Korean Job Discussion Forums

[taobenli]

I tutor two Korean kids in the Seattle area (where I am currently a grad student). They are two girls, in 7th and 12th grade, and are both smart and sweet kids- they are children of a visiting professor and will be in the U.S. for a year. I agreed to tutor them an hour and a half, 3 hours total, one evening a week. Both kids are easy to work with and lesson planning takes only about half an hour- the older student often just wants homework help during her lesson time. I do have to drive about 20 minutes each way.

I have never spoken to the dad much- his English is very basic and he usually isn't home when I come tutor, so the mom gives me the money at the end of the lesson. When we were agreeing on cost of lessons, etc. initially, I dealt with a friend of the dad's by phone, who said they wanted to pay me $20 an hour, and that was fine by me. But when I went to tutor yesterday, the mom informed me that they were now paying me $25 per hour. Just because, no explanation...

So...what does this mean? It's great if it means they like me...but could it also potentially mean that they think I should be working harder? It seems so weird that they would just up the rate without my asking. Of course I'm not complaining...as a grad student, every bit helps!

My experience tutoring has been in Japan, where I can't imagine this ever happening. Most people tried to get out paying anything, saying, "I'll teach you Japanese, okay?" Um....no. It seems like a lot of Koreans believe that you get what you pay for...

Cultural interpretations?

taobenli

[plattwaz]

Could it be that they asked around and found out that the "going rate" was $25 or even $30 per hour, and they didn't want (a) to appear cheap, or (b) you to quit because you were underpaid?

I dunno, just my initial thought.

[RACETRAITOR]

They probably heard that someone else they knew was paying $25 for tutoring, and they decided you weren't getting enough. Or maybe it's more prestigious to say "We spend $75 every week on English tutoring" rather than $60.

[Ya-ta Boy]

I've never heard of this either.

My suggestion: Ask the girls. And when you get an answer, unless it is a really good answer, turn down the raise since you agreed to $20.

I don't buy any of the cultural difference answers.

[sheba]

Ive heard that some parents will start paying at a slightly lower rate, but if they are happy with your teaching then they will increase the rate - sometimes numerous times.

On the other hand, Ive also heard that if they dont like you they have no problems firing you either.

Included Chinese, Japanese and Koreans.

[joe_doufu]

I would assume its because their friend is paying $24/hour and they want to brag about having a "better" english tutor for their special child. Can't think of any other reason. Either that or the husband works for a bureaucracy (not hard to believe) and he gets paid more if he can prove his expenses are over a certain threshold, or something.

[taobenli]

Thanks for the ideas...I feel less insecure. It's probably prestige, being happy with my performance, or both. They had quite a bit of trouble finding a student to tutor who had a car and could drive to their house, so I don't think they would fire me unless something goes wrong. And if that happens...oh, well.

Money is funny...

taobenli

[Alan_Partridge]

Look at it this way; better the money goes up than down!!

[Bulsajo]

[jacl]

Why ask why?

[desultude]

I was talking to someone yesterday who has a tutoring/translation service in Seattle (odd coincidence) and she told me that grad student tutors get $10-$12 an hour, and professionals get $25. I'm glad to hear that those figures are low. Interesting that westerners get paid for tutoring here (those who do tutoring) a lot better than in one of the most expensive cities in the States.