Korean Job Discussion Forums

[liehtzu]

Hi all. In the midst of looking to return to Korea. Got a job offer in Chuncheon at this school and read their rather odd contract. Other Wonderland branches have been given a poor write-up but does anyone know about this one? Chuncheon is exactly my kind of location.

Here are some of the clauses in the contract (and my responses to the recruiter):

1) Phone teaching for a month? What's that all about? I don't know how to "teach" over the phone as I feel teaching is an interactive process and this includes the teacher being SEEN and providing visual references for students (flashcards, gestures, writing on the board).

2) "Teachers will be required to attend some special events throughout the year (Workshops, graduation ceremony, etc.) which may fall on a Saturday. Teachers will not receive additional compensation for these days." How often does this happen?

3) "The teacher agrees to teach 120 teaching hours a sessionand to adequately prepare for classes. The said workload is equal to 150 forty minute classes per session" So I'm teaching 150 classes a month? I only taught 120 45-minute classes last time I was in Korea, and from what I understand this is pretty standard. 150 is an extra several hours a week for about the same pay I got two years ago.

4) "The payment rate for the orientation period shall not exceed 5 working days. In theevent that the employer cannot offer the teacher a regular teaching schedule after having worked at the school for more than 5 working days, payment for the work days exceeding the 5 day maximum orientation period will be prorated as follows: teacher's salary divided by the number of teaching days in that session, multipliedby the number of days worked." I don't understand this.

5) "The teacher will be allowed for national holidays and vacation thatare indicated in the Wonderland session calendar." They never explain what this means. The contract indicates I should check the website for answers, but the website is all in Korean.

6) "The school will provide the teacher with furnished accommodations, either a two or three bedroom apartment, which is to be shared by two or three teachers and with a shared kitchen and bathroom." I was told single housing.

7) "The teacher will be expected to provide his/her own pillow, pillowcase, and sheets." Come on.

8. "overtime will be _15,000_ won per forty minute class" That's really low...



Anyway, I'd like to hear what others have to say about some of these baffling conditions...

[Yu_Bum_suk]

There is simply no other educational chain in Korea that match Wonderland's reputation. It has blown away the competition, some of which is extremely fierce. Just today I was reading yet another typical account ( http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/naww/ ).

This chain has permitted so many of its branches to do such an abysmal job that it derserves nothing less than for prospective employees to be rejecting it flat out with an 'I'm not going to work for an organisation with a reputation like yours'.

And yes, the contract looks crappy. If you're crazy enough to take your chances with them, just don't come back whining to us later.

[Demophobe]

Been in Chuncheon for 10 years now...I have never heard anything terrible from the outgoing teachers. However, Wonderland is notoriously hard work...heresay for sure, but that's what I have.

[kprrok]

I work at Jeju Wonderland and I love my school. Having said that, A few Wonderland's do have bad reputations. The best thing to do is talk to the current teachers there and get their take on things. No chain is inherently evil, and Wonderland is no exception to that rule. Some are good (such as mine), and some are bad. This is true with any hagwon you look at. Some good, some bad.

[Yu_Bum_suk]