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jeremydc808
Joined: 16 Apr 2012
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 Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 8:46 am Post subject: For a first timer, is public school the way to go? |
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Of course I'm fresh out of college but I have a good FT job with the Department of Human Services. I feel with no obligations, this would be the perfect time to come to Korea.
As I research jobs, I wonder if going through EPIK or GEPIK for a ps job is the best scenario for a first timer. Hagwons seem to be a gamble.
My plan is to get my feet wet (sorry for the expression) with a PS and if I feel I can handle it then continue with a hagwon job. My ultimate goal is to gain experience and have a good uni job by the time I'm 30.
It seems like EPIK/GEPIK will be @ best 2.0 million won a month (unrelated BA with TESOL).
For those who began at a PS, did you make the right choice? |
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Skippy
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Daejeon
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:20 am Post subject: |
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Please noooooo!
Not another thread asking about public schools. It will start all nice then it will degenerate into which is better hagwon versus public school.
OP. In general public school are nice to get BUT like any job they can be a gamble. Only in the last week I have read about three or four tales complaining about them. |
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gdn35
Joined: 15 Dec 2011
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 12:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes. |
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viciousdinosaur
Joined: 30 Apr 2012
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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1) It's a mistake to give up any job back home to come teach in Korea
2) Unless you are an education major, your "experience" gained in Korea won't mean jack
3) If you looking for adventure, this is definitely the wrong country to come to. It's dull, isolated, and small.
4) Don't confuse "public" with "rational, safe" It is neither of those things . |
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jeremydc808
Joined: 16 Apr 2012
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:01 pm Post subject: |
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1. I understand the gamble.
2. Haha
3. I'm sure it'll be an adventure with the right attitude (which you seem to lack).
4. Understood.
Your name goes hand in hand with your post! |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:47 pm Post subject: |
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| 3. I'm sure it'll be an adventure with the right attitude (which you seem to lack). |
You mean the attitude that says any experience which doesn't kill you makes you a better person?
Korea is dull isolated and small but is also different enough to make an interesting year or two.
Last edited by edwardcatflap on Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:51 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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shamash
Joined: 02 Jun 2012
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:47 pm Post subject: |
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| jeremydc808 wrote: |
1. I understand the gamble.
2. Haha
3. I'm sure it'll be an adventure with the right attitude (which you seem to lack).
4. Understood.
Your name goes hand in hand with your post! |
A lot of people on this forum are very "don't go to korea". I suggest you check out Waygook. I've been reading it for a bit and just signed up there yesterday. This forum has more information IMO, but the negativity is overwhelming.
Of course, I may be a super negative person when I get to Korea. Only time will tell  |
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viciousdinosaur
Joined: 30 Apr 2012
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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| shamash wrote: |
| jeremydc808 wrote: |
1. I understand the gamble.
2. Haha
3. I'm sure it'll be an adventure with the right attitude (which you seem to lack).
4. Understood.
Your name goes hand in hand with your post! |
A lot of people on this forum are very "don't go to korea". I suggest you check out Waygook. I've been reading it for a bit and just signed up there yesterday. This forum has more information IMO, but the negativity is overwhelming.
Of course, I may be a super negative person when I get to Korea. Only time will tell |
"People on Dave's are so negative about Korea" says the guy who's never been to Korea. Typical. |
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viciousdinosaur
Joined: 30 Apr 2012
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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| jeremydc808 wrote: |
1. I understand the gamble.
2. Haha
3. I'm sure it'll be an adventure with the right attitude (which you seem to lack).
4. Understood.
Your name goes hand in hand with your post! |
1. You don't really understand the gamble. You just don't want to hear it. You've convinced yourself that the grass is greener here and no one is going to change your mind about that.
2. We'll see who's laughing once you try to convince employers that teaching ESL wasn't a complete waste of your time. Something I've actually had to do.
3. Yeah because I came to Korea thinking it would be a total drag, but I like suffering.
4. At least one thing didn't come in one ear and go out the other. |
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Keeper
Joined: 11 Jun 2012
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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I think if you have a "good" job in the States it is a fair question for the rest of us to wonder why you want to come to Korea and give that up. I don't understand your reasoning given what you wrote.
Have you ever lived outside the country? If yes, for how long?
Do you speak any foreign languages?
Why do you want to teach? Have you ever taught before?
Why are you interested in Korea?
Why give up your "good" job in an unrelated field?
Most employers will ask you those questions and I think you should reflect upon them and let us know the answers. Until you do most of us will say you are crazy because we don't understand your decision. |
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isitts
Joined: 25 Dec 2008
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:01 pm Post subject: Re: For a first timer, is public school the way to go? |
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| jeremydc808 wrote: |
| For those who began at a PS, did you make the right choice? |
Short answer, yes. But� you lost me here�
| jeremydc808 wrote: |
| Of course I'm fresh out of college but I have a good FT job with the Department of Human Services. I feel with no obligations, this would be the perfect time to come to Korea. |
You have a good job but you feel no obligations? I guess that�s fine, but given the state of the economy back home and the state of the public school systems here (especially GEPIK), it�s difficult for us to completely endorse your decision. In a good economy, sure, why not?
But, perhaps you�ll be fine. Schools are preferring newbie teachers with minimal credentials as they are cheaper. And if your job back home is wearing you out and you�re able to find something here and have your adventure, then that�s great.
I agree that you shouldn�t pay too much attention to the naysayers here. To say your experience will not amount to anything is BS. People who say that have no concept of transferable skills. And even if your time here didn�t have any transferable skills for a job back home, there�s still your life experience to consider.
But don�t confuse the bitter complainers with the realists. Public schools are getting axed. GEPIK flushed out�I think it was about 800 teachers last summer�then shut down from lack of funding. Then resurfaced after severe cuts. It�s struggling. SMOE will cut near all its middle and high school teachers this February. And with all (I believe all) the public school systems, Korea is looking to eventually replace us with the TEE (Teaching English in English) program�taught by Korean teachers.
Like I say, it might work out for you. There are still jobs here. But I wouldn�t lean too heavily on your long term plans here.
Anyway, good luck! |
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eslwriter
Joined: 15 Sep 2010
Location: A dot on the planet with an exaggerated sense of importance.
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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I never get tired of newbies asking for information on this board and then get all snotty when the answer isn't what they expected.
So, here you go kid. Yes....
Give up your job.
Come to a country you've never visited.
Live in a culture you've never experienced.
Work at a job you're not professionally prepared for.
Survive and dare succeed in a society that will challenge your mental well being.
Three months down the road, we'll be reading your request for someone to hold your hand through a midnight runner.
Best of luck. |
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jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:25 pm Post subject: Re: For a first timer, is public school the way to go? |
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| isitts wrote: |
| And with all (I believe all) the public school systems, Korea is looking to eventually replace us with the TEE (Teaching English in English) program�taught by Korean teachers. |
I had a good chuckle reading this. I actually teach with one of these TEE teachers. He said when he was first hired, about 5 years ago, the first week he didn't use any Korean. But after a week of disruptive behavior and kids just not understanding English, he switched over to mostly Korean. Unless the TEE teachers are teaching in those cushy foreign language schools, or a really high-level school, the TEE program just won't work. |
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Otherside
Joined: 06 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:31 pm Post subject: |
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| viciousdinosaur wrote: |
1) It's a mistake to give up any job back home to come teach in Korea
2) Unless you are an education major, your "experience" gained in Korea won't mean jack
3) If you looking for adventure, this is definitely the wrong country to come to. It's dull, isolated, and small.
4) Don't confuse "public" with "rational, safe" It is neither of those things . |
1. Disagree, you only live once, and if you're going to take a few years off to teach abroad and travel, better to do it in your 20s, than when you're married with kids.
2. True, though a year abroad is usually a positive, diminishing returns after the first year definitely kick in though.
3. Disagree. Dull is in the eye of the beholder, I've had plenty of fun in my time here. Isolated... well being a 2hour flight from some of the most exciting places on Earth is less than isolated. Small, sure compared to the US. However, similar in size to a large number of European countries, with a good number of things to see (at least for the first couple of years).
4. A lot safer and more rational than Hagwons. I've worked in both, twice.. and this has been my experience all 4 times. Not to mention I've heard far more complaints and problems from my friends in hagwons than my friends in PS's. |
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jeremydc808
Joined: 16 Apr 2012
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| Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Appreciate all that replied. |
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