Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wonkavite62]

I have just read a ghastly warning about someone working at ICEV. This is an English Village in Incheon. I was offered a job at Paju English Village in Geumcheon, north of Seoul. Is it worth my while to teach there? Or is it truly ghastly? I would appreciate information from people who know that place, thank you.

[ThingsComeAround]

this was recorded by teachers there:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjBfy_HVoSM

Sorry gang, I had to

[lifecircle87]

ICEV was actually my first workplace in Korea. They're always busy with a large number of students coming from various place all throughout the year. They're actually the most successful English Village in Korea and have thousands of students. Because of this, teachers are always busy. But, teachers all get paid on time with the exact amount on the contract and there's no unexpected layoff for the business reason either. Lots of overtime opportunities too. Also, because of its reputation in Korea, you really get an advantage to find other jobs afterwards. All the people I know who wanted to stay longer in Korea either renewed their contract at ICEV and the ones who wanted to move to Seoul all got the positions they wanted in public schools. Just like everything in life, your hard work really gets paid back.

[Fallacy]

Watching just 10 seconds of that video sprained my eyeballs!

[SeoulNate]

[Fallacy]

[SeoulNate]

To be honest, it is a bit comical to me. We all write like complete dog shit on the internet, but coming here to post about how a NET lied all the while making common writing errors for L1 Korean L2 English learners is ludicrous. Did you seriously think no one would notice? Most of us deal with this form of writing day in and day out.

[Fallacy]

Exactly. Click "Find all posts by lifecircle87" and find a total of 2, but quantity was not required for analysis to detect high levels of Cool-Aid in the expression of this poster.

[wonkavite62]

But what would interest me is what is it actually like to work there? Could I fit into that organisation? Being busy might be fun, because I enjoy teaching. But I would also need some time off. That may be an issue. Otherwise the school seems okay.

[Fallacy]

[Lunar Groove Gardener]

There are pros and cons to any of the possible teaching options in Korea.
Factors which will affect your level of satisfaction will include:
*Housing conditions
*Location in Korea
*Work hours
*Marking/office hours/required overtime or camps/admin/class facilities
*Student age and management
*Pay/bonuses/Airfare/Pay increases/overtime rates

The best way to look into how this place is at the present moment is to somehow directly contact a current or recent teacher.

That will be the same for most positions. This is the invaluable information in making an informed decision about selecting an employer/school etc.

As to EV's... they present a unique life for someone teaching here. There is a lot to be learned by content based classes and for those that are interested in visual and performing arts, as well as other topic areas which are integral to their curriculum (such as Science, Music, Art, Global Issues) this can be a great learning experience and a lot of fun.

As others have said, many have found a lot of success when moving from the EV setting to their next position.

Some people will hate this type of teaching. Others will hate hagwons.
Some will hate teaching kindergarten. Others unigwons. But there are opportunities to flourish in all such settings, as long as the conditions are good and the faculty are appreciated and paid for their work.

[wonkavite62]

yes, of course, directly contacting a teacher who has worked there is a great idea. it is also highly possible that someone who uses dave's esl cafe will have worked at paju english village.
the most important thing a teacher needs to know before signing a contract with a school is "can i work there? people do need to know these details either from western staff at the school or sometimes from the school itself.

[Keeper]

[wonkavite62]

Well yes of course, they may just put you in touch with their most popular or happiest teacher. It's a risk, admittedly, but I would listen to the teacher the school put me in contact with and if they sounded too good to be true, I would try to apply more careful questioning, and read between the lines. I would also be quite up front and ask if they are in the staff room and if the boss is listening! If a school has received really bad reviews on
Dave's ESL, and yet the teacher they put you in contact with seems to be in 7th heaven then that's a warning sign.
Generally, when I applied for a job and got an average to great review from the western staff, that was when I went into a happy, positive and fulfilling teaching experience. When I didn't even bother to ask for that review, that was when I was more likely to walk into an unhappy, unstable job, and/or sweatshop conditions.
That said, I have some sympathy with new, young teachers who know nothing about this. They may have heard propaganda, or hearsay from dubious sources back home, about all these happy young Americans living in Seoul. Its easy to be naive and pick a bad, unstable job when you're just starting. Perhaps that is why Korean hagwons are so keen on very young teachers?