Korean Job Discussion Forums

[antoniothegreat]

i have been at my school for a long time, and they have often times been honest with me, so i dont think this is a negotiation BS (plus, my contract is up in august)
we just had a big investigation done on our school, not sure why. but apperantly my school got into a bunch of trouble because they treat me well.

the government sent them a letter saying that they must make classes for me during vacation. before i taught about two weeks every vacation. the government wants me to teach the whole vacation. 8 weeks during winter and 5 during summer (this is not desk sitting, but teaching) and of course, not get paid anything extra. they didnt say the school has the chioce to use me to teach for the time, but they MUST.

also, i learned that this administration is cutting back on funds for NETs. the school seemed a bit worried. i found this quite strange, because, like i said, i have been here a LONG time but get paid only a bit more than most newbies (because the school is nice in other ways) so how much money can they be cutting??? if i was making a ton more than most of us, i would understand, but i only make a bit more than most of you.

so, all in all, the effect of this will be one of three... the school lies, makes false documents claiming i worked all vacation, or, they give me an absurd raise to make up for the extra work, or, i quit.

so again, their new policy will either: do nothing, get crappy classes for a higher rate, or make an experienced, valued teacher (i am so modest) teacher leave to do other things (yes, i have options).

i just want to hear, has anyone else heard anything about this stuff? like i want to know how much money they are cutting. i think they paid about 40,000,000 per year per NET. doing some basic math, a 2nd year teacher with an ESL will get about 2.2 million a month (not sure) add in the pension and stuff and they are paying maybe 2.35 million a month, times 12 months, plus 2 million airfare, plus severance pay and that is 32.4 million spent. even with no overtime that leaves less than 600,000 for housing a month. how much money can be cut and still pay for us? do they want to pay for only rookie teachers?

[andrewchon]

I think it's more about politics. Times are hard and there are budget cuts, why should the money go to a foreigner? If the belt has to be tightened, then at least keep the money in the country. Ah... we are luxury consumer products. Sounds better in sunnier times.

[lifeinkorea]

I just wonder how they will fill up those vacation weeks. I had to do it last winter with GEPIK. For our school, we had an afternoon program. That was 3 classes with about 10 -15 students. By making the NET teach, they also have to make the co-teacher teach as well. So we either had some groups of 6 or taught together.

In the mornings, other schools would come. Since they were new students, we just taught the same stuff we did with our school. It was rather easy, and I preferred it to desk warming. I could actually do something.

Then, at times, it would be canceled. I would be more against them deciding to not pay us for those weeks, but apparently it's not about money. It's more to do with applying tax dollars where parents want them. Even though the irony is their kids won't attend during the summer, it gives the few parents a means to joust with their city officials.

[kerbythepurplecow]

[halfmanhalfbiscuit]

do they want to pay for only rookie teachers?

As qualifications and experience are largely irrelevant here, I'd say, emphatically, yes, if they can make that happen they would be perfectly happy with that.

[The Gipkik]

Korea should seriously consider hiring high school graduates instead of university graduates. For the levels of teaching competence and education the government requires, it would be a perfect fit. Thailand has started to offer jobs to high school graduates from the West to teach in more rural schools and it sounds like the right choice. The majority of EFL jobs here don't need a lot of education or skill. They can learn on the job.

[I'm no Picasso]

[VanIslander]

[Molorchus]

[jonbowman88]

Starting very shortly, it won't be a big deal to place Korean teachers into classrooms as co teachers in summer/winter camps. Here's the reason why, the fluent Korean teachers who will/have started working they don't get vacation. They will be there and ready to go. There contract is basically the same as the NET's contract they only get paid less.

[Horangi Munshin]

Yep.

I had to say I stayed all day after my camp classes LAST winter or the principal would get in trouble.

I have to pay back extra class money I got for helping out my co-teachers and doing camp classes in December. They're counting it as OT now so I have to pay a sizeable chunk back, a YEAR later.

I won't be doing the school any favors when it comes to OT if they education board are going to ask for the money back later!

I won't be going home after classes this vacation. Hopefully the one week camp is all I have to do. At least they can't make me work at other locations.

[BreakfastInBed]

Most of what used to be desirable about public school jobs is fast disappearing. This year was worse than last, next year looks to be worse than this. What they don't get (or don't care about) is that the perks NEED to be pretty good in the public school system, why else would we trade hogwan size classes for groups of 30-40 at a time in a place where we are usually the only foreigner?

I would say this is all going to bite them in the ass in a few years, as they continue to drive out what few good, dedicated teachers, like the OP, that they actually have, however, I don't think they really care. They don't really want us there, and hope we won't be necessary very soon. Whatever. Anyone who wants to learn English isn't going to do it in a public school anyway. There is, and will always be, good work to be found for good teachers.

[antoniothegreat]