Korean Job Discussion Forums

[War Eagle]

I am considering working for a Christian Elementary School. Does anyone have any good or bad feedback on these types of positions. This school does not require Saturday worship, but they do require 30 min a day M-F paid worship time.

[ED209]

Christian schools have a bad rap in Korea. Sometimes teachers are taken advantage of on pay, living and working conditions. The Christianity you experience back home can also be very different to the kind you experience here. You don't want to be trapped in system where the principal thinks he's the right hand of God. I'm sure you can meet plenty of Christians at a non-religious school and find a local church group that supports your needs.

Disclaimer: I'm a hardened atheist who probably contributed to the broad ban on religious debates this site now experiences.

Good luck

[kimchi girl]

Unless you're a hardcore, jesus loving, global christ mercenary why would you even considered working at a christian school with the rep they have here?

Far better to work at something that CERTAINLY wont and doesn't require saturday this, that or the other thing. Things change fast in Korea and policies will change with no warning. It will only take the VP a tiny bit of divine inspiration to start requiring saturdays.

Not worth the risk.

[Lemon84]

[War Eagle]

Thanks for the adivce. I had no idea this is, or at least was, such a heavily debated/criticized topic. I was already leaning towards the 'no' side of the fence, and I think these 3 posts alone were enough to push me over. Thanks again all.

[linky123]

If you like partying, drinking, and having any sort of romance other than with an intention to get married, forget Christian schools. Also, if you don't like attending church services on Sundays, Wednesdays and early morning prayers, I wouldn't recommend it. Basically, if you aren't a really dedicated Christian with somewhat of a monastic lifestyle, I wouldn't recommend it.

[djsmnc]

This is a country in which people say "I'm not Catholic, I'm Christian!" yet can be astoundingly legalistic when it comes to following literalist dogma. "I don't drink because I'm Christian!" or "I go to churchee to pray every morning at 3 am and then go back home to sleep"

I quiver at the thought of working for anything related to a religious institution here. And I don't mean that as an attack on Koreans (or even Korean believers) in general.

[alwaysbeclosing100]

which christian school?

[mmstyle]

Having worked at two religious schools here in Korea, as a non-religious person, I would never work at a place that told me in advance that they require me to attend any religious services. I used to be a deeply religious person, but Korean Christianity is, well, different. Even if I were still religious, I would not have felt comfortable. Plus, it's all in Korean-why would I do that?

I should note that I worked at the first one because a coworker told me that I would not be required to attend anything religious (though there was some pressure to, and it came out that a potential hire turned his position down when he was asked to give the non-believers a religion class) and the second one is a random assignment (it is covered by the PS umbrella. The second school asked me if I was a Christian once and never brought it up again).

I am curious where it is only because my first school was a private religious elementary school, and if it was the same one, I would warn you against it based on my second, and markedly worse, year.

[mmstyle]

double post.