Korean Job Discussion Forums

sobriquet · Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Location: Nakatomi Plaza

A fax came through yesterday from Kyungi-do Office. We can get 1.8 million for a camp. We must send them when, what, why, etc etc. With a camp plan by the 10th December. The same day the fax came through

They suggested that the camp is all day. 9-4:30 and it is a conversation camp��..right

So talking with a co-teacher today. Conversation goes something like this.

KT: Have you planned the camp yet?
Me: No. Have you told me how many students, when the breaks are, how long the camp is for, how many hours a day?
KT: Uhhhh 9:4-30 5 days. Uhhh 20 students
Me: Great, so what overtime rate am I to be paid? You do realize that my contract says 20 hours of camps per week in the holiday periods.
KT: Why? Kyungi-do said that it should be all day.
Me: Not a problem. As long as they stick to the contact and pay me overtime I don�t care. They love to stick to their contracts and I think that�s great. It does mean that I stick to mine as well though.
KT: I need to ask them�.
Me: Ok. So what about other activities in the school, like building work or the computer network being pulled up like last Christmas.
KT: Don�t know. Why?
Me: First camp we did there were no classrooms available or toilets. People were building in the school. Last year in winter the school pulled up the whole of the network so nobody could use the computers. Kind of limits what we could/can do.
KT: Oh�.
Me: So once I know exactly what is happening I can plan better. I can make a rough outline for now, but with the end of the year coming and my vacation nearing, I won�t be working on anything over the vacation period. You need to have all the information for the camp ASAP
KT: I need to think about it, can we talk about it again next week
Me: Not really no. Classes start again next week. Today is better or tomorrow at the latest.
KT: I�m very busy.
Me: So am I, trying to plan a camp for an unknown number of students who are here for an unknown number of hours doing an unknown number of lessons with unknown activities in the school clashing with my unknown plans. Do you understand?
KT:��yes.

Don�t you just love it when the local education place has a brainwave and fires off a fax.

branchsnapper · Joined: 21 Feb 2008

They don't want a plan. They just want something that looks like a plan to appease the great ones. They want you to write only that, and your concerns are therefore irrelevant to them.

jadarite · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:27 pm Post subject:

I got the same thing. We will have 4 day camps, so I just have to plan for the unknown 4 times. Make one easy lesson, one difficult. Do it 4 times and you are done.

Hopefully, they don't have the same students coming for weeks.

Return Jones · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:29 pm Post subject:

Sounds typical. Three years ago I arrived for the first day of a winter camp to find that we had no electricity in the second floor where my class was. That was rectified later in the day, but we still had no heat for the entire three weeks. They tried to turn it on but for some reason were not able to. Confused

wayfarer · Joined: 05 Jun 2007

Sounds exactly like my school. Are these f*cking idiots actually incapable of planning ahead, or is it just beneath their dignity to do it for a foreign teacher?

AussieGav · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Location: Uijeongbu

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

LOL. As you know after the final exam there are hardly ever classes for the remaining three weeks. Two years ago at my rural elementary school most of my classes got cancelled b/c of festivals, activities, and other classes deemed more important than English. So for two weeks I read, studied Korean, played on the computer, etc. Then on the last day the whitey wrangler tells me I will have a winter camp this year and must put together 20 days half-days' worth of lesson plans by the end of the day. Couldn't have told me about this during the two weeks of me having nothing to do, nope.

As happens every year, nobody has any clue about how many students, what levels, what time, what location, etc.

I really have to applaud the OP for his approach to the situation, though. I'll have to try it next summer. You know, when they tell me last-minute that they need something ASAP, but don't get around to telling me roster, time, dates, location until the day before it starts.

AussieGav · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Location: Uijeongbu

"whitey wrangler" I like that one. I actually had plenty of notice for my 3 week camp and finished it a week or so ago, but dont get much notice about most things so that may have been accidental.

sobriquet · Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Location: Nakatomi Plaza

You do realise after saying that you are now required to share the love of your plans for camp.

Update camp wise: With a bit of pressure and prodding. KT has done some digging. Kyungi-do won't pay me any more so they KT has to teach 10 hours.

So she wanted 3 in the morning 3 in the afternoon.

A bit more prodding and pocking and I managed to get her convinced that 4 hours in the morning for 5 days was what we needed (and in reality what we initially planned).

No extra money - don't care about that. 4 hours 5 days. 1.5 million budget for something. God knows what I am to spunk 1.5million on.

They have offered to pay me if I write a book about how to make a good camp after it's over.............. Laughing

Ramen · Joined: 15 Apr 2008

sobriquet · Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Location: Nakatomi Plaza

I was thinking of just a flashcard with the word.

PLANNING on it.

I think that would be more effective than a book.

There is now pressure to spend this 1.5 million.

All I need are some coloring pencils.......ah well. I can see this is going to cause a nagging headache over the next few weeks

wings · Joined: 09 Nov 2006

Get some cooking things and craft stuff so you can do some interesting activities with the kiddies. You might even need to by a toaster oven, blender etc, that could then stay at your house for safe keeping until the next camp...

Draz · Joined: 27 Jun 2007 Location: Land of Morning Clam

So the school is getting a huge wad of cash for doing this "camp" and they aren't willing to share 20k/hour of it with you?! Like it costs 1.5 million to put on a last minute one week camp. Rolling Eyes

cruisemonkey · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 11:13 am Post subject:

stevehend · Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Location: WARRINGTON, ENGLAND

I am a little upset! I work in a Girls Middle School for three days every week. I asked them about Winter Camp today as I want to make vacation plans around it. The first teacher i asked said that there would not be a winter camp as he only had enough money to spend on other K teachers after school classes. I was disappointed about missing out on the cash but hey..I'll get over it....I thought!

Then my main co teacher said I have to do the camp but I wouldn't be paid! Is this right. I work in a kinda Public/Private school..eie it is privately owned but run on public school lines. I think everyone I know gets paid for camp..I checked my contract and as far as i can see Camp isn't mentioned anywhere...it's a standard GEPIK contract as far as I can tell.

The thing is I love this school and the teachers are great but this leaves a very sour taste and I don't want my relationship with them spoilt..I only have four months left. But I have to wonder, despite all the kindnesses shown to me ..when it comes to a crunch issue...do they give a cr*p about the foreigner!

Is there any advice out there?

Thanks