Korean Job Discussion Forums

Neil · Joined: 02 Jan 2004 Location: Tokyo

Bosses that don't speak English are Ok as long as they are aware they don't speak English....I've had a few where they would take the effort to explain things either through a translator or in the cases where their instructions are simple in Korean I can understand.

The worst ones are bosses who can't speak English but think they are super fluent and constantly give advice and instructions that are incomprehensable and one just has to guess what they wish you to do.

Rant over!

Hapkido-In · Joined: 24 Jun 2006

You don't need to be able to speak English in order to run a school that teaches English. You just need to know how to run a business.

Does the CEO of GE know how to make every one of their products that they sell? Does the head of a university know every subject inside and out that the university offers?

I know people hate to hear this, but teaching English is a business and businesses need to be very customer orientated. Unfortunetly, Korean customers, in the feild of education, seem to enjoy complaining. The fact that YOU are here being paid about 2million a month instead of some one from the Philippines that speaks English just as well as you (with a teaching degree), for 500,000/month goes to show that the owner actually does understand the business end of teaching English in Korea.

Anyways, even if the owner runs his business into the ground, what do you care? Especially if you followed his instructions.

At a hogwon, you aren't a real teacher. That's just facts. You're basically a *beep* that should do what the owner/boss tells you to do. Even if it goes 100% against constructive instruction in the classroom. Even if you don't like it. Just do it.

sjrm · Joined: 27 Jul 2005

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

huffdaddy · Joined: 25 Nov 2005

formerflautist · Joined: 30 May 2006

I had an owner and a principal who couldn't speak English. We had to go through a supervisor if we had any problems or issues. But he had no real power so it was always a waiting game to get things resolved. That was a big frustration.

Paddycakes · Joined: 05 May 2003 Location: Seoul

I had a semi-supervisor at the first and only hogwan I worked at who couldn't speak a word of English, and it was deliberate I believe.

It gives the school a greater sense of power (in a weird Korean way) over the FT.

Junior · Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Location: the eye

The main problem with lack of english is that you can't communicate properly with management about work-related issues. They don't properly understand what you're expressing and the miscommunications and confusion is frustrating.

Kimchieluver · Joined: 02 Mar 2005

Hapkido-In wrote:

periwinkle · Joined: 08 Feb 2003

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

jacl · Joined: 31 Oct 2005

I think it can be ok if the owner doesn't speak English, but if he's your boss, it's a problem if he/she doesn't. There could be multiple owners of a large/chain hagwon. Shareholders, so to speak. They don't need to be able to speak any English, but...

You can own a hagwon and let someone who speaks well enough English to run it, but, as is often the case, it's too much of a small business industry to allow it. Usually the boss is the owner or not far from it and there are more opportunities for teachers to be walked over or ignored. Ignoring the "experts" is not really good business sense. It all come down to whether it's important to them. Owners goals may hinder English education, but they also might only be in it for a quick buck.

"No, Johnny. Don't nod your fuking head. Answer with a full sentence."