Korean Job Discussion Forums

[indigo777]

I was sent a sample contract and one of the clauses in it mentioned preparing one month of lesson plans prior to the month they were to be taught. This did not sit right with me but since I have never worked in Korea maybe someone who does/or has can let me know if this is normal.
Also, they have what I call a 'secrecy clause' that again did not feel right. I asked about this am the response was we don't want other schools to get info on the curriculum. The teacher was not to discuss the school or class to anyone outside the school.
The recruiter said I was too "picky" even though they only offered 1.8-1.9, which I refused. I asked for 2.0
Now I am questioning whether I am too picky although i have not seen what I call the secrecy clause in any other contacts that have been posted.
Thanks for any info.

[formerflautist]

The lesson plan thing isn't a big deal. Plan ahead and then make adjustments.
At my old school there was a secrecy clause because they didn't want any teacher to know how much everyone else made.
You're not being picky to ask for 2.0. You could ask for more at other schools and probably get it.

[bnrockin]

it's ok to be picky to an extent. asking for 2.0 should not be picky at all, even for someone with no experiance. It's good to know what's on your contract. Don't get screwed. There is a point to where someone can be too picky, but I would not say you are at that quite yet.

[some waygug-in]

Not discussing what goes on...

That sounds more to me like bend over and let us $%^&* you over, but don't ever tell anyone.

Of course, it may just be about curriculum, but I doubt it.

[Hotpants]

The one month in advance lesson plan is quite normal. Some schools have their own 'unique' curriculum, so perhaps they want to protect it to some extent, hence the secrecy clause. Nothing unusual. Just be thankful that you don't have to prepare lessons as much as 1 year in advance as the occasional school does.

[the_beaver]

I make a general outline of an entire semester (16 weeks) ahead of time, but there's no way that I could plan the specifics of the lessons a month ahead of time for umpteen different reasons.

[marcus]

They don't expect you to actually follow it. We have to submit lesson plans for the next 4 months. Nobody believes the plans are going to be followed without any deviation. It's just on file for people to look at.

[antoniothegreat]

does the secrecy clause address the curriculum or your contract? if they dont want you to discuss your contract, does that mean if you go to the labor board, or seek a lawyer because they dont pay, are you violating your contract? dont sign that? if they want only their lessons protected, no biggy.

as for the lesson plans, just make them vague, and like someone else said, they are just to show parents probably.

[HamuHamu]

Usually when hagwans say "lesson plan" they mean something like this:

Subject: Phonics
September 7 - 11: pages 1 - 10 Letters ABC
September 14 - 18: pages 11 - 20 Letters DEF
September 20 - 25: pages 21 - 30 Letters GHI
etc etc etc

In all of my years teaching in hagwans this is something I have had to do monthly for every class. What drove me utterly and totally nuts about it is that it always seemed to come from a main "program and cirriculum" book that spelled out what was to be taught each week.....then every teacher was fighting for that one book to copy down what they were doing next month, and each teacher sent home an almost identical lesson plan page. I could never figure out why a general one wasn't given out to parents at the start of the school year?????

[antoniothegreat]