Korean Job Discussion Forums

livinginkorea · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Location: Korea, South of the border

Does anybody have any idea about how do I do this in Korea? I'm from Ireland and the Irish Embassy have said that they can't do it as they have no way of verifying my record here.

This is all for the GEPIK. Can't they (the government) just ring up the police and see that I don't have a record? It would save me a lot of bother!! So what do I do then? Maybe I ask for a check from the local police in Ireland? Confused

This job better be worth it!!! I went for my medical checkup yesterday and I have to write a 500 word eassy about me and why I want to teach.

On the plus side I saw the school last Tuesday and the building is only 3 years old and huge. It has a 1000 students and I'll only have about 4 hours of teaching a day. Also the school has never had a foreign teacher before so I'll use that to my advantage. Very Happy

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

They made you do a medical checkup?

That's a first I've heard of.

Did they check you for a heart condition? drugs? VD? hahaha

Good luck being the first foreigner there. Responses to that can vary widely, depending on the school. Some have it really great. Others get treated like an alien.

livinginkorea · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Location: Korea, South of the border

astroboyfan · Joined: 19 Apr 2005

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

Wow are you in for an interesting year.

The physical is standard for all GEPIKers. The stupid beaurocracy likes to ask for things that arent in your contract.

Congratulations you are hired...sign here, here and here. Welcome to Korea you are our new English teacher. Oh by the way now we want you to have a physical and provide us with a criminal record check.

Sorry buddy its not in my contract!

Well we want it done now.

If you wanted it done why didnt you ask me for it before I signed the contract? Or make it part of the contract?

Oh we are Koreans Cool

we dont think or plan ahead Embarassed

. Oh yeah and the contract. Confused

..well its a guideline for us Laughing

but its written in stone for you Twisted Evil

. So anything we want you should roll over like a good puppy and do it Exclamation

. Anything you ask for we will brandish the contract and point out that its not in there. Wink

astroboyfan · Joined: 19 Apr 2005

I was asked to get mine done and have not signed the contract yet.. Just because some are incompetent doesnt mean they all are.. I would put alot of the blame on recruiters for not letting the perspective teacher know earlier..

canukteacher · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul, Korea

Gepik teachers must have a medical and the criminal check. Although these are not conditions of employment in the contract. They were not in the contract I signed last year, and they are not in the new one that I have a copy of.

I had the medical. The criminal check........this is what I did. I went to the local police here and was fingerprinted and they did a check on me for the time I was in Korea (4 years). I was supposed to send the fingerprints and letter from Korean police to the RCMP in Canada. I did not do this, but my school thinks that I did. I just keep telling them that it takes a long long time to get a check from the RCMP in Canada (which actually it does). I did not renew, so I don't think they will come after me about the check again.

As far as teaching only 4 hours a day: yes that is pretty much true. However, you will be required to be in the school 8 hours a day. Make sure you have lots to keep you busy, or you could get very bored.

Have fun. I am happy to be out of here on Aug 19th.

CT

livinginkorea · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Location: Korea, South of the border

It's true that it's not in the contract but the recuriter that got me the job has said that it's standard for all teachers in the program.

Also as I said before since we will work for the government we have to have the medical checkups. My girlfriend has a friend working in the tax office and as far as I remember she has to have a checkup every year.

Thanks for the advice canukteacher, I'll check up with the police at home and see what they can do for me. I know that it takes some time to do and I will probably will be working a while before I get it so they can like it or lump it.

Grotto, I've got the contract but they better not screw me over. This will be my third job in under 2 years so if anything happens then I'll walk out like last time. Well I will be the first foreign teacher there so they won't have much of an idea what to do!! Very Happy

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

livinginkorea · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Location: Korea, South of the border

Good question. Probably give the hospital a bribe so that they can work!!!

JacktheCat · Joined: 08 May 2004

lunalilo · Joined: 11 May 2005 Location: somewhere in-between

Why does it sound strange to you?

If you want to be a public school teacher in the U.S., more specifically the state that llive in, the school district will require you to get the following:

1. a four year degree

2. a two year teaching certificate and endorsement in the subject matter you want to teach in.

3. get finger printed for local as well as federal, i.e. FBI background check.

4. answer a series of psychological questions.

5. finish a "practicum" i.e. teach for 6 weeks with no pay.

6. if you have an "arrest record" for anything, you have to go to the court get an extract explaining the details of the arrest..

deessell · Joined: 08 Jun 2005

I'm an EPIK teacher and I was supposed to have a medical checkup and a police clearance. I said sure, and havn't done anything about it yet. My guess is they have forgotten about it. I wouldn't sweat it....say it's in the mail.

junkmail · Joined: 08 Jan 2005

One of the major problems is that the police in just about every country have no coherent system for doing this.
You'd think they'd want criminal backgrounds to be easy to check before letting people work with kids but Ahh well...

Gopher · Joined: 04 Jun 2005

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