Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cfedora]

Hey folks,
Does anyone have any input on finding a good job in Seoul? I have read some reviews on Hagwons vs public schools, and it seems like there are pros and cons for both. I want to get some input from you guys on where you work, and maybe if there are any free spots for January. I have sifted through the job postings on this page, but it's really hard to tell which ones are legit and which ones aren't. Any help would be great.

Cheers,

Chris

[Hater Depot]

If you don't have teaching and *especially* classroom management experience, it is best to have your first job in a hagwon, where the class sizes will be 10 -- 20% the size. Korean kids are generally much more rowdy than western kids the same age. I was initially overwhelmed by my middleschoolers even though I'd been managing similar class sizes of kindergarteners in the States.

The trade-off is that finding a good hagwon is difficult. Just try to avoid red flags -- such as not letting you speak with the previous or current foreign teachers.

[cfedora]

I lived in Japan as an exchange student in high school, and those kids are rowdy, so I can imagine what the Korean kids are like. I am an engineer, but I have had experience teaching kids before, when I was a camp leader back home in Nova Scotia. I am not too worried about the kids, I am more concerned about the working environment and the company. I am leaning toward the Hagwon thing for sure, but they are harder to sift through to find the good ones.

[jajdude]