Korean Job Discussion Forums

husky · Joined: 22 Mar 2008

Hey all,

It is with a heavy heart that I write this message.

This is my fourth year in Korea, and my 7th month in a kindy. I took this job because my friend worked there before and he said it was a great place to work. And I guess it was. Half way through his time there the school was taken over by another owner but he said she was nice too.

However, at the start of the new semester in March (when I arrived) things started to change. It seems the director was trying to put her stamp on the place. THings went from bad to worse. She managed the school really badly. One of the English teachers couldnt speak English which made many problems, and one of the teachers was just evil to everyone except the owner and the kids parents.

Two weeks ago, there was a massive arguement between the parents, teachers and the director. Parents of the oldest kids came to the school at 4pm one day and didn't leave until 1am. About 50 kids left the school that week and most of the teachers and the bus drivers too.

It seems that all the teachers who cared about their jobs and the school have left and now there are only 10 kids and 5 teachers. The other English teacher left yesterday.

I asked the owner if my job was safe and she said 'yes' as if it was a really stupid thing to say, but I don't see how that can be when there are only 10 kids. THe director hasn't explained anything to me about what is happening. Also, the evil teacher makes my life difficult. In my class she sits there and gives me a stare of hatred constantly. I don't know why, because I've never done anything to make her turn against me. Or she gets up and makes sighing noises as if my class isn't good enough. It's horrible. It's intimidating. I can't talk to her coz of the language barrier but from what I've heard from other teachers is that there would be no point anyway. She is really tight with the director so complaining might not be a good option either.

In one class I have 8 7 year olds (the evil teachers class).

In my other class, I have two kids. One of them is autistic. If I'm trying to teach the other kid the autistic kid is pulling my clothes and hitting me. But whatever I do, he just won't stop. I don't think I should be in that situation, I'm not trained to deal with mentally disabled kids.

Now that the other English teacher has left, my life will be worse on Monday. I will be a sitting duck.

I will have to teach many more classes on Monday, which I won't have had time to prepare for. NO-ONE speaks ENglish there now. There is the evil teacher. And I have more classes with the autistic kid. I will basically be teaching classes for the other two teachers that have left.

I don't know what to do. I don't want to work there anymore. If I go home there won't be much in terms of job prospects, but I don't want to stay here either.

Oh, I forgot. And the director is pissed with me because I refused to have my photo taken with the kids by a professional photographer yesterday. It looked like she was trying to advertise the school, so I didn't want my image being used after what has happened and with the reputation the school now has in the area. If she had asked, and explained what was going on, I probably would h ave said yes. But she didn't. When the English teacher asked why they were taking photos the director said "just because".

These are the 3 options I am considering. If you can offer your opinions what you would do in this situation I would appreciate it.

(1) Not go to school on Monday. Just go back to my homeland.

(The school is doomed anyway)

(2) Go to school on Monday, accept I will have more classes dumped on me, but demand that the evil teacher is not present during my classes and say that I cannot teach the autistic kid.

(3) Just suck it up and continue until March (or whenever the school closes or the director stops paying me).

Sorry for the negativity of this post, but I'm in dire need for unbiased opinions.

tomato · Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:17 pm Post subject:

I've had a couple of disagreements in my present job, I told them exactly what I thought, and I haven't regretted it one bit.

I can't write in Korean perfectly, but well enough so that Koreans can understand.

If you decide on option number 2, write down what you want to tell the director and what you want to tell the hateful teacher and I'll translate it for you.

husky · Joined: 22 Mar 2008

Tomato, thanks for your offer of help. I may take you up on that.

I understand what you are saying about telling your school when you had problems. Perhaps the difference here is that my school has completely collapsed and in the remains of a previously civilised society, there is urban warfare. I'm not sure I have much room for negotiation.

I'm not sure what option I'm going to choose yet, probably number two. I'm going to pack up tonight and prepare for a quick getaway just incase.

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

OP. Sorry to hear about your situation.
It sounds pretty dire to me. No school can survive the loss of 500 students. Period. Your school is going to go under - sooner or later.
The dreaded K mothers will be talking, and the school's reputation will ensure that they don't get new enrollments.

I'd be packing my bags, and looking for a new job. Your que to leave is your payday. If you're not paid on your payday - you have to leave - because that means the school doesn't have enough money to pay for you (that situation has to come). You could try: "No pay, No teach" on your payday, but............ they have to run out of money with no students.

Again. Sorry about your situation. Good luck.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 10:23 pm Post subject: Re: Kindy Hell - Options

polarbear119 · Joined: 31 Aug 2009

I don't know, it doesn't seem all that bad to me as long as you get paid. You went from 60 kids to 10 kids. How hard can that be? With only 10 kids and 2 classes in the hagwon, you must have loads of free time, no?

Regarding the autistic kid, I'll side with you a little bit since you obviously have no training concerning special needs children. But there are only 2 kids in your class! Surely you can come up with some solution on your own. What if you were a parent and your kid was autistic? You would have to figure out a way. If you had 5 autistic kids in the class, I could understand you more, but there is only one in a class of 2. I was in the same situation before but there were 6 kids in the class and at least two had severe problems (autism). I managed.

I don't know what your schedule is like, so I could be way off the mark. But I've worked at places with 60 kids and places with 10 kids, and the places with 10 kids were a lot more peaceful and enjoyable places to work at.

Who cares what these other teachers think of you. You're probably reading them wrong anyways. Ignore them.

You've been here a long time. You should know that often in Korea waegook teachers are forced to 'not care' about their jobs just to keep their sanity. That's where you are now.

Again the key is getting paid. That is the only thing that should be your concern as far as I can see. If that stops, then leave.

You're other option is to leave now, get your own place, and work illegally for a few months until your visa expires (if you can't get released). That is not encouraged here on Dave's, but you wouldn't be the first.

tenchu77491 · Joined: 16 Mar 2009

Complain about the nasty coteacher. Teach as long as you're getting paid (10 kids? come on.)

If the well dries up and you don't get paid, bounce. Even if you stretch it out 1-2 months more, you will be making a decent savings, much better than running now.

Get rid of the nasty coteacher.

Work until the well dries up.

There ya go~

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:33 pm Post subject:

tenchu77491 · Joined: 16 Mar 2009

^Looking for work on a tourist visa, another way to put yourself at risk?

Make sure to tell immigration you are coming on a tourist visa to look for work.

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

We're all dying to know what happened!

Let's make some bets on what it could be....

1. Korean teacher "touches" a student.
2. Swine flu, and you haven't been told.
3. ???

tenchu77491 · Joined: 16 Mar 2009

3. The autistic kid really wasn't autistic.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 5:30 am Post subject:

tenchu77491 · Joined: 16 Mar 2009

I have never experienced a country that wanted people running around on a tourist visa looking for a job.

Even Canada won't let you do it. If Canada won't let an American look for a job on a tourist visa then I highly doubt Korea would.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 5:54 am Post subject:

tenchu77491 · Joined: 16 Mar 2009

I have been to plenty, and for extended periods of time.

I have no doubt people do it and get away with it. I am sure you know how random Korean immigration officers are, and I am also sure there's a statute in the Korean law that states it's illegal. A great number of countries have that in place (HK, China, Japan, Canada etc.).

I merely pointed it out because you said he shouldn't do some illegal activity, and at the same time you told him to do something that's technically illegal.