Korean Job Discussion Forums

[iggyb]

Are they replacing you?

I'm curious about what is going on with the government teaching jobs - SMOE, EPIK, GEPIK.

I'm leaving a SMOE elementary school job. I asked if they were going to get a replacement, and they didn't know. This being Korea, who knows, they might not find out normally until a week before classes start. So I don't know if my question means much - but I'm still curious.

My school has known since the start of the school year I was only going to be here 1 year.

I talked to me CT about the current climate, and she mentioned the key factor I've mentioned online that doesn't get noted much in these ESL forums --- that the current president is the force that pushed hard for an ESL teacher in every school. It was his well-promoted big idea when he first got into office 5 years ago.

Now, he will be leaving and perhaps an opposition member will win the election and reverse the policy. An opposition member did take over as head of SMOE.

Time will tell...

[isitts]

I worked for a GEPIK school until last July 2011 (in the middle of the hiring freeze). They were looking to replace me but couldn't find anyone they liked. Then on the day I left the country, they lost their funding and couldn't replace me. My co-teachers just taught without a NET.

But my school did hire a Chinese teacher to teach Chinese. Not sure where that funding came from...much less, the funding to build a new English Town.

Now one of my co-teachers tells me that the school will get a new NET. But it may be through alternative funding (city hall, etc.)...if it's even true.

Anyway, long answer short...yes, maybe. But it will have taken about seven months. And I'm not sure it's the norm for GEPIK in current times.

[english puppet]

[iggyb]

I'm just curious to see if people are getting replaced or not - also non-renewals with no replacement...

....because Feb-March is a big changeover period as schools start a new school year.

We've heard a lot in the press and rumor mill for the past year and more. Now, we have an opportunity to see how things are really shaking out.

So who is leaving and not having their position filled? Who is? Who isn't getting renewed and the position not being filled?

[byrddogs]

That stuff (NETs being phased out) was in the rumor mill going back two years. It sounds like it is coming to fruition. It's most likely a good thing considering the hiring practices (ie...hiring anyone) for positions. In all honesty, not many of us that taught ps made a difference given that we rarely saw the students. Good luck though, Korea with all of the K English teachers that are supposed to conduct classes in English, yet don't.

[jurassic82]

I am not sure what will happen in the next year but when my head teacher was giving me the paper work to sign for another year she was telling me how about how half the elementary schools in our district that had foreign teachers would not be replacing or renewing them in the next school year. I am not sure if that is across the board all district in SMOE but it does give a sign that foreign teachers are slowly being phased out. Maybe things will change and those schools will find money in their budget to replace them in the future. I'm not sure.

I do think it is problematic when they start saying that foreign teachers are a waste of money. I think NET are very useful and beneficial in the classroom if both the NET and Korean English know how to work together properlly to gain the most out of what each has to offer. Unfortunatley this is often not the case as neither have had any experience or training on how to co teach.

[Squire]

I'm not being renewed at my school (no NET next year), but despite being told I'll most likely be moved to another school in my district they haven't told me what's going on yet. I'm at home now and due to go back to Korea on Friday but my coteacher has ignored two emails from me asking what the situation is. It's infuriating. I'm very worried I'll get back in a few days to find out there is no job for me and I'll well and truly be up nob creek without a paddle. I wonder if it'll be possible for me to change to a public school in a different area or maybe a hagwon without having to go through the visa application again

[iggyb]

The fact that educators in Korea are largely liberal and the president who pushed TEE and a FT in every school is one part of the attitude toward FTs in the schools.

As someone else partially noted above, if the Korean teachers would teach in English 90%, we wouldn't be necessary much. But they don't.

[Squire]

[iggyb]

If they'd teach in English, they'd see their communication ability increase rapidly as they unlock and rewire all that English they'd packed into their brain for a long time.

[Who's Your Daddy?]

If they'd teach in English their students would know they don't know English.

[I-am-me]

I am here until April. Havent heard if they will renew me for a third year yet.

[iggyb]

Below the age of 35, there are plenty of Korean teachers who have the knowledge locked up in their head. They would be amazed at how quickly they'd become conversational if they'd teach in English.

After 1 year, the average Korean teacher would be doing fine for beginning and intermediate levels.

They just did not learn in a proper manner and the compound the problem by not teaching in one.

[jvalmer]

Two reasons, the next election is likely to see a left leaning president and just to oppose LMB will do the opposite. And it was pretty unwise to try to get an FT in every single school. The more realistic answer is maybe 3 in every district. One for elementary, middle and high schools at wisely selected schools. Or make them go to 2 or 3 schools in the district during the week.

[ThingsComeAround]