Korean Job Discussion Forums

cj1976 · Joined: 26 Oct 2005

I handed my notice in a few weeks ago and was told only on Friday to be out of my apartment by May 5th. This leaves me with very little time to score a decent job. This time round though, I'm determined not to work with elementary and middle-school kids because they drive me mad!
I actually did the CELTA course before I came here and I haven't used any of the skills at all, mainly because the kids in my hagwon are little ****s!
The CELTA course is aimed at teaching adults and I would love to find a suitable gig here in Korea.
Does anyone know of any recruiter that deals exclusively with adult education?

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

I suggest contacting Pagoda directly. They're the biggest (I think) of the chains that deal with adults. They have branches everywhere, so there is a chance you could get on right away.

cj1976 · Joined: 26 Oct 2005

Wrench · Joined: 07 Apr 2005

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

I love them. They have a hissy fits occasionaly, but then come to me after and apologize (on their own). Or they randomly come into my room and give me half their chocolate bar or chips. They'll clean my room if they see it's messy without me asking (though some kids are assigned to clean it two times a week). I could go on...
Children are pretty adept. They tend to figure out when people don't like them. Some people are good with children, most aren't Wink

Same goes for pretty much any skill though.
Don't know where I am going with this, just want to say children are wonderful.

jacl · Joined: 31 Oct 2005

Depends where you are. I had a short-lived gig (long, boring story) in the Seoul area. They were arseholes. Especially the middle school kids.

Korean kids are angels compared to Chinese kids.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

I think jacl has a good point. Some kids in some schools are great. They are often nicer in smaller town. For some reason I get the feeling a lot of schools in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi do, have a lot of brats, but this is just a tenuous feeling and a generalization on my part.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

There are plenty of adult academies but it's difficult to find a job with no split shifts. Middle schoolers are a lot different at a real school and high school kids are wonderful (at an academic school - industrial schools can be a different story). I hear what you're saying about the really little ones.

VanIslander · Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 3:01 pm Post subject:

I'm the opposite.

Oh sure, I did the CELTA too, and haven't used the pair- and group-work procedures from it much (though the student-centred principles and basic skill set have been useful - and definitely it would help if i taught classes with thirty or forty students, like in public schools, which i don't).

But I love teaching the kids in hagwons! Ten or less students per class, lots of energy, and a willingness to put out extreme effort and show real progress for the glory of victory, or the earning of stickers, or to reach game time or just for the fun of it!

It's the adult classes I dread. Even the celta trainers said that Korean and Japanese adults aren't as responsive to the celta method in their experiences, and such students have a reputation for it (resistance to student-centred group work is only part of the reason).

So good luck teaching adults in Korea.

I dumped adult students altogether by taking a children-only position recently. And I already breathe much easier because of it!

To each their own.

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

I hate teaching kids when: the school doesn't provide the necessary resources, but still expects positive results.

I don't mind teaching kids when: the school doesn't provide the necessary resources, but leaves me alone to do what I will. The only expectation they have is that I show up for class.

I love teaching kids when: the school provides the necessary resources and is open to allowing teachers to develop their own style, materials etc.

There is nothing worse (in my opinion) than facing a class that refuses to particpate, pay attention etc, because they hate the book, but the boss refuses to allow me to do anything other than 'THE FRIGGIN' BOOK'! He won't even let me bring a pop song in once in a while...........wtf?

Still, there are good and bad classes. There are some classes where I would be better off to just let them play cards because they are not going to do anything anyway. I suppose I could work myself into an early grave trying to discipline these groups, but in the end, it's way more stressful on me than it is on them. So I have to conclude that it's just not worth it.

You have to balance the good with the bad, if it turns out that there are more bad than good, perhaps you should move on.

periwinkle · Joined: 08 Feb 2003

Privateer · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Location: Easy Street.

It's amazing how kids' behaviour can vary from one dong to another even right next to it. They can be a polite, studious, shy bunch at one school, then your director sends you to another school just a couple of streets away and they are howling little beasts. It's a lottery I tells ya.

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

PRagic · Joined: 24 Feb 2006

Avoid all recruiters at all costs, especially if you are already in-country. Universities are hiring now, so even if you don't have your MA, I'd say rent a room somewhere or crash with a friend and start applying. You never know, and it beats working slave labour at the institutes.

braunshade · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Location: Somewhere better!

I think it is wonderful that there are lots of different teaching opportunities here in Korea but I still do not understand HOW you all get another job since the school you are currently at owns your visa.....

Do they ALL withhold a big chunk of your last monts salary before they gove you a letter of release?