Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Michael N]

I'm going to be teaching at Avalon in Pyeongchon soon, and I had sort of assumed that I'd need to wear "professional" types of clothing (ie. dressy pants, button-up shirt, tie, etc). But then I ran across a picture of an Avalon classroom, and the teacher was wearing jeans and a T-Shirt. So I've been looking for other classroom photos, and it seems like the teachers are all wearing more casual attire.

I know a guy who taught in Japan, and he said that the dress code was pretty strict for teachers, and I had just sort of assumed that it was the same for Korea... now I'm starting to wonder (good thing I haven't gone shopping yet!).

So for anyone who works for a Hagwon (Avalon or otherwise), what type of clothing do you normally wear to work? Dressy, or casual?

[the ireland]

My hagwon was casual dress on mon/tue/and fri but supposed to be more formal (shirt/trousers) on wed/thurs but it wasn't really implented and ended up totally fading away by the time i left!!

it all depends on the school, principal and weather, i wore jeans and t-shirts in winter (the kids thought it was wrong to wear a t-shirt out of summer season, but i'm irish so i'm used to the cold) because our school was relaxed i was able to wear 3/4 length pants or long shorts and flip flops during the summer but I usually only wore the shorts for the special summer classes (camps) in the morning and changed into 3/4s or jeans for the proper school classes.

get in touch with the teachers in the school and ask them what's appropriate as you don't just want to take a suitcase full of trousers and shirts/ties and then not have to wear them or look totally out of place when you do.

[the ireland]

double post

[Xuanzang]

I was never allowed to wear flip flops or shorts at my previous hagwon. Jeans and tees were year round. Bring your fav stuff to wear because you can always buy cheap formalwear here if required.

[storysinger81]

I understand most middle/elementary/kindie hogwans are nice jeans and t-shirt friendly. Mine was, though I tried to wear sweaters in the winter instead of sweatshirts and nicer looking t-shirts that could be women's dress shirts in the summer.

Public schools, universities, and adult hagwons would tend to expect more formal attire, although as a "foreigner" you are often exempt from those kinds of rules as they just attribute it to your foreign-ness. I know people who wear trainers to teach in public schools. But it is not really common.

[ChinaBoy]

WHY WOULDN'T YOU ASK AVALON WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO WEAR THERE???

Call me a little unusual, but if I have a question about my workplace, I would ask my boss or person I'm in contact with AT THE SCHOOL. Not on the boards where you'll get answers from DIFFERENT hagwons.

I wore shorts in the summer (nice ones). It definitely depends on the hagwon.

[yingwenlaoshi]

If the classroom is too hot, I wear shorts. Other than that, if you're required to wear suit and tie, etc., it usually means that they're asshats.

[pogoro]

It's downright embarrassing to see how some English teachers dress. You'd think we were raised by wolves.
I find the students respect me more if I dress the part. How would a teacher dress in a school at home? Ask yourself that question and dress accordingly, never mind what you're told by anyone.

[asams]

first, pogoro, many of my teachers, in college and throughout grade school and high school would wear jeans and clothes that we would consider casual. a lot of my best professors didn't wear suits and ties, but instead t-shirts and jeans.

i know outward appearance is important to koreans, but just because someone likes to wear jeans (albeit nice jeans, no holes or anything) and a t-shirt doesn't mean they're not a great teacher.

OP, I worked at an Avalon for a month and they didn't want us wearing jeans, they wanted us to dress. the funny thing was the female korean teachers wore jeans all the time.

I actually have a coworker now who got fired partly because he wore tennis shoes to walk to work at Avalon one day.

double standards are prevalent here I've noticed. I felt like when I wore jeans to Avalon (I was a rebel) they treated me worse then the korean teachers who wore jeans.

luckily my new school is more focused on providing good english lessons instead of the way their hagwon monkey looks in front of the class

[pogoro]

I didn't say anything about jeans and t-shirts. If they're neat, clean and fit nicely...I was talking about slobs.

[asams]

ok, sorry i misinterpreted. I've read some posts where people attack the jeans crowd saying it's sloppy and such. To each their own I guess.

I do agree that some sort of professionalism should be upheld in the attire one chooses. I would never go to work in a pair of sweatpants, dirty tennis shoes and torn up t-shirt. This completely distracts from the teaching.

I actually encountered one teacher at my new school (he disappeared before I started working) that was wearing khakis that were pretty ratty at the bottom and a collared shirt but it wasn't ironed and even though he was "dressed" he looked like crap. I wanted to tell him to take some pride.

I guess that's the best advice I can give - take some pride, definitely don't dress like you're just going to the gas station, but it probably doesn't have to be your sunday best all the time either

[beast]

Our boss lets us wear whatever we want. She always just focuses on the results, not on what we look like or what we wear. Kinda cool.

[the ireland]

[lisac1983]

I remember once at uni a guy rocked up to the lecture barefoot, dressed in a Billabong t-shirt and boardies and with a skateboard under his arm. He stood at the front of the lecture hall and began to speak. He was our professor and he ended up being the best professor I ever had! I think it was largely due to the fact that his outward appearance made him seem less, I dunno, intimidating, so his students felt comfortable enough to approach him for help and such. Admittedly though, Australia is a lot more casual than elsewhere - I don't recall ever seeing a teacher dressed business-like - so I wouldn't follow suit teaching in Korea. I am bringing with me casual business wear. That is what my recruiter advised as being appropriate attire.

[losing_touch]

My boss wouldn't be happy if I showed up in a shirt and tie. She says the kids would feel less comfortable. Shorts, t-shirts, and sandals are the norm during the summer. Jeans and a sweatshirt do the trick during the winter for me.