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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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JongnoGuru
Joined: 25 May 2004
Location: peeing on your doorstep
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 Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2005 1:13 am Post subject: |
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| the_beaver wrote: |
| I still say a mediocre university it better than either. |
How about a top-flight university that gives you grand accommodations (I do mean grand), yet at the same time expects professors to ignore their less-than-enviable salary and focus more on the brand-name prestige of being associated with the institution. Oh, and you're not to doubt this prestige factor, no sir! I've seen it work magic on every Korean -- shop owners, waitresses, cab drivers, police, immigration officials, girls in bars, girls at cosmetic counters, girls wearing bookbags, girls in very short skirts... everyone from the nobility to the commonality of this republic without exception.
And the hours weren't too bad either.
This I know from three acquaintances of mine years ago, not all English professors though.
Last edited by JongnoGuru on Sun Jul 17, 2005 3:21 am; edited 1 time in total |
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hari seldon
Joined: 05 Dec 2004
Location: Incheon
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| Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2005 3:04 am Post subject: |
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| Kimchieluver wrote: |
| "...I think if the public school offered you the job you are qualified enough to get into the groove after a couple of weeks... |
Yeah, sure... |
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the_beaver
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2005 3:07 am Post subject: |
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| JongnoGuru wrote: |
How about a top-flight university that gives you grand accommodations (I do mean grand), yet at the same time expects professors to ignore their less-than-enviable salary and focus more on the brand-name prestige of being associated with the institution. Oh, and you're not to doubt this prestige factor, so sir. I've seen it work magic on every Korean -- shop owners, waitresses, cab drivers, police, immigration officials, girls in bars, girls at cosmetic counters, girls wearing bookbags, girls in very short skirts... everyone from the nobility to the commonality of this republic without exception.
And the hours weren't too bad either.
This I know from three acquaintances of mine years ago, not all English professors though. |
Many of teh top universities tend to be better, but there are exceptions (Seoul National and some of the English programs in Yonsei, I heard). I'm just saying the average university is better than a good job somewhere else. A good university job kicks ass. |
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JongnoGuru
Joined: 25 May 2004
Location: peeing on your doorstep
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| Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2005 3:40 am Post subject: |
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| the_beaver wrote: |
| Many of teh top universities tend to be better, but there are exceptions (Seoul National and some of the English programs in Yonsei, I heard). I'm just saying the average university is better than a good job somewhere else. A good university job kicks ass. |
Right, Beaver, those be the places I was referring to. As I say though, it was years ago that I knew these profs. Eons before the 'hagwonisation' of many university teaching positions, and even before the ESL boom.
Things have undoubtedly changed much since then, but I'll not soon forget seeing their apartments for the first time. They were, for those days and for what most young foreigners could expect, absolutely "junior foreign diplomat" level. Huge. Newly Built. Modern. Sumptuous & palatial compared to the nasty ratholes I'd lived in up to then. (Training the electric heater on the pipes on winter morning that I might de-ice them and have water to wash my face and brush my teeth.) Simply otherworldly they were to me. And they were, of course, just laid on by the university. |
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adventureman
Joined: 18 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2005 5:33 am Post subject: |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 3:21 am Post subject: |
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| the_beaver wrote: |
| [Many of teh top universities tend to be better, but there are exceptions (Seoul National and some of the English programs in Yonsei, I heard). I'm just saying the average university is better than a good job somewhere else. A good university job kicks ass. |
Since the average university job appears to be becoming more hakwonized (at least to judge by the number of posts on that issue) I'd doubt it. Maybe a good university job. But it all boils down to what age group you are best with. A good university job might be hell for someone who prefers kids. The thing is "good" is quite subjective and what would qualify as "excellent" for one person, might barely pass muster for another. |
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sonshine20
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
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| Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 10:59 am Post subject: |
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So I'm looking for a public school job in SEOUL but don't want to go through GEPIK, EPIK, SMOE etc. It seems like almost all of the public school jobs in Seoul (posted on the job board or through a recruiter) are through one of these programs.
I've contated numerous recruiters. I've been emailing my resume and cover letter to schools. (By there is a great list of schools at the SMOE website (Korean version) with email addresses and addresses and websites for each and you can search for several variables.) I'm going to target some specific schools and MAIL my resume to them as well. Without being IN Korea, is there anything else I should do to try to get into a public school without using the SMOE or other programs?
I really appreciate any help at all... |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 11:27 am Post subject: |
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| sonshine20 wrote: |
So I'm looking for a public school job in SEOUL but don't want to go through GEPIK, EPIK, SMOE etc. It seems like almost all of the public school jobs in Seoul (posted on the job board or through a recruiter) are through one of these programs.
I've contated numerous recruiters. I've been emailing my resume and cover letter to schools. (By there is a great list of schools at the SMOE website (Korean version) with email addresses and addresses and websites for each and you can search for several variables.) I'm going to target some specific schools and MAIL my resume to them as well. Without being IN Korea, is there anything else I should do to try to get into a public school without using the SMOE or other programs?
I really appreciate any help at all... |
Even if you find a school directly... they will still be under the auspices of one of the 3 programs (SMOE, EPIK, GEPIK) and your contract will be the same. Even if they give you a different contract, it will still be the same (they will ingnore the contract and follow policy).
IF you are NOT in Korea then it is a crapshoot and there is not much you can do about it. Unlike checking with the other foreign teachers at a hakwan, there is usually no-one to check with at/about a public school.
Good luck to you. |
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sonshine20
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
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| Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 12:11 pm Post subject: |
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Really? Okay. So the advantage of finding one MYSELF is just having more say in which school & where, but not in contract issues, right? I wonder about the % of schools that hire teachers directly vs. go through SMOE hiring for example.
Thanks, ttompatz, BTW. 
How about private schools? (I don't mean Hagwons, but private schools. In Korean I think the word is 사립 (sa-rip). Do they fall under these programs too? Anyone know benefits/drawbacks of public/private schools in Korea?
THANKS AGAIN!!! |
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endo
Joined: 14 Mar 2004
Location: Seoul...my home
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| Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 12:12 am Post subject: |
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| great topic. thanks for all the info. |
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Hotpants
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 12:29 am Post subject: |
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Don't forget - 'public school' can also mean those after school programs which are often sub-contracted via a hagwon owner.
I would never work in a hagwon because of the commercial pressure to keep b-ums on seats. Learning shouldn't be about the number of words they learn per buck. I would rather teach kids in their regular school classroom environment, with predictable class schedules, ample space for lesson prep, and a boss and parents I can talk to who don't have a dagger behind their back. A mainstream school also offers much more vacation time. I couldn't possibly imagine working full time for just 10 days vacation per year - I'd be burnt out in no time. Class sizes are often bigger in mainstream schools, but that works out much better in terms of group dynamics in the long term. School class sizes seem to tire very quickly unless they have lots of fresh new challenges from being surrounded by so many classmates. |
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UncleAlex
Joined: 04 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 3:12 am Post subject: Hagwon vs Public School? |
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It takes a lot of patience wherever you work in this country. But the public
school curcuit is better because of much less work, a predictable pay day,
steady schedule, and more time off during the year. What I dislike about
the public school system is being a lone alien in a totally foreign and too
rigid environment, not to mention many annoying co-teachers who often
patronize or condescend in an irritating manner. And keep in mind that
the foreign teacher lacks the benefits Korean teachers get: paid classes
and bonuses at vacation time or the whole period off with the bonus, for
example. If this insults you, then stay away and teach at an institute in
Japan where the hours are more reasonable, the people more polite and
quieter, and the environment much cleaner.  |
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Barqs
Joined: 31 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 5:02 am Post subject: |
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Does anyone know anything good or bad about the wineducation after school program?
Thanks |
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rapier
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 5:36 am Post subject: Re: Hagwon vs Public School? |
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| UncleAlex wrote: |
What I dislike about
the public school system is being a lone alien in a totally foreign and too
rigid environment, not to mention many annoying co-teachers who often
patronize or condescend in an irritating manner. |
The seemingly patronizing stuff is just attempts at polite conversation starters. It rapidly dissapears if you show that you know about Korea, have been here a while, can speak some Korean back, and are friendly and interested in them.
Public schools are a lot better than hagwons. The only real merit hagwons have is that they make you an adaptible and resourceful teacher in the first instance. After that intro to korea, a public school is great, especially if you work at a brand new one. |
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