Korean Job Discussion Forums

[turkishlover25]

Hey all. I was just offered the "head teacher" position at a pre-elementary English school in Yaksu. The original job offer, as a regular teacher, came with a salary of 2.7-2.8 million won per month for 33 hours a week.

Can I expect higher pay as head teacher? Is it common from head teachers to still work 30+ hours per week in the classroom? I don't have much experience with kids so I am hesitant for that reason, though the salary is higher than previous offers. Any help/advice is appreciated!

[cdninkorea]

I'd imagine a head teacher would have less teaching hours and more pay. But I don't know, so take this with a grain of salt.

[John_ESL_White]

head teacher is an empty title in a hagwon, unless you are Korean. For Koreans, it means a lot of extra work.

for a FT, head teacher means you've been there the longest; or, if you are new, it means that the other FTs are not obedient. So, you will be required to control the other FTs.

it's a joke.

What is a pre-elementary school anyway? A kindergarten, right?

Jesus, I hope you talk to the current FTs BEFORE you staart sending your degree, etc., overseas. Kindy is terrible.

[okokok]

[turkishlover25]

Well, I sort of figured those things but I thought I would ask. I was wary of the offer when they admitted they were interested in me as head teacher mainly because I was an English major. I'd be stupid not to check into it, but I have no desire to keep track of rowdy teachers who barely deserve the title, even for more money. Besides, it's not enough of a raise to make me that interested.

[PRagic]

The 'head teacher' position at most hakwons and a good many universities was created make a cushion between foreign teachers and Koeran managers. That's it. It looks like this:

Old system: Management - unpopular decisions - foreign teachers pissed off at management

New system: Management - unpopular decisions - head teacher informs foreign teachers - foreign teachers pissed off at everyone, but only the head teacher has to see it and deal with it.

Ta da. Brilliant.

[Kikomom]

That is brilliant. Who'd they learn that from, Confucius or Sun Tzu? Most likely Miyamoto Mushashi.

[SHANE02]

Yes....you would basically be a shite buffer

[Yu_Bum_suk]

You'd have to pay me about 1.0m / month more before I'd want to be responsible for dealing with a random group of typical waegooks / KETs here.

[bobranger]

[The Gipkik]

Head teacher? And let me guess, you're 25? Yeah, it means a lot, mate.

[GreenlightmeansGO]

Over 30 hours a week is not normal. A head teacher should get less hours and more pay.

If you could say...25-28 hours a week (not much of a cut, but still) and keep the salary, then it would be decent, IMO.

[bobbybigfoot]

The Head Teacher position at my last job was a joke. A completely unnecessary position that only served to created animosity amongst the other teachers. Basically, the HT worked less hours, got paid 100,000 more, and did some extra running around nonsense. And of course there's the extra EGO crap that went with the position.

Am so glad my current school understands that a HT is a completely unnecessary position.

33 hours a week for 2.7? That's a lot of work...

[DCJames]

[Draz]

If they're offering it to someone who doesn't even work there, either the other teachers didn't want it or they (this could mean the teachers or the administration) are horribly incompetent.

Wouldn't touch this one myself.