Korean Job Discussion Forums

jsis2358 · Joined: 19 Oct 2009

Hello,

I'm strongly considering taking a year or so to teach English in Korea. Part of that reason is to decide if I'd like to go to school to become a teacher in a different subject.

The question is for people who are teaching college (or maybe high school) as a long term career. Will teaching English in Korea in any way prepare me for what it might be like to teach some other subject long term as a career?

I have a BS in Electrical Engineering, so probably would be teaching something related to that in the long run, not English. I have done brief spells of tutoring and volunteer teaching in the past and liked it, but I don't know if I really want to do it and don't want to go back to school for it if it's not the right thing for me to do long term. So I'm considering teaching English for a year to see what it might be like to do it 'for real'. Will I learn how to really teach people? What do you think?

andrewchon · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:03 pm Post subject:

It'll give you some 'in-class' time and lose any nerves (if you have any).
You'll get to learn some class management.
As for paper work of teachers, you'll get some at some hagwons.
So, why not. If you can't get class time where you are, try getting it in Korea.

oskinny1 · Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Location: Right behind you!

It all depends on where you end up. When I first taught here I was on my own in the classroom and had to make my own curriculum. It did help me develop as a teacher and help me learn more about classroom management. This time around I have a co-teacher who really wants to teach so we split the class 50/50. The big negative is that we have to use the school's choice for a book and not deviate from it at all. We really have no time to do anything outside of that, and any development I will gain will be marginal.

You may end up with a school where you have to do everything and learn a great deal or you may just be a tape recorder.

The best thing I learned here (along with teaching in my home country) is to roll with the punches. Lots of things will come at you, student problems/attitudes, co-worker drama, principal power trips, etc. If you can learn how to deal with these the rest will hopefully be easier and stress free.

youtuber · Joined: 13 Sep 2009

OP

I have taught in Canada (public school) and I have taught in Korea.

Teaching in Korea will NOT give you a sense of what teaching is like back in the West.

It would be far better if you could volunteer in a local school in your neighbourhood in your home country. If you want to teach math, contact the math teacher by email and ask if you can observe. They will most likely be glad to help. They may even let you teach a concept for 15 minutes or so.

Teaching in Canada has A LOT more pressure and politics involved. Teaching in Korea is basically stress free. They are two completely different worlds.

Another huge issue is classroom management. In Korea, the children are easily managed. In Canada, the children are NOT easily managed.

I think you would get a totally distorted picture of teaching if you started out in Korea.

PM me if you have any questions.

bcoral99 · Joined: 26 Mar 2008

Well, I wouldn't say that it is stress free by any means. You are in a different country working in a strange environment. That's quite stressful. Also, you have to deal with a huge language barrier between the kids, co-teacher and principal.

I do agree that working in Korea would not prepare you well enough to teach in Canada. You do not have the same responsibilities in Korea that you would back in Canada. In the public school system in Korea, you are not suppose to deal with discipline, you are not suppose to teach by yourself (but many of us do) and there is really no paperwork for you to fill except for the useless lesson plans that you show to the principal.

No_hite_pls · Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:27 am Post subject:

youtuber · Joined: 13 Sep 2009

littlelisa · Joined: 12 Jun 2007 Location: Seoul

youtuber · Joined: 13 Sep 2009

Yeah there are exceptions in both countries.

However, if someone gave me the option of teaching in a Korean classroom versus a Canadian one, I would take the Korean option (generally speaking of course)

ytuque · Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Location: I drink therefore I am!

Moldy Rutabaga · Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Location: Ansan, Korea

I think that arguing about whether classroom management is easier in North America or Korea is like arguing over what color plaid is. There will be a wide variety in both places.

What do you intend to do with a degree in electrical engineering? If you intend to be a professor or technical instructor, Korea will probably not help you, although it might help finance graduate school. If you see yourself teaching math or physics, experience teaching teenagers or young adults here might be beneficial. If you can find a hogwan that's flexible, they would probably like the idea of special science or math related classes in English.

I think you're crazy to not want to work in electrical engineering if you've suffered through the program, but it might be an interesting adventure to come here for a while. I would not make it your career.

youtuber · Joined: 13 Sep 2009

I've actually heard that many EE degree holders don't end up working in EE. So it's not surprising.