Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Metsuke]

Hey all,

I have a friend who is living in Daegu right now, and hes working at a school called YBM ECC I believe. Hes a new teacher, and thes been down in Korea for about two months now at this school. The reason I'm posting this is cause hes having a really tough time with the school... lots of yelling, blaming, cursing from the director towards him as he puts it.

Does anybody know about this place? He just emailed me to day and said hes going to put in his 30 day notice to leave and find another school. Essentially it sounds like a bad scene to me.

I'm a bit worried about my friend... anybody have some info on this school?

Thanks...

[the eye]

the school branch in question is located in Jisan/Bummul Dong, right?

if so, it's been a rat hole for at least 5 years now.

ECC (company) is notorious for bad contracts. they also reward their staff something like half a million if they recruit new teachers.


u want i should go knock some skull?

[Metsuke]

I'll bring big Tony with me to Korea when I fly out this month... and we will go handle this little YBM sitation.

But to be serious... I'm pretty sure thats where my friend is working right now. And hes not a happy guy.

So yes... please feel free to proceed and knock skull!

[chronicpride]

Can you confirm which one he is at? Jisan, Maeho/Siji? He might also be at one of the many franchised ones like Chilgok, Bokhyun, etc...

[Metsuke]

Hey... I just emailed him to find out the full details. Will post the info when I get it.

[Metsuke]

[dbee]

Hi Metsuke,

I know ecc siji quite well, having worked there for a while myself not too long ago. To be quite honest with you it's a reasonable hogwon. I've seen better, and I've seen worse. The main problems that I had with it were the split-shifts, saturdays etc... just run of the mill stuff that you'd find in every hogwon that just didn't suit me in the long-term, so I moved when my contract was up. It's just another kid-factory like all the big name hogwons.

I think perhaps your friend may have a slight problem communicating with people in reasonable manner. I know this from personal experience, having talked with him a few times. I did give him some advice as to what would be expected of him, but I'm not too sure that he actually listened. I have heard other foreign teachers whom are friends of mine, complain about his teaching and general attitude.

Having said all that though, he does seem like a nice guy. And his heart does seem to be in the right place. I think maybe he's just caught an unlucky break this time around. He certainly wouldn't be the first teacher in Korea to be having a rough time of it after only the first month or two. He may think that life's tough at the minute, but the fact that he's still working there means that they rate him higher than some of the other teachers I've worked with. Tell him that he's not the first teacher to come under fire from management at that school.

Two things I will say for the management though, even if I didn't personally find them adequate. They had the chance to can a canadian teacher there in his 11th month (after he refused to teach a class) and they didn't. They also paid for the return tickets of two other canadian teachers that left their contracts early.... having said that, they also 'forgot' to return my house deposit, which I did recover in the end.

What I'd say to him is this, try to stick it out for another month or so. If he really feels like he needs to leave then he should. But not unless it's absolutly necessary. It's no surprise that he finds the Korean management style a little jarring ... we all do ! There is no reason why he couldn't develop into a good teacher if he can stick out the 3 month speed bump.

Just advise him to smile, and also that conversations, by their nature are two-way ... monologues by their nature, involve one person talking and not listening in the slightest to what other people are saying.

anyway best of luck and I wish your friend all the best in his choices

[jajdude]

Maybe there are good ECC

But I'd look elsewhere.

[Metsuke]

Good advice and responses from all... many thanks.

I suppose another question that could help educate if anyone is willing to share... If your a newbie teacher having some difficulty adjusting to teaching, and to the Korean style of management... what are some tips to get through it? And what are some tips to help your teaching style?

I'll email my friend, and try to get him registered on Daves so he can start conversing with others in the ESL community in Daegu/Korea as well.

Thanks again...