Korean Job Discussion Forums

Snowkr · Joined: 03 Jun 2005

Thanks for the input. I suppose I should have expected it.

I really don't want to leave my school. The methods here are too good and I feel like I'm actually teaching... not entertaining. I'm fine with working 40 hours as it is a regular work week like back home... mon-fri 10-6 with a 70 minute break each day and half hour breaks during the day. Prep time is work and I spend over 1 hr a day preparing. Maybe this will change as I get more experienced with this school.

I am not the only foreign teacher. There is one other foreigner and one Korean teacher. No Korean is spoken here much to my surprise. I didn't believe my boss when he told me this but it's actually true. In fact, they're calling it ESL and many students here are actually immigrating to English countries in the future.

The pay is low, I know... 1.9, but I agreed to that amount... just not the hours. I know I will be working overtime (40+) eventually and I have no doubt that I will be compensated. I am however, already feeling worn out as teaching kids is exhausting.
I think the confusion came when I used a recruiter to get this job... and it was "sold" to me as being 30 hours... my contract states M-F but did not give exact hours. I was only told that I would finish at 6pm ... or 5:50 rather.

I agree... 10 minutes should be counted... that is most certainly no break time!

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

Qinella · Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib

Snowkr, you have the same confusion I experienced when I first arrived. Your contract probably stipulates 30 teaching hours. That does not include prep time. It's perfectly normal, afaik, for a hagwon teacher to spend 40 hours or so physically at the hagwon. I only teach roughly 25 hours a week, but I spend 40 hours or more there every week and still have a hard time squeezing all my planning and preperation into the spaces.

Think about your own teachers back home, and how much out-of-class time they spend, like grading papers and stuff. It's just part of the gig. Best of luck to you.

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

Good point. It was also a rude shock for me to find that my 30 teaching hours were spread from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. during my first contract here.

OP, you said that on the whole you were pretty happy with your situation, and so far you have every reason to be. Enjoy!

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

having a couple of breaks during the day is a decent deal...time to have dinner, relax, prep, go for a walk etc.

bosintang · Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 5:38 am Post subject:

You work Monday to Friday 10-6 with 30 classes? Surely you're not complaining? Confused

My first job I worked 44 teaching hours a week before I earned my petty overtime rate (and I often worked overtime), taught kindie to middle-school, and worked from 10am - 9pm. I simply didn't know any better.

denverdeath · Joined: 21 May 2005 Location: Boo-sahn

Snowkr · Joined: 03 Jun 2005

That's about right.

I feel like I came into this with the wrong idea and did not agree to these kind of hours but technically, I am not working overtime.

I teach only 2 real classes in the morning plus a 35 minute stint of preschool phonics and then I teach four 50 minute lessons in the afternoon. We usually get 70 minutes for lunch and I live 15 minutes away by foot. I finish at 6pm every evening so far and so no, I am not complaining.

The school is good. ...well managed and the kids never cease to amaze me by NOT speaking Korean.

I was a bit dissappointed with my schedule especially not having prep time figured in but I quickly got over it after reading some other posts. I have a lot of experience teaching kids and don't usually have to work from home unless I really want to.

Thanks to all for the input!

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

One thing at a lot of hagwons is that many Korean teachers spend 40 or 50 or sometimes even more hours per week at the office. And they accept things like late pay.

At many of those same hagwons you have employers unused to foreigners, unable to speak English, unaware of foreign cultures, and uncomprehending about what the foreigner sees as fair treatment.

Perhaps this is where many problems arise.

Snowkr · Joined: 03 Jun 2005

I'm sure this is all very true.

My boss was educated in Australia, has employed several foreign teachers and knows a good bit about how things work in the west. He seems quite reasonable. I like him well enough. I don't feel taken advantage of... yet.

People around this area (ft's) know who he is as well and seem to respect him. I still feel like the days are quite long but I know compared to many, my schedule is not bad at all! When I really sit down and crunch the numbers, I suppose I'm really only TEACHING 30 hours a week... but working much more.
In the states, it is much worse.

inkoreaforgood · Joined: 15 Dec 2003 Location: Inchon

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

Your schedule is quite nice. An hour break to go eat something...you are off at six you have another 30 minute break somewhere.

Many hogwans make you work from 2-8 or 2-9 etc without any breaks. Often 45 minute classes back to back then a 10 minute break to get ready for the next 90 minutes.

Consider yourself lucky. The days may be long but you get to sleep in, are off at a decent hour, seem to have a good boss.

These are all good things. No job is perfect.

Snowkr · Joined: 03 Jun 2005

I agree.

I wouldn't like the 2-9 thing. I've done it before in China. 10-6 is better. No weekend work is also nice.

Thanks to everyone for the advice.

matthews_world · Joined: 15 Feb 2003

Sounds like a typical vacation schedule to me. I'm surprised noone has picked up on this. He/she teaches kindy in the morning and vacation classes during the day. Schedule may change older kids go back to school.