Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ldh2222]

Wondering about those that teach the full-time after-school programs. What are the pros/cons of elementary vs. middle school aged students? I realize that students in these programs usually have less English ability than those in private hagwons, but what else?

[lifeinkorea]

This is more of an issue of "after school at a public school" vs. "hagwon/franchise" teaching.

Parents pay a lot for hagwon classes, but after school programs are either free or charge less at a public school. When breaks come, students will go from public school after school programs to english camps or hagwon classes, not the other way around.

So, your class size will go up and down more with an after school job, but with a hagwon job you'll have more of a predictable schedule (if you can believe that). What I mean is, the hagwon will fill your class up, you can guarantee they won't pay you to deskwarm.

Now, to address English level. Majority of the students will leave before class ends to go to hagwon classes, taekwondo/soccer practice, or have piano lessons. Your youngest ones will all attend class usually, because parents see this as a chance to get babysitting service at the same time. Your older students who come later will come and go. You WON'T be able to easily go day to day teaching one lesson. Instead, you need to layer lessons so those who do come regularly aren't bored, and those that are juggling other things will be able to catch up.

Also, students eat lunch at 12pm right? Well, after 2pm, they will want to eat again. So, your classroom will be a cafeteria also. If students don't eat then, they will bring food later on. It's hard to talk to kids with their mouths full of food.

It's a very different environment than public school morning to early afternoon and hagwon classes where there is structure. You are teaching between the cracks during after school hours.

The good side to after school classes is that you have less people bugging you. There is no principal coming in to check on you, no hagwon owner pestering you, and people in the office are too busy wrapping up the day they will contact your co-teacher tomorrow if there is some issue that concerns you.

I know all this doesn't address your question about elementary vs. middle school students, but in my experience with several after school programs, I haven't seen a significant difference in either. It boils down to who you want to be with more. For me, I quit an after school only job with elementary school students because it ended up just being a babysitting service. No one cared to learn, no one came to class on time, they would leave 10 minutes before class was supposed to end, and when I told the school about this they never did anything.

I wouldn't expect much more from middle school students either, except they are older and some will either be nice to you and be teachable, while the others will goof off and waste your time. You can't use size with middle school students to show authority, you aren't cool in their eyes, and playing "fun" games like hangman or singing songs will be lame to them. You need to find some way to relate to each clique's leaders and work down to maintain order.

[ldh2222]

I appreciate the response. Right, I get the feeling too, about the after-school program not being too serious of a teaching atmosphere.

I was thinking of teaching middle school (taught elementary before, levels were extremely low save for one class), and I thought possibly they would have more... ability/experience with English?

Anybody else in a similar situation now and/or the past? Much appreciated.

[blackjack]

It all depends on the afterschool programme

My one is a very structured one. We have a text book for each class, set times and most of the kids are on time (otherwise the parents are called and if it happens too much they are kicked out). we have a max of 14 kids per class and their English level is higher than regular elementary public schools kids but less than the good hagwon students.

the advantages for me is I get to know all of my students, I teach small classes and I see my kids every second day (they have me one day and the korean teacher the next). The pay is higher than a public school and I don't have to go to the public school "meetings" where I have to share accommodation and get treated as a child. I show up at 12 and I am out of there at 4.45 (I do work from home but I enjoy making worksheets and stuff). and no desk warming! and less politics!

The disadvantages, less vacation, less bonus days, can be a little lonely and less job security.