Korean Job Discussion Forums

TinMan · Joined: 22 Apr 2006

I'm thinking about signing on with CDI, but they seem HUGE and alot of rules and a 5 page contract which makes me feel like a prisoner. I am questioning alot but I know it is a corporate thing and the human edge has gone from this place, but,, please tell me if I'm right or wrong. They do pay well, but I'm sure you work for it.
HWat have you experienced or heard
Thanks
Mike

Big Mac · Joined: 17 Sep 2005

CDI was just dealt with not that long ago in this thread:

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=61060

TinMan · Joined: 22 Apr 2006

Thanks
Was hoping to see more info about CDI though.

spinario · Joined: 24 May 2006 Location: daegu

do you have any specific questions?

i work for them, but don't feel like writing a 10 page essay on the relative merits

Big Mac · Joined: 17 Sep 2005

xCustomx · Joined: 06 Jan 2006

do a search for them.

my friend started about 1.5 months ago, she works M-TH, 3 day weekends, 24 hours a week, $27/hr....no housing....she says the classes are stressful and she preps about 2 hours every 2-3 days since a lot of the classes (listening and reading) repeat during the week. if you don't mind working hard, u could make close to $4,000 a month (before paying for your own housing). still, it seems like too much stress for me. I'd rather get some pt work to supplement my income

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

No summer or winter vacation or national holidays off!

robot · Joined: 07 Mar 2006

edit.

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

yes, the textbooks are full of errors- its obvious that they were all written by native Korean speakers!

big_blue_21 · Joined: 02 Nov 2005

It's because you guys were working the kiddie classes. Work the Master's classes, that's where the fun begins. Professional textbooks (not CDI produced! and since they say Prentice Hall on them, I'm going to assume that's native speakers making them!) . . . In the Master's literature classes, 1984, Toni Morrison,Brave New World, To Kill a Mockingbird . . . and the Master's speaking classes, you just sit there and basically talked the whole time. I would honestly teach those for free (but shhh! don't tell CDI, I don't want them to get any ideas . . . ) . . .

As for the prep, never prepped in my life. Granted I'm unique (at least that's what the kids used to say and they did put me in that class for "special" students when I was in second grade, oh . . . sorry . . .)

2-3 hours is ridiculous . . . seriously, talking about special kids, is your friend all like special or something???!!! Sorry, I didn't mean to be mean, but I don't see how you could need more than 45 minutes to prep. The classes themselves are only 3 hours long and at least one hour gets devoted just to taking quizzes and grading them . . . your friend is prepping for longer than she has to teach! always, like I only teach one kind of reading class, so once I've done it once that week, I already know the entire cirriculum for all the reading classes I'm going to teach . . .

If you're that worried about prep, though, request listening and speaking classes. Listening, no prep. You hit "play" on a CD player. Speaking--can you speaking English? great . . . you're in. I admit I do hear a lot of complaints about prepping for reading classes from a friend I have too. Just ask to teach other subjects . . . or better yet, meet with your Head Instructor (everyone gets one and they have to meet with you when you request) and you can prep for any class in forty-five minutes. That's what I did at first. They basically tell you what all the information is about and how to teach. It will take a half-an-hour . . . BTW, you're friend, she can't be using the new teacher's guides they put on-line each week. They give you teachers guides with all the important parts of the passages high-lighted, telling you exactly what is special there (a.k.a what you need to explain to the students), they tell you the information for the grammatical point you are going to lectured on, and they give you the answers for allthe quizzes and every single in class exercise. Honestly, it couldn't be easier. Hey, if you get this . . . tell your CDI friend to use the instructor's manual or I'd be more than happy to meet with her . . . really. Nobody should be spending that much time prepping. That's private tutoring time! . . . seriously, I will prep with your friend. Just curious, but was your friend like one of those people who like got addicted to caffeine pills in college and all like pulled all nighters even though it was the first week of classes . . . that's crazy! Her name's not Jessie Spanos, is it?!!! Sorry, didn't mean to be mean, but WOW! . . .