Korean Job Discussion Forums

Skaborough · Joined: 03 Feb 2006 Location: Toronto, ON

I know this is done to death, but I wanted an updated response to the question of, "are public schools or private schools better?". As someone comming to Kroea anew, and as someone who has been interloping on this site for a while I have had the impression that Korea has changed over the last 2 or so years. My question is have the job prospects changed accordingly?

Payce,
Patch

shoeboy · Joined: 23 Apr 2006

This really has been done to death. Check past posts, I doubt peoples opinions have changed much in the past week.

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

see here

otis · Joined: 02 Jun 2006

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

I doubt anything's changed but the availability of public school jobs has probably increased a bit.

Otherwise, go do a search or follow CLG's link.

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

Hey Otis,

You just described my gig but the exact reverse!!!! I work at a public school and have NO problem/words from parents, do NO lesson plans and Don't dress up, Don't grade papers and Don't have any problems with my Korean colleagues................

I think the word depends is in order here....all depends on the place, you.........

DD

Peter Jackson · Joined: 23 Apr 2006

Deubel, I have the same experience as you. I had lots of problems with parents in the Suckwon...also grading, lesson plans.

I like my Korean coworkers a lot.

It does all depend...

Blue Cheer · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Location: Rooster Forest

Let me give you an anology stolen from a Monty Python skit.

If you are having difficulty deciding on whether or not to go the hogwan or public school route ask yourself this question;
"Would I prefer a kick in the groin or a punch to the head?" Laughing

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

SPINOZA · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: $eoul

I'm starting to think Otis is a single-celled organism.

OP, read what Otis said and think/do the opposite.

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

ScottyG · Joined: 09 Jun 2006

no school is the same, be it public or hakwon. but i've worked in more than a couple of both, and generally i prefer the public school by far in terms of teaching, getting respect, a lot less stress and hassle, and WAY more perks. By that I mean lots of canceled classes, days off, and vacation time. Granted most schools will make you work a camp, but mine never did and i was paid for the time off. A hakwon, on the other hand, will NEVER say to you "you can go home for the rest of the day, and don't bother coming in until next monday. they grade 5's are going on a field trip." I think the pressure is much more on in a hakwon, and yet in some ways you don't have to really follow through on a good lesson plan. In a publlic school, you can spend time on a lesson plan and recycle it amongst the grades, and usually you teach the same grade all day. Some see this as repetitive but I saw it as a chance to make changes to the lesson if things didnt work out in the first class.

The only thing I really missed while working in public schools was the lack of a social network. At a hakwon, you meet a lot more foreignors, have much more fun hanging out at work, and can go out with friends after work for a beer. In a public school you might have one other foreign teacher to hang out with, and most of the Korean teachers won't really interact with you at all. In a public school you will be done work for the day at 4 at the latest (probably as early as 2:30), and you will have the rest of the day to do whatever. If you want to do privates, this is money in the bank and you can double your income if you really want to. At a hakwon, you simply don't have much time or energy to do privates. At an elementary school as well, you will have privates forced on you. This doesnt happen at a hakwon.

overall - hakwon, more relaxed social environment - but more stress and nitpicking and inter-office gossip/competition

public school - easier, yet more expected, can feel isolated, but less to deal with overall.

it would take a very very good hakwon to get a teacher to work in one again once they have worked in a real school.

Demophobe · Joined: 17 May 2004

Yes, thins has indeed been done to death, and very recently at that.

Do a search, or wait for all the folks who love posting the same thing again and again to post the same thing again. It shouldn't take long...

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

ScottyG · Joined: 09 Jun 2006

no? weird. i could have easily given you some of mine. i had to teach the principles kids, and a few other teachers kids together, especially during the breaks. they made it a study group which worked out well. and then of course they have neighbors who wanted me for an hour after when i was done. when it rains, it pours.