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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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daveeslcafe888
Joined: 09 Apr 2011
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 Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 1:42 am Post subject: Trade-Offs for Teaching Different Age Groups (Kindy-Adults) |
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Hi Everyone,
I was wondering if you guys could give me the trade-offs, in your opinion, about teaching different age groups (i.e. Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle School, High School, SAT Prep, University, and Adults).
Based on my experience, here is what I've seen:
a. Kindergarten
Pro's: Good pay, little preparation time needed
Con's: Little intellectual challenge, doesn't look good on resume
b. Elementary- High School
Same as Kindergarten (except for public schools)
c. Univeristy
Pro's: Pay per hour is good (i.e. less pay, but much better quality of life)
Con's: Very hard to get good position in major city (need MA or Ph.D.)
d. Adults
Pro's: Work with a more engaging population
Con's: Market is hard, pay is lower, etc.
What about you guys? |
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shaunew
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Location: Calgary
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| Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 2:21 am Post subject: |
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| I agree. I would add to stay far away from Pagoda. |
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koreatimes
Joined: 07 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 3:24 am Post subject: |
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a. Kindergarten
Pro's: Good pay, little preparation time needed
Con's: Little intellectual challenge, doesn't look good on resume |
Depends on what you want. I know a couple that met in Japan and went to the US and opened a preschool. For them and people they might hire, it would look very good on a resume. If you have already decided it won't, then you know what you want.
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b. Elementary- High School
Same as Kindergarten (except for public schools) |
I disagree completely. Third grade to high school has many different levels to prepare for. It is not easy and it can look good on a resume. People saw my resume and specifically singled me out for positions related to what they saw on my resume, not what I was particularly seeking for. In Korea, I wanted a middle school position, but all I had on my resume was experience with elementary school students.
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d. Adults
Pro's: Work with a more engaging population
Con's: Market is hard, pay is lower, etc. |
I think it's all a mix from kids to adults. Some are more engaging than others. For adults it's pretty much limited to business oriented classes. If you want to teach for that crowd, the market won't be as hard as trying to teach English for just daily conversation. |
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Carbon
Joined: 28 Jan 2011
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| Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 4:31 pm Post subject: Re: Trade-Offs for Teaching Different Age Groups (Kindy-Adul |
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| daveeslcafe888 wrote: |
c. Univeristy
Pro's: Pay per hour is good (i.e. less pay, but much better quality of life)
Con's: Very hard to get good position in major city (need MA or Ph.D.)
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Well, one typically isn't paid by the hour (salary, but if one were to break down the classroom hours against the pay, it would be high) and good university positions offer paid vacations (5 months for me). Decent pay with loads of chances for overtime (at a good hourly rate for OT), certainly trumps and hagwon or PS job. I have worked the entire spectrum of teaching in Korea and my current situation is pretty much perfect for me. I would never go back to teens or kids. They test your width as a teacher and require huge energy whereas adults / young adults push your depth and require a more intellectual energy than physical. All IMHO, of course.
Yes, a good university position is not easy to get for those who are not interested in making the investment and getting tougher every year. |
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Zyzyfer
Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?
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| Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 3:50 pm Post subject: |
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Kindy - vomit stains
Elementary - that one kid that always smells like poo
Middle - kids too tired to study
High - kids too bored to study
Uni - kids too busy shagging to study
Adult - wacko spinsters
HTH |
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Modernist
Joined: 23 Mar 2011
Location: The 90s
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| Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 6:32 pm Post subject: |
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| b. Elementary- High School |
These are NOT the same. I've taught from Grade 1 ES through Grade 3 MS and there is a huge variation. For example, MS kids love bomb games and other PPT stuff for some reason, but it's quite difficult to do those with a 1-2G ES class because the rules are too hard for many of them, and some will actually cry if they choose a bomb.
Younger ES kids actually prefer to do the same things over and over. They like structure, being able to predict what happens next [first we do sounds, then writing, then singing, then coloring, or whatever]. Older kids will get bored much more easily.
ES kids love to sing and even dance, UNTIL they hit about 5G when the self-consciousnesses sets in and then you might as well ask them to have lunch on the roof. ES kids will, usually, try things even if they aren't sure. MS kids have learned to refuse some things absolutely. But MS kids get the gist quickly of a lot more things, while ES kids have to be taken step by slow step [often including the 'smart' ones who go too fast and make dumb mistakes].
Teaching even low ES is MUCH MUCH better than kinder. Kinder SUCKS. Those kids have barely been socialized and you're being paid to do it, not teach English. They do learn quite fast, but there are so many tradeoffs.
Not sure I'd agree that you don't need to prep. You've got to have a basic grid of concepts for your schedule so you don't spend too much time on one thing or forget stuff. And if the kids think you aren't in charge/control things will go off the rails quickly. They need you to be the leader and you can't be the leader if you don't know where you're going.
Get the Uni job if you can, sure. But you won't escape as much of the HS-level stuff as you might imagine.
Adults aren't bad either but they are a lot more demanding. I taught them in the US. They have more concrete expectations than kids, they expect results more and faster than kids, so they can be problems. They can challenge you more and walk away if they don't like your approach.
Good luck making your choice... |
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