Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mumblebee]

I have a great school. We work pretty hard, as the director takes education seriously...so we do a lot of planning, assessing writing reports.

I am maybe wanting a change after almost 2 years...but there are no major annoyances, only little ones which I suspect would be much worse at many other schools...such as when the management gets a hair-brained idea, requires everyone to get on the bandwagon and bust their butts...only to have the whole project dead-ended over some obvious problem. But that's just the Korean way, I guess.

[big_blue_21]

Don not work there. GOLDEN BOUGH or the school formerly known as Sejong Language Institute. In fact, get away from there as fast as you can.

You will not be insured--guaranteed
If you ask about it, you will be told Mr. Lee is still working on it--it will be ready "next week." Apparently, Mr. Lee needed the entire year to get the paperwork done . . . Teachers there a year asked and asked and never received it. I only know of one teacher who got it. Being in his sixties, I think even the school realized that it would have a serious problem on their hands if he had a heart attack or stroke while he was there and wasn't insured. But if you are not a liability to the company in that sense, I guarantee you you will not get insurance even if you ask repeatedly (the common strategy) or outright accuse of them of jacking you out of it (the approach of one teacher's doctor). He was basically told to shut up and mind his own business.

There is the possibility you will not receive your last month's pay
Since everyone's finding out how bad the school is (every student of mine I have talked to since has quit), they are in serious financial trouble. One of their cost-cutting measures is to claim you've incurred thousands of dollars--one teacher told me she got docked $3,000--in costs that must be taken out of your final paycheck. These costs are not legitimate as they already subtract your cell phone bill (and on occasion, overcharge) every month without fail and at least when I was there, making each teacher responsible for going to the bank and paying utilties bills in person. One teacher was fired without notice, one day just told to never return and given two weeks to vacate her apartment. Additionally, to obtain her letter of release, she had to pay them a thousand or more dollars in "past bills."--Remember, she had been their one month!

Great chance to meet new people . . . everday!
While I was there, the turn-over rate of teachers still in their contract was 50 percent. We had four academic directors in a span of ten weeks and I've been told they're on their fifth because the fourth couldn't take it any longer.

[Yesanman]

My wife and I are the owners. I've been self-emloyeed for the last three years and it kicks butt. No slimey hakwon owner to answer to.
I highly recommend it if you can do it.
I have a maximum class size of 4 students. Low stress, great pay.

[Natalia]

I go through extreme highs and lows. I'd give the last week a 7, but there were a few weeks recently I wouldn't have even given a 1.

[SPINOZA]

I voted 7.

One or two minor annoyances aside (a couple of co-teachers not pulling their weight in class), it's a swell deal. Nice location in Seoul, overtime opportunities, low stress, nice kids, very laissez-faire, good lunches, co-teachers I get along with personally, nice principal, nice vice-principals, great girls in the admin office who I can have a laugh with and talk Korean with.

Not least, in my final two months of the contract (I'm renewing), I'll have over 7 million won coming in from salary, severence, overtime and camp.

[Yu_Bum_suk]