Korean Job Discussion Forums

bhog · Joined: 22 Mar 2006

I'll be heading over to Korea soon and I'm wondering if some vets can share their knowledge what my first couple of days will be like? Should I have a lesson plan ready? etc, etc
I'm teaching at an elementary school through GEPIK. I have a co-teacher. Is the co-teach in charge or am I? I don't know if this teaching set-up varies within GEPIK or not, but any advice will be greatly appreciated.

koala5 · Joined: 21 Aug 2006

Please check your new message in here
I am part of the GEPIP program for a year now

thanks

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

Your co-teacher is in charge.....depending on your ability and the quality of your co-teacher you may find yourself in charge of pretty much everything.

You may have to supply weekly lesson plans to the principal every Fri or Mon(I did....after a while I stopped trying....sometimes I even wrote "its not like you actually read these things anyways is it?" at the bottom and he would sign them dutifully every time)

For the most part you will teach about 4 or 5 classes a day and spend the rest of your time planning(or surfing the internet...or sleeping....or watching movies...or whatever kills 4 hours a day)

Alot depends on the people at your school. At worst you will be pretty much ignored(depending on the level of your coworkers English ability)

Junior · Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Location: the eye

[quote="Grotto"]

trigger123 · Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 1:25 pm Post subject:

good luck bhog, that was me two years ago....damn, where did the time go?!

like anything in this life, korea and gepik will be what you make it. i had a tough year in many ways, but the school i taught at, the countryside village i worked in and the life i had gave me one of the best years of my life. its by no means easy, but if you stick at it, don't get frustrated or mad too quickly in response to the inevitable problems you'll have, you will enjoy it too.

be aware of your own prejudices and don't be get drawn into the trap of labelling all koreans are x or all korean kids are y. i met a bunch of gepik teachers, and other hagwon (private academy) teachers, and they will be as varied and as individual as you get at home. (that includes you too grotto, although you might not remember it too well... pyeontaek)

but notice how both grotto and junior are negative and quick to jump on koreans and their korean co-teachers. how problems of isolation are caused by the 'korean's lack of english' or that 'koreans hate competition'. what a load of guff.

learn korean, keep an open mind, remember how lucky you are to travel and get paid to be in an interesting country where you are basically using a skill you acquired at birth. get to know your principal and your kids (if you can, 500 is too many), work with your co-teacher to solve problems and enjoy it, cos it'll go so quickly.

good luck bhog.

trigger123 · Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 1:27 pm Post subject:

edit (double post)

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

I was just trying to point out the varity of experiences people have....alot does depend on your co-teacher and the teachers at the school.

Negative? I dont think so....I had a co-teacher from hell the first 6 months and then I had a decent co-teacher who didnt want the job and wasnt qualified to do it for the last 6 months.

Your time will be what you make of it for sure....get out and go places...I agree completely with the learn Korean....and the time will go quickly.

Trigger if you'll recall though out of the original 90 some odd teachers of the initial GEPIK about 10 either quit, did runners or were fired....of the rest only about 30 some odd renewed their contracts(or so I was told)....not great numbers!

bhog · Joined: 22 Mar 2006

Thanks everyone for the advice. Just out of curiousity, what would you guys guess the average renewal rate is at hagwons. Grottos numbers suggest 33% (for a year anyway) or so for GEPIK. Is that a high or low number?

trigger123 · Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 1:15 am Post subject:

exactly bhog, you made the point i was about to.

given the industry, and the almost nomadic nature of esl teachers as they move from post to post, i would say 33% is about average for renewals in korea. i would have hoped that as it was a board of education project, and with it higher levels of organisation and professionalism (don't roll your eyes grott, underline 'hoped'!), renewals would have been higher. but mayeb we expected too much, it was the first year after all.

10% to disappear? i'm not sure how many actually did, but in any case 10% sounds what to expect, unfortunately. teachers who do this only manage to perpetuate the myth that every western teacher is a mercenary and can't be trusted.

and i do agree with grotto that relationship with your coteacher is vital. i too had a mixed experience there, having a great one to start but the second was a nightmare in so many ways. we got the job done, but rather in pite of her not because.

drop me a pm if you need any more advice.