Korean Job Discussion Forums

[rookieglobetrotter]

Hello everyone. Just a quick question I've been pondering about evaluations. I've been working in the same province in EPIK for two years (2 schools). I'm planning to go home for at least a year perhaps longer for family reasons at the end of my current contract. I received good evaluation marks at my previous school, but not sure about my current school/center because during an isolated disagreement with a CT at the beginning of the year, she alluded that I may get a low evaluation score.

Things have gotten better since then but I am just wondering . . . if I go home and try to come back in say 2013 and want to work for a university/hagwon will a bad evaluation have any effect or does it only apply to EPIK and PS jobs. I am fairly certain if I came back to Korea I would try to apply for only non-PS jobs.

2nd question: If I apply for jobs back home, what proof do I have that worked in Korea? Does a copy of the contract suffice or do I need to request proof of employment from each school I've worked at?

I appreciate any replies thanks.

[Weigookin74]

Your POE must give you a proof of employment letter when you are finished. Not sure if it's only in Korean or English or both. This is the law for any employer here. Unfortuneatly, this recession has given Korean CT's a lot more power than they've had for a long time. Some of them are really tripping over it. Before, they could threaten bad scores all they wanted and the foriegners still got renewed. Unless, you know a lot of people in your POE or others who have influence, you may be able to over ride that low score and get renewed now, but realy beg humbly. Many have been dropped over the past couple of years. Basically, it's a season to take crap off your CT unless you're leaving and don't care about coming back. Ask your CT what she's going to say about you if you really want to know and ask what her issues are for your teaching.

As for coming back in 2013, if the recesion has ended and there are shortages in rural areas, you can prob get back here, even with a bad review. But it may take till 2014 for the system to fully flush out many current teachers and for Koreans to get that desperate for foriegners mentality. This is assuming the economy doesn't start booming until 2013. (It'll take until 2014.) Just make sure you get some good official reference letters from other schools you've worked at. Failing that, there are some individual schools around the country or specific local education offices that hire through a recruiter.

Worse case scenario, come back, do a hakwon for a year, then try to get back into public school with good references from them too.

[Weigookin74]

A uni or hakwon won't care. Just public schools. Have some reference letters and a couple of phone numbers. Uni's you must be in the country to apply, unless you've got a PHD.

[rookieglobetrotter]

Thanks for all the good advice and tips Weigookin74 .

Yeah I've been in EPIK 3 years. My first year was pretty bad and I had a CT who had it really out for me. I moved to another EPIK province to be with a girl I was dating at the time. That was pretty arduous to prove that I am more than an eval or someone who had it out for me. I also had to get all new docs and pretty much was like a newbie. My second year, my school was great and the people wonderful, but as for the teaching I felt I wanted to do more. This year, I am at an English Center and we work around the clock with the kids. The problem is we were never really able to bond with the CTs like at a PS that usually have their own work cultures. Work has been steady, but a time or two I was stressed and we had our disagreements. Afterwards right or wrong, I usually would sincerely apologize and be open to talk things out (which never really materialized). I also brought gifts from vaca and food from time to time like Chuseok for the office. But still having been through the experience once, you know I'm optimistic but also realistic. If worst case scenario I do get evaluated based on personal feelings rather than my work then I may appeal or just let it slide since I am going home, we will see but I hope it all ends copacetic. I continue to try to more positive and patient, but I am still a work in progress.

But yeah I need to go home after this contract as a lot of ppl probably miss/need me back home. Like I said, there is always a possibility I come back but it may be in a different kind of school/situation. I don't have a PHd but yeah we'll see if I can get some references as I had at least one school that really liked me.

At the end of the contract, I guess I will ask my POE for a proof of employment letter that said I worked for the POE for two years. I regret that I didnt get a reference letter from my elementary school last year like you said since the school was good, but I dont know if that school really does that since teachers go in and out frequently. I will send my former handler an email inquiring if its possible.

I get what you're saying about the changing climate. I do hope the ESL industry does improve and move forward at the very least for the kids sake. They pay attention to what adults do, so hopefully all sides can work things out and coexist harmoniously!

[Malislamusrex]

best thing with a co teacher is not to have any relationship with them, do your job, and be invisible.