Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kavanluc]

Hello,

I work in a kindergarten hagwon and I keep finding myself in a classroom with sometimes as many as 20 students and no co-teacher or Korean teacher at all, despite repeated requests.

I thought the legal limit for a hagwon was 12 students for a foreigner teacher, unless assisted by a Korean co-teacher. However, I couldn't find this information anywhere.

Does anyone know what the law is concerning this? Perhaps a link to back it up as well?


Thanks!

[World Traveler]

I heard the legal limit is eight (but maybe it depends on the size of classroom and/or school).

Laws in Korea are commonly ignored.

I feel you though, OP. Teaching large groups of young students can be very, very difficult.

[modernseoul]

I also heard 12 but have never seen the official source for this information.

It's a sad fact that your Hagwon won't do anything about it until a student gets hurt or tells Mom/Dad and the parents complain.

3 options:
1) Report the school to the local MOE.
2) Do a half assed job and when the school complains, tell them you need help in order to effectively teach.
3) Tell (or ask) your school for a co-teacher to help the larger class or reduced student numbers. If they say no, don't work, quit or tell them you'll report them to the MOE.

Sadly all 3 could risk your job. I feel for you as I've been in the same situation.

[World Traveler]

[Skippy]

ACT ON THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF PRIVATE TEACHING INSTITUTES AND EXTRACURRICULAR LESSONS

[World Traveler]

[Skippy]

[Hokie21]

I have a class with 15......though on average my classes are between 10 and 12 students. No co-teacher. No problem. I wouldn't want to teach a class of 20 kindy kids though.

[drcrazy]

The more the merrier. I my first 2 years is Korea usually 40-60 in a class.

[World Traveler]

That was probably a uni, not a hagwon, right? There is no government mandated student limit per classroom for them as far as I know.

[drcrazy]

[Weigookin74]

(3) The qualifications for an operator of a teaching school, location, facilities and equipment of a teaching school, the number of students or other necessary matters shall be determined by Presidential Decree.

Sounds like a recipe for dictatorship if you ask me.

Can't understand why the government can tell a private business what to do or not do. I think there's a Sylvan Learning Center in my hometown. The government doesn't care what they do. The government only cares about daytime schools. Night schools are a private business and can do what they please. If customers aren't happy, they'll lose business and go somewhere's else.

[EZE]

Class size is one thing that makes Korea sweeter than China. I've taught classes at a hagwon in China where the number of kids was well into the hundreds with no co-teacher. Pure chaos. I tend to just play the hand I'm dealt and try to make the best of a bad situation, so I moved the ones who wanted to learn to the front and the rest to the back. My biggest class here has been only 13, but these days my biggest classes are 12 and my smallest just one.

[tob55]

Class size is dependent mainly on facility space. Our Academy is approved for 160 students maximum enrollment, and no more than 40-45 student in the building at one time. We have 5 classrooms, so the limit is 8 - 9 students per class. The local Office of Education checks to make sure you are following the rules as well as the local Fire Department and Law Enforcement people. They all have a stake in insuring the safety of the individuals attending the programs offered, so they do check.

[Chaparrastique]