Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Mountain Mama]

So, i'm job hunting again. One of the better looking offers that I got was from a school/franchise called Times Media. It sounds like it has branches in a couple cities instead of being a franchise. They also said that they are part of the company that publishes the Korea Times. The job sounds good so I'm considering it. I just curious if anyone has heard of this school. None of my foreign friends have heard of it, which raised an eyebrow. I'd guess that a school run by one of the big newspapers would be more well known. So... maybe they're not really affiliated with the newspaper? Still, my circle of friends is kind of limited, so I'm hoping that maybe someone on Dave's could chime in on what they've heard.

BTW, they said that I could talk to one of their current teachers (and I will) but I've heard that it's usually better to talk to a former teacher so I'm waiting to see if they find the contact details of a former teacher as well.

So..... in the mean time, have any of you heard of this school? Good stuff? Bad stuff?

Thanks.

[livinginkorea]

I assume that this is the TESOL certificate course?

I worked there a few years ago and left after 10 months. Out of 12 teachers who came and went during my time only one person finished their contract. That says a lot about the place.

The students are great, mostly university level or educators from hagwons. The course is okay, intensive which means a lot of prep; a case of introducing concept and theories; hours are around 30 a week which does not include grading, meetings and giving level tests (which happen all the time, at any time, even at your lunch hour or break time or on the phone). Junior management changes a lot, I mean a LOT. Staff turnover at the place was amazing, due to this there were a lot of mistakes/fights made. For example during my time:

- a fight broke out between a student and manager. An actual physical fist fight. Police came to the hagwon. This was over the fact that the certificate itself was no longer afflicated with the Canadian school it said it was with. Naturally, students were majorly pissed. They pay about 2 million for an eight week intensive course for a cert.

- apart from myself (since I had my own house) nearly all the other teachers were moved to different schools (Daegu, Busan, etc) on very short notice. One teacher had the school move his stuff down to Busan as he was going to start there but then he was told to go back to Seoul(scheduling mix-up) and the school refused to move his stuff, asking him to pay for it. It was their mistake but they wanted him to pay for it. He quit after a month.

- they wanted to develop online lectures which meant teachers had to prepare these in their free time (outside of class time) at no extra pay. You can imagine how fast that failed. Two teachers quit over this.

- the majority of teachers hired do not have proper qualifications, on the first day one teacher asked me what TESOL meant. During class she would come to my class and ask me what this or that meant. Obviously, way out of her depth. She lasted a month.

- one junior manager liked to complain about the teachers to the teachers' face (she thought this was good for motivation) which sometimes sparked a shouting match with a much older teacher. She deliberately waited for his class to go on a break, walked in and started off again, right in front of his students. He quit over that.

- they are not actually affiliated with the newspaper. They used to be before I started so I heard. This is their huge selling point which students never know about. Senior management will deny it but a honest junior manager will tell you the truth once you get to know them.

- one student fought with management about the quality of the course and wanted her money back. The hagwon refused and the police came during graduation. The manager who dealt with that situation quit that very day.

There are loads more, difficult to remember them now as it was a good few years ago. As I said before the turnover was amazing. I think the pay was 2.5 million a month but considering that you are teaching for 30 hours and working another 15 at least on admin stuff wasn't worth it.

If you have any questions then let me know. If this is not the TESOL part than please ignore it.

[Mountain Mama]

Thanks for the intel. I appreciate it.

[Peter258]

Anymore info on this school?

I'm looking at a job posting for teaching elementary, so I doubt it's the TESOL cert course.