Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kafkaontheshore]

So I want to renew my public school contract with SMOE. I am familiar with the procedure such as sending in the app, the district office observes a class etc. etc.
What I am wondering is how often do they outright reject people? I tend to over think and worry about things and am wondering if I should apply other places as a backup.

My principal , vp, and co-teachers have all expressed that they would love for me to stay. They are all very kind and I would love to stay there another year. So if this is the case, is it a pretty sealed deal? (unless of course you give the worst open class ever) Guess I am just looking for some people who have gone through it and can tell me about there experiences.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Hightop]

I am pretty sure that the only way that you would not be renewed at the same school is if your co-teacher's/VP's evaluation of you was not good. The have to fill out an evaluation of you which goes to SMOE. So if they say they want you back then should be no problem. But there is always a bit of Korean sparkle that could be thrown in.

Last year in December my supervisor said "Hightop we really want you to teach here again next year." Then this year in March my supervisor is now my new co-teacher and in the first week of school before we have had any classes the same woman said to me "Hightop I hate you and I don't want to co-teach with you." Needless to say this was not the start to the year I was looking for.

A couple of weeks ago I had had enough of her. I did the math and realized financially I did not need to stay here so I went to the Principal. I said to him "You have two options, either me and the co-teacher do not teach together anymore or I quit" He sucked through his teeth and told me I must understand Korean culture and said he will try to make me happy. The co-teacher has been mysteriously absent from the classes we co-teach or our classes have been cancelled ever since.

[The Gipkik]

[cruisemonkey]

OP,

I have no experience with SMOE; however, I have re-signed public contracts three times - once at my first, twice at my second (current) job. Every time is different � Ks come, Ks go� you never know.

The first time, I was like you and anxious about the process. Two months before the end of the contract, I let them know I wanted to re-sign and started to ask questions. They neglected to show me the new contract until one week before expiry... then presented me with something unacceptable. I had already made up my mind I would leave... and we entered negotiations... which lasted an entire day and were bizarre to say the least.

At my present job, the re-signing process started six mo. into the first contract when I received an email from my co-teacher/handler (while on unofficial vacation in Thailand) saying the v.p. wanted a "meeting" when I got back. It was 'cryptic'... and I imagined the worst (this happens when you're on 'Dave's' a lot ). The reason for the meeting was he wanted my signature on one of the 3000+ pages of paperwork he had to file in order to have the Ministry of Ed. transfer me from being employed by the POE to the school itself. My worries were for naught... negotiations were civilized and I got what I wanted written (in two languages) with two (the principal's & v.p.'s), red 'chop stamps' on it.

I don't 'hang' with the other PS teachers in my city. Most know nothing with regard to my 'situation' and I intend to keep it that way. A couple of them have asked me questions (at the local, District Office of Education) to which I have avoided answering directly, by saying "We have different contracts and different employers."

My last re-signing took five minutes (mostly for me to read the contract) �

CM: "Same deal?" (to principal & v.p.)

VP: "Yesuh."

CM: "Ok!"