

Is it too much to ask, once again, where this school is? You PM'd me but said you were "too busy" to write much. Sure, I'd love to hear more via PM or here, but it doesn't take long to mention a location.

Without much specific information other than how your experience was "glorified babysitting," you risk being painted as someone who just couldn't hack it by many of us who have been here a while.

[bballgirl]

Sorry,

It's in Mokpo, on the very SW coast, south of Gwangju.

Discipline was definitely lacking and I even had a student tell me I look like a Russian prostitute. I didn't get respect from the majority of my classes and that was difficult. A large problem was the girl who taught last year, she got fed up after a month and played games for the rest of the year. So when i tried to teach them something they didn't want to have anything to do with it.

Of all the bad things that can happen here, I have had more than my share, from being sexually harrassed to having to fight for my paycheck. Unfortunately I am leaving trying to think of the good things and my list is not very long. I loved the ex-pat living and learning the language/culture, but don't think I'd ever come back to Korea. It's just not for me.

Whether I "can hack it or not" isn't the issue here, this school was particularly bad and I think people should be warned, especially women as i felt discriminated against from the beginning.

Gotta go catch my flight, going home!