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garykasparov
Joined: 27 May 2007
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 Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 3:11 pm Post subject: questions to ask foreign teachers |
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OP,
Ask these questions to foreign teachers, not the employer, at the school. If possible speak to two or three current foreign teachers and one former employee. It is difficult to speak to them over the telephone. Their employers tend to listen to converstations. Communicate with them via e-mail. Your recruiter should provide you with contact e-mails with current teachers and one (1) former teacher. If your recruiter refuses, gives you attitude, makes excuses, farts in the wind, then seek the services of another recruiter.
Questions to ask foreign teachers
Duties
1. What do you do that is not clearly defined in your contract?
Schedule
2. What are your daily working hours?
3. How many classes do you teach per day and how long are they?
4. How many hours of preparation do you work?
5. How many students attend the school?
6. How long is your break?
Wages
7. Are you always paid on time?
8. Does your employer pay you overtime wages if you work more than eight ( 8 ) hours per day?
9 Does your employer provide you with a pay receipt that clearly states taxes, monthly salary and all deductions?
10. Are you paid in cash or does your employer deposit your wages into your bank account?
Housing
11. Was your apartment clean and everything in working order when you moved in?
12. Were you provided with all the furnishings stated in the contract when you moved into your apartment?
Paid Annual Leave
13. How and when do you take your paid vacation?
National Holidays
14. Does your employer require/force you to work on Korean National Holidays?
Paid Sick Leave
15. Have you used a day of paid sick leave? If so, did your employer require you to work another day to make up for the hours you didn't work due to illness?
Airfare
16. Does your employer provide teachers with airplane tickets upon completion of thier contracts?
Health Insurance
17. Has your employer provided you with a medical insurance card?
18. Does your employer deduct the correct amount from your monthly salary for health insurance contributions and pay the contribution to the National Health Insurance Corporation?
Korean National Pension Plan
19. Does your employer pay his/her contributions to the pension office?
20. Does your employer deduct the correct amount from your monthly salary for pension contribution(s) and pay them to the pension office?
Income Taxes
21. Does your employer deduct the correct amount from your monthly salary for income taxes and pay the deduction to the tax office?
( http://www.nta.go.kr/eng/default.html )
Severance Pay
22. Does your employer pay employees their severance pay at the end of their contracts?
Employees
23. What are the English speaking abilities of the Korean Teachers and your employer like?
24. How many foreign teachers and Korean Teachers work at the school?
25. Is there a high turnover rate amongst the foreign teachers and Korean Teachers?
26. Is the director abusive towards the students or staff?
Financial
27. Is the school in financial trouble?
Last edited by garykasparov on Sat Dec 08, 2007 5:41 pm; edited 8 times in total |
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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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| Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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notwithstanding few folks want to answer such a lengthy inquisition, i DID ask many similar questions of MORE than 1 teacher at my last job - and STILL got burned something fierce.
they either dodged the questions and praised the place, or just answered what they wanted - i felt bad for asking so many questions - and think about it, it really can be a bit burdensome to receive such an email from someone who may not even take the job after you go to the trouble to answer
i think if one just assumes all hakwon directors will lie cheat and steal from foreign teachers and do whatever they can to take advantage of you, well then you can pretty much consider yourself lucky if they don't and be forewarned when they do 
what else can one say? TIK  |
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garykasparov
Joined: 27 May 2007
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| Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 3:35 pm Post subject: |
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| they either dodged the questions and praised the place, or just answered what they wanted - |
Thats when you should have walked. There are more PLENTY of positions available for you in Korea. So, you don't have to feel bad about moving on. Alot of these questions are fairly simple to answer. If the employer honors contracts, follows labor laws, then the teacher should be able write answers (Yes or No) to all the questions very quickly. If a teacher gets defensive or even doges the tough questions, then what does that tell you? The teacher may have dodged the questions because you were talking on the telephone. If you sent some of the above questions via e-mail, the teacher dodged them, then that tells you the teacher probably has to write alot more than yes or no. You shouldn't feel bad for asking so many questions. Alot of teachers are not asking the tough questions. |
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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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| Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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| garykasparov wrote: |
| Quote: |
| they either dodged the questions and praised the place, or just answered what they wanted - |
Thats when you should have walked. There are more PLENTY of positions available for you in Korea. So, you don't have to feel bad about moving on. Alot of these questions are fairly simple to answer. If the employer honors contracts, follows labor laws, then the teacher should be able write answers (Yes or No) to all the questions very quickly. If a teacher gets defensive or even doges the tough questions, then what does that tell you? The teacher may have dodged the questions because you were talking on the telephone. If you sent some of the above questions via e-mail, the teacher dodged them, then that tells you the teacher probably has to write alot more than yes or no. You shouldn't feel bad for asking so many questions. Alot of teachers are not asking the tough questions. |
actually, there's NOT plenty of positions available - there are plenty of BAD positions - not good ones -
the answers I received from the other teachers were not seen by me as a dodge at the time - they actually did take the time to write lengthy responses - it was only after there and seeing the real deal did I realize I'd been had -
again, people are also just too busy to answer questions like this - a lot of them - and as I also said - why should it be necessary to answer so many?
It's one thing just to ask how do you like it there etc but what I'm saying is if we are at the point where we need to ask such details of the people who work there, well, there's something seriously wrong with the employment situation.
duh, guess that's true, huh?
once burned, twice shy. I've heard of other folks getting screwed when the other foreign teacher(s) didn't give up the goods on their boss either. |
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garykasparov
Joined: 27 May 2007
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| Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="moosehead"]
| garykasparov wrote: |
| Quote: |
| they either dodged the questions and praised the place, or just answered what they wanted - |
Thats when you should have walked. There are more PLENTY of positions available for you in Korea. So, you don't have to feel bad about moving on. Alot of these questions are fairly simple to answer. If the employer honors contracts, follows labor laws, then the teacher should be able write answers (Yes or No) to all the questions very quickly. If a teacher gets defensive or even doges the tough questions, then what does that tell you? The teacher may have dodged the questions because you were talking on the telephone. If you sent some of the above questions via e-mail, the teacher dodged them, then that tells you the teacher probably has to write alot more than yes or no. You shouldn't feel bad for asking so many questions. Alot of teachers are not asking the tough questions. |
| Quote: |
| actually, there's NOT plenty of positions available - there are plenty of BAD positions - not good ones - |
And there's also plenty of good positions available. You have to look hard, be patient, do your research, and ask all the right questions.
| Quote: |
| the answers I received from the other teachers were not seen by me as a dodge at the time - they actually did take the time to write lengthy responses - it was only after there and seeing the real deal did I realize I'd been had - |
You have to decide which side of the fence you're on. Because you stated earlier the teachers dodged the questions. Were you able to talk to one (1) former teacher? Did they answer all the questions? I don't think you did the research you needed to do.
| Quote: |
| again, people are also just too busy to answer questions like this - a lot of them - and as I also said - why should it be necessary to answer so many? |
This is the attitude I cannot stand about teachers. Boo hoo, "Why should it be necessary to answer so many?" This is exactly why many teachers don't receive the information they should.
| Quote: |
| It's one thing just to ask how do you like it there etc but what I'm saying is if we are at the point where we need to ask such details of the people who work there, well, there's something seriously wrong with the employment situation. |
It goes way beyond, "How do you like it there?" Alot of these questions were written to see if the employer was abiding by Korean tax law, labor law and the National Pension Act. So, these are some of the details you really should be concerned about. |
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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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| Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 5:36 am Post subject: |
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first of all, i'm not sure why you are using a red font?
maybe you're a commie?
seriously, i think you need to work on your people skills - you really don't know that much about me to be making judgment calls like you are - and you obviously don't know that much about how to communicate w/o pissing people off because actually you are starting to annoy the heck out of me - !
one more time because you just don't seem to get it - people have LIVES they are BUSY they don't necessarily want to answer a lot of questions regardless of whether or not they are appropriate questions, or whatever
i once received an email from a guy about a winter camp i'd attended the year before - there were about 30 email addresses on it and he said i was the ONLY one who responded - yet even after telling him how awful it was and i'd totally recommend against him working there - he said he'd already signed the contract when he emailed us!!
another point:
foreigners just aren't necessarily nice to each other because we are all native speakers - just today i was treated so incredibly rudely by another foreigner for no particular reason - she was just plain rude. i tried to be nice (she had asked about some things) and assist her but she didn't get the answer apparently she wanted and somehow that was my fault.
so give it up already - some teachers will help each other out - some won't and some will lie and some won't - that's just the way life is -
and please lose the red font it's really kinda lame. |
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Homer
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 6:27 am Post subject: |
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Asking other westerners on staff is a necessary step to any job process here.
But, as pointed out...there are quite a few jerks out there who would sell their mothers for a ship won coin....and yes I mean foreign teachers answering those questions!
So you have to be able to read how the person responds to the questions above....
Good questions anyway and at least part of them should be asked before signing a conract. |
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KarenWest1984
Joined: 11 Sep 2007
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 7:15 am Post subject: |
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| moosehead...I couldn't agree with you more. Gary is a control freak - he loves it, & when someone says anything against him - he just gets bitter. He thinks he knows the lot. Truth is, he couldn't care less either way about a teacher, a hagwon or a recruiter - he just bored, & he has nothing more to do in his simple life. Gary, stop telling people what they should do...I bet your job is no better than anyone else, get a life. |
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garykasparov
Joined: 27 May 2007
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| Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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| KarenWest1984 wrote: |
| moosehead...I couldn't agree with you more. Gary is a control freak - he loves it, & when someone says anything against him - he just gets bitter. He thinks he knows the lot. Truth is, he couldn't care less either way about a teacher, a hagwon or a recruiter - he just bored, & he has nothing more to do in his simple life. Gary, stop telling people what they should do...I bet your job is no better than anyone else, get a life. |
If I had little knowledge of contracts I wouldn't be helping teachers. So, I do care enough to assist them. If I didn't care I wouldn't be posting questions for them to ask other foreign teachers. My motive behind doing so, is to make sure the foreign teachers end up in a good school. |
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garykasparov
Joined: 27 May 2007
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| Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 2:39 pm Post subject: |
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I revamped the list. Is this too long moosehead?
Duties
1. What do you do that is not clearly defined in your contract?
Schedule
2. What are your daily working hours?
3. How many classes do you teach per day and how long are they?
4. How many hours of preparation do you work?
5. How many students attend the school?
6. How long is your break?
Wages
7. Are you always paid on time?
8. Does your employer pay you overtime wages if you work more than eight ( 8 ) hours per day?
9 Does your employer provide you with a pay receipt that clearly states taxes, monthly salary and all deductions?
10. Are you paid in cash or does your employer deposit your wages into your bank account?
Housing
11. Was your apartment clean and everything in working order when you moved in?
12. Were you provided with all the furnishings stated in the contract when you moved into your apartment?
Paid Annual Leave
13. How and when do you take your paid vacation?
National Holidays
14. Does your employer require/force you to work on Korean National Holidays?
Paid Sick Leave
15. Have you used a day of paid sick leave? If so, did your employer require you to work another day to make up for the hours you didn't work due to illness?
Airfare
16. Does your employer provide teachers with airplane tickets upon completion of thier contracts?
Health Insurance
17. Has your employer provided you with a medical insurance card?
18. Does your employer deduct the correct amount from your monthly salary for health insurance contributions and pay the contribution to the National Health Insurance Corporation?
Korean National Pension Plan
19. Does your employer pay his/her contributions to the pension office?
20. Does your employer deduct the correct amount from your monthly salary for pension contribution(s) and pay them to the pension office?
Income Taxes
21. Does your employer deduct the correct amount from your monthly salary for income taxes and pay the deduction to the tax office?
( http://www.nta.go.kr/eng/default.html )
Severance Pay
22. Does your employer pay employees their severance pay at the end of their contracts?
Employees
23. What are the English speaking abilities of the Korean Teachers and your employer like?
24. How many foreign teachers and Korean Teachers work at the school?
25. Is there a high turnover rate amongst the foreign teachers and Korean Teachers?
26. Is the director abusive towards the students or staff?
Financial
27. Is the school in financial trouble?
Last edited by garykasparov on Sat Dec 08, 2007 5:43 pm; edited 4 times in total |
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BreakfastInBed
Joined: 16 Oct 2007
Location: Gyeonggi do
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| Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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This list and these questions have been an immense help to me. I don't always have the presence of mind to ask everything I want to know when the moment is upon me, and I've benefitted greatly from more experienced people who have taken the time to share their knowledge on threads like this.
I've read this list before, or one like it. I think it's been posted quite a bit. That's fine with me. I hope Korean employers improve to the point that all their employees can give honest, satisfactory answers to all these questions.
I don't like to sound like a suck-up; I'm grateful to everyone who shares information and offers sound advice, regardless of motive. Thanks! |
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garykasparov
Joined: 27 May 2007
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| Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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Excluding the above forum member, there are many new teachers that don't understand the importance of many of the questions above.
I think, "How many students attend the school?" is a critical question. It may seem like a silly question, but a low enrollment can be a sign of financial troubles. The question, "Is the school in financial trouble?," goes hand in hand with the aforesaid question. I would be happy to explain the importance of each and every question upon request. |
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ella
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| i DID ask many similar questions of MORE than 1 teacher at my last job - and STILL got burned something fierce. |
| Quote: |
| there are quite a few jerks out there who would sell their mothers for a ship won coin....and yes I mean foreign teachers answering those questions! |
You said it. This is one of those things newbies need to know. You don't have to be paranoid but keep in mind other foreigners sometimes aren't looking out for anyone but themselves. Take what you're told with a grain of salt until you get to know them a little better. That doesn't help much when you're shopping for schools, I know, but it's a fact of life to be aware of here. |
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bellum99
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: don't need to know
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| Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 2:11 pm Post subject: |
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The truth is that everyone is looking out for themselves. My best friend who was in Korea helped me and found my job for me. He emails me about the job and how good it was:
1: I get off the airplane and I am driven to the school to sign the contract.
2: We go to my house...the dirtiest basement villa in the world. Filled with bugs.
3: I was a newbie and contract was filled with holes. No vacation, holidays deduct overtime, low pay, BCM split shift, etc. Every dirty underhanded crappy thing they could do to a teacher. Friend didn't say anything.
4: Found out friend got a finders fee for me. Sold me like a slave.
--We fought and are not friends. We were best friends for ten years and he could do that. I trust no one...every single person cares only about money and will do anything for money. The teachers who work at a school do not care about anyone...they are usually poor beggars who will do anything for a won. Their word is crap. It is luck the first time....good school, bad school....who can know. |
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The Hammer
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Ullungdo 37.5 N, 130.9 E, altitude : 223 m
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| Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 2:45 pm Post subject: |
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28. Is this place cool, or does it suck?
29. What kind of BS goes on here?
30. I'll be needing some whiskey for my men and beer for my horses. Where can I get both?
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