Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Panda_Dude]

What would be a better environment for a beginning teacher to work in? A Hagwon or a public school?

What are the general advantages of each?

(And please, lets avoid the subject of bad bosses, contract issues, and so on... That subject seems to have been beaten to death when I look at older threads. Let us keep this to general teaching environment in the classroom).

[tommynomad]

I've only worked in one of the two: the dreaded haggie. I think if you're a teacher, interested in education and wanting to improve your own skills, a public school would be superior. But that's based only on my experience with hagwons as money-mills. Though I've seen excellent public-school classes at work, maybe someone who has actually taught in public schools can enlighten you as to the situation there.

Good luck.

[tzechuk]

Don't work in a hagwon unless you have an escape plan!!!!

I've helped a friend at a hagwon, so she treated me well, but I doubt I would want to work in a hagwon ever again. The kids there were not at all interested in learning. They had to be there because their parents forced them to go... most of the kids were decent but they were clearly bored and didn't want to learn... and you get a few kids who were rude and didn't listen to a thing you say and just being disruptive generally.

I am pretty sure that working in a hagwon will shorten your life span by a few years.

[schwa]

I'm glad I had hagwon experience before I signed on with a public school.

Way smaller classes, for one thing. Learning to teach for me was a trial & error process -- better I should inflict my errors on a smaller audience! Also affords the chance to get to know students a bit more individually, what makes them tick, which is really useful later in planning & directing a class of 40.

You might find adjusting to living here easier working in a hagwon too. If you choose the job carefully & have a few pleasant expat coworkers, you can learn the ropes of Korean culture at a comfortable pace.

At a public school, youre likely the sole foreigner & there'll be expectations that you blend in & teach well from the get-go. You'll need to be a very quick study on matters of large classroom management & maybe more importantly the do's & dont's of Korean office interaction. All in all a bit daunting for a new expat without teacher training.

But doable certainly. I've known a fair number who started with public schools. The happiest & most successful among them I would characterize as self-confident, flexible self-starters with a sense of humor.

But generally I do think you'd find teaching in a hagwon first to be a less-stressful way of easing into the game.

[Saxiif]

As a newbie I'd go with a public school since they're probably not going to blatantly rip you off. There are good hagwons out there (I love mine) but as a newbie its too much of a crap shoot, especially since you don't have any experience in working here and don't really know what you're looking for.

[peppermint]

Assuming you find a decent hagwon, I'd say that's a better environment for someone new to the country and new to teaching.

-It's much easier to learn classroom management skills when you've got ten kids to work with, than when you've got 40.

- Chances are at a hagwon you'll have English speaking co workers who can help you adjust, show you around etc. At the public school that's far from a given. It can be very isolating.

- Most public schools aren't used to having a foreign teacher and that can make matters a lot more complicated. They'll often expect the teachers to know all about the visa process etc.

I worked hagwons for two years, before taking a public school gig, so I can see it from both sides. I had a full on baptism of fire at the public school and I'd suspect I would've ended up crying under the desk If I hadn't had a few years of teaching experience behind me.

[adventureman]

..

[zappadelta]

Yea, I totally agree with Peppermint and Schwa. I am currently teaching at a public school, but I had 2 years of training and whatever you want to call it at a hagwon. Public school is tough, teaching 40 kids. I wouldn't be able to handle it I don't think without that hagwon experience.

[Panda_Dude]

Another question that is related is what about study materials related to each institution? Generally, I would assume public schools to have teaching material and that Hagwons rely on the FT to make up his own curriculum.

Also, do Hagwons have grading/quizing?

[Saxiif]

[Homer]

Pros and cons for both types of jobs.

Hakwons (contrary to board information) are not all bad (far from it).

A good hakwon job can be an excellent start for a teacher as classroom management is done on a smaller scale.

Also, there will be other foreign teachers there.

Public schools (the two I worked at) mean more holidays (but not always) but a completely different classroom dynamic.
It means bigger classes and sometimes that you will be the only foreign teacher there (in the smaller schools).

They key (and sorry to repeat this) is too inform yourself and talk with teachers on staff before making a decision.

[Homer]

Pros and cons for both types of jobs.

Hakwons (contrary to board information) are not all bad (far from it).

A good hakwon job can be an excellent start for a teacher as classroom management is done on a smaller scale.

Also, there will be other foreign teachers there.

Public schools (the two I worked at) mean more holidays (but not always) but a completely different classroom dynamic.
It means bigger classes and sometimes that you will be the only foreign teacher there (in the smaller schools).

They key (and sorry to repeat this) is too inform yourself and talk with teachers on staff before making a decision.


You should also avoid/ignore statements such as:

"All hakwons are bad"
"Public schools are all great"
or vice versa.

[turtlepi1]

I worked at a "good" hagwon - except for one thing...(can anyone guess what it was)

My fiance works at one of the better GEPIK schools.

If it weren't for the one problem I would have put my job over her job any day of the week.

(unfortunately, the one thing, was the one thing you can't over look for more than a couple of months.)

(and is a problem you won't encounter in the public school system)

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[FUBAR]