Korean Job Discussion Forums

[seonsengnimble]

Let me preface this by saying my current school is the best hagwon I've worked for in the four years I've been in Korea. The students are for the most part great. The director is reasonable and accommodating. I have tons of freedom in my classes. I have my own classroom. I have a pretty light schedule and good pay. And, I'm always paid on time and in full.

That being said, there are a couple of things that have been irking me as of late. The first thing is make up classes. If it's a private class, I can understand it. I don't teach them one day, so I teach them on another day. If however, a student misses a group class, I still teach the group class, and then I have to teach an additional class to said student and they don't have to pay for the extra class. This is like buying a movie ticket in advance, missing the movie and then getting a private screening because you couldn't make it to the theater that day.

The other thing is interviews. The idea of interviews is great. I can talk to the student, assess their ability and then place them in the appropriate class. There are two things that annoy me about this process though. The first, major one is that no one calls if they are going to miss an interview. Today, after work I had an interview a half hour after I finished teaching and another one an hour after I finished. The first one didn't show. So, I could have gotten dinner or spent my time doing something other than hanging around my classroom if I had known that I'd have an hour free. The second one was also a no-show. I waited until the time of the second interview to ask the front desk where they were, and they called the students mother. She said she was on her way. 15 minutes later, they call again, and she canceled. So, I spent an hour and 15 minutes doing nothing because people can't make a simple phone call.

The other problem with interviews is that parents are idiots. If a student can't read the material or answer any of the questions, I try a lower level until I find the level that's appropriate. Parents, however often think that their kid who studied at another hagwon for three months and will go to Canada next year should be in a class with native speakers reading 200 page 5th or 6th grade level novels. "Oh, Min Su will study very hard at home and get caught up." Usually I'm able to persuade the parents or supervisor or at least compromise and put the student in a class that is a little too hard. Other times, however, the parents are stubborn, the kid is completely lost and drops out.

One other thing. People need to stop installing useless toolbars for internet explorer on the school computer. There is no need for half of the browser to be filled with askjeeves, google, daum and naver search bars.

Anyhoo, today kind of irked me, so I thought I'd share.

[lifeinkorea]

[some waygug-in]

The last hagwan I worked at had a system of computerized level testing.

Best thing I ever saw, but the parents still griped and complained until their little "genious" was placed somewhere way beyond his appropriate level.

As far as the interviews go, if they aren't there waiting at the end of class or during a break between classes, just walk away.

You have to be firm about this or you will get jerked around for the rest of your time here. Just tell them they have to be here, ready before you leave or forget it.

[wenchstalker]

I used to have to do interviews at my last hagwon. The first time the school disregarded the level assigned to the student because the parents weren't happy with it was the last time I did an interview.

If they don't want my professional opinion regarding the students which I am going to teach, then I wasn't wasting my time on non-paid interviews.

I loved doing the interviews to get the students in the correct class. In the long run, that makes my job easier because the students are all the same level.

After 5 students being placed in the class that their parents wanted and quitting because they could not do the work, they asked me again to do the interviews and always followed the recommendations.

Good luck with your place!