Korean Job Discussion Forums

[zucchini]

Hi, I'll be arriving in about a month to work in Daegu on EPIK. I've seen threads about Daegu city itself, but if you are an EPIK person working in Daegu, or know someone who has, could you tell me your thoughts/experiences working in the public schools in Daegu. Many thanks.

[Len8]

Taegu is a big city, and interesting. Do you know what kind of school you will be teaching in? Highschool or Middle school? Epic programe has only just started in Taegu, so you will be a pathfinder kind of.

Check the "Petition for Epic Workers" thread on this page by "buildbyflying". Should prepare you for what to expect.

[Kimchieluver]

Not exactly Len8,

That "EPIK petition" thread is more for people that are not happy with EPIK. I know many that are happy and a few that aren't.

The people I know in Tague that are with EPIk like it. They seem to have good co-teachers and get along well with the general public. The only thing that can be construed as negative is that they seem to be going to different cities almost every weekend. Whether it is because they are an adventurous bunch or that Taegu is boring, I don't know.

Most are staying on for another year at least. However,the ones I know haven't spent the hot month of August there yet and may change their minds next time around.

[Dev]

[Kimchieluver]

I have heard 4 of 17 were not alowed to re-sign because they got poor evaluations from their teachers. I know some that are leaving Korea for good and some that are re-signing.


Haven't heard anything about the pay cuts, maybe that's becuae they are just bringing it in line with other EPIK centers.

[Len8]

How can one get a bad evaluation from co-teachers? Can evaluations be biased at times, and are there any other criteria for determining the suitability of a teacher.

Some of the reasons a bad evaluation are given are not showing up for classes, coming drunk to classes, hating the culture and not making any efforts to understand it, arrogance, swearing at the students out of fustration (Oh F-ck. You Fu-cking morons and so on), not preparing for one's classes, being incapable of teaching, bonking some of the cute hotties working at the school and making some of the adjumah teachers jealous, giving word searches continuously, being a llittle dysfunctional, not having a rapport with the other teachers at your school, and isolation and loneliness which in turn affects the teachers performance. Frustration about accomodation can also affect one's performance.

[Paddycakes]

[zucchini]

Thank you for your replies.
Len8 - I don't know what type of school I'll be at. I won't know untill the orientation, or untill I get to Daegu itself perhaps.
Dev - That 50% paycut for summer and winter English camps you mentioned, is that a 50 % cut of some salary/bonus that was being paid on top of people's regular EPIK salary?
If anyone has anymore info on EPIK in Daegu then please feel free to post it.

[khyber]

and out of curiousity, what does the 50% pay cut bring the pay of the camps to?

[jvalmer]

You get your regular salary every month. The months of Jan and Feb are when winter camps are held and summer camps are usually during late Jul and early Aug. Depending on where you are placed you may or may not get extra pay for doing winter/summer camps. It can range from 0 to 40,000 won an hour. But you still get your monthly salary. Some people luck out and don't do any camps (usually 2 or more years of service).

Personally, I think EPIK is a pretty good employer. Even if you don't get extra money for camps, remember you still get your monthly salary.

[Len8]

But why settle for less when you could get more. Why are some being payed W40,000 an hourfor camp work and others not. don't be a wimp. stick up for yourselves. Extort, extort, extort. Give me the adress of the school that wont paye the W40,000 and I'll write a letteror better still ring them and tell them what sh-ts they are.

[buildbyflying]

[Dev]

I heard from a Korean teacher working in a Daegu public school that the bosses at the Daegu Board of Education are notorious for cracking the whip just to remind you who is on top. Strict about following contracts to the letter. Will never give you any slack for anything.

They also keep playing yo-yo with the English camp bonuses paying 100,000 won for one day camps one year and then 50,000 won for the exact same camps the next. Makes the EPIK teacher wonder what he or she SHOULD be getting. Hardly what you'd call respectful treatment. Hence the reason why only 3 out of 17 teachers renewed their contracts this year.

Anyone joining Daegu EPIK this year can take heart in the good things that still exist - a good work schedule, long breaks during the summer and winter vacations, and generally speaking, the schools themselves treat EPIK teachers well.

One would expect standardized English camp bonuses from an organization that calls itself a "program". But the reality is that all the EPIK Program is is a placement agency for the provincial public school systems. As another poster wrote, "EPIK is very much a lottery. The kind of treatment you'll get, is largely dependant on which province you're placed in".

[Steve Schertzer]

Good post, Dev. As an EPIK teacher in Pusan, it's good to know that there is someone on the board who knows what he's talking about.

Keep up the good work Dev and buildbyflying.

Steve.