Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wonkavision]

Any thoughts? I'm looking to teach in Seoul. Got one year of experience at a hagwon teaching kindy through elementary. Looking mostly for differences between class size and how enjoyable/nightmarish it is to teach each age group.

I'm sure this question has been asked many times before, but as usual my various search queries broke Dave's search engine and I got the blank white screen.

thanks...

[jadarite]

Elementary is pretty much a babysitting job until you get to the 5th graders. Middle schoolers are rebellious and never pay attention. High schoolers have at least some conversation ability but are often "overworked", tired, and very loud.

I don't think you can say one is better or worse than another. Worry more about the location and who you will be working for.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Elementary kids learn in very different ways from secondary school kids (especially in terms of implicit vs. explicit learning). When it comes to Koreans, I generally find that middle and high school kids are the greatest students to teach in the right environment, and they're the most rewarding age group to teach even though they can drive you stark raving mad sometimes. Korean elementary kids on the other hand are the spawn of monkeys and demons. But that's just me. If you are going to teach high school just remember that unlike elementary and middle schools they really differ to the point where one school might average 95% and another 30% on the same listening test.

[aka Dave]

I haven't taught public school in Korea. I've taught a few years of H.S. in the U.S. As a result of this experience, I no longer have a soul.

[icicle]

If you are looking at Public schools then class size is probably just slightly smaller ... but still very big for elementary ... All of them will have fairly big class sizes. In hagwons it will depend on the hagwon but mine (which is kindy/elementary) has a maximum class size of 10 and at the moment my largest one has 8 and one has three.

As to the students I think that it really does come down to the students that you yourself are most comfortable with. Last year I taught in a public middle school teaching every student in the school (18 classes) once a week with a couple of after school classes as well. That was in Gyeonggi do. This year I am teaching in a Kindy/elementary hagwon in Seoul. And while I am teaching more hours this year and spending more time in prep because most classes are unique. I am finding working with both the Kindy and elementary students much more rewarding than I did with the middle school students last year. I can see much more progress and am overall teaching at a higher level than I was last year at middle school level. I know that some of that is from the fact that my kindy students I teach every day usually for a couple of hours all up and other students I have either 2 or 3 times a week ... And that does make a difference in terms of progress. It is also much easier with the smaller class sizes ... and the students being at a similar ability level ... I think personally that if I went back to teaching in a public school in Korea I would try for elementary level rather than middle school .... But if you are really good at relating to middle school age students that could be a better match to you.

Schools are all different ... and will have positives and negatives ... but I think if you are teaching students you are most comfortable in relating to then it is likely over all to be a more positive experience to you.

[wonkavision]

thanks all. I know what you mean icicle, I switched from elementary to kindy 4 months into my hagwon contract and it ended up totally changing my attitude about my job and living in Korea. The kindy kids were so much more rewarding and fun to teach, even when they were frustrating they were so cute I could usually just let it slide. My older students were the exact opposite...bad attitudes, stuck in their ways, almost impossible to get them to show any improvement, and obviously sick of school (not that I can blame them). When I left at the end of my contract, and I had to say goodbye to my little kindy kids, I felt like I was losing my own children. We all had a big cry on the last day. Never ever expected to get so attached. Sure it was way more work, but the reward was worth it I think.

I'm now applying for a public school job because I think I got super lucky with my hagwon and lightning doesn't strike twice.