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wooden nickels
Joined: 23 May 2010
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 Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2014 2:44 am Post subject: |
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Example:
XYZ Academy hires me to work for them for 6 months. During this time I would never consider taking one of their students, never. I would never make it open that I do teaching elsewhere. However, after my agreed time is up with XYZ Academy, if a mother manages to get in contact with me about teaching their child, or if an adult student asks me about continued teaching, I will consider it without hesitation. |
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edwardcatflap
Joined: 22 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2014 3:55 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
Example:
XYZ Academy hires me to work for them for 6 months. During this time I would never consider taking one of their students, never. I would never make it open that I do teaching elsewhere. However, after my agreed time is up with XYZ Academy, if a mother manages to get in contact with me about teaching their child, or if an adult student asks me about continued teaching, I will consider it without hesitation. |
So you're prepared to work for 6 months at someone else's hagwan for crap money on the off chance that a mother will approach you at the end of it and you might get some business out of her? I guess you've earned your huge stash of cash in that case. |
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wooden nickels
Joined: 23 May 2010
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| Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2014 5:37 am Post subject: |
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| edwardcatflap wrote: |
| Quote: |
Example:
XYZ Academy hires me to work for them for 6 months. During this time I would never consider taking one of their students, never. I would never make it open that I do teaching elsewhere. However, after my agreed time is up with XYZ Academy, if a mother manages to get in contact with me about teaching their child, or if an adult student asks me about continued teaching, I will consider it without hesitation. |
So you're prepared to work for 6 months at someone else's hagwan for crap money on the off chance that a mother will approach you at the end of it and you might get some business out of her? I guess you've earned your huge stash of cash in that case. |
I would consider it. Maybe yes. Maybe no. Depends. Location. School size. Number of students. Schedule. Many variables.
10 years ago, I would be asking someone in my position the same questions you are asking me. But now I think differently.
That's right. I work for crap money sometimes. During that time I network with other teachers, etc. I presently have 4 students of moms who were teachers at 2 other schools I worked part time for in the past.
Yes. I work a lot. I network. I seldom take vacations. Sometimes I work for crap money. I have known what it is to put in 50 hours of actual teaching time in a week. It's not for everyone. But I'm okay with it. I still enjoy my work. I'm doing what I'm doing because I enjoy it. I put in 2 years of Peace Corp because I enjoyed. I have have taught at an orphanage in my free time in the past, volunteer work.
Now I'm fortunate enough to work because I want to work, not because I necessarily have to work.
So what do you suggest that I do different? |
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wooden nickels
Joined: 23 May 2010
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| Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2014 7:01 am Post subject: |
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Another decision I made that would be questionable;
A couple of years ago an adult came to me asking about the possibility that I might teach her in a 1 to 1 class. I talked with her for about an hour and decided to open the class just for her. 25,000 won an hour. She was bargain hunting. She was already expecting (baby on the way) so she could only take the class for about 4 months.
About 1 year later her brother calls and asks if I could teach him. I said "sure." "But" now I'm charging premium rates for adult students. Now I'm teaching her brother, her brother's coworker, and one of her coworkers. All on big salary jobs.
I knew after interviewing the first woman that she worked for a big company and had ties with big people.
A lot of people would have turned down the first job because of the pay. But I didn't. |
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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| Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 4:04 pm Post subject: |
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| wooden nickels wrote: |
25,000 won an hour. She was bargain hunting. She was already expecting (baby on the way) so she could only take the class for about 4 months.
About 1 year later her brother calls and asks if I could teach him. I said "sure." "But" now I'm charging premium rates for adult students. |
I'm surprised by this story. I've heard once a rate is established, it is almost impossible to raise it. I'm surprised the brother and others agreed to the higher price. How much higher? Double? |
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wooden nickels
Joined: 23 May 2010
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| Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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| World Traveler wrote: |
| wooden nickels wrote: |
25,000 won an hour. She was bargain hunting. She was already expecting (baby on the way) so she could only take the class for about 4 months.
About 1 year later her brother calls and asks if I could teach him. I said "sure." "But" now I'm charging premium rates for adult students. |
I'm surprised by this story. I've heard once a rate is established, it is almost impossible to raise it. I'm surprised the brother and others agreed to the higher price. How much higher? Double? |
I had given the woman a much lower price rate than normal. The other adult students came along a year later. By then I had raised my premium rates for 1:1 adults also. |
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atwood
Joined: 26 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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What wooden nickels is doing is just good business. I don't know why you guys can't see that.
He puts a lot of time into it, but since he enjoys doing that, why not?
When I taught high school in the U.S. I had a very good student from a upper middle class family who was always working at one part-time job or another. Since he was already doing some session drumming, I asked him why he continued to bag groceries as well.
He replied with his own take on make hay while the sun shines: "I'd rather be making money than spending money." Makes sense to me. |
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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| Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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It is good business sense to accept any job offer, no matter how lousy the pay and conditions?
| wooden nickels wrote: |
| I'm at the point that I no longer think of income in the terms of 20,000 won per hour or 50,000 won per hour. I just think of it as extra money. |
Here's a job lead for you and wooden nickels to fight over, atwood:
Part time teacher needed in Pangyo (Pangyo)
We are looking for someone to work Tuesday-Friday from 4-6 pay is from 12 -16 an hour must be reliable and a little bit flexible. If you are interested please send me your info at [email protected]. We are looking for native speakers but if you are fluent that is acceptble too. So send me your info and I will try and get in contact with you. |
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wooden nickels
Joined: 23 May 2010
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| Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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| atwood wrote: |
What wooden nickels is doing is just good business. I don't know why you guys can't see that.
He puts a lot of time into it, but since he enjoys doing that, why not?
When I taught high school in the U.S. I had a very good student from a upper middle class family who was always working at one part-time job or another. Since he was already doing some session drumming, I asked him why he continued to bag groceries as well.
He replied with his own take on make hay while the sun shines: "I'd rather be making money than spending money." Makes sense to me. |
thanks atwood
This has basically been a motto of my wife's and mine. "We had better make the money while we can." Too, we enjoy what we are doing. We also have the opinion that we will always want to have a couple of students even after so-called retirement. We have both been teaching for so long that we would miss not seeing students.
I agree that many people don't understand the business behind a good business. |
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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| Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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| wooden nickels wrote: |
| I had given the woman a much lower price rate than normal. |
Actions like this more often drive down the going rate (for everyone) than lead to better opportunities down the road. (The going rate for privates- especially when adjusted for inflation- has dropped, and it has dropped a lot. Really sad to think about.) |
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wooden nickels
Joined: 23 May 2010
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| Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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| World Traveler wrote: |
| wooden nickels wrote: |
| I had given the woman a much lower price rate than normal. |
Actions like this more often drive down the going rate (for everyone) than lead to better opportunities down the road. (The going rate for privates- especially when adjusted for inflation- has dropped, and it has dropped a lot. Really sad to think about.) |
Speaking for myself, these actions have lead to golden opportunities. My going rate is higher now than last year, and last year was higher than 5 years before, etc. |
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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| Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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| wooden nickels wrote: |
| We also have the opinion that we will always want to have a couple of students even after so-called retirement. |
You will retire in Korea? How close are you to retirement age? (You said you've been designing your own curriculum for 32 years, so I'm guessing you are up in age (maybe almost 60?).) I guess if you enjoy what you are doing- some people don't; some people are burnt out and sick of it- then I guess it makes sense to take on extra hours. For me, teaching all the time sucks and is exhausting and bad for my emotional state and mental health. Everyone's different I suppose. |
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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| Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 7:12 pm Post subject: |
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| wooden nickels wrote: |
| Speaking for myself, these actions have lead to golden opportunities. My going rate is higher now than last year, and last year was higher than 5 years before, etc. |
How high is your going rate now? |
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wooden nickels
Joined: 23 May 2010
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| Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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| World Traveler wrote: |
It is good business sense to accept any job offer, no matter how lousy the pay and conditions?
| wooden nickels wrote: |
| I'm at the point that I no longer think of income in the terms of 20,000 won per hour or 50,000 won per hour. I just think of it as extra money. |
Here's a job lead for you and wooden nickels to fight over, atwood:
Part time teacher needed in Pangyo (Pangyo)
We are looking for someone to work Tuesday-Friday from 4-6 pay is from 12 -16 an hour must be reliable and a little bit flexible. If you are interested please send me your info at [email protected]. We are looking for native speakers but if you are fluent that is acceptble too. So send me your info and I will try and get in contact with you. |
Now you are taking things completely out of context. I've never said that I would take any job. |
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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| Posted: Fri Feb 21, 2014 7:17 pm Post subject: |
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| 20,000 is as low as you will go? Maybe that 12,000-16,000 an hour job will lead to future opportunities. You can network while there. |
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