Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bassexpander]

I'm looking for a few "negative" stories from people about working/teaching at a hagwon/public school, or university. Did you have your degree stolen? Passport held? Did your school lie about your housing? I'd like to record you for my podcast. I don't like to focus on negative stuff, but would like to add some truthful stories which might be helpful to newbies interested in teaching here.

If you are interested, please post or PM me. Thanks.

[PRagic]

One general point that you could touch on would be housing for university teachers. In most cases, there is no coordination betwen general affairs and the actual department. I have worked for 3 universities where I took the offered housing, and not one of my experiences were pleasant.

Some cases include:

1. Substandard housing (slotted for demolition...no joke).
2. G.A. personnel on power trips
3. Departments clueless about housing and changes to housing policy.
4. Departments where housing was run by the 'whoever has the key gets the place' system. Serious clusterfuck.
5. Increases in rent/key money not stipulated in contract

Ask around and you'll get your fill of stories, and I imagine that if you include crapwon and public school employees, you'll get way more.

Don't need housing anymore, so I'm not hot on the topic. Still, it's amazing how little coordination or care are given to a substantial part of a remuneration package and, even more importantly, employee state of mind.

Good luck with the show.

[bassexpander]

Thanks. Our housing here is not great, either but it's free. The area is horrible. My coworker was placed -- no joke -- in government subsidized housing for poor people. How the school got them into that one, I have no idea. It was a pretty horrible experience for them.

I'd love to dig into the university housing side of it... just need some people willing to talk. The problem is, they also likely worry about their next contract.

[Real Reality]

[jadarite]

I don't know if the extremes are necessarily as important as average interactions with schools. The extreme cases might sensationalize your podcast and get attention, but if you want to cater a program for new teachers I think it is more important to tell them straight up what to expect from the average school owner.

My experiences have only been with private schools in Japan and Korea. I would say their tactics are not that much different. They show you a decent work schedule with time off for breaks. Then, over time they change that schedule.

Some things they like to do include:

1) closing an early class and moving the students to a later class which allows them to keep the students and pay you less since you won't be working that hour.

2) taking money for sign up costs but not paying you for giving the free trial to the student to get the student (FREE means free for the student, not the school owner lol)

3) giving you a schedule of classes until they get a new teacher that lives closer to the student/s you are teaching (not that bad if you don't like the student/s, but if you get along with them and enjoy teaching them you have no say so)

4) pitting teachers to compete against themselves instead of hiring/managing on a more individual basis (this might be one difference between Korea and Japan, so far I haven't seen it happen in Korea)

5) calling or emailing you at the last minute to cancel lessons (which often means they won't pay you either). I have only worked for one Asian who treated me above and beyond what I consider average. When a lesson was canceled, he would still pay me for it but ask that I do a make-up usually the next month.

6) ghost teaching. Right now, I don't teach "my" students. Instead, I teach sets of students who are assigned to Korean teachers. At my previous job in Korea, I was given a classroom. If you are just here for the money, then you probably won't care about this aspect.

7) changing the terms in your contract once you arrive (usually followed up with ultimatums if you refuse to accept the changes)

8) promising certain things (like living arrangements) and not delivering on them

9) not supplying students with proper books and material (running rampant here in Korea)

10) changing your schedule so you are available during more hours than you are actually working and getting paid (basically, it saves them money from having to hire a second teacher)

[ddeubel]

I do hope you will include "the other side" in your podcasts. I'd look forward to some balance instead of a podcast heading down the same road of "bash" , "complain" , "injustice", "horror! horror!".

There will be negatives with any situation BUT it is important if there is to be any public discussion and eventual consensus/betterment (the role I hope you aim for as the "fifth estate") that all parties can speak their piece. VERY important. Otherwise it is just "bitching". However polite and informed it sounds.

DD
http://eflclassroom.ning.com

[spliff]

Heard so many already...frankly the subject is mundane, big time!

[bassexpander]

Well, no one seems to have anything to say (they've probably all left Korea).

[spliff]

Better off interviewing posters w/ unique personalities on there life experiences in Asia/Korea. Hearing their experiences, ideas and imparted wisdom would be far more interesting than merely Korean job experiences, IMHO. If you want your podcast endeavor to be successful and long lived I think you ought to give a think on what audience to are trying to reach. If you are targeting the newbie types I think you'll find that most regular posters will find it boring and will sooner or later just give up listening altogether.

[aka Dave]

Most of my negative experiences in Korea have ocurred on this forum. yeah, that's harsh but a bit true.

[cruisemonkey]

I once asked my students if they knew the English verb to subtract. My Texan 'collegue' interjected with - "That's when ya'll negative sumthin'."

[Cheonmunka]

[Julius]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[bassexpander]