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Kennyftw
Joined: 08 Aug 2011
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 Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 2:52 pm Post subject: Teaching in Korea: Is the Fad Getting Stronger or Weaker? |
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It is a fad. I hear of kids right out of college with good, employable degrees say they want to go to Korea--even before trying to get a job in their field.
I would think Korea is sort of a last resort. It was for me anyway.
So, do you think teaching ESL in Korea is at it's most popular ever, in other words peaking, or is now in the downswing? I think its either peaking right now, or just about to peak. We wont see a downswing in people coming and working here until about 2020, imo. |
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happiness
Joined: 04 Sep 2010
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| Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 3:53 pm Post subject: |
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Im thinking the amount of debt they have affects their decision alot.
It used to be you couldnt get really young guys here (like the hagwons wanted a few years ago), and now theres tons everywhere.
I used to be one of them  lol |
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Zackback
Joined: 05 Nov 2010
Location: Kyungbuk
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| Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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It's the economy back home where one is from.
It sours the numbers (or perhaps the enthusiam?) seeking to come here go up.
It brightens the numbers seeking to come here go down. |
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modernseoul
Joined: 11 Sep 2011
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 4:37 pm Post subject: |
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I agree it's a fad or trend that seems to be attracting the 22 or 23 year olds here, however I think it will stop soon.
Many schools are looking for more solid, settled and experienced people, the risk of a 22year old straight out of university is to great as the pressure on school from parents is so high.
Also I've seen first hand its almost impossible to get a good job in Seoul and therefore if you have no experience your more likely to end up in a more rural area which doesn't suit so many and therefore people leave within a year. |
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myenglishisno
Joined: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Geumchon
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| Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 4:44 pm Post subject: |
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| modernseoul wrote: |
Many schools are looking for more solid, settled and experienced people, the risk of a 22year old straight out of university is to great as the pressure on school from parents is so high. |
My hagwon employs more than 100 foreign teachers and puts huge emphasis on professionalism, being a good teacher, peer-review and so on. They promote foreigners within the company to leadership positions and in turn, said foreigners act as quality control over multiple teams in different branches. It dosen't actually work that well in my opinion but it's better than what 99% of other hagwons are doing.
Then, all of a sudden, they did a 180 and decided not to renew anyone's contract if they had been in Korea for awhile and instead, hire all new people with all new criteria: they must be under 25, they must be white, they must be good looking and they must be American. It was a huge slap in the face to a lot of us. I guess the parents have spoken and this is what they want.
They do not want professionalism or experience in the hagwon industry which is why this will be my last hagwon, ever. It's not even the industry's fault really, it's the parents. They think anyone can teach and that a young and good looking teacher is preferable to a good and experienced teacher.
To address the OP: yes, the fad is at it's strongest right now. It seemed to go from some 22-23 year olds coming over straight after uni to just about everyone around being this age. |
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schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap
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| Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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Time & numbers.
Over the last decade the sheer number of people that have taught abroad & lived to tell about it has reached a tipping point. Everyone knows someone who's done it. Once the domain of just the more adventuresome, theres nothing "daring" about it anymore.
As long as there are jobs here that pay better than 7-11 clerks back home, I doubt there'll be a drop-off of applicants any time soon. |
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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rickpidero
Joined: 03 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 11:17 pm Post subject: Re: Teaching in Korea: Is the Fad Getting Stronger or Weaker |
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| Kennyftw wrote: |
It is a fad. I hear of kids right out of college with good, employable degrees say they want to go to Korea--even before trying to get a job in their field.
I would think Korea is sort of a last resort. It was for me anyway.
So, do you think teaching ESL in Korea is at it's most popular ever, in other words peaking, or is now in the downswing? I think its either peaking right now, or just about to peak. We wont see a downswing in people coming and working here until about 2020, imo. |
You need to see it from the other side of the coin. Not all people who come here do it because it is their "last resort." In fact, a lot of people I met here have adventurous type mindsets and just wanted to do something interesting for a year or two.
There will always be people with that mindset; so, teaching ESL isn't a "fad." Teaching in Korea may be though, if the government keeps making it harder and China keeps developing, I foresee most teachers going there in the future. |
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tran.huongthu
Joined: 23 May 2011
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| Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 1:06 am Post subject: |
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Things are only going to get worse as new jobs are not being created back home. We just hired a 22yr old with zero experience and it was a phone interview! I see a lot of dutch auctions going on at places as the market for teaching here is drastically changing...for the worse.
Only a matter of time before Korean teachers take over and their is a mass exodus of waegooks.(isnt that what Koreans want anyways?)
Enjoy it while it lasts I say. |
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definitely maybe
Joined: 16 Feb 2008
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| Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2011 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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| modernseoul wrote: |
| Many schools are looking for more solid, settled and experienced people, the risk of a 22year old straight out of university is to great as the pressure on school from parents is so high. |
If this were the case, my business wouldn't be booming. My little study room always has waiting list because parents seem to believe precisely the opposite is true. |
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