Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Emma Clare]

Have read quite a few negative reports with regard to this chain. Has anyone had any dealings, good or bad (although preferably good!) with Wonderland? They've been put forward by a recruiter I'm going with and I'm not sure!

They also mentioned ECC.... Both of these would be based in Taegu.

Cheers!

[Mody Ba]

In all, probability,they are Blunderland.They do NOT have a sterling( ) rep,although it is a franchise op and some branches may be....worse...than others.There have been many comments(mostly negative) about this op on the Korean Discussion Forum and Job Journal in the past .

ECC?...Well,another franchise dealie..again, some are probably...worse...than others....

Your business,of course.but why a recruiter?Of course they are going to "put people forward". And, almost always, the primary concern of the recruiter is copping that recruitment fee...and your welfare comes in....way after their fee...even if they may profess to care about your welfare.
If you are going to stick with the recruiter...tell them you need additional choices.They may try to pressure you by telling you there are no other positions available(hahahhaha ) or something equally ludicrous.After all,they want you to sign that little piece of paper and get you on the plane...so they can get their money! Stand up for yourself.I also suggest you do a little investigating on your own.Contact schools yourself.You will probably do at least as good of a job as the recruiter.

Be careful.The TESOL seas are full of sharks...and the ones here are especially voracious.

[Emma Clare]

In actual fact the recruitment company I'm going with seems really O.K. Their website is probably one of the most comprehensive and well presented I've seen!

I spoke to the guy who runs it the other day. We had a good old natter for well over an hour. I suppose I trust these people as they are based in the UK and not out in Korea (Sorry!) I had a Korean agency phone me and they kept trying to cajole me into coming earlier and earlier and saying "better jobs are in the Summer" and that they hire more people at this time etc, etc... This I feel is complete bollocks! Not using them now!

Trust me though. I've spent hours and hours and hours researching into this! To me it's a business venture. I'm not going to invest myself in anything that isn't going to be sound. I actually thought that going through a recruiter would be safer, because they would have supplied to that school before and they would know if any maltreatment had gone on. I don't mind putting in the work. It's my own welfare after all!

I can get a better deal financially if I avoid recruiters, can't I?

[Mody Ba]

I do not know if you will get a better deal financially if you avoid recruiters.But you will probably come into contact with more schools, so you MIGHT be able to cut yourself a better deal. Most recruiters push certain schools,because those are the schools that will pay them a fee.They are not interested in setting up something where they will not recognize any monetary gain.

Of course,you are dealing with the specific recruiter,so you know more about the specific situation than I do...If they are good...well,,you are very lucky.I am glad you found a good one.But some others...even if they know people have been mistreated in the past by some schools,,,that does not even enter into it...they are out for the money.Whether people have been mistreated in the past or not is not a consideration.I am talking about some recruiters. I am glad you found a good one.Good ones are rather rare.I am also glad you are being careful.Being careful pays in this business.

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

My friend / recruiter does not recruit for Wonderland and a host of other places because of these very reasons.

[bap]

i work/worked for a wonderland (my school was a wonderland for the first two months it was open, now they changed their name but continue to use most of the wonderland program).
all i can tell you is not to waste your time. the wonderland program is horrible. the students english books are from levels 1-6, they are nicely colored and put together but they are age specific. the book for level one is targeted for ages 4-5, level two for ages 5-6, and so on. the problem is that most of the kids are much older than the ages the books are assigned for. the wonderland preschool program keeps them on a different program until the are eight years old. so the kids are using workbooks with cartoon dinosaurs named "dizzy" sometimes until they are thirteen. you can probably guess how bored they get. it really is just a joke to them and it makes teaching hard because they don't want to get to know "dizzy" and his friends.
wonderland also has "club acts" which are special days about every two weeks where the kids get to learn about their theme room (all of the rooms have a different theme - like the universe room or the airport room). this may seem like it's fun but it's not. the supplements for these fun days are little to none, so the teachers have to find their own pictures, games, and activities. this takes quite a bit of time especially when you're trying to keep their ages and english levels in mind.
the actual teachers guides are okay but i usually ran out of things to teach within about twenty minutes. the average lesson plan doesn't last for half of the lesson, and the activity books for the kids aren't fun for them so you'll have to find your own supplements and bring them in.
i could start about the preschool program but the problems are similar to the ones above.
these problems may happen in other hagwons too but i've only taught at this one school so i don't know.
as for wonderland work relationships, at my school there are two foreign teachers and one korean english teacher (there used to be two but one quit). i have a really good relationship with the korean english teacher. as for my director, this is his first hagwon and in my opinion he doesn't know what he's doing. i have had a really hard time with him when it comes to everything from getting paid on time to getting a stove. i don't know what other wonderland directors are like but mine seems typical from what i've read.
one last warning. on your contract you may notice a "teachers schedules can not be guaranteed", take this very seriously. this basically tells you that they can give you classes spread out from 9am to 8pm and you can't do anything about it. wonderland has preschool classes in the mornings starting at 9 or 9:30 but the rest of the english classes don't start until 3pm. so you might be working all day (9-7or8) with a bunch of twenty minute or one hour breaks. i'd ask for a schedule before i sign any contracts - and make sure that you get paid for feild trips because preschoolers tend to go on a lot of them and you might not be getting paid for going.
hope this helps

[reedtea]

I am currently working for Wonderland, and have been for the past 2 years. I can tell you that it all depends upon the owner of the establishment. I have a really good owner and he treats us well.

There is a down side to things. I have issues with another teacher and there is no one in the school that will back me up on what it's about. That is something that I have found. You are pretty much out on your own when it comes to speaking your mind.

Other than that situation, I really like working for the company. They give you your own place to live, the pay is pretty good and they leave you alone during your classes.

Good luck and RESEARCH your school BEFORE you get there. Ask around the area.

[malori]

I currently work for Wonderland. Overall, my experience has not been bad, but I tend to have a lot of patience, am a very experienced world traveler and have worked and lived in many different countries so I just stick to my goal for being in Korea and ignore the nonsense (and there's a lot of that around). I am considered a good teacher, but it makes no difference as I am constantly reminded that Wonderland is just a revenue-producing machine.

Things I learned from my experience and others:

1) Make sure every little detail about living arrangements, pay, handling of air transportation, working hours, age of students you will be teaching, apartment layout and features (e.g., washer, table, bed, distance from school) is written in your contract PRIOR to accepting the job and leaving Korea. Make sure you have a signed copy too. Insist on this. I did. other teachers in the past have not and they have had numerous problems. Because of SARS and recent political tensions in Korea, many foreigners (especially teachers) are opting to stay away from Korea. So, the demand for teachers is high so don't let a recruiter lead you astray.

2) Get your visa arranged prior to coming to Wonderland or Korea. A must.

3) Wonderland is not a place to come to if you really care about teaching. My students are adorable; but spoiled as heck. Discipline is a foreign word at Wonderland. The noise level is unbelievable. The Korean teachers are oblivious to the fact that the lack of discipline impedes the learning process. Foreign teachers serve as decoration for marketing purposes; and babysitting. There are plenty of books; but they are not the best books. The methodology makes no sense. Their Korean teachers do not speak English well, yet they are the ones that have the point of contact with the parents to discuss progress. They claim it is because the parents do not speak English. This is not always so as many parents have talked to me in the past and understood what I said. Obviously, the Korean teachers, the director and supervisor know that most foreigners disapprove of the learning methodology (or lack of) and they are consequently afraid that we will let the parents know. My orientation lasted 2 days. I observed the foreign teachers and there were many significant errors made in spelling and grammar usage (and this is what the students are learning). Evaluations are a joke. The evaluations don't evaluate students--they serve to apease the parent's ego as it relates to the appearance of a child who does well in school. My school has been losing many students at a very fast rate.

Well, I hope that helps.

[Lost Seoul]

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

[gajackson1]

i was a little surprised about RT's comments -

She has been there almost 2 years, and her experience is MUCH more in line with bap's than she lets on. (I know, because I get the fallout of it on most days!)

This is not the first thread here on the school - do a keyword search here for Wonderland, and you'll see what others have to say . . .

good luck!

Glen

PS - a LOT of Wonderlands seem to be bailing out & name changing - the owners do not want to pay the franchising fees. So, for those job hunting, you might well be trying to avoid Wonderland, but wind up at one anyway!!!

[Canuck]

[The Man known as The Man]

[Emma Clare]

Thankyou!

The company I am using as my recruiter is made up of people who all used to work as ESL teachers themselves as well as having travelled. They have good contacts out in SoKo. They've offered me a lot of useful advice, so I'm pretty sure they're sound!

To be honest, whilst I don't decry anyone that takes teaching seriously as a profession. (I hold it in the highest esteem as I come from a line of teachers!) I don't mind playing the goofballl, clowning around and hopefully teaching kids to speak at the same time. I tend to drive people nuts by being too high spirited and energetic all the time. Maybe a bunch of kids would do me some good! This isn't long term for me, so I don't mind being used as a PR tool!

Having said that I'd like to do some 'serious' teaching too! I just don't mind, wince, 'babysitting', as long as I get paid for it! (That wasn't my description by the way, before you think I'm putting down what you do)

If I get the choice I'll probably avoid Wonderland though. Even the name sounds a bit too Disneylike for me!

I have thought about instructing adults. I used to train people in IT applications and can also do my professional/business side!

[itchy]

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