Korean Job Discussion Forums

Benbby · Joined: 06 Feb 2006

This board does not seem to have much discussion regarding teaching adults in Korea. Is anyone doing it out there?

I am in Seoul looking for an ESL position at present teaching adults and I learned accomodation is not provided by many schools and the pay isn't great. I was offered 2 million for split shifts, single apt etc. The hagwan wants me to teach from 6:00 -7:00 am, then for another hour in the morning MWF, then 4:30 to about 9:30 pm M-F. Long hours, is this the norm regarding adults?

Some of you seem to have better gigs teaching elem and high school.

poet13 · Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 2:50 am Post subject:

I cannot imagine teaching both so early in the AM and so late in the PM. If you enjoy a social night life, it could be an invitation to disaster....starting late, getting up late...getting fired.... I like my drink (now and then) but my first adult class isnt until 11:00, the last at 7:40PM (they're not here yet).
As you can see by my join date, I am a newbie, but I think I can speak for almost anyone and say that accomdation is a basic requirement of ANY contract...

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

You often hear me preaching the gospel of the Hogwon Bare Minimum (TM):

SuperHero · Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Superhero Hideout

I would like to second what Son Dureo said.

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

I have been at it for a couple of months now. I get two weeks paid vacation and free housing very close to the school. The split shift doesn't bother me too much, and next month I am likely to have block shifts. On the downside, the pay is not commensurate with my experience and the overtime pay is a joke. And of course, there is the usual shadiness to put up with. While I enjoy working here and am still glad I chose it, for whatever reason this school is just not interested in making in effort to retain teachers. So unless that changes, I will move on next year or possibly even sooner.

The Bobster · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Back in the States, I was an esl teacher exclusively for adults, and I liked the work. Since coming here, I've turned down adult shcool offers because they just didn't look as good to me, money-wise and hours-wise and otherwise, as what the kid hagwons give - yes, there are risks to sanity in teaching kids but the pay is better and you can get up and go home at reasonable hours. Teaching kindergarten and elementary right now, I start at 10 and leave by 6:45 MWF and end at 4 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays. I like that. And my pay is rather a lot better than quoted in the OP.

Some people don't like kids, though, and it's not hard to see why, but for those of us who do, the choices are better.

Benbby · Joined: 06 Feb 2006

Yeah, that's what I thought, teaching adults in Korea is iffy. It doesn't meet the basics Son D mentions. And the contract gets worse, I was too embarrassed to mention the rest of it.

I want to teach adults because that is who I will teach back in Canada. But with decent working conditions.

Now that I'm in Seoul, I see the overall level of English is very low, there are mistakes on TV and in the newspaper.

adventureman · Joined: 18 Feb 2003

noguri · Joined: 28 Nov 2005 Location: korea

I appreciate Son Dureo's frank and imagistic portrayal of life in an adult hagwan, I can imagine myself knawing kimpap triangles and slurping maxim as my eyes glaze over...

I am also newb, I am moving to Korea within two weeks, so that my wife can pick up where she left off on her career. I had phone conversations with Pagoda and also with YBM, and I just blew them off because they don't seem willing to negotiate in order to get or retain a decent teacher.

My experience teaching [though not ESL] is with adults in the U.S. but I am also thinking now that a kids' hagwon is the way to go. I don't mind missing my daughter's bedtime but if I work evenings, I would be with her in the morning at least. None of the adult hagwons seem to offer much beyond single housing, and middling-to-low pay.

Is there some reason why hagwons for children seem to negotiate a bit but the adult hagwons won't budge? Is it because the adult hagwons are just huge companies where the person doing the hiring isn't empowered to do any real tinkering with the contract?

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

I would guess that it's because adult hagwons are so few in number that they can afford to hold out for those who are hellbent on not teaching kids. And perhaps also because once you accept split shifts, you are more likely to accept other forms of butt fucking as well.

Insomne · Joined: 02 Jun 2005

I teach adults in Pusan. I have a split shift, the first half runs 8-11:40 (I get a half hour for breakfast after my first class) and my second shift runs 4:30-7:40. I work four days a week (Monday � Thursday) and sixteen days a month, no more, nor less. I split a three-room apartment with another teacher and am now making 2 mil a month. I started at 1.9, but after six months I got a raise.

I know I�d make more money teaching kids, but I also know that I don�t have the patience to deal with children.

skdragon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003

I taught adults in a hakwan for a year. Split shift ran from 6:30 to 9:30am and again from 5:30 to 8:30 or 9:30 - 30 hours a week. Rough hours but doable for a year. After that, I switched to the universities and have taught, usually, between 9 and 5pm. Now I teach anywhere from 9:30am to 9:30pm, 4 days a week, and for 12 hours a week. ALthough the schedule can be between those hours it is better than the early morning late night split shift.