Korean Job Discussion Forums

onie · Joined: 29 Dec 2008

I understand that with EPIK, I am entitled to 11 calendar days of winter vacation, and that "calendar days" include weekends. However, it doesn't say anything in the contract about these 11 calendar days having to be taken consecutively. So what would be my chances of taking five days (Monday to Friday) off the first week then again the following week, then the remaining last day on the Monday of the third week?

During summer vacation, I just took my 10 days as a block beginning Wednesday and ending Friday, but I don't really want to make myself available for my school when I actually don't have to. I am already assigned twelve hours during winter when camps are not in session to "teach" seven- and eight-year-olds and I'm feeling kind of dissatisfied with this arrangement, given the exact same thing happened in summer where I was teaching these kids alone in a classroom sans air conditioning (because no one was at school aside from three or four teachers in the teacher's office).

Speaking of which, is it actually legal/legit/whatever for me to be alone in a classroom? I'm currently teaching the fourth and sixth grades on my own as one of my co-teachers is on leave for a month (I was told of this 20 minutes before the first class). I'm actually hoping to use some of my vacation days to go home a week or so earlier than when my contract finishes, so maybe these "favours" will help my case... thoughts?

vonnegutjr · Joined: 24 Mar 2009

Don't use vacation days for weekends. You do not have to work those days, why would you ask for them off? I don't care what your school says.

I don't think there are any problems with the school making you teach alone. It's not legit but nobody really cares that much.

You won't be able to leave early. I would ask nice. Maybe you can just tell them to go to hell with the winter classes unless they let you go early because there's no co-teacher or whatever else you can think of.

I can't believe I'm staying in the public school system another year when I consistently hear about stuff like this.