Korean Job Discussion Forums

PatrickBateman · Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 12:44 am Post subject: What are my options?

Okay, so here's the situation....

I am working at a job that I love, but at the same time I am loathing the amount of work required of myself and others.

Pros:
-Has a very strong curriculum.
-Love the staff, the management team, my students.
-Pay is fine.
-I have a lot of leeway in my classroom.
-The school is great, I feel that kids are learning and they're doing enjoyable things.
-The school cares about the students and the staff(to an extent).

Cons:
-The working hours. As it stands, we work 9-6 and are not compensated for the extra five hours during the week spent on prep.

-The amount of work really exceeds the amount of time given for us to complete it. I've found myself going in on my Sundays just to get work done.

-The amount of teaching hours are way too high. I'm currently teaching 31+ hours a week, plus I'm responsible for 10 hours of prep. Currently, I am given around nine hours to prepare for my classes. This means teachers are often spending their own time after work.

-During our lunches, we are forced to eat with our children. I honestly don't mind it too much, but it is quite exhausting. Not only that, but it is not even a reasonable amount of time for a lunch. On days when I teach basically from 9:00-5:30, I'm only given a 40 minute lunch.

I'm not too sure what to do. I'm stressed each day and the workload is not getting any easier. I've been here a few months, but I can't see myself suddenly getting any happier with the workload I am given.

If you're going to troll, please make another thread and I will troll with you there.

newb · Joined: 27 Aug 2012 Location: Korea

For me neither.

My advice to you is that you are the only one who knows what's best for you instead of asking total strangers who you know are going to be trolling.

War Eagle · Joined: 15 Feb 2009

Is this a hagwon? Why prep? Pick up the book before you walk in and away you go.

If there is something physical (i.e. worksheets, quizes, etc.) that the students are supposed to take home or something, when asked why they do not have these, inform your school you didn't have enough time to get it done. Refuse to go into work outside your scheduled time. I can't imagine them firing someone over this. Not worth it for something so trivial, especially if they are in the wrong.

If I am off-base, more info is needed.

PatrickBateman · Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 2:45 am Post subject:

War Eagle · Joined: 15 Feb 2009

HighHopes · Joined: 05 Apr 2013

This is your first time through the cycle. When I first came I would spend an hour preparing for an hour class. Tomorrow I have 7 classes and pretty much wont prepare anything at all, I've done it so many times before. Now I'm not talking about teaching at a university, but any other level, beginner or advance, children or adults, it will become so straight forward.

Keep everything, lesson plans and student reviews, then re-use them. Look for stuff left in the printer, join a meetup group and get ideas from other teachers.

Do like George and look busy at your desk and everyone will leave you alone. At one school I was always the first one in, would open up three books on my desk, held papers in my hand and just did sudoku. Anyone who walked by said I'm always early and working.

As for eatting with the kids, been there done that. Do they still make you pay for lunch??

PatrickBateman · Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 3:49 am Post subject:

War Eagle · Joined: 15 Feb 2009

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 9:17 am Post subject:

You could ask for a raise.

You should know however that for the most part no teacher is paid for prep work and certainly not for grading outside of work hours....