Korean Job Discussion Forums

wanderingsalsero · Joined: 23 Dec 2006 Location: Houston, TX.

Who's crazy? Me or them?

I've just been told by by supervising teacher that she talked to some schmuck at Gyeonggi-do and they said that a Music Education Degree isn't sufficient to qualify me for that extra level in the pay contract that gets me another 100,000 KW.

I think that's BS.

Am I right?

I've been here, in GEPIK schools, for 2.5 years, I've got a Masters in business and an undergrad degree in music education and they expect me to sign another contract for 2.2 mil KW.

Kinda unrealistic, isn't it?

I don't know who she talked to but I'm wondering if that's something I could call up Dain Bae and talk to about.

Regards,
Art

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

First of all, it doesn't matter what kind of undergraduate degree you have unless your major was in English or Education (I think) and then you get some kind of increase (I think).

Secondly, doesn't the Masters trump all?

cruisemonkey

wanderingsalsero · Joined: 23 Dec 2006 Location: Houston, TX.

Well sir......

As I said.....my undergrad is in Music EDUCATION. I can't imagine that that doesn't count. I mean....how many different types of 'education' degrees are there? Seems to me that an education degree is an education degree.....period.

Regards,
Art

wanderingsalsero · Joined: 23 Dec 2006 Location: Houston, TX.

I'm sorry....I don't understand what you're asking.

I can tell you that she (my suprv) showed me the document, re: pay grades, an it did say that there was extra pay for an 'education' degree.

But, no......I don't have a copy of that document.

Art

CentralCali · Joined: 17 May 2007

I feel your pain, wandering; my degree is in Linguistics. Apparently knowing how language works isn't as good as knowing about a bunch of dead poets when it comes to teaching a language.

By the way, the Masters alone should give you a bump.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:40 pm Post subject: Re: Cruisemonkey..

frankly speaking · Joined: 23 Oct 2005

I think if your degree is from the music department than it wouldn't count. For example an Art Education degree from my university is from the fine arts department not education. If it is a degree in education with a concentration in music then you should get the bonus.

If you are only making 2.2 after 2.5 years and have a masters than you are being taken for a ride. You should be making 2.4-2.5 starting with a masters.

I guess if you like your school and don't want to leave then just accept what they give you, but I would look elsewhere.

wanderingsalsero · Joined: 23 Dec 2006 Location: Houston, TX.

Hi FP:

I understand what you're saying but, to answer your question, I think it's a real 'education' degree. It's the same degree that graduates use to teach music in public schools in Louisiana and elsewhere.

The school was called Northeast Louisiana State College when I graduated in 63. Since then it's become "University of Louisiana at Monroe".

Another reason I think it's an education degree is because I had to take a lot of 'education' type subjects that i had no interest in.

Regards,
Art

wanderingsalsero · Joined: 23 Dec 2006 Location: Houston, TX.

I read carefully a document my recruiter sent me regarding GEPIK hiring criteria. I suddenly noticed that it very clearlly says that I need "one of......."

1. teachers certificate (don't have it)
2. education degree (which mine is)
3. masters degree (got it
4 TESOL....etc. (don't have that)

This recent Friday, the day after this whole thing started, I approached my supervising KET and started to tell her that I'd figured out the source of our misunderstanding.

She cut me off and said she'd been told by somebody (who she later said was Dain Bae) that they shouldn't hire me because of my age (65 now). Point being.....that was the third excuse for all this drama.

First they tried to short my pay grade by 100K, then they said it was because I didn't have an Ed degree, then they said it was because I didn't have a teaching certificate, now it's an age issue.

That all sounds fishy to me. Somebody told me that that was age discrimination and that I could/should take it to the labor board.

Do I have a leg to stand on in a situation like this? At this point I don't really want to work for this school anyway (barring an apology from the school....which isn't likely I know) so I really could give a rat's ass whether going to the Labor Board would make me persona-non-grata with GEPIK.

I was also told I could get some money out of it. That's certainly not my intention. I'm not here to 'put one over' on anybody. I just wanted a chance to do a job as well as any of us normally do. But I really dislike being screwed. If I could make these bastards pay, I'd do it.

And just for the record, the issue can't be that I did a bad job because I was told several times, up until two weeks ago, that they wanted me to stay. Plus the fact that she even had me tutoring her kids (and 3 other kids from the same apartment building) up until one of them got the flu.

I'm not getting bent out shape on this.....just trying to use this tool for some good 'intel' on the issue. I'm still deciding on what to do. I don't have a lot of time left on my visa (Dec 13).

So I'm looking into getting an after-school position, I might come back on a tourist visa and do some internet work (writing) which I know will make me some cash until perhaps I can find another job, or I could go back to the US.

BTW, I know it's not likely but...I'm in Seoul this weekend in case anybody'd like to get togather for some coffe and some discussion of stragey.

thanks,
Art

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

She actually brought up your age? Holy Christ! "Oh we can't give you the standard pay for your education because you're older." I'd've ripped her a new one.

Get her to give you the reaons for their salary assessment in writing and then take it to the labor board. Hope that they write down your age as the reason and then take them to court while you work somehwere else.

You were doing a fine job, and it looks like they want to re-sign you, so I don't see what kind of logic they're running with. What does anyone care about your required pay increase? That's just bleeping stupid. And you know what I mean by "bleeping."

hobakmorinam · Joined: 22 Dec 2008

Don't know about your shit, but in EPIC a masters holds the same weight as a CELTA. Yes, I'm sure.

Why is that impotant?

CELTA gives you the bump up you are looking for.

So a master's degree should be worth the extra hundred a month.

I congratulate you on your advancement.

hobakmorinam · Joined: 22 Dec 2008

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 12:40 am Post subject: Re: latest on this affair

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

Why do they even bother? You should've had them at "Masters." Don't think it matters what your undergraduate degree was in. 2.2 for a Masters and experience? Not by their requirements.

Who's trying to save money? GEPIK? Does the school benefit from paying you less? WTF difference does it make?