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starshine
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
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 Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 3:49 pm Post subject: HERALD SCHOOLS |
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| Does anyone know about the reliability of the chain of Herald Schools or about their teachers/recruiters Mike and Matthew? [/b] |
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bnrockin
Joined: 27 Feb 2006
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| Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 5:40 pm Post subject: |
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| I could have sworn I heard someone saying something about Herald schools screwing over their employees in one form or another. Can't really remember the precise details though. |
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MantisBot
Joined: 28 Nov 2005
Location: Itaewon, Seoul, SK
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| Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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I know I spoke to Matthew about getting hired there. However, when the contract was sent to me (woefully inadequate I might add) and I sent it back with my requests I didn't hear from him for a week. When I finally did get ahold of him apparently two girls had accepted the contract as it was and I was out of luck.
This doesn't necessarily say much about the school, just that the contract blew and they found someone else to come in and take it. I did hear back from a guy named Chris who apparently loved it there. He was in Bangkok at the time and had just eaten a scorpion... probably one of the more vivid pictures in my head I'll never forget during this time of job application:p |
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starshine
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
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| Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks for your posts; I appreciate any info I can get. Are the Herald Schools the same as The Kids Herald Schools? The Kids Herald Schools seem to be all over the blacklists, but I don't know how reliable those are. And it seems to be only a few locations that are being complained about. Surely some of them can be decent. I don't know, Mike and Matthew are ultra nice-too nice and accomodating-it makes me nervous:) Is it normal to send out your documents to start the visa process before you have been offered a specific job? |
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gporumbe
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Location: FLorida
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| Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 6:50 pm Post subject: |
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| what about the Korea Herald Institute? there seems to be a lot of schools with herald in their name. anyone heard of this one? |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 7:07 pm Post subject: |
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| gporumbe wrote: |
| what about the Korea Herald Institute? there seems to be a lot of schools with herald in their name. anyone heard of this one? |
They are all the same and they all suck.
I know that is a broad generalization and not really fair cause there may be one good one out there somewhere but I have never seen or heard of it.
There are LOTS of them on the blacklists for a reason.
Do your homework and CHECK personally with current/past staff.
Check with MORE THAN ONE person.
Check with them when the boss is NOT looking over their shoulder.
ASK pointed and specific questions about (insert my usual list here).
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gporumbe
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Location: FLorida
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| Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 7:13 pm Post subject: |
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they are offering quite nice benefits:
also what schools are recomended than?
* Salary: 2mil ~ 2.2mil Korean won depending on experience
* Working Schedule: 5-6 Hour/Day M-F no weekends no prep time
* Students: Kindergarten Elementary and Middle school students
* All Korean national Holidays and vacation paid
* Health Insurance 50/50 + Severance pay (equal to 1 month's salary)
* Air ticket round trip paid
* Housing: Furnished single housing utilities included
My name is Derrick and I�m the head teacher of Korea Herald Institute. I am looking for a fun energetic male teacher. Our school is great! We have 9 total teachers 4 foreigners. Everyone gets along very well making the teaching environment excellent. Our boss is one of the best around. He is helpful and very generous. We are treated with respect and our opinions and ideas are highly regarded. Our curriculum is good and there is freedom to use individual teaching techniques in the classroom. Professionalism is essential but, our school encourages us to create a fun environment for the students. Our school offers unique benefits you won�t find at any other school. Along with the standard employment package, all utilities are paid for (except phone). Also, you will have access to free lunch and dinner at a local restaurant 7 days a week. I guarantee you will have a great experience working at our school. I am looking forward to hearing from interested qualified applicants. |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 7:28 pm Post subject: |
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| gporumbe wrote: |
they are offering quite nice benefits:
also what schools are recomended than?
* Salary: 2mil ~ 2.2mil Korean won depending on experience
* Working Schedule: 5-6 Hour/Day M-F no weekends no prep time
* Students: Kindergarten Elementary and Middle school students
* All Korean national Holidays and vacation paid
* Health Insurance 50/50 + Severance pay (equal to 1 month's salary)
* Air ticket round trip paid
* Housing: Furnished single housing utilities included
My name is Derrick and I�m the head teacher of Korea Herald Institute. I am looking for a fun energetic male teacher. Our school is great! We have 9 total teachers 4 foreigners. Everyone gets along very well making the teaching environment excellent. Our boss is one of the best around. He is helpful and very generous. We are treated with respect and our opinions and ideas are highly regarded. Our curriculum is good and there is freedom to use individual teaching techniques in the classroom. Professionalism is essential but, our school encourages us to create a fun environment for the students. Our school offers unique benefits you won�t find at any other school. Along with the standard employment package, all utilities are paid for (except phone). Also, you will have access to free lunch and dinner at a local restaurant 7 days a week. I guarantee you will have a great experience working at our school. I am looking forward to hearing from interested qualified applicants. |
Like I said...... and have repeated more times than I can count...
FOR ANY HAKWON position:
=Do your homework and CHECK personally with current/past staff.
=Check with MORE THAN ONE person.
=Check with them when the boss is NOT looking over their shoulder.
=ASK pointed and specific questions about:
-What are the hours? (start time / stop time / breaks). they say a 5-6 hour day but if they teach kindy - middle school then the school is open from 9:30am - 7:30 or 8/9pm. More than 6 hours!!
-How many classes per day, week, month?
-Do they ALWAYS pay on time?
-Do they pay at the end of your month or do they have a hold back period (5-10 days after your month end) to prevent runners? (no=red flag 1)
-Do they really pay overtime or avoid it with creative book keeping?
-Do you get credit for classes on the national holidays or do you get the day off but still have to work your 120 hours before you get overtime? (no=red flag 2)
-Do they have national medical (with the little booklet)? (no=red flag 3)
-Do they pay into pension? (no=red flag 4)
-What about the holidays? 10 or more WORKING days? (labor standards act legal requirement here) (no=red flag 5)
-When and how do you get your holidays?
-What extra stuff do you really have to do - mentioned or not in the contract.
-Then consider the quality of life issues - things that are important to you that aren't mentioned here (housing, furnishings, THE BATHROOM, access to recreational facilities, shopping, banking).
Do they take additional deposits in addition to the delay in payday? (yes=red flag 6)
(2) Most newbies are all starry-eyed when they do their interview and DON'T ASK the right questions then get burned when they get here.
(3) OPEN your eyes, take a deep breath. Your job won't disappear if you don't answer today. It will still be there next week. There are 100's of new jobs listed every week. Take the time to check it out properly.
A year in hakwon hell is a long time.
DON'T take my word for it. Ask some of the runners! |
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that guy
Joined: 29 Feb 2004
Location: long gone
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| Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2006 11:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
=ASK pointed and specific questions about:
-What are the hours? (start time / stop time / breaks). they say a 5-6 hour day but if they teach kindy - middle school then the school is open from 9:30am - 7:30 or 8/9pm. More than 6 hours!!
-How many classes per day, week, month?
-Do they ALWAYS pay on time?
-Do they pay at the end of your month or do they have a hold back period (5-10 days after your month end) to prevent runners? (no=red flag 1)
-Do they really pay overtime or avoid it with creative book keeping?
-Do you get credit for classes on the national holidays or do you get the day off but still have to work your 120 hours before you get overtime? (no=red flag 2)
-Do they have national medical (with the little booklet)? (no=red flag 3)
-Do they pay into pension? (no=red flag 4)
-What about the holidays? 10 or more WORKING days? (labor standards act legal requirement here) (no=red flag 5)
-When and how do you get your holidays?
-What extra stuff do you really have to do - mentioned or not in the contract.
-Then consider the quality of life issues - things that are important to you that aren't mentioned here (housing, furnishings, THE BATHROOM, access to recreational facilities, shopping, banking).
Do they take additional deposits in addition to the delay in payday? (yes=red flag 6)
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Excellent questions. Just wanted to add that if you are replacing a specific person be sure to ask that person why he or she is leaving. |
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wylies99
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!
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| Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2006 4:32 am Post subject: |
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If anyone reads all of the negatives about the various Herald schools posted on this site, and others, and STILL believes that "their" Herald school will honor any part of the contract- then I have to wish them "good luck' and don't be surprised if (in a few months) you'll be posting on here, begging for legal advice and help.
Get a clue- stay away. |
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