Korean Job Discussion Forums

Qinella · Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib

I ran into an English teacher today that said he owns his hagwon. I told him that my hours are 1pm-9pm and he cringed. He said I should be working 25 hours a week max. I did calculations and my classroom hours are indeed 25.5 hours, but with planning time, it works out to 40-45 hours a week.

Was his reaction appropriate? Am I being taken advantage of?

Also, how does overtime pay work? Anything over 40 hours? I've had to work on 2 out of 4 Saturdays since I've been here. Should I be compensated overtime for that?

Thanks for the help,
Qinella

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

Sounds like you've got a standard hagwon job, but many do 30 classroom hours. Prep is seldom paid for. The saturdays are unfortunate (check your contract) but they only constitute overtime if you overshoot your monthly contracted classroom hours.

TECO · Joined: 20 Jan 2003

What are you qualifications?
Where do you work - is there a lot of prep required?

Some of the big schools like NOVA, Berlitz have their own materials and once you learn them there is very little prep-time required.

I'd say 25 hours per week excluding any prep might be reasonable.

Qinella · Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib

Teufelswacht · Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Location: Land Of The Not Quite Right

peppermint · Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2005 4:21 am Post subject:

40 hours of classroom time is too much for most people, especially if you're new to teaching. That's probably what the teacher thought you meant. Once you get more comfortable with the kids, the material and the work, you'll find it takes less time to prepare.

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

A lot of hagwons are stipulating 'working hours, these days. They want you there for 8 hours every day. Whether you have a class or not. Whether your prep is done or not.

My first couple of jobs here were much more lenient. If classes were finished you could go home. 1 hour of prep was enough for each day. This would normally translate into a 7 hour working day. Good in any country and excellent for Korea where a 9 hour-a-day job is seen as easy money.

Often they just want you hanging around to give the place the 'right look' if parents drop in.

TECO · Joined: 20 Jan 2003

Yeah, that's a good point.

Depending on the school, you could be asked to stay on site whether you have classes or not. I have worked in schools, NOVA for example, where I had a 2 hour break and could not leave the premises. Supervisors would get us to make new materials or clean around the school, instead.

On the other hand, I've worked in schools that only asked us to be on site for class time. Any time between lessons we were allowed to go grab a coffee and read the paper or whatever.

Maybe you should bring this issue up the next time you negotiate a contract.

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

W.T.Carl · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

I seem to recall doing 50 teaching hours a week for a month or three due to a lack of teachers and a bumper crop of students. It burned us out big time, but the money it was VERY good. When they cut us down to 40, it seemed like a vaction.

poker player · Joined: 27 Sep 2004 Location: On the river

astroboyfan · Joined: 19 Apr 2005

I definitely think that 40+ hours without overtime is too much. I work 27, with little prep time (except intensive). I can leave the school whenever I am not working.

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

This semester I'm doing 20 hours a week and I barely have time to take a dump. If I was to do my base hours of 12 I'd have a little of free time to watch TV and do hapkido and read a little more.

Hanson · Joined: 20 Oct 2004

Beav, you've got a lot more on your plate than the average teacher, though.

30 hours a week for a hagwon job sounds about right to me...

I second what peppermint wrote.

Toby · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Location: Wedded Bliss

I do 17 hours a week, and an hour here is 45 minutes.

At 30k for 45 minutes, you do the maths.