Korean Job Discussion Forums

[forgesteel]

Searching for Good
Questions to Ask Prospective Directors

I am coming to the end of my present contract, and thinking about returning to Korea after I have found a new contract. I am wondering what are good questions to ask the director? I have a few I'd like to ask, but some are a little awkward (to an American ear, at least), and I am looking for ways to phrase these a little better.

Who provides the children's schools supplies?
Does a student ever not have a book? What happens then?
Does the bathroom smell like a sewer?
Does the Director speak any English? (of course, this is a question I'd ask a recruiter, not a Director)
Are there split shifts?
Does the housing agreement include A/C? Is the winter heating oil-based?
Is there graffiti all over the school desks and walls?
Will I teach multiple levels in the same class?
What do we do if there are multiple levels in the same class?
Will my taxes be filed by my employer or by myself?
How does the school make certain that the children are placed in level- appropriate learning environments?
Is there a set curriculum? May I see it?
How (e.g. by what standards) will my work be evaluated?
Do I have to collect tuition (i.e. money) from my students?
How often is there a chance for parents to meet with staff/ how often are there parent conferences scheduled?
How are the students graded?
Am I expected to go out (e.g. to lunch) with my adult students?
What discipline options are open to the foreign teacher?
Which are off limits?
Are there any senior teachers? Will they support me or undermine my efforts?
Will I receive any of their classes with little to no preparations while they go visit their family for four weeks?
Will I be farmed out to other companies? Do I have any choice in the matter? If I am required to travel to another business to teach, will you provide me reasonable transportation? Will I be paid for the travel time?
Will I have a computer to use? Access to the internet? To a printer?

Thanks in advance,

[sheba]

Good luck finding a job...

[inkoreafornow]

Those are great questions to ask but I doubt you'll get honest answers from most directors or, my favorite answer to any direct question, "maybe."

Don't give up. Some of my friends do have excellent jobs but most don't. I guess it's all about finding a situation that works for you - which is like finding a diamond in the rough.

[forgesteel]

Does a student ever not have a book? What happens then?

Many of my students inexplicably have no textbook. Back in the States, it's pretty much required you have a book if you'd like to attend class (private school or no). I can't imagine this being an acceptable oversight, and yet, it keeps happening.

Me: "Wonjangnim, so-and-so doesn't have a book, is there a reason for this? What would you like me to do?"
Wonjangnim: "Just ignore that student."
Did I hear wonjangnim correctly? Yes, I heard correctly. In fact, many times this has been the answer given if there is a problem with a student.

Yet, wonjangnim continually tries to blame me for it.
"Why didn't you tell me so-and-so doesn't have a book? Their parents came and asked why they didn't have a book?"
"I did tell you. You asked me to ignore that student."
"No, I didn't."
"OK. You didn't. But I /did/ tell you."

Hilareous!

Is there graffiti all over the school desks and walls?

Another inexplicable occurance in my present academy. I can't imagine this as being something that could/ would/ should ever happen! And yet, as the months go by, more and more graffitii gets added to every surface that isn't magic marker resistant.

Will I teach multiple levels in the same class?

I know an occassional discrepancy (even large) in ability/ level is to be expected, even a good thing, if given a bit of a heads up on the matter. But some of my scheduling is f'ing ridiculous! Four distinct levels in a class?! No heads up??!! Are you /trying/ to make me laugh at your inability to schedule something even remotely effective?

What do we do if there are multiple levels in the same class?

When it has gotten extreme, wonjangnim has issued his ever-useful "Just ignore that student" edict, as if it were self-evident truth or all-potent remedy. Later, I'll be accused of not preparing for my classes well enough.

Is there a set curriculum? May I see it?

I started another thread on this, and got little response. Apparently, Korea has NO standards for teaching EFL. Am I wrong? Please, tell me I'm wrong!

How (e.g. by what standards) will my work be evaluated?

By how much entertainment I can pack into an hour? OK, do you mind if I bring my X-BOX from home and we all just play a snowboarding game. I'll pretend to teach them English while we entertain ourselves.

Do I have to collect tuition (i.e. money) from my students?

Ridiculous! Why wonjangnim is having me collect money for him, only God knows!

The remaining questions are fairly self-explanatory for the most part, so I won't comment on them unless someone indicates that I might want to do so for x or y reason.

Thanks kindly for your attention,

[forgesteel]

[forgesteel]

ESL Post

Will there be smudges, stains, flakes, rust, and scratches over every imaginable surface of the hagwon?
Will my room be half-illuminated for weeks on end?
Will stray wires be hanging from the ceiling, posing possible shortage and electrocution damage to all within a 30 foot radius?
Will my adult students be forced to sit in Kindergarten-sized chairs?
Will the sound of drills and hammers interrupt my class?
Will the din of yelling teachers and disruptive students making a ruckous mar any attempt to concentrate and learn?
Will you mysteriously call me 'inflexible' and complain to me that 'you always look tired' after I work three 60 hour weeks in a row, and then a 67 hour week the fourth week (7 hours on the weekend doing manual labor, lifting heavy objects up and down stairs, cleaning a new building the director has recently bought, etc)?
Will you ask me to work on my holiday?
Will you ask me to move more than once in a year?
Will you ask me to pay moving costs?
Will you fail to provide me a teacher's book for the required text, and then accuse me of being 'unprepared.'
Will you change my class schedule 20 times a month without warning, and then complain that I seem 'unprepared.'
Will you move me in to a house that uses an ancient oil heating system that costs 3 times what normal Korean pay, and doesn't even heat the house properly?

The more standard questions:
How many hours do I work a week?
Will I teach adults or children?
How big will my apartment be?
Will I have a roommate?
How near is my apartment to the school?
Is it within walking distance or do I have to commute?

[guangho]

How many students does your academy have?
How many did you have for each of the last four months?
What is your retention rate?
What is the amount charged in tuition?
Can you provide me with two references (previous employees?)
How many native speakers will be working at the hakwon?
How many levels do you group students into?
Which grades do I teach?
How many foreign teachers have you had?
How many of that number completed their 12 month contract?
How many of THAT number re-signed?
Do any of your answers to these or my other questions bear even the slightest resemblance to the truth?

[forgesteel]

[forgesteel]

http://www.englishschoolwatch.org/guideline.shtml

Does this site seem authoritative. It looks pretty above-board and reliable to me. I'd love to hear the forum's input on this site.

A brief quote from the 2nd url listed above: