Korean Job Discussion Forums

[JacktheCat]

Are there any "traditional", ie normal working hours and with real vacations, public school jobs left out here in Korea.

All I am seeing and hearing at the moment are GEPIK style public school jobs with long hours and forced camps during the winter and summer vacations.

With the long hours, two weeks vacation a year, and 40 students to a class room it doesn't really seem worth the "privilege" of working at a public school.

[Sage Monkey]

I've been thinking the same thing... for the same reasons, I would be very interested if such jobs are still being offered.

[Derrek]

And I'd appreciate it if you passed your feelings about these jobs along to the recruiters and schools who are hiring.

They are doing this to teachers like us, along with trying to require a TEFL certificate or education degree, and it's one of the reasons why I told my school that this next contract will be my last.

I've got students telling teachers that they like me (and my co-workers) very much. Even administration was saying this. Kyonngi-do was "very, very pleased" with certain educational materials I and the school produced together, as well.

Then when it came negotiation time, we were asked, "submit your requirements." It turned out to be a slap in the face. I was told, "You've done well, but we're not sure we can meet your demands or hire you back, because you don't have a TEFL degree."

That's thanks for a job well done , I guess.

Oh, by the way, we need to remove your vacation clause from next years contract and replace it with "2 weeks" according to Kyonggi. And we need you to work 2 more hours a week.

There are tons of these jobs open. My recruiter friends tell me there are plenty of people for the jobs, but I beg to differ when I read responses like yours. Why are they still advertising them like wild? Why have several other recruiters started offering them? Why is my advisor begging me to give him names of foreigners to work at the other schools? Every time I see him, he has 1 or 2 more of these schools (literally in my own Dong-area!) searching for a teacher. I can only imagine how many more there are across Kyonggi.

I give him names, but I'm having a hell of a time even getting an e-mail back to him because the stupid Korean e-mail system is now bouncing my non-hotmail and Yahoo e-mails.

Beggers can't be choosers. Kyonngi is trying to be a beggar and a chooser.

My co-workers have not signed up with our school yet, and our director is starting to show some signs of spazzing. They cut out all but 2 weeks of our vacation in our contracts (from 3 1/2 months last year) and they just expect us to "take" it? I talked to the chairman (I like him very much) and was assured I'll still have the same vacation next year, and that it's just done to satisfy Kyoongi's contract rules. I had no problems telling the head of the English staff that I'd be submitting my resignation part-way through the year if they choose to renig on this promise to me. And I will. I'll just go home and start my Masters Degree earlier.

Just get ready, guys. School starts March 1, and if you think schools are advertising now, just wait. They'll either have to offer more (being Korean, they won't) or they'll have to hire whatever they can find at the last minute.

That will make next year very interesting. I heard a few funny stories about "difficulties" with teachers at other schools last year.

I just laugh and think, "You get what you pay for, Kyonngi. If you tighten the screws on teachers, they're gonna tighten the screws on what they'll do by contract. You'll only get nit-picky teachers who don't view this job as any better than a hagwon."

[crazylemongirl]

I teach in Gyeonggi do and my job conditions are slightly better than GEPIK. I teach same amount of hours during term time. However I negotiated a cap on my vacation classes. 14 in the summer, and 15 in the winter. The vacation classes themselves are half days. I teach two 90 minute classes and go home at 12.30. That leaves me a vacation of just over 2 weeks in the summer and over a month in the winter.

My school has been flying low and trying to avoid the GEPIK/Gyeonggi Do stuff. I'm the first teacher that they've had that has done a few extra duties (club class and drama coaching), speaks a bit of korean, and generally gets along with people. My vice princpal wants me to stay for four or five years but I said probably only one more year.

I recommended to them that when I leave they don't go through GEPIK nor a recuriter and hire directly. However if they want to get quality people then they are going to have make sure that either pay them or give them good vacations. Otherwise they will have trouble filling the position. Perhaps a lesson to be learnt from the powers that be.

I see that Seoul has a GEPIK style programme. Crazy things in that contract include a 500k secutiry deposit and a 2 month notice period if you resign and if you there is no letter of release if you resign. YIKES!

[Derrek]

I'm not on GEPIK either. That's for the Public schools. Mine is Private. I think my school is still trying to "do it's own thing" with the Kyonngi money simply because we are Private. There's a lot of rivalry going on over how much the gov't can control the Private schools, and I think this is just one more issue where they prefer to keep some control.

Good for me, if it lasts.

My conditions are better than GEPIK too, however they are whittling away at the differences each year.

[Grotto]

The problem with the schools now days is that GEPIK is sticking its big fat incompetent nose into everyones business.

As the money for foreign teachers comes from the government they want to put thier chains on all schools that accept their cash.

One of the biggest problem with negotiating with GEPIK is that the teachers need to provide a united group and stand firm of some of the issues. 95% of the teachers are spineless jellyfish who refuse to make any kind of stand. There is no consensus so there is no progress.

Another problem is that each school has different rules, different expectations, different contracts(thats within GEPIK)

Winter camp
Some teachers taught 2 classes a day and went home at noon.
Some teachers taught 4 classes a day and went home at 1:30
Some teachers taught 4 classes a day and went home at 4:30

They definately need to get their dung together!

[Derrek]

I will teach 2 weeks of Winter break beginning in a few weeks. Then regular school starts March 1.

If it stays as-is, I will teach 2 hours per day. At least that's what I think my director said (although his English is much better than my Korean, he kind of talks like Porky-pig).

I've been on a break that's lasted well over 1 1/2 months. I'm bored and ready to go back to work!

[jajdude]

I had one or two offers working at public schools that sounded good, but I didn't go for it. I didn't like the idea of 30-40 kids in a class. And I have heard the materials you must use are really bad. But the hours sounded OK, and all else considering, maybe it could be better than many hagwon deals.

I just preferred to go with the devil I already know.

[Zyzyfer]

There are still a few out there. I'm pretty sure my old school is following the same system as they were when I was there, which is pretty much what CLG described. 6 weeks of vacation a year (which is plenty). The only problem with the place is that the curriculum doesn't exist.

[paperbag princess]

one public school offered me the worst contract i've ever seen before! another one i should be signing after the holiday and it's AWESOME!!! *knock on wood* after the crap i went through in the hagwon system, this looks GREAT!!

[Daechidong Waygookin]

[JacktheCat]

I've just spent the past week researching and following up regular school system job offers in the general Seoul area and this is what I've found if anyone is interested. Part 1

As has been mentioned here before Gyeonggi do province has instituted new rules regarding foreign teachers employed in schools that accept government money. These appear to be iron clad rules with various threats of funds being cut off if schools don't fall in line. These news rules fall into three general areas.

One, vacations. Foreign teachers are to have no more than two weeks vacation, one week in the summer and one week in the winter. At all other times during the school breaks the foreign teacher must be physically present at the school. Gyeonggi do officals will be doing spot checks to insure this is being enforced.

Two, new pay schedule. 1.7 million for bachelors, 1.9mil for bachelors plus 2 years experience or bachelors plus TESOL, 2.2mil for masters or bachelors plus TESOL and two years experience; all for 22 contracted 50min classes a week. Overtime set at 20k a class. Interestingly there is no provision for raises in the new Gyeonggi pay schedule.

Three, higher qualifications for foreign teachers. [this one still under consideration, final decisions not made yet. Was told that Gyeonggi do wants all foreign teachers to have educational degrees and\or TESOL certificates. Will be in place maybe next year.]

[Derrek]

Sorry to jump on your game, Jack, but I want to pass this along for others ASAP:

Schools are now desperate and are offering "signing bonuses" of 500,000 to 1,000,000 won out of their own pockets to fill these Kyonngi jobs.

This is up and above from the "settlement" money given to people for signing on the first time.

Demand it!

[Grotto]

The Korean government is just going to drive away teachers from these public school positions. While they are not a bad as hogwans but the work load is alot more.

[JacktheCat]

Findings, Part 2.

There are a LOT of public school jobs out there right now. Seems the new Gyeonggi do regulations are scaring away a lot of the qualified job applicants and schools have been unable to fill their openings. As the regular school semester starts in less than three weeks they are becoming a bit desperate.

While unable to budge on the basics, pay and vacation, due to Gyeonggi do's new rules, the schools are offering a lot incentives such as bonus, moving allowance, and bigger apartment, out of their own budgets.

The high school which I will probably sign with has offered me a 500k signing bonus, a 500k movement allowance, and big, brand new apartment.

Even though the new Gyeonggi do rules suck *beep*, they are still miles better than a hagwon job. Just less so then before.