Korean Job Discussion Forums

[xtchr]

My Epik Supervisor asked me yesterday if I would be renewing my contract in September. Just another double standard - they have trouble organising things (and informing me) more than an hour in advance, and yet they demand to know from me what I'm doing in EIGHT MONTHS time.

Maybe they do some planning after all.

[livinginkorea]

I'm teaching camp in my school now and I'm off at 12.20 everyday. If I wouldn't be allowed to go early then I would bring a book or chat on messanger. I didn't expect to be left off early actually but I'm grateful for it.

I feel sometimes that my co-teacher is working against me and not telling me about certain things but that has bitten her in the ass when the Kyojang gave out to her when she didn't tell me that we were having dinner.

Besides what do you expect? Of course some of the Korean teachers feel that we are taking their jobs and that we aren't qualified (we are native speakers!) so some problems are expected. I'm in GEPIK by the way and it is better than my previous hagwon experiences but that all depends on what your co-teacher/kyojang/kyogam/school etc is life.

Mostly, I believe it depends on what you are like. If you are a push over then you will be pushed around. Of course you can't always be fighting with them but pick the battles that are important to you. If it's worth fighting for then show them how they have broken the contract, shout at them, generally throw a hissy fit, correct their English (esp. the co-teacher in class) and show them how difficult you can make their life.

Don't be easy to them. You make it difficult for all of us.

[Demophobe]

I am a very happy pseudo-gepiker.

I am doing a gepik job, but was hired privately by 2 country schools. The contract is the same, but the principals are basically in control of what happens, and they are very, very cool.

I was going to enter gepik 2 times, but the schools were just too good to pass up for what was previously mentioned; a lottery-type school positioning. I just don't like those kind of surprises.

My schools are talking of a long-term contract now..I will be happy to do it. Once the schools figure out who you are, what you expect and vice-versa, it's a real pro gig. I have no-co-teacher, nice vacations, treated with huge respect by students and staff, have beautiful school locations, new multi-media classrooms and a clear understanding of what is required of me. What else could I ask for? The money is good as well...rural location bonus, no housing bonus, level one, re-sign...it adds up.

[rok_the-boat]

If you want to take your vacation in school vacation time, tell them miles ahead about your 'proposed' trip, buy a ticket, be prepared to go and remain totally unconvinced by any counter argument. Buy your ticket way ahead of time, and when the time comes, go. I know two people who did this; they met initial resitance but it subsided. When they went back one said he was not sure if he had a job to go to but he just slipped right back into the scheme of things. There were no pay cuts in either case. I think each school tries to make its own rules and your stubborness can take you further than you think.

[antoniothegreat]

just a story to agree with the previous post, i planned a vacation about six months ago, asking if it was ok to leave jan 31 and return feb 25. the english chair said ok. now, two weeks ago the principal and vice-principal decided to have a mini camp feb 2-10. i told them of my plans, they were shocked of my plans but said just find a replacement.
i always try to do the nice thing before i butt heads just to keep things friendly, but i live in a small town and doubt one of the five other foreigners would be available. i told them this, they already scheduled the classes, but now they are just getting a korean teacher to teach them.
i always approach them with the attitude of "i want to help, but i can't, because..." it works wonders.

[Homer]

Yes they are.


They infiltrated the organization long ago and now...the sleeper cells are awake and implementing the master plan!

[livinginkorea]

I write everything down especially about holidays and give it to them signed. A copy goes to the kyojang, kyogam and my co-teacher. Giving them a written copy seems to be the only way that they understand and remember. If you tell them then they 1) might not understand eventhough they nod their head 2) simply forget as they are so busy looking busy.

[Blue Cheer]

I would like to get back to the OP. I think he was being a little cheeky and good for him. Cheekiness is an extremely desirable character trait. No one is trying to sabotage the Gepik program; it's just not very well organized or thought out. I think a more pertinent (and less cheeky) question would be, "Has the Gepik program been a success thus far?" In order to answer this question let's get to the what the goals of the Gepik program are - the publicly touted goals and the real goals. In looking through the Gepik literature it's clear there are three main objectives and they are;
1. Students will gain a better understanding of English (and feel confident in using English).
2. Foreign teachers will help the Korean teachers by showing them new and innovate methods of English language teaching.
3. Students will learn about Western culture and continue to want to learn about Western culture.

Success of Failure?

1. It's hard to tell if the kids are better off with a foreign teacher in the class. My students seem to be doing well but I have no idea if it's because of me or if they would perform at the same level if I wasn't there. Time will tell. Maybe some Epik folks can answer that one.
2. I've been in the Gepik program from the beginning and so far hardly any of my suggestions have met with a positive response. I have to plead for at least a few months for changes to be made. In the end, it doesn't seem to matter that I have more teaching experience and pieces of paper than the majority of my co-workers. I'm treated as if I just got out of teacher's college.
3. The "cultural ambassador card" must be played during interviews however it doesn't ever really work in the real world. Kids don't want to learn about a foreign teacher's culture, they want to learn about the foreign teacher. My presence in the classroom will never somehow help kids learn how to be more "culturally aware." I never really cared where my teachers were from, I cared if the teacher was good or not. One of my coolest teachers was from Egypt but I never wanted to check out the pyramids.

Now, onto the real objective of the Gepik program. The ministry of education has put billions of won into various English programs in effort to crush the hogwan system. They hoped that kids would stop going to hogwans if they were taught by foreigners in public school. I've been at my school for four semesters and all the kids who went to hogwans before me are still going to hogwans (this seems to be true at all schools). Gepik and all of the other programs have not met their real objective yet and they won't unless somehow the ministry of education could get parents to stop being as status orientated as they are now. The whole hogwan explosion is all about status. If the ministry really wanted to make public education more respected in the eyes of the Korean population they should really concentrate on some of the core problems and not on sideshow things like English language education.
As for my personal opinion of Gepik. Teaching at a public school has been much more rewarding for me than teaching at a hogwan. I've learned that I really dig kids(more than adults) and I can be a really good teacher under the right circumstances. In saying this I must also be honest; I mailed my resume to an international school today and will spend the next few weeks praying for a reply.

Sorry for the long winded post, my first time on here.

[Demophobe]

Great post, Blue Cheer! Sums it all up fairly well for me as well...a few asides.

The hakwon-crushing GEPIK machine is only in first gear, but I think it will take off relatively soon, thus my gaining a foothold. I did find that paper does matter, at least on a more local level, if not in the interview/placement stage. Maybe just my experience, which actually seems to be one of the shortcomings/blessings of the program; a lot is up to your principal....a lot.

[schwa]