Korean Job Discussion Forums

[itiswhatitis]

I've been in Korea for a few years and I may want to teach high school in the future.

I've only ever seen public school jobs for high schools, and they are not common. Why does every age group except high school students seem to have many openings?

Just curious.

Thanks!!!!!

[YTMND]

When I was in Korea (2007-2010) I got plenty of high school offers, but I wanted to teach middle school. Those were apparently already taken.

The problem with high school is that either you have advanced students or students who don't care to study. They stop showing interest in their 2nd year of middle school. This would be 8th grade. Even the high school students who perform well prefer to study other subjects than worry about English. They listen and give short correct answers. They won't try to challenge themselves like the average student does.

Schools want good teachers to keep them studying, or else they will fall behind in high school when they are preparing for math and science tests more than speaking.

Financially, it's not a wise move to wait 3 years before deciding to continue English studies. When you are in high school, you have a choice to study hard, pass the necessary requirements so you have spare time to study English at a hagwon. With that, you will first probably study with a Korean who is only there to help you choose the right answer, not understand why they are right.

I am in China, and they are passing out 2013 books to the 11th grade juniors in the high school I teach at. I am not at what I consider a real good high school academically. This students won't start the academic school year until the end of August for 2012-2013. The teachers though are loading them up so they aren't under as much pressure next year I guess.

[waynehead]

High school positions seem to be the first on the chopping block when budgets get tight. That was the case with SMOE, where I used to work, which recently transferred most high school NETs to middle/elementary (except for the foreign language and science schools, the cream of the crop).

I still work at the same high school I did before, but now I work directly for the school and not SMOE. My school, however, is privately funded and kind of an exception to the norm. AFAIK NET high school teachers are a rare bird nowadays.

[Squire]

There are a lot more elementary schools than middle schools, and more middle schools than highs. Also lots of high schools are technical colleges, and I believe NETs usually only teach grades 1 and 2 in academic high schools anyway (I read that on here)

It's a shame because I didn't want an elementary this year. Middle was more challenging, but more stimulating and generally more of a laugh than elementary

[maximmm]

Because the government is implementing a new university entry exam which is meant to enhance students' ability to communicate with native speakers. The first step in making this communication enhancement possible was by getting rid of high school NTs.

You're welcome!

http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2012/04/117_109249.html