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sheaforreal
Joined: 15 May 2011
Location: Kansas City
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 Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 1:51 pm Post subject: First time |
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Hello, this is my first time posting. I recently graduated college with a degree in education. I am looking into teaching in Korea either in Jeju or Busan. Since my degree is with a Social Studies emphasis I will not have a great chance getting a job here in the US. I am looking at Korea because it seems like it pays well and I would like to experience a new culture. I have a couple questions that I would really appreciate some feedback on.
1. Jeju or Busan?
I love the outdoors, golf, surfing, scuba diving, so Jeju is what I am leaning towards. I am a little hesitant because I feel like Jeju may be a little to isolated for me. I like to go out and have drinks about once a week. Really I am a little worried that I will not meet enough people in Jeju?
2. Food?
I am a picky eater. I will try anything once, but I have very simple taste. I have read that Korean food is pretty spicy. I have a fairly sensitive stomach, which worries me.
3. The actual classroom?
I have not read a lot on this forum about what actually takes place in class. Am I just there to help make lesson plans and pronounce words?
4. Language barrier?
How hard is it to live in Korea without speaking the language?
Thank you (if anybody responds)
PS...Please take it easy on me. I know my grammar is not the best and I suck at using commas. |
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CarolinaTHeels
Joined: 07 Apr 2011
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sheaforreal
Joined: 15 May 2011
Location: Kansas City
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| Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 4:28 pm Post subject: |
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| I am looking at all of these schools and they all say that I need at least two years of experience. |
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brento1138
Joined: 17 Nov 2004
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| Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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| sheaforreal wrote: |
| I am looking at all of these schools and they all say that I need at least two years of experience. |
Right. Many of them say you "need" this and that, but the reality is, that they just prefer someone with that experience. They'll probably take you without experience. You could argue that since you completed a practicum, that qualifies you just as well.
The smartest thing you could do is simply apply for all the good jobs, and choose the best option. Public school and hakwon jobs do pay OK (average is around 35 million won a year, that figure includes housing, bonus, airfare). In Korea, that salary will net you some good savings. They will advertise that as 2.3 million won or so, which is what you should ask for (with free housing, good housing) as a minimum.
Have you completed a TEFL certificate yet? I'd recommend it because you can upgrade your pay, and it might give you a small advantage in getting hired at a better school. |
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CtotheB
Joined: 03 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 6:01 pm Post subject: Re: First time |
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| sheaforreal wrote: |
1. Jeju or Busan?
I love the outdoors, golf, surfing, scuba diving, so Jeju is what I am leaning towards. I am a little hesitant because I feel like Jeju may be a little to isolated for me. I like to go out and have drinks about once a week. Really I am a little worried that I will not meet enough people in Jeju?
2. Food?
I am a picky eater. I will try anything once, but I have very simple taste. I have read that Korean food is pretty spicy. I have a fairly sensitive stomach, which worries me.
3. The actual classroom?
I have not read a lot on this forum about what actually takes place in class. Am I just there to help make lesson plans and pronounce words?
4. Language barrier?
How hard is it to live in Korea without speaking the language?
Thank you (if anybody responds)
PS...Please take it easy on me. I know my grammar is not the best and I suck at using commas. |
1. Neither is really very good for any of those things. Koreans will try and tell you it's the "Hawaii of Korea" but that's an incredible overstatement. Cold, dark waters, windy (sucks for golf), the biggest surf waves are about 3 feet. Jeju is sort of isolated and most people that go there leave after a year or are career ESL teachers who don't care.
2. Koreans like to think their food is spicy, but in reality, compared to and South American dish, it's only got a little heat. Essentially, it's nothing the average westerner can handle.
3. Depends. In public school you'll make lessons plans and pretend to teach giant classes of uncaring eyes but rarely make any progress, only to see the cattle move out and start the process over. At a hagwon you don't have to make lessons plans and you can actually get to know the kids, but some will work you so hard you won't even care.
4. People like to say that you can get by fine without knowing any Korean at all, which is sort of true on a basic level, but you really should try and get at least a basic understanding of the language before you go over, at least pass a free Level 1 course of Rosetta Stone or something, otherwise you'll be lonely and drink beer in your apartment every night while watching youtube videos until you pass out. Maybe if you're lucky you'll meet up with other foreigners and form a click, but that's not exactly something to be all your pennies on. |
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Bloopity Bloop
Joined: 26 Apr 2009
Location: Seoul yo
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| Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 6:43 pm Post subject: |
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*Looks at OP's location*
*Thinks about all the times I've read, "You're not in Kansas anymore" on Dave's*
*Reads OP*
Can't wait to read your future posts!  |
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sheaforreal
Joined: 15 May 2011
Location: Kansas City
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| Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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No TEFL certificate yet, but I will look into it.
@Bloopy, I live in Kansas City, Missouri...huge difference. I will be sure to let you know what happens in the future.
I appreciate all of the other post also. |
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derbot
Joined: 04 May 2010
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| Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 10:34 pm Post subject: |
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Hey Sheaforreal,
I'm like you; degree in education working ESL in Korea. I won't comment on how you'll find Korea but I will say I am here because there were no teaching prospects for new teachers in Ireland and after spending nearly a year doing ESL I find it enjoyable but it doesn't give me the satisfaction of actual "home-room" teaching. I'm looking at other prospects now like international schools (by the way thanks to the second poster who left that link). |
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isitts
Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 10:42 pm Post subject: |
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| sheaforreal wrote: |
No TEFL certificate yet, but I will look into it.
@Bloopy, I live in Kansas City, Missouri...huge difference. I will be sure to let you know what happens in the future.
I appreciate all of the other post also. |
Umm...ok. It's one city� that happens to border two states. 
But I know what you mean. One time I was in New York and drove past the border and I'm like, "Oh my god! I'm in Pennsylvania now! It�s sooo different!� 
Ok, I guess I should contribute something. I agree with the first response. I think an international school would be the way to go. I think other jobs would be�frustrating for a certified teacher. As another poster said, it depends. You might be allowed to run a public school class on your own, and the methodology you�ve been trained with would be helpful with the basics of teaching.
But teaching EFL is like teaching any other subject that isn�t Social Studies (although, I�m sure there are things you can draw from that emphasis).
If you consider that English is not really a subject, but a means to communicate subjects, that might be helpful to keep in mind.
(By the way, I�m from the west coast. All of New England seems fairly similar to me. And from Korea, all of America seems the same.) |
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sheaforreal
Joined: 15 May 2011
Location: Kansas City
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| Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 12:03 pm Post subject: |
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Was just messing around about the "huge difference" remark.
@Derbot, really appreciate your insight. I like the path that you have taken. I do not know if I really want my own classroom just yet in another country. Would like to feel it out for a year before I take on that kind of load. |
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CarolinaTHeels
Joined: 07 Apr 2011
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| Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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shea you are a certified teacher for peat sakes lol
get a real job at an international school
the basic ESL jobs in S.Korea are for ppl with a 4 yr degree but without actual teaching license and credentials. |
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sheaforreal
Joined: 15 May 2011
Location: Kansas City
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| Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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| Carolina, I will look into it. I don't know if I want all the responsibility yet. I do not want to be grading papers all the time, deal with parents, and all the other stuff that takes up a teacher's so called free time. I am going to check out international schools some more though. |
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Zanniati
Joined: 04 Apr 2011
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| Posted: Fri May 20, 2011 9:00 pm Post subject: Re: First time |
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1. My advice is you should be in a city I would recommend being around Seoul or Busan. You'll have the weekends off and you can just bus or train just about anywhere you want on the weekends.
2. I'm not a picky eater so I can't relate that well but I think the food here is great. You will probably love kimbap. It's really simple and it's got everything you want. The food here, in my opinion, is not spicy at all, and I'm horrible with spicy food. I've had one dish that I thought was really spicy but other than that the food here rates around a mild salsa. And, keep in mind, not all the food is spicy. A lot of it is though.
3. CtotheB said it pretty well I think. I teach at a hagwon and love it. 8 kids in my class. Lesson plans take me only an hour or so at most each day because everything is prepared already. My kids are smart and make real progress.
4. Learn to read Korean. It will take you a day. Buy a phrase book and learn common phrases. If you do that, you'll know more than some people that have been here for years. |
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