Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Scamps]

I have to make a decision soon and I need help deciding. Please give me your opinion. Thanks!

Job A: At a kindergarden. Working hours are from 10 am to 4 pm but there is an hour for lunch and I don't eat with the kids. Classes end at 2 pm so from 2 to 4 pm I prepare for the next day. In the morning there are 5 or 6 classes for about 20 minutes each and 1 "advanced" class in the afternoon for 50 minutes. Rich parents send their kids here. They even have a heated indoor swimming pool and a golf room. Pay is 2.3 plus 400,000 for housing and 17 days for vacation plus Korean holidays and lots of field trips.

Job B: At a public high school (GEPIK program which btw I'm in already, I work at a middle school and enjoy it) hours are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm MWF and 8:30 am to 6:00 pm TTH. 25 days holiday plus Korean holidays and lots of free time in between classes and maybe deskwarming when no classes are in session. Pay is 2.9 or 3.0 plus the 400,000 for housing. I only have to make one lesson plan every two weeks. But I guess I'll have to make 2 seperate plans every week for the afterschool class.

What do you guys think?

[ttompatz]

Depends on what you want:
More pay or fewer working hours.
Younger or older kids.

Personally, I would choose "B" but "A" doesn't sound like a bad deal (I do like to work with little kids).

.

[Scamps]

Thanks. I guess I want a combination of few hours with hs students but I like little kids too. Not picky about money but who wouldn't want more and I like longer vacations too...this is why it's so hard to decide so I'm wondering what others would choose. This is seriously keeping me up at night. Also, I think it sounds more prestigious to say you work at a hs vs. kindergarden but I'm open to either...help me guys!

[winterfall]

I'd take B. Little kids are really cute when they're not annoying as hell. And you need so much more energy to teach them than high school kids.

Prestige doesn't matter, your a foreign teacher. The scraping the floor qualifications is so well known, it doesn't make a difference to most people

[Scamps]

Ttompatz, thanks for your answer but would you mind telling me your reasoning behind it? Just curious.

[bobrocket]

The kinder garden thing works for me.
I have a baby so for me, it means I get time in the morning and in the evening to play.
My job is basically the same, 20minutes per class in the morning and an advanced class after lunch.
The 20 min class is story telling, reading books, singing songs etc, no teaching just exposing them to basic English.
The afternoon class is not much better for me, I don't have any help and the kids don't speak English, just very very basic stuff. I can find it quite draining when they go off the rails but you do need the personality to match.
Almost everyday I enjoy going to work, I get paid to have fun all day long.

Prior to this I was teaching advanced English to high school students, I found this more satisfying as I could see results in what I was teaching. I only changed because now I can spend more time with my family.

One thing that may help, Korean kids are 1 year younger than what they say, well for me anyway, when their born their 1 year old, so a year old is actually 4.

I would choose the one you think you would enjoy more but that's just my opinion.

[ttompatz]

[Scamps]

Thanks again. The base pay for the hs is either 2.2 or 2.3 but because the afterschool program is a must they pay an extra 600,000 for that. So I'm not sure if I'd get 2.9 or 3.0 every month. I should ask about it but even if I do get an extra 600,000 for 9 months out of the year that's an extra 5.4 million won.

Please keep the comments coming!

[Auslegung]

I'd choose the kindergarten position, but that's solely because little kids are more fun, and I've got bad assumptions about public school. Don't have much advice beyond that, wish I could help you more.

If you don't take the kindy position, I'll take it

[dyc]

This kindie job sounds pretty sweet!


But the 25 vacation days for B plus higher pay (despite working more) make it worth it IMO, especially if you enjoy teaching that age group.

[whiteshoes]

Both are fine options. I'd listen to your gut as to which people are better to work for.

I know a guy who works at a public school and his co-teacher does everything. With the after school program he makes over 3.0 because he's been there a while.

I also know people at kindy with a nice job two.

The common link for both of them? Working with and for a good Korean manager. That is where you'll find your answer.

[SeoulNate]

Would depend on if you have something to occupy your time with outside of school.

I currently work a schedule like your A job, except a few hours later start time, and I love it. But, I am working on my portfolio and writing my thesis in the off hours. When I finish up both of them in a few months I will have to find something else to occupy myself with.

However, if I didnt have anything to do, I would probably go crazy with all the extra time I would have on my hands.

[sojusucks]

Go with the public school job. Have you ever taught kindy? It can be very draining, especially if you get no support.

[dyc]

[Scamps]

Thanks. Anyone else have an opinion...have to decide by today!