Korean Job Discussion Forums

cazador83 · Joined: 28 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

Maybe I'm taking this in the wrong way, but this new job I want to take has one thing I don't like about it. The dress code is really formal. Nice pants, shirt and a tie.

Now, if I was teaching adults I would totally understand this, but this is a kindergarten (and elementary in the afternoon). Does this sound really weird to anyone else or normal? My last job was a kindie and we could wear nice jeans and shirts (just no holes, etc).

To those of you working at kindies (past or present), what was your dress code? Would you want to wear formal clothes teaching young kids?

I guess my main complaints are getting messy with the kids and just being comfortable. Also, I'll have to buy a lot of new clothes!

Atavistic

valkerie · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Location: Busan

Sometimes they say formal in the contract but the reality is different.

Also I think it depends on the type of work you are doing. In Japan I wore casual gear for kindy work as it involved lots of active games and mayhem. Here I teach in a more formal setting (curriculum with all the subjects in English), so wearing nicer stuff is appropriate.

Boodleheimer · Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 3:22 pm Post subject:

just think of all the kid-related crap that could get all over your nice clothes. bill the dry-cleaning to the school

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

Great. So do you work in a special kindergarten where the kids don't pull on your tie, don't wipe their filthy hands on you, and don't have crayon and marker everywhere?

babtangee · Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 5:22 pm Post subject:

Heh! When I worked kindy I had kids cut my jeans with scissors, pull buttons off my shirts, wipe paint on my, draw crayon on me, spill food on me, wipe their hands on me, hug me with their booger infested faces all up in my shit... not a chance in hell I'd even go business casual. Furthermore, I'd suggest a smock to protect whatever you are wearing.

littlelisa · Joined: 12 Jun 2007 Location: Seoul

My contract said formal. I'm wearing business casual. Nobody in the office wears formal clothes except for the director, who is always in a suit.

But then, my kids certainly don't cut my clothes with scissors, draw on me or anything like that. I've never had a problem, and any germs I might get by the kids hugging me.. well, i won't let that worry me!

Ask the teacher there now if it really is formal or not.

Berghoff · Joined: 25 Oct 2007

My contract said formal, too. The reality is that we dress casual and we only dress nice on days when they are taking photographs.

Mr. BlackCat · Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Location: Insert witty remark HERE

I had to wear formal clothes in my first contract with kindies. It was ridiculous. I ended up putting on my tie for the walk to the class past my boss, then removing it once I was in the classroom. Roll up the sleeves, sometimes just take off the dress shirt all together and wear the t-shirt underneath. Often, I'd bring a smock to wear over my clothes. Once class was over, I'd re-dress for the walk past my boss again, go into the staffroom where I would strip again due to the ten blowing heaters in the room. Just call me Mr. Rogers.

sojourner1 · Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 6:57 pm Post subject:

We are casual all the way and dress like backpacking tourists in jeans, shorts, t-shirts, and sweaters. We dress like college students and gap year backpackers.

cazador83 · Joined: 28 Feb 2006 Location: Seoul

i emailed the recruiter my concern and she said actually business casual is ok...but yeah, i'd still rather wear jeans.

runlikegump · Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Location: Seoul

Go with the formal speedos, you know, the ones that don't have skiddy stains.

that guy · Joined: 29 Feb 2004 Location: long gone

solution? disposable raincoat: