Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cadburys]

Hey all,
Is kindergarten work usually morning work?
I would presume their day usually starts early and finishes early?
I prefer to start work early n finish early so am gonna consider kinders if this is the case!
any kindy teachers out there?!

[Oreovictim]

"Starts early and finishes early" Ha, ha, that's a good one! Well, I suppose that it depends on what your definition of finishes early is.

Finding a job that starts early won't be a problem, but good luck finding a job that gets out early - especially if you want to live Seoul. Most jobs I see are kindy with elementary. Even the ones that are strictly kindy still have you working long hours.

I've seen kindy jobs online that are 8:30 - 5:30 or 9:00 - 6:00, something really long like that, anyway. And trust me, you don't want a shift that long. You need a lot of energy with kindy kids. I wouldn't recommend working a nine-hour shift with kindys; it's brutal.

Once in a while, I'll see a job that's fewer than eight hours, but the competition for those jobs are fierce. If you want a short-hour gig, then you better have an amazing resume or look like a model . . . or both. But best of luck to you, whatever you decide.

[romano812]

I taught Kindergarten one year and my schedule was 10:00 - 2:30 for K's and then older kids until 6:00. For extra money you could work 10:00 - 7:30.
Another school I worked at Kindergarten was from 9:00 - 3:00 and then the teachers taught older kids until 5:30
Another school the schdule for K is from 9:00 - 7:30

Start early, yes. Finish early good luck. Just make sure you read your contract carefully and understand everything it says. Schools will often misdirect you. A friend of mine teaches Kindergarten and the school showed him a copy of the schedule he would work and it indicated lunch 12:00 - 1:00 and then a 40 minute break from 2:20 - 3:00. The school said, "Look you even get a 40 minute break in the afternoon". He thought this was great. Then, when he started work the school said, "Oh, you misunderstand the 40 minute break is for Your Lunch, 12:00 - 1:00 you have to work with the children while they eat lunch".

Be careful.

[i]

You can try an afterschool program. It's elem and it starts when the kids get out of school and goes for 4-5 classes. So usually around 1-5 or 1-6.
I've not worked much kindy, and don't think I could handle 9 hours a day of that.

[Oreovictim]

Yeah, Romano, my last gig was the same. 10:00 - 2:30 was the kindy crowd, and the elementary kids come in later. 10:00 - 2:30 would be nice; I'd take a pay cut just to work those hours.

As far as the after school positions. I've been looking at a lot of them online, and the adverts all say the same thing: "For teachers who are already in Korea."

[sjbcanada]

I have taught kindy for several years now in hagwons and it has always been kindy in the morning and early afternoon (10ish to 2ish) and then elementary kids until 6 or 7 o'clock. That is the way it works here. Kindy takes a lot of energy and I couldn't do it for any longer than 4-5 hours. You really have to love kids to do it.

[Chambertin]

If I even saw kindergarden I turned down the contract.
I love kids, but a kindergarden can kill love.