Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mrwright]

Hello. I am new to this forum, but I have a pressing question: is it really that bad? I mean, the horror stories abound. Is anybody really happy teaching in Korea? I am a high school teacher in Arizona, and let me tell you, American kids are little monsters too. Has anyone taught both, so they have a comparison. It sounds like Korean kids are terrors, but can they be any worse than American kids? And finally, what job situation there is generally deemed to be desirable and a relatively safe bet? I'm sure there no definate and clear answer to that question, but just to best of your experience. Thank you.

[wesharris]

Korean Children are quite well behaved compared to most western children.
You just get mired in the local culture some times.
If you learn the ways of the Korean 선생, you'll soon realize that it's really quite easy .

[jvalmer]

I'd take Korean students over Canadian students any day (with some exceptions). It would be a toss up between a technical high school.

I think the biggest issue is language. If they don't understand you and you don't understand them, that's when a lot of the students start ignoring you.

[bixlerscott]

It's not bad, but communication is a huge challenge at times. The teaching was not the hard part in itself, communication and getting at least a needed moment of undivided attention to be heard are the challenges. Some staff do try listen, but others avoid you and are too shy to speak what English they do actually know as modesty kills them where they sell themselves so short out of irrational concern of looking silly and dumb, a loss of face. Speak slower than at home nor try to cover as much material as you might in the same time span at home or with high English level students. And the last minute changes are norm as well as needing help with how to pay bills and how to get paid the right amount. Yes, I said paid. Do get to know your director or accountant quite well.

You probably only need to avoid corrupt hagwons where scandalous financial management is occurring that would effect your pay or hagwons that are failing with their enrollment. You could run a good school, but lose in the market, because a competitor got your potential students 1st or the local market is too over saturated with schools like yours. Careful with this business side of teaching for private academies. Many of these directors are only corrupt finance executive types; not educators nor care about kids and education administration and others are good people doing good for their school. This is not to say all schools are bad or ran by a corrupt director who cares nothing about kids and education, because there are great private hagwon academy schools that actually do awesomely well for both their students and teachers. Thing is, it's difficult to make an accurate assessment from overseas, especially if you've never been to Korea, and the fact jobs are normally set up before you get on the plane to go. If a 1st timer, you'll need to get your job online and go for a Korean consulate interview at your regional consulate office in California. Otherwise, you'd be able to fly over and take the time to find exactly what you want to do.

[mrwright]

Thanks for the replies. Please keep them coming. So would the public schools be the optimal position? At least over the hagwons? If its not so bad, why all the negativity about Korea?

[Gillian57]

I've been in public schools for over 7 years. The students are not any worse than in the States (I've taught both), but the big, huge difference is, when you DO get a kid that is disruptive, you have zero recourse. Unless you are into beating the hell out of him/her. I'm not.

Taking the issue to your Korean co-teacher is pointless. You will lose. The Korean teacher will defend the little devil, regardless what he/she does. Koreans will virtually always side with Koreans, in all matters.

My very good Korean friend, whom I also work with at my school, and I have talked about this. She sadly agrees. As she has said, many times, even if other teachers DO agree with you, they will NOT admit it. You will always lose.

Now this may sound silly, but when the entire school's faculty is "against" you, simply because you don't find it amusing that a student has yelled "*beep* off" to you, well, it can become a bit frustrating.

The other big issue is that, even though contracts are written in both Korean and English, only the Korean is legal. And the Korean can, and is, interpreted in any fashion they wish. This has happened to me more than once!

Welcome to Korea.....

[explorer25]

Most of the negativity about KOREA, is I think managers ego and how they dont understand the position of foreign teachers, when they try to scam us...and when teachers try to be just with managers, they take it as you being disrespectful to them, and they dont care about you , simply ignore you...
YOu cant fight or try to do anything to get ur money back, or flight ticket etc., whatever ur case is...
They protect kids, and parents, so everything becomes the foreign teacher's fault...
Simply put, you CANT have any sound judgment with Koreans, cuz they hate to be wrong, and put in the spot.... It's all about being nice, and giggley, and have blue eyes, (for females i noticed that was an advantage, my supervisor put her kid in my co-worker's class cuz she had blue eyes, ) !? , so really.... they have clear set, rules that are carved on stones, and it's really hard to get along with them, if you dont
know about Korean culture....

My experience in Korea in the last 4 years, have been tough at times, cuz I was finding out their scams and not being too political...Therefore I dont think I was their "favorite " teacher.... )

[smoggy]

I taught as a substitute in Prescott, AZ every day for 6.5 years, then the econ. went south. In Jan. 09 I worked 10 days. I taught every level, and I saw some good teachers and read some good lesson plans. Some classes were great, and others were terrible.

The students in the Hogwans are generally quite good, but they don't follow the rules of "No talking in Korean" and can be very noisy. These students must have more money, as fees can range from 300,000w per month to more. The communication is difficult, and the teachers who supposedly know Eng. don't like to speak it and still make major grammar mistakes. I corrected one the other day in private, and she thanked me & realized the correct form. I allowed her to save face, by saying that I knew that she knew that. Most of the students don't want to be there.

My problem with the Hogwan is that it seems that record keeping and pay schedules are amiss. Public Schools are changing. By the way, there is still no budget for schooling in AZ.

[wesharris]

[some waygug-in]

It depends on the school.

Some will be against the FT doing anything but smiling and dancing like a monkey.

If you want to be treated like a 5 year old, elementary schools are the place for you.

[ippy]

Its great! i was on JET for 3 years, and as much as i liked the job there, i positively LOVE the job here. The kids are lovely, energetic, dont refuse to acknowledge your existence if you ask them to do something, and are generally quite enthusiastic. Of course they can also be spectacularly disruptive, theyll also whip out their mobiles in class or listen to headphones instead of you when its a group activity and you arent watching them like a hawk, and also hate every moment of english. The nice thing is, you get to know pretty fast Also punishment is fun. Yesterday one of my first year classes was being a gigantic pain. So i asked the coteacher what kind of non physical traditional punishments korean teachers cna use, and she suggested two that were funny - running around the playing field, and holding a chair for 2 minutes. So i had them run around the field three times and then it was back to the class as if it were no big thing. Beats shouting at them any day Plus, genuinely they actually enjoyed it (probably because they were the lowest grade first year class and it got them out of english for 5 minutes )

Its not all shouting, pleading and cajoling like it is in japan. The energy is fun, it actually reminds me of teaching elementary school there in truth.

Saying that though, i live pretty rural so the kids are pretty nice anyway. I guess thats a factor in your decision. If you want a happy and easy work life you want probably somewhere away form big cities. But if you want to have a happy fulfilling non work life, you want a big city. Its pretty much your call. You can get lucky in a big city, and you can get unlucky in your job in the sticks though, so i guess this probably helps yu not a jot in making up your mind. If its your first time id definitely chance the city, if its not and youre quite good at dealing with isolation and a complete dearth of creature comforts, then go rural. The jobs usually better, the pay is usually better, and the life is a pretty nice gentle pace (plus the holidays are nice if you get on my contract).

[ippy]

[saone]

So what is teaching like, or being a teacher? I am looking for the second time on teaching in south korea, but am unsure what to expect?

[ippy]

i wouldnt know. Im a terrible teacher

Id say its just like teaching your first time: namely some kids like english, some kids dont, most just muddle along hoping itll be a fun and interesting lesson, but not hating you if its neither. Try not to get caught up in babysitting and bargaining with the kids who dont like english for your entire lesson, and try not to get caught up fawning over and making plans to stretch your higher level kids all lesson... unless of course youre a really good teacher and put a bit of thought and effort into your plans that actually allow for basic, standard and advanced uses of whatever structure you happen to be teaching that day. Why the very thought of such a thing!

I teach middle school. Its fun. The kids are nice, some are little monsters, but thats what happens when you put 30 kids with wildly different attitudes, abilities, learning styles and attention levels into a room together. Dont take it personally if they act out, and try to enjoy your lessons. More often than not, once you get a rapport going with a class you can bring them along into even the most boring lessons. Learning after all, isnt always fun, and if youve ever studied a language youll probably realise you had most success through drilling and repetition rather than some cute person shouting things in a happy voice with pretty colors and fun games. But then, youre a grown up and have a much better attention span probably. You also realise why youre doing it and what benefits it gives you. What im tryuing to say is, its not all about the kids, its what you bring to it If the kids are distracted its probably because your lesson isnt holding their attention. Theyre just kids.

(some are real little monsters though, but at the end of the day they have issues that the school should be working through rather than you. You have to teach them, but again, try not to take it personally). So long as YOURE adaptable and ready to switch things up if a particular style isnt working for you, then youll be absolutely fine. Teaching is teaching at the end of the day, its never that bad and more often than not, its a blast

Your colleagues on the other hand...

(luck of the draw, get a crappy coteacher, or principal and it can be the difference between a nice enjoyable time in korea, and an absolute miserable time. The kids will never have that kind of impact on you - and ive taught some crappy classes).

[jpotter78]