Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Bigfeet]

Can anybody say anything about them? This is an ad about them on Dave's. Thanks.

General conditions
School Name : Kids Club
Location: Central Seoul or Bundang
Number of Foreign teachers: 5-8
Starting date: Around Feb 25,2009
Working hours: 9:30- 6:30 pm
Teaching hours: 30 Hours/week
Number of students per class:10-12 stduents
Student age group:6-10 years old (Kindergarten-Elementary)
Monthly Salary: 2.1M-2.4M Won
Vacation days: 10 working days
Housing: Close to Hakwon as single one room studio type
Benefit: Single Free housing, 2 way air ticket reimbursed
Employer�s 50% contribution to pension plan and medical insurance
1 month extra salary after 1 year contract finished

[johnny_larue]

I accepted a job from a Bundang Kids Club, but bailed when I got a PS job in Incheon. They were apparently pretty angry with me.

Also, I believe people told me at the time that Kids Club is a franchise, and therefore you need to actually talk to people at the specific location to know if the hogwan is any good. The school I talked to would not let me do this, which made me hesitant.

I will give you the same advice many people on Dave's gave me when I asked about a Kid's club in Bundang, go for a PS job even though they pay less, especially if it's your first time. My elementary school has been fantastic so far, and my first year in Korea has been very agreeable.

[ChinaBoy]

[Toon Army]

are they LCI Kids Club? If so, then from what I`ve read/heard they`re a bit sketchy......might depend on the branch of course though. Best speak to a few teachers but in your case doesn`t seem possible. Like the above poster said, red flag already. Avoid.

[gojulie]

If it is LCI Kids club in Bundang, beware, some of them are pretty bad. I heard of someone who got fired because she missed a few days of work due to having her appendix out.

It could be something different, do you know the exact name and location?

[pocariboy73]

If it's the one in Gumi-dong,Bundang; then don't work there - even if your life depends on it. Just a friendly warning

[shoesuntyd]

Eh, I'd say that the previous statement is a bit harsh...(Gray--is that you??) I've been working here at the Bundang Kids Club for 3 years, and I have just signed on for a fourth. Here's the skinny:

Pros:
I've never been paid late, and have received my year-end bonus with no problem each year. The guys who worked here before all got their pensions, no problem, and if you're ever strapped for cash, the boss is more than happy to give you an advance.

School's been around for a long time, so there doesn't seem to be any immediate danger of it 'going under' all of a sudden...

We get nice studio-loft apartments within walking distance of the school...the apartments are also right next to Ori station, two Seoul-Bus stops, and a taxi hub...

We teach all subjects (science, math, social studies, history, language, reading), not just language, so it's not so repetitive...get to do science expirements, projects, etc...keeps it interesting.

Cons:
We have a lot of outside work to do (tests, schedules, etc...); possibly more than most schools, but I'm not sure...I've heard of plenty of other schools that make you do that kind of stuff, too...

The hours are a bit long (10am to 5:50pm)...the pay is usually around 2.4 starting for that schedule...maybe a bit more depending on your level of experience and/or negotiating skills...not exactly sure how that compares to other schools...

No prep time or planning period...one hour off for lunch...

Boss is a bit unpredictable. Some teachers have had real problems with her, but I find that they're the teachers who may have had problems other places as well...again, I've been here 3 years and have never had a problem with her personally--and I know several other teachers who have never had any serious problems with her, either. As with most hagwon bosses (or bosses in general), it's all about how much you're willing to just 'smile and nod.'

Anyway...it's worth looking into...Kids Club is better than some schools, worse than others...it's all what you put into it.

Hope that was helpful!

[ChinaBoy]

Well, that was a lot of information. The pros sound really good, but the cons sound awful.

"Unpredictable female boss" is a definite no-no for me. Put in 7 teaching hours and have even MORE work on top of that? Wow.