Korean Job Discussion Forums

[soonerguy]

Hi all, I recently got a job offer from Avalon schools in Bundang to teach elementary students at their Migeum branch. Does anybody have any experience with Avalon in general or that branch in particular?

Also, this would be my first experience in Korea, so I'm curious what people think of living in Bundang. I've read that its a nice upscale suburb, but is there much to do there or do people find it boring? Is there a large population of foreigners? How long does it take to get to Seoul by subway or bus?

Any information would definitely be appreciated to help me decide if this would be a good job for me.

Thanks,
Patrick

[hovermop]

I had one telephone interview with Avalon School. They informed me, and from what I've read, they are a respectful school. Respectful meaning they teach children thoroughly, higher standards, etc, etc. I can't comment personally, perhaps someone else could.

I can comment, however, on their telephone and recruiting operations. Their staff couldn't back up their alleged statistics, and the contract they sent me was half filled in, and half bull****.

Hopefully someone with professional experience at Avalon will respond to this thread. I couldn't find a foreign teacher currently or previously working at Avalon to speak with.

[nate331]

Respectable? What that means in Korea, only god knows.
Just make sure they aren't sending you to other schools in the chain... they usually come with some of the best apartments a teacher can get in Korea, most of the time they are in an officetel building, almost new. It's a chain so be prepared for a long list of rules you'll have to adhere to... for a first time job you should be fine with them.

[soonerguy]

So they sent me a contract this morning, and yeah, turns out they want to send me to a different school in the chain, Sunae instead of Migeum which is the one I interviewed for. The email just says conditions are the same at both schools. Anybody have any experience with Sunae?

[nate331]

I met a guy who works at that one and he likes it. You work like 3-10PM, he says that for a first time job you can get spoiled there.

[jamhead]

I work(ed) for them. Avalon pays on time and has a large supply of foreign teachers. They have their problems too - little communication between Korean and foreign staff, education based on 1950's memorization style, overworked students/ candidates for manic depression, etc. - but you'll come across that anywhere. Sunae's fine; you'll probably be conveniently footsteps away from the subway station. The only campus you might not want to be at is in Suji because it's out in the sticks. The kids are great and speak better English than the administration and Korean teachers, which is fun to watch.

[Smee]

With Avalon you're guaranteed to be moved to whichever campus needs you. A good percentage of teachers have taught at 2 or more campuses.

There are some benefits to Avalon: namely you get paid on time and your officetel will be nice.

There are a number of drawbacks, though, and I'd recommend looking elsewhere. it says something that, although they have thousands of students and have a virtual monopoly on the Bundang area, they average about 1 runner per month, and that they make no effort to retain teachers beyond the 1 year mark.

PM me for more information, if you'd like.

[Smee]

[cazador83]

ive heard avalon was a more respected school.

i pass by it everyday on my way back home from school, as i live in sunae. the school itself is in on the 4-5th floor or so of a building. whenever i pass by there are tons of kids outside waiting for the bus, so they must be a pretty popular school.

[Vollrath]

I got offered a job at Avalon (the same branch actually) last december and I was disgusted with how uppity and tightass the "manager" was. The job offered (on the recruiter's website--Longbranch Pacific) was not a teacher but a co-ordinator. So I told the rec. that that sounded interesting and to set up an interview. I arrived at the interview and was made to wait forever before this arrogant dick showed up. Anyway, we got to talking and not once did he mention anything about co-ordinating. It was all standard Hakwon crap about how they're the best and blah blah. Yeah, spare me--I can find tons of f'n Hakwons to work at where they don't dress up like goofs (suits? for teaching children???) and even get paid more. But I digress. So the guy's talking and I suddenly stop him and ask about co-ordinating. First he denied the job even existed, but I said that's what I saw on the website. So he said he didn't know how it got there (it was posted by the school) and that they don't give co-ordinator positions to outsiders. They promote Koreans from within. Plus nobody without a master's degree can be a co-ordinator. So I told him (funnily the recruiter had maybe blabbed a little too much about the former guy) that the former co-ordinator was not promoted from once being a teacher, did not have his master's degree, and was not Korean. He then stumbled over a bunch of words trying to cover up and make ME look like I'm lying or something. I'd heard enough and just for kicks I took a contract out with me. It's a bad contract, too. So I'd say that you should not work there for any reason--you can find WAY more easygoing bosses to work for that pay the same or more. I don't see any reason to ever have to work for a place like Avalon. Or Poly. Or CDI. They're all the same snooty-type of operation where chances are (although some have enjoyed working at those places) you'll be marginalized and work WAY too long of hours for the pay you get. I kept looking and found a job that's less than half the working hours and more salary.

[Bramble]

Their ad says they teach advanced students and that the curriculum involves things like debating and creative writing. Does anyone know if this is accurate?

[Smee]

Depends which campus, but yeah, it's accurate. They did debate classes in the elementary and middle school campuses when I was there (July 2005 - July 2006). I can't vouch for creative writing programs, although I know several teachers introduced creative writing concepts into the normal writing classes. The normal writing classes normally consist of TOEFL essays (well, paragraph writing for the lower levels). Some of the "special Friday" classes were reading novels.

Many of the students were quite advanced. I don't have experience at other hagwon, but when you've got 4th and 5th graders who are writing TOEFL essays, it's impressive to me. Of course, a lot of them have been overseas, as Bundang is a wealthy area. I found that their speaking abilities often outstripped their writing, as their grammar hadn't had time to catch up yet. I was less impressed with the middle school students, who had comparatively poor speaking, listening, and writing skills, and who generally weren't into doing anything.

I reallly enjoyed teaching writing there, and my rural public school really brings out the contrast between my old students and my current ones. It's important to remember, though, that with essays and debate classes come a lot of preparation and grading (and forced overtime).

[Bramble]

[Smee]

Hmm, there were a few trips and functions. A few times a year they spend a day---on the weekend---hiking or rafting. I managed to get out of these since they didn't give us any notice about it. There was also a Christmas party that we were strongly advised to attend. Wasn't that bad, actually.

The thing that really got under my skin was a mandatory weekend retreat in April at some mountain resort near Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi-do. I had to rearrange my vacation plans because, since it's in the contract, I was obligated to attend. Definitely a "Triumph of the Will" trip, with Koreans yelling at us and forcing us to exercise. The first day was something like 8 hours of meetings, indoors, at a nature resort . . . stuff that could've easily been summed up in a newsletter. The second day was a mandatory obstacle course. A "highlight" was when our whitey wrangler got up for a Q and A session and he was bombarded with questions about contract-related issues, since Avalon was very creative with the clauses. He quickly put a stop to it.

That said, I was very pleased with the officetel they gave me, haha.

[Bramble]

Hmmmm, thanks again. You've given me a lot to think about.