Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Sphinx]

My principal has just notified me that I'm required to attend a teacher training conducted by the government education office. Sounds pretty weird. He says it's mandatory by law, or the school will be fined with a 15-day closure. Anyone ever heard of such a thing?

[kangnamdragon]

There is no law like that, unless maybe if you actually work for the government.

[Sphinx]

Teachers, if you have been here for a year or three, you can really help me out by just saying "I've never had to do a education office mandatory teacher's training--never heard of it". Please let me know, if you peruse this message. I'm teaching at a hagwon, by the way ...Blessings to y'all.
Sphinx

[The Bobster]

Okay, here's your help ...

I, The Bobster, have worked in hakwons in and around Seoul for nearly 4 years and I have never had to go to any workshops that were mandatory, not required by law and only once required by the franchise of my hagwon (and after I complained to our boss that the people downtown were rude to us by keeping us an hour into lunch and then breaking their promise to provide said lunch, my boss has never spoken of such workshops to me again).

If there is something the govt is requiring your school to do it must be in the way of recompense for some past infractions by that school - this is pure speculation on my part because I've never heard of any such thing ever happening before.

Just wondering, would it kill you to go? You might learn something, stranger things have happened, and even if not you might meet some other teachers or some Koreans who could be interesting or useful to you. Just an idea.

[Sphinx]

Thanks for the reply
The "training" is on a Saturday, and I'm not into it. I've been flexible at times but I need to be a bit firm on this one...It just sounds bogus,and no info [when, where, is it in English, how many hours--you get the picture] is forthcoming from the principal......
Peace

[jamesH]

Wouldn't that be a course run by Epiks who work in the Teacher training centres... who don't work saturdays anyway? (almost blind leading the blind) (no offence )

[schwa]

Gangwon province has a yearly obligatory saturday workshop for foreign hakwon teachers. Nothing very useful happens, but I do understand there are repercussions for hakwons that dont participate.