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Korean Job Discussion Forums "The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
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jinju
Joined: 22 Jan 2006
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Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 6:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Karabeara wrote: |
It could be that more teachers are coming, but not as many as would be coming, if Korea weren't blasted so much on the internet. I happen to enjoy it here, overall. If I was in a bad situation, my feelings would certainly be different.
Another thing to think about....
What would happen if Korea suddenly decided to end the public school experiment? A flood of teachers and lower pay at hagwons? |
If that happened, who knows. A flood of teachers for sure. I would probably try to find 2 hagwons to fill in the time between 7 am and 6 pm and then do privates on top of it. But it would suck big time. |
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ttompatz

Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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| MixtecaMike wrote: |
We have been offering 1.9 and haven't found anyone in over 3 months. It's a decent hagwon, most of our teachers have re-signed (not resigned), but is is in a smallish town. We are not fussy about age, color, sex, and as time goes on even experience becomes unimportant.
It's not up to me to offer more money, but I guess the owner will have to soon, as we will be in serious straits if any teachers leave.
As a side note, I seriously wonder how many of those 2.4 jobs really exist, as nearly all ads for them are from recruiters. Hell, if you're happy with your salary I think you are getting paid enough. If not, then see what else you can do.
Good luck Dysupes, but I think it is now as much luck as anything else for the out-of-Seoul schools in looking for a new teacher. |
I work in Kwangju not in Seoul and I get 2.4m for my base salary and 20k won for each additional class. I wouldn't even glance at an offer that was still offering 1.8-2.0. |
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jinju
Joined: 22 Jan 2006
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Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| MixtecaMike wrote: |
We have been offering 1.9 and haven't found anyone in over 3 months. It's a decent hagwon, most of our teachers have re-signed (not resigned), but is is in a smallish town. We are not fussy about age, color, sex, and as time goes on even experience becomes unimportant.
It's not up to me to offer more money, but I guess the owner will have to soon, as we will be in serious straits if any teachers leave.
As a side note, I seriously wonder how many of those 2.4 jobs really exist, as nearly all ads for them are from recruiters. Hell, if you're happy with your salary I think you are getting paid enough. If not, then see what else you can do.
Good luck Dysupes, but I think it is now as much luck as anything else for the out-of-Seoul schools in looking for a new teacher. |
I work in Kwangju not in Seoul and I get 2.4m for my base salary and 20k won for each additional class. I wouldn't even glance at an offer that was still offering 1.8-2.0. |
ESPECIALLY in a smallish town. How do they want to compete with Seoul or some larger cities? |
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marcus

Joined: 12 Sep 2005
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Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 12:35 am Post subject: |
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There you hit it right on. The OP seemed to think they could pay less because it's a small town far from Seoul. I think the town was even referred to as the "boonies". The boonies in any country suck. There'd have to be a sweet deal if I was going to subject myself to Korea's boonies. That's probably going to go for most people.
The danger of pulling people in for so cheap is that they're either incompetent or will leave when they realize what a bad contract they got. |
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SPINOZA
Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul
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Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 2:38 am Post subject: |
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| marcus wrote: |
There you hit it right on. The OP seemed to think they could pay less because it's a small town far from Seoul. I think the town was even referred to as the "boonies". The boonies in any country suck. There'd have to be a sweet deal if I was going to subject myself to Korea's boonies. That's probably going to go for most people.
The danger of pulling people in for so cheap is that they're either incompetent or will leave when they realize what a bad contract they got. |
You're absolutely right. For some reason people seem to think Seoul ought to mean more money. It's the other way round. The higher expense in Seoul - and I'm not even convinced of that for basic goods that a teacher buys - doesn't matter a jot. More people want to work in Seoul, therefore the money needn't be as high as you might think. Contrarily, the "boonies" suck (I agree), and only someone with a mightily high threshold for boredom wants to go there, thus the salaries are higher, or ought to be. |
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jacl
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
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Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 5:05 am Post subject: |
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That's the impression I got. The only exception is Jeju Island where I've seen and heard of lower salaries because, supposedly, it's cheaper to live there and you can save more money. Maybe also because it's some sort of resort. To me, that's a joke though. Jeju Do. Big deal. Too much of a pain to see the rest of Korea or go to the closest big city. I think some are under the impression that if it's difficult to go anywhere then you can save more and a lower salary is justifiable. That's just stupid though. It's a pain in the ass to get anything accomplished in your day-to-day life like getting your driver's license, buying the foods that you want, getting furniture, etc.
Some things are more expensive in more remote areas. Even real estate can be on par in some locations. Yes, you have less recreational things to spend on, but once in a while you have to get the hell out of Dodge and spend money or else you'll go crazy. |
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Unreal
Joined: 01 Jul 2004 Location: Jeollabuk-do
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Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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From my experience, 1.8 is too much for a warm body while a good teacher should command at least 2.4. The use of a certain number (such as 2.0 million) as a standard is ridiculous as it rewards poor teachers while chasing away the good ones who know they deserve more.
I taught at a hagwon a few years ago and the employers were great. We had a great group of 3 foreign teachers and a ton of students. Since then, the school had a couple more good teachers, then a string of crappy ones, three of whom had to be fired or demanded more money for doing a mediocre job (they gave into the demand for more money but the teaching quality then dropped and the teacher soon left anyway). Now the school is dead and has no foreign teacher. They are going to wait until September to hire a former teacher because they are tired of being burned and know what to expect with him.
Teachers are the ones working on the front lines. A good teacher or two can completely change the atmosphere of a school and draw more students. A bad one is not worth the effort and can cause more damage than good. |
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Thunndarr

Joined: 30 Sep 2003
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Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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Hagwon owners think that when the school is doing good, it's because of their management style, not due to the quality of the teachers. Therefore, the teachers do not deserve a raise. So, when the school is doing well, the quality of the teacher is irrelevant.
However, when the school is doing bad, it's not because of shoddy management, it's because of bad teachers. The teachers are then blamed for not working hard enough, or giving enough homework, or being entertaining enough, etc.
So, in the hagwon owners mind, there is no real reason to give a raise to good teachers (since they have no effect on student enrollment) and every reason to fire bad teachers (since they have a disastrous effect on student enrollment.)
Logic 101 has defeated Local Hagwon Owner in duel to the death! |
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jinju
Joined: 22 Jan 2006
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Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Thunndarr wrote: |
Hagwon owners think that when the school is doing good, it's because of their management style, not due to the quality of the teachers. Therefore, the teachers do not deserve a raise. So, when the school is doing well, the quality of the teacher is irrelevant.
However, when the school is doing bad, it's not because of shoddy management, it's because of bad teachers. The teachers are then blamed for not working hard enough, or giving enough homework, or being entertaining enough, etc.
So, in the hagwon owners mind, there is no real reason to give a raise to good teachers (since they have no effect on student enrollment) and every reason to fire bad teachers (since they have a disastrous effect on student enrollment.)
Logic 101 has defeated Local Hagwon Owner in duel to the death! |
Not only that, but this idiotic thinking is now defeating them, period. People are not sining up to teach at hagwons. Those who can usually sign at public schools or universities. hagwons are stuck with the newbies and those who couldnt get better jobs. Basically, the crap the hagwon owners put people through is coming back to bite them in the ass. Teachers with experience and skill are leaving the hagwon system en masse. |
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buymybook
Joined: 21 Feb 2005 Location: Telluride
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Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 7:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Unreal wrote: |
From my experience, 1.8 is too much for a warm body while a good teacher should command at least 2.4. The use of a certain number (such as 2.0 million) as a standard is ridiculous as it rewards poor teachers while chasing away the good ones who know they deserve more.
I taught at a hagwon a few years ago and the employers were great. We had a great group of 3 foreign teachers and a ton of students. Since then, the school had a couple more good teachers, then a string of crappy ones, three of whom had to be fired or demanded more money for doing a mediocre job (they gave into the demand for more money but the teaching quality then dropped and the teacher soon left anyway). Now the school is dead and has no foreign teacher. They are going to wait until September to hire a former teacher because they are tired of being burned and know what to expect with him.
Teachers are the ones working on the front lines. A good teacher or two can completely change the atmosphere of a school and draw more students. A bad one is not worth the effort and can cause more damage than good. |
My first contract ended after 3 months in Daegu. I didn't know to fight and moved to Seoul to work. I had never taught English before moving to Seoul and began working with another Foreign Teacher. We worked in a little dive which was shared with a Math Hagwon. I assume we did well enough and the owner decided to move into a bigger and better place where the students/teachers could defecate in a private restroom as opposed to a public. The owners hired Korean teachers and a front desk supervisor. Those people soon quite and others were hired.
My contract was soon to end. In hindsight, I think my employer wanted to avoid confrontation and/or negotiation, so they tried to learn about my future intentions in another way. I honestly did not know what I would do, whether to sign another 1 year contract or not? I think the owner with the help of the front desk supervisor connected me with a supposed foreigner who was supposedly interested in a job. This person was supposedly going to replace the foreign teacher who they recently fired(later learned in civil court, "illegally fired"). My conversation with the so-called foreign teacher who was interested in work was simple.
I suspect the Foreigner translated the conversation as negative which was totally subjective(NEVER OFFER INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL, YOU ARE A TEACHER NOT A MANAGER). Soon after my conversation with the foreign teacher I was fired "illegally." My former employer was ordered to pay me almost $6,000.
The case is pending/under appeal. According to the Judge, the foreign Teacher who I worked with was also fired illegally. I don't really care about the other foreign teacher since she had moved back home(didn't fight like most of the little puppy dog foreigners) and wasn't part of my counter-lawsuit. But, it might mean something to someone else!
WARM BODIES ARE NOT NECESSARILY BAD, THEY COULD POSSIBLY BE ABLE AND/OR TRUSTWORTHY!
I AM A GOOD TEACHER WHO CONTINUES TO IMPROVE!
NEVER TRUST A FOREIGN TEACHER(EXPERIENCED OR NOT), AS WELL AS THE KOREAN WORKFORCE!
Last edited by buymybook on Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:23 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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laogaiguk

Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea
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Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:16 pm Post subject: |
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| buymybook wrote: |
NEVER TRUST A FOREIGN TEACHER, AS WELL AS THE KOREAN WORKFORCE! |
Wait a minute, how can I trust you then  |
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MixtecaMike

Joined: 24 Nov 2003 Location: 3rd Largest Train Station in Korea
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Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:26 pm Post subject: |
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| ttompatz wrote: |
| I work in Kwangju not in Seoul and I get 2.4m for my base salary and 20k won for each additional class. I wouldn't even glance at an offer that was still offering 1.8-2.0. |
You and everyone else.
For a person who likes smaller towns the job is fine. Before we used to get applicants who were a little older or not white enough for many hagwons. However this year there haven't even been any of those who were seriously interested. We had to rearrange classes a bit and didn't open as many new classes when school started this year to cover the shortfall.
Still, it's not up to me to offer more money.  |
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buymybook
Joined: 21 Feb 2005 Location: Telluride
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Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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| laogaiguk wrote: |
| buymybook wrote: |
NEVER TRUST A FOREIGN TEACHER, AS WELL AS THE KOREAN WORKFORCE! |
Wait a minute, how can I trust you then  |
We don't work together so you don't have to trust me. It's your choice! Even if we worked together you wouldn't have to trust me. That is the point.
However, that wasn't the jist of the post. The jist was that warm bodies could be able bodies, capable of doing the job. |
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laogaiguk

Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea
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Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:29 pm Post subject: |
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| buymybook wrote: |
| laogaiguk wrote: |
| buymybook wrote: |
NEVER TRUST A FOREIGN TEACHER, AS WELL AS THE KOREAN WORKFORCE! |
Wait a minute, how can I trust you then  |
We don't work together so you don't have to trust me. It's your choice! Even if we worked together you wouldn't have to trust me. That is the point.
However, that wasn't the jist of the post. The jist was that warm bodies could be able bodies, capable of doing the job. |
I was JOKING Hence the  |
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