Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Hank the Iconoclast]

I teach at four different schools around Buyeo and one of which is an elementary school. They wanted me to teach 1st-6th grade on Monday and I told them that I can teach 3rd-6th grade. I even talked to one of my co-teachers at my middle school and he told me that I shouldn't be teaching 1st and 2nd grade. Today, I told them again that I am not teaching 1st and 2nd grade. It was not long after that one of the co-teachers came up to me and started talking fast in Korean about why I am not teaching those grades. I told him that I should not be teaching those grades and every other teacher at my other schools have agreed.

So what I am wondering is, did I do something wrong? I tried to make it clear to these people but their English skills are subpar at the very best. They communicate with me in Korean mostly and I speak very little Korean. I asked for some of my teacher text books for lesson plans and they have provided nothing. All I ever get from these people are cryptic answers. What should I do here? Should I go back to teaching six classes?

[Dome Vans]

1st: If it's over your contracted hours then no. I had a elementary that wanted me to teach 3-6 grade for two hours each, which would have been four hours more than my contracted hours. They didn't want to pay extra so that was that.

I think generally schools can get you to teach what they want in the allotted time you have with them, even if that is to 1st and 2nd graders. But not as above it goes over your contracted hours. If you spend one day at that school, you'll generally work for 4 hours, that's 3-6th grade. Not anything extra, but it depends on what your hours are with that particular school.

What's best is that you will probably have your main school, one of your middle schools, you should have a co-teacher there you can talk to and get this sorted out. Don't say yes or no to anything until you fully understand what they are wanting. Your main co-teacher should be able to mediate. My co-teacher does this, if I have a problem I explain to him and he talks with the other school and it gets sorted out with discussion. It's difficult to offend them if you don't understand what they are wanting. But as you are doing, play it cool and it'll be sorted out.. Don't rush it.

[Hank the Iconoclast]

Thanks for the advice mate

[sojourner1]

Isn't their a coordinator person who collaborates with the schools on what they are to have the foreign teacher teach?

A coordinator would meet with the schools and talk about the schools needs, the teachers needs, and negotiate what the teacher will teach based on contracted number of hours remaining after the teacher teaches at the other schools. One school may not know how stretched a teacher is or what all it is teachers are teaching so they may think teachers have more time than they really do. I can see how easy it is for schools to forget or not know what other obligations teachers carry and any transportation and timing issues involved. Planning and coordinating things is king for smooth functioning relations.

All this requires a coordinator to serve as a liaison between foreign teachers and schools. I would say that 99% of problems can be prevented by having a good coordinator and effective communication. While I do understand how all this is supposed to work, I as a teacher with only a bachelors degree and not appointed as a regional coordinator, the school personnel would not see me as having enough social status to reason with me, the teacher so they would demand something and not allow the teacher to fix the problem. This can lead to problems despite keeping your cool and being tactful.

[SeoulShakin]

Yeah it all has to do with your contracted hours. I am at an elementary school, and am contracted to 22 teaching hours (40 min classes) a week.
My school is small, so at my elementary school I teach 1st-6th grade, and it is all included in my hours. I know some schools where the school is so big, that the foreign teacher only does 5th and 6th grade, and no more, cause it's over the contract hours.

Essentially, if it is within those hours, they can ask you to teach any grade. I actually find my 1st and 2nd graders are the most enthusiastic bunch of students in my school.

Check to see it matches your contract hours. If it is over, you have the right to refuse, or demand overtime pay for teaching them.

[Hank the Iconoclast]

[Dome Vans]