Korean Job Discussion Forums

mastap · Joined: 10 Apr 2007

I just started teaching at a ps and my Kor. co-teacher asked me to do after school classes (no help planning whatsoever, wants me to decide what/how to teach). Frankly I don't want to do it, but I feel that if I don't, I will dissapoint her as well as "the mothers who are requesting it."
I feel that I don't really have a legit reason not to do it.

Has anyone here been in a similar situation and refused to do the after school stuff? What were the results of that decision?

nobbyken · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Location: Yongin ^^

Hi,

You could find out what level the kids are at, and get a book set from something like the English Time series.
The only real prep is photocopying and pre-reading. Depending on the facilities you could do lots of vacab games, and throw in some other activities just to mix it up.

The class will probably turn out to be the one you have the most fun with, I know I looked forward to teaching mine. We understood each other, no numpties.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

KYC · Joined: 11 May 2006

Tompatz is right. I only have about 12 regular textbook classes. The rest are afterschool classs, and I have to do them. It's up to me what I want to teach them. Sometimes it's fun..sometimes it's not. It really depends on the students, but it's nice to have the discretion on what to teach them.

My old ct never helped me with the classes. I had so much problems with one of the classes (his homeroom class) I asked him what should I do. I only asked because I couldn't discipline them anymore. He stayed with me during that time only to discipline them.

My new ct..is quite awesome. She stays with me in every specialized afterschool class. She even teaches with me instead of sititng in the back! I dont know if she will continue this or was doing this to ease me into the new schedule. I had a LOT of problems with one of the classes. Even though she was present, she had trouble disciplining them as well.

nomad-ish · Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 7:33 pm Post subject: Re: ps after-school classes

agoodmouse · Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Location: Anyang

Ttompatz, I don't catch the "under 28 hours" comment.

I teach at a public high school. My contract says 22 hours. If I teach 26 classes a week, that is just under 22 hours. 26 x (50 minute classes) = 1300 minutes. 1300 minutes divided by 60 is 21.67 hours.

Even if the OP is under his normal contract hours (typically 22 hours of teaching a week), then his after-school classes aren't mandatory because, if his contract is typical PS language, his classes should be during normal school hours. My contract says 8 hours, including lunch time. Good thing it doesn't say excluding. I leave at 3:50pm. Therefore, if after-school classes were broached, I could refuse them as they are not within my 8 regular work hours. That is, unless I come in at a later time than 8:00 a.m. in which case the PS could try to include those extra classes, but they'd still have to pay me extra for them.

poet13 · Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 7:53 pm Post subject:

"Ttompatz, I don't catch the "under 28 hours" comment. "

He said 28 classes, not hours.

28 classes at 45 minutes each = 21 hours.

agoodmouse · Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Location: Anyang

Eureka. Got it now.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

poet13 · Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 8:37 pm Post subject:

Thats a lot of classes....strange saying that when I used to regularily teach more than 50 in a week. I have 14 now and very pleased with it. I just can't help but feel likes everything is too good right now....that someone is going to feel like they have to come and take a dump on my desk.

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

When did they start counting by the minutes? I teach 22 40min classes per week + some after school. For every class after 22 I get 20,000 per class.

agoodmouse · Joined: 20 Dec 2007 Location: Anyang

The "they" are different at every school.

BS.Dos. · Joined: 29 Mar 2007

^Sure. My timetable is under 22 per week and I still get extra for my club activity classes.

To the OP, I'd say that of all my lessons (MS girls, HS boys and teachers) the CA classes are always the most difficult to prepare for as I always try and do something different from what we've done in our regular classes. I've found that group quizzes and discussions work well. If your students are anything like mine, you may find it harder to get them motivated as they know that it's extra learning and they generally switch off a lot easier than in normal lessons.

Having said that, the classes sizes may well be smaller (between 15~20 for me as opposed to 30 in my regular classes), which you may find to be both more manageable and more effective in terms of utilising your time. Also, the students have opted for extra English so, with any luck, you'll probably find your CA classes are full of your higher-level students.

In my CA classes (2x50 minute back-to-back lessons once a fortnight) I've used a mixture of word games and general knowledge quizzes (complete with jokers that they can play on selected 'speciality' subjects i.e. spelling etc). We've also watched videos, youtube clips, Mr. Bean etc. Basically, keep them happy and try and rinse some English out of them with whatever you choice to do.

If it transpires that you are under-hours and still decide not to run CA classes, then I'd say that you may as well as you'll still have to sit at your desk until school finishes. Whereas, if you decide to do it, you'll get paid extra for it.

jkelly80 · Joined: 13 Jun 2007 Location: you boys like mexico?

Slightly off topic here BUT--

I work for SMOE. My coteacher asked me to do two afternoon classes. Sez "20k/hr we split it" and I was sez "no contract says 20k just for me" and she sez "30k/hr maybe, but we still split it". I was not too happy, but I agreed. Then she sez "so if we get 20 students, that's still 100k/hr." !!! She meant per student. I asked her about three more times to make sure, and that's what she said.

Is this even possible? It sounds entirely too good to be true.

Easter Clark · Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong

^

Be careful that they aren't going to base your pay on attendance, as is often the case. The schools do this to try to save a buck--get everything in writing before the class starts! My school once told me they would pay 1,000 won per student that attended. I politely told them "No thanks." An hour later they told me I would be getting 20,000 per class, regardless of class size. I told them I would do it but was still "confused," and asked if they could write that down for me. One thing I failed to do was ask when I would be paid. It took nearly 6 weeks after the class was over to get my money. Live and learn!