Korean Job Discussion Forums

vonnegutjr · Joined: 24 Mar 2009

How do the veterns of PS take vacations if you work as stated in your contract? My co-T is telling me that the two weeks I have off in the summer are given to me at the convenience of my school based on my summer-camp schedule. WTF. So 1 or 2 weeks before my vacation I will know when my vacation time is. I can't really plan anything with any of my friends, as well, deals on airlines usually coincide with booking in advance. Hw do you do it? Do you just go solo and book whatever? Actually, my situation is different because I was planning on having family visit me here but it's difficult because I can't give them an exact date, only a 5 week possibility.

Fishead soup · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Location: Korea

I usually get at least a months notice. Never had any problems booking international flights. If your school really wants to keep you they will make things convient for you. However if they pull last minute stuff vote with your feet and find another school that will be more accomidating. If you only have one week of camps that leaves a large window of opportunity. However if your local Office of Education is planning something its best to find out beforehand

AussieGav · Joined: 02 Sep 2007 Location: Uijeongbu

It's all about negotiation, give and take I think. Prior to winter vacation (abut 3 mths) my CT asked if I had any travel or vacation plans, I did not so we scheduled the winter camp. This summer I am taking two and half weeks leaving two weeks for camp all was cool. I get my holiday and they get their camp.

in general you can only take leave during school vacation times, but if you talk to them early enough it should be negotiable and you get enough time to plan.

dean_burrito · Joined: 12 Jun 2007

I have a new handler now with SMOE. I asked her about vacation days and she looked it up in some book about how to deal with NSETs. The book said we must request days off at least 15 days in advance. There is something else in there too about these days must not interfere with tests... or something. I forget exactly. I just remember it being worded pretty vaguely.

As far as being forced to use vacation time I don't thing they can do that. My school suggested I use one week after being here for only a month. I explained that I had hardly broke a sweat working and had plans later in the year. They understood and dropped the subject. My school might be a little more relaxed on this policy than others. Good luck.

nomad-ish · Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 10:40 pm Post subject:

i always just give my handler a signed, typed note indicating the days i want during the break (about 30 days or so in advance). i've only had a few minor problems: my handlers trying to include saturdays in my vacation days, and once, telling me after she gave me the ok that the days weren't fine. in the end, i told her that i had already made flight arrangements, so it was not possible to change the days.

BS.Dos. · Joined: 29 Mar 2007

It varies from school to school. At mine, I get plenty of advance notice about either winter or summer camp schedules i.e. when they need me etc, but it's usually 2-weeks for both winter and summer camp. I can't guarantee it will be so for your school, but at mine, camps and so forth take place at the start of the winter and summer recess, so you may find that you'll be taking your vacation a couple of weeks into the summer/winter break, which would probably be August for summer, last 2-weeks/all of Feb for Winter. Like I said, it would seem that each FT varies in what and when they get off, so don't take what I've said as gospel. Your school should let you know when they're planning on running these camps anyway.

gregoriomills · Joined: 02 Mar 2009 Location: Busan, Korea

To the OP, they'll usually work with you, but you need some more concrete dates than a 5 week window. And no, don't expect a perfectly written up schedule with dates, times of everything for the whole year. Doesn't work like that here. They literally don't decide holidays here sometimes until the week before.... like the may 4-5 holiday, for example. I still don't know if I have it off!!! Evil or Very Mad

valkerie · Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Location: Busan

teachergirltoo · Joined: 28 Oct 2006

Even though my renewal date does not happen in the winter vacation period, I asked the school to run my yearly vacation days and my renewal vacation consecutively through the winter vacation. I don't go anywhere during the rest of the year, other than weekends, so this vacation schedule works good for me as it allows a longer visit with family and friends.

Jammer113 · Joined: 13 Oct 2008

The '15 days in advance' thing only helps your coteacher. It also says that it must be approved by the principal. It isn't anything to help you. There's nothing that says how much notice they need to give you on when summer camp starts (someone correct me if I'm wrong.)

Most coteachers are decent people. They want you to be happy, and they want you to have a vacation. There can be a lot of pressure from a lot of different sources... principals, parents, education departments, or sometimes just how co-teachers feel things should be run.

Mostly, though, communication is the biggest problem. You need to know who in your school is responsible for setting up camps and you need to be friends with them. Then it's just a matter of talking out the specifics over time.

We're at the bottom of the totem pole, as far as whose needs come first. It's vitally important to have a good relationship with the person making your schedule. Then things can be worked out.

poet13 · Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 6:36 pm Post subject:

I asked my office of education, and they said they would try to let me know TWO WEEKS BEFORE." I told them that I was taking my family to Canada this summer and that the tickets prices would be double if I waited that long. He ignored me, so I'm going to book my tickets when I book them, and we'll see what happens.
The worst that can happen is they don't renew my contract which ends in September.
While I am in Canada, I will get new transcripts, CRC, and VSS in case I'm looking for a job 6 weeks later.

Jammer113 · Joined: 13 Oct 2008

How come it's being done through your office of education and not your school?

poet13 · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:30 pm Post subject:

In EPIK, often the contract is not with the school, but the local (city or town) office of education. That allows the OoE to move teachers where they think they are needed.

JJJ · Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Location: Seoul

Exams are coming up soon, so you will have lots of time to chat with your VP and P. Go up to them at lunch or whenever and ask them what are their plans for summer camp. Heck, you can even do this tomorrow.

Bring a calender with you. For example, I see now that my last day this term is July 17th. I asked if camp was starting the next week, they said yes, of course. I asked for how long this summer. They said for 2 weeks. Great. I then said I am going to Canada on vacation after that. They said sounds good. So, I work 9 to 12:30 for 2 weeks and will get the hell outta here for my vacation on either Friday evening July 31st or Sat. Aug. 1st, whichever is cheaper.

You CAN make plans now. Bring your calender with you and work it out. Good luck.

Spy Guy · Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: Seoul

Questions for SMOE Teachers:

Do you request vacation days through SMOE or your school or both?

Are national holidays considered part of the vacation days in your contract?

Are you paid for national holidays?

If you don't use up your vacation days do you get them "paid out" to you when your contract ends? Also, if you don't use all your sick days, do you get them paid out to you?