Korean Job Discussion Forums

[indramayu]

Has any foreigners sent any of their children to the Korean public school system here? I have some kids but the international school fees are too high with my salary, so I'm thinking of sending them to the Korean public elementary school. My wife is Korean so my kids Korean is pretty good and should be sufficient for lower elementary school. What grade is it advisable for kids to start in the Korean elementary school if they haven't done it before?

[Kennyftw]

reading this sent shivers down my spine. A white kid in a Korean public school. eeeeeeeek!!

[jamesd]

[isisaredead]

[oldtactics]

I had two students in my classes last year who were biracial, including one who had lived in the US for a long time. She said she didn't have any problems, everyone treated her the same. Just be aware that your son/daughter's English level will drop dramatically if they're going to a Korean public school - if you want them to be fully bilingual, I recommend only speaking English at home.

Not sure about the grade level - maybe get your wife to call the school board to ask about whether they have placement tests.

[jamesd]

[isisaredead]

[F5Waeg]

I started both my kids back home in grade one for one semester, then brought them back here. No serious problems; in fact they've both been kicking butt, especially in language acquisition and writing, what with both of them taking prizes in English speech contests and Korean writing contests.

I intend on sending them back home next year for at least another six months.

Sending them to an international school is expensive and rather pointless if you have the support network back home in a decent school district.

I want my kids to experience both systems, but once they get to middle school they'll be moving back home permanently. I'll spare them the hakwan hell.

[FDNY]

I have a daughter that will be going through the Korean public school system. I think international schools here have to be one of bigger rip-offs in a country famous for rip-offs. I'm not going to pay 20-30million won a year to have some underqualified freak like me teaching my kid.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[jamesd]

[yoda]

My wife is Korean, but both of our kids look very white. They are quite happy and well adjusted in elementary school . It's been a positive experience overall.

[isisaredead]

wow. even though this is all anecdotal, i find this very encouraging.

good on ya, korea.

[highstreet]

A couple I know has two kids in public schools here. They seem well adjusted with plenty of friends. They didn't speak any Korean before, but they are learning fast

[poppy56]

It would totally depend on the ages and personalities of the children. I teach at a public elementary school and last year I had 2 American students in my classes. Their mother was Korean but they had lived their entire lives in the US - up until now. They spoke some Korean but not fluently. The brother was in grade 4 and he adjusted well and seemed happy with lots of friends. The sister, though, was in grade 6 and she seemed really sad and lonely. She was very shy anyway so she had trouble fitting in and I often saw her sitting alone reading. She always came to my office to talk to me. I heard that this year she went back to the US to live with her grandmother. I think if your children are younger or outgoing they will be ok, but the older they are the more difficult it will be. Research the school as well and find one with teachers that speak some English. At this school many of the homeroom teachers can speak a bit of English so that really helped.