Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wylies99]

1) Is a native speaker from one of the 7 countries (USA, England, Australia, etc...)
2) Understands idioms, slang, etc...
3) Has been to a genuine university and has an education
4) Understands Korean culture (age differences, bowing, etc...)
5) Knows at least passable Korean language
6) Knows K-Pop and Korean fashion trends
7) Looks like the students so racial differences never become an issue
Can speak to the parents and Korean teachers
9) Has family in Korea so off time and holidays never become an issue

So, who is the ideal foreign teacher? An educated and motivated Kyopo with family in Korea. Korean parents should be thrilled to have this kind of teacher for their kids and schools/hagwon should seek out these kinds of teachers. Recruiters should also have an easy job selling these kinds of teachers to schools. Wait are you going to tell me the reactions by all of these groups is the opposite? Just goes to show you how much they know. Idiots.

[reactionary]

Where did you get this? What are you talking about? A lot of the best paying jobs go to Kyopos, so I don't know what you mean.

[Chaucer]

No, Wylie is right, but in the highest of positions--the FLHSs, the AP/SAT schools, etc., the kyopos do rule, because of Wylie's #s 5, 7 and 8.
But those top kyopos went to top US schools, which should be rule zero: graduate from an Ivy League school. Otherwise, Wylie is right--nobody in Korea wants a kyopo who went to U Alaska Fairbanks campus.

[.38 Special]

I'm the ideal teacher!

I may be getting older, fatter, balding, and desperate for love, but I still have my youthful energy and zeal that the kids love!

I'm also gloriously redheaded

[carleverson]

An attractive young blonde woman with a degree in education.

[Forward Observer]

10) Is dumb enough to go to Korea on a 'cultural exchange program', live in a hut on the outskirts of a small village, and work for free.

[oldtactics]

carleverson was the closest.

Thin, blonde, white, cheerful, with a BEd.

Everyone else is a second choice, or worse.

[air76]

[Satchel Paige]

[oskinny1]

[Unposter]

Wileys is right (except for point 7) and obviously Gyopos play a vital and often times very well-paid role in English education in Korea (one does not have to look much farther than Arirang TV to see that) but I do think there is both a market and an academic rationale for providing more of a diversity of language teachers. IMO, our best assets as teachers are diversity, accent and cultural perspective.

I also think an ability to communicate and teach culture is one of the most undervalued yet one of the most important aspects to our presence and our jobs. Communicating and teaching culture actually is not that easy. It takes real sensitivity and communication skills.

Korean teachers can obviously teach grammar and vocabulary. And, the communicative skills gap is closing (in some areas and in some cases rapidly) but the understanding of culture is still a gaping hole.

Personally, I would add teachers with backgrounds in cultural studies to the "prefered" background of TESOL, Education and English.

[Chambertin]

I think most of the Korean-Americans are just pissed they dont get the preference they want back home.

ESL as a career is an interesting animal. More so in Korea.
I cant speak terribly much about this but I think the being a foreigner in your home lad is what leads to most of the animosity about jobs and pay.

I remember going out to dinner with a couple Korean friends and overhearing the staff at the restaurant making bets on which country she was from, or if she was a K-A. She was Korean 100%, just happened to speak English.

Who is the idea English Teacher?
Hagwon - Whoever we can get cheap. (that looks good in a picture on the wall)
P.S. - Whoever does the job with the least internal resistance.

For Hagwons: The part in parentheses means that most Hagwons have a preference for pretty foreigners over KA�s any day. They have people who speak and look Korean already. I mean who the hell cares if you can talk to mom and dad, the director does that, that�s their job. Sorry honey but the truth is mom wants a blue eyed devil, not someone qualified. Even starting to bleed over into the P.S. system too.

English is a business, that it. It is not education. If education had anything to do with this Korean atmosphere then:
funny = 재미 있는
would not be considered a cannon of the English language.
fun = 재미 & 재미 있는
It�s a problem with the Noun + y = adjective construction that just wont go away.

Also I wouldn�t be continuing to try to correct my 5th year intensive students that: "I'm dictionary" isnt what you say when you pop out your cellphone to look up a word.
�I�m using the dictionary.� Is beyond their grasp even after hearing me correct them every day for almost a year. They just roll their eyes and say �silly weigook, that�s not how you use English.� Maybe not in Korea, but good luck outside ya brat.

Most of the kids, even the very advanced kids were never even taught basic English grammar, so the IDEAL English teacher is whoever the hell makes them the most money or is the easiest to deal with.
Drop all other assumptions if you ever want to be happy here.

Bottom line, no one cares about KA�s and you wont ever get preference until the system starts teaching English. If I see anything for your future, it�s that being a KA will become a hindrance. Good luck, maybe you can use Korean to help tell this to Korea.

that�s my rant on this.

[sojusucks]

Interesting subject. It seems like schools want whatever they don't have. The grass is always greener...

[Weigookin74]

Initially, looks seem to matter. But if you have a proven ability to be popular with kids, that may let you overcome lack of appearences. I mean popular with lots of energy and exciting. The key is to get over that first impression. Some hogwans that are long term may have bad experiences with handsome young foriegners. If you can prove that you're great with kids, have energy, and can sell yourself in that introduction, you might be able to get around the appearance thing. If it's a bad hogwan where the owner just wants quick cash then to sell it in a couple of years, he may want a blondie. You have to be able to sell yourself and prove with references that you can partly teach and partly be an edutainer. If the kids brag about you to the parents and love you, your job will be secure. In the long run, that will outshine looks. If you plan a lifetime here, do what you can about your appearance. Try to keep down the weight. If you're going bald really bad, either shave the head completely or get a hair transplant. No one can help their looks, but everyone can do little things to boost their appearance for jobs. Not just Korea, but back in North America too.

[Weigookin74]

If you have a proven ability with kids and the hogwan wants a blond hair blue eyed 22 year old, it's prob not the place you want to work anyways.