Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dirtysoap]

after reading alot of posts i've come to the conclusion that hagwons suck. i'm thinking about going too teach in korea but i want to stay away from hagwons. but i don't have any experience teaching, so am i going to be stuck at one? or if i look hard enough, will i be able to find a high school or college that will hire me?

i also don't want to end up babysitting kids, i'd much rather teach adults. i got one offer to teach adults but i'd have to take split shifts. going to work at 6:30 am and back agian at 6pm sounds like hell to me. is this the norm for teaching adults?

one last thing, i've read alot of post about bad schools... if i have the bad luck of ending up in one, what's to stop me from leaving? i mean to another school, or just saying, "*beep* it, i'm going home." i mean if it's really bad and i want to go home, can't i just get a plane ticket and leave?

any advice is appreciated,
thanx

[GirlFromMars]

I wouldn't advise you to teach adults if you have no experience.

Adults pay for their courses so have different expectations than children (who don't have a choice about it).

They will probably have had many teachers before you and will compare you and your teaching style.

They are always looking to catch you out so you really need to know your grammar. They can be quite frustrating at times too.

Don't get me wrong, I've really enjoyed teaching adults but I knew what I was doing. However, I've never taught Korean adults so my experience may be slightly different.

Regarding hagwons, bear in mind, disgruntled people are more likely to post about it. There are many people in Korea who are really enjoying their hagwon experience, we just don't hear about it as much. Also it is a case of luck whether you get one of the better schools (your odds are greatly increased if you do your research before you go)

[Mody Ba]

I got a big chuckle out of the Girl Martian's statement that many people are enjoying hakwon teaching..."we just don't hear about it". If we "don't hear about it", how do any of us know "many are enjoying it"? By ESP or something?

Maybe SOME people are enjoying teaching at a hakwon.Most of them are poorly run,undercapitalized ripoffs.Some of the chain schools are adequately financed,,,but are still ripoffs.Sure,there are probably a FEW which are not ripoffs.Chances are they do not have many openings,because their teachers are generally satisfied and want to stay.

Dirtysoap,you do not mention your qualifications.That does have some bearing on the kind of job you might get.I would advise caution with ANY hakwon.Good luck . Do not believe everything they may tell you.They have been known to lie.

[GirlFromMars]

hey i was trying to make myself feel better

i've recently had BIG regrets about not trying for a uni position since i didn't realise a celta plus experience might qualify me without an ma

i do know people who genuinely enjoy it though, and none of them ever post here

maybe "many" was too strong a word... lol perhaps i should have said "at least 3"

GFM


edit: wanted to emphasise the size of my regrets

[Mody Ba]

I get your meaning. I just feel it is necesary to warn newbies about those "institutes" and...."academies" out there.....
Have a GOOD day,GFM.

[dirtysoap]

i didn't think about adults having more expectations... thanks, i'll keep that in mind. but i'm still wondering if i do teach adults, is my schedule going to be split shifts?

and i'm a recent grad with a BA in economics, with no esl certificates. so i'm assuming getting a job at a university is out of the question. but is working at a hagwon my only choice then?

[Son Deureo!]

Make that 4. I teach in a kiddie hogwon, and it's just fine. I wouldn't consider it my life's ambition, but I managed to get an OK gig. Reasonable hours, low hassle, and a decent apartment. I could do a lot worse either in Korea or back home.

As for the OP, usually teaching at an adult hagwon will require split shifts, it's pretty tough to get around that as adult class schedules generally have to be set around the work day. Faced with the choice between teaching kids and having a workday that starts at 6 a.m. and ends after 9 p.m., I'd rather teach kids.

As for hogwons being clip joints, I'd say most workplaces are at least tolerable. But GFM is right that you only hear the worst stories, but those stories are true. The worst can happen and it can happen to you.Be wary, and do your research as best you can before you get your job. Most importantly, try to get references if you're applying for a job from outside Korea. If you can, try to come to Korea to look for your job.

If you end up in a bad situation, yes you can buy a plane ticket and leave ("midnight run"), so as long as you don't mind leaving Korea you can quit your job any time you want. The problem comes if you want to quit your job, but stay in Korea. If you want to get another work visa, you have to convince either your current boss or Immigration to release you from your E2 visa. Without it, your only legal options are to stay at your hogwon or leave Korea.

If you come, make sure you have enough money to get yourself out in case you do end up in a bad situation.


Good luck, and try not to stress over the decision too much.

[Holyjoe]

[Mody Ba]

I will grant you that both "most' and poorly run" are realtive terms.I worked at three myself(but not at the same time )...poorly run.I have also had numerous(okay, about fifteen friends who have worked at a hakwon at one time or another)...reports almost exclusively negative.Plus you can read reports on Dave's(both Korean Discussion Section and Job Journal).

[Mody Ba]

Oh,you will get EXPERIENCE alright!Good times?Well,if you consider not getting paid or not getting paid on time "a good time"...maybe sharing with some other so-caled "teachers" in some ratty apartment a "good time".Yeah,haha,"let the good times roll!!!"

[Holyjoe]

I'm currently into my 16th month at the same hagwon and I can say in all honesty that I'm perfectly happy there. I've always been paid on time, my director pops up all the time with little 'extras' (50k when I went to Busan last year to watch a football match, 100k for my summer vacation, birthday presents etc) and my accommodation is great.

In fact, I'd reckon most of the foreign teachers in my area are happy with their schools. Only one guy complained about his place, and he's changed schools now and is happy. Hell, even the teachers at the Wonderland here are re-signing at the school so they must be doing something right!

[waterbaby]

Mody Ba likes to jump into newbie threads and warn them of the horrors of hakwons as he's safely ensconced (spelling?) in the EPIK program

I love my current hakwon. It's great! I have a lot of flexibility with my classes (books, etc.) and payment is never an issue - it's always on time or a day or so early

There are more of us teaching at hakwons than universities or public schools here, that's for sure. Just do your research before you come. post here about school names and look at sites like the www.hagwonreport.com and know that if you do take a hakwon job, there are support networks out there to get you out of a bad situation. A lot of it is hit and miss, a little luck and lot of listening to your gut instinct. Actually, make that a LOT of luck

Check out the EFL-Law site for legal and contract information.

Here are some threads to have a read through about teaching adults.

1. Are There Many Jobs Around That Teach Older Kids and Adults
2. Which Schools Specialize in Teaching Executives?
3. Teaching Adults
4. Overwhelmed By Information
5. If You Think Kids are Hard!

Edit 2 times in total to fix my poor BB coding

[GirlFromMars]

thanks to those who've shared their more positive experiences. one of the reasons i chose my hagwon was because the teachers there seemed happy, some have been there quite a while, another was in the process of extending her contract.

i still wish i'd thought about more about university but that's also because i now want to finish earlier in the day (at this school i'll finish at 10pm) and i have more experience with teenagers and adults. still the split shifts would kill me, i hate getting up too early.

kids are a bit scary but in a way i'm looking forward to something different, when things go well, teaching kids is meant to be very rewarding right?



GFM

[Homer]

Lets see:

1-no experience
2-just a basic degree not in Education or English

You will have to set realistic goals for yourself here. As a non-experienced new graduate you will probably end up with an "entry-level" teaching position. That is not so bad, most of us went through that.

Hagwons are NOT all bad and the point that was being made on here is quite valid. Its not because the people that are unhappy in THEIR schools are louder that ALL hagwons are bad. I worked in a couple of hagwons since I got here in 1997. For the most part they were good places to work at. Not perfect places but what place is perfect? You can get a god job at a hagwon and be happy there. You can also get a bad hagwon, then again you can also end up in a bad situation at EPIK or at a university job.

As for split shifts, teaching adults you will most likely be stuck with the kind of spilts you mentionned. I taught adults for 2 of the years that I have been here and I found it to be less fun then teaching kids. But, thats a personal choice. GFM said it best: adults are a different clientele and you have to be ready when you step in the classroom. then again, you also have to be ready when you step into a kids classroom! They are just different kinds of preparations.

Its up to you to apply either to adults or kids schools but your conclusion that " hagwons suck" should perhaps be revised and given some perspective as a) you have not even worked one day in one, b) are not even in Korea and c) Are basing your judgement of hagwons on this board alone (or so it seems).

[charpet]

This might sound like a stupid question to most of you, but what exactly is the definition of a Hagwon? Seen the word a thousand times here but I don't exactly know what it is. thanks