Korean Job Discussion Forums

[stakay]

Any of you out there in the same boat?
After just last week finding out they're downsizing the number foreign teachers at our branch, they've finally given us info about a new online marking scheme to begin in the near future. Turns out it's an extra hour a day of work (marking kids' speaking and writing tests online) for 4 days of the week. And no, there's no extra money for doing it.

On top of that we were told today that we have to go to teacher training somewhere (or maybe it's at our branch - director doesn't know yet) during our time off in the morning. Unpaid.

I realise that this kind of thing happens all the time in hogwans, but I'd really like to hear from teachers at other branches to find out more info. It's clear that we're being told the least possible amount of information right now.

[k_shearman]

My husband works at a W school and they aren't required to do any extra work as of yet. Apparently the Korean teachers are getting strapped with it. Good luck.

[skconqueror]

I have friends that work at "W" school, one of them is doing the online thing that you mentioned, but gets extra classes off during the week in compensation.

[plato's republic]

I've received a potential job offer from a 'W' school in Seoul. I've read that they have a bit of a bad reputation. Can anyone confirm or deny this? What is the actual teaching schedule like?
Feel free to send me a PM if you want. Thanks.

[UncleAlex]

What does the fine print in your contract have to say about these extra
unpaid responsibilities? If nothing at all, just refuse to do it. The worst
that can happen may turn out for the best.

[skconqueror]

"W" schools can be hit or miss. It seems though as of late even the
"good" schools have been having a few problems. I believe this is due to the change in upper management.

[ajgeddes]

I worked at a W last year. As far as the job went, it was the easiest job in the history of the world. Even easier that professional couch/pillow tester. There is not a lot of extra work to do outside of class time (not including prep) and we were paid on time every month. It was also a pretty relaxed work environment, except for the Korean teachers constantly making fun of us in Korean thinking we couldn't understand. If it weren't for having to teach 8 straight classes everyday and it being in the evenings, I probably would have resigned.

The downside was that they didn't pay our pension money, even though they were taking it from us. However, when the pension office called them it was in there pretty quickly afterwards. It also took them forever to give me back my deposit money, and it wasn't until after threatening to call the labour board that it was in my account the next day.

My only personal beef was that my boss seemed to pick on me for no reason. I was never anything but friendly towards her.

As well, they had promised to give me 1.2 million for my flight reimbursment, but on my last day of work called me in and said they had decided to only give me 800,000won instead. I was pretty angry because I had bought a plane ticket knowing I was going to get 1.2 million.

However, I do believe things have been going down hill since last year, but I know people that work there, and one just resigned, so it can't be that bad.

[mindmetoo]

[stakay]

[mindmetoo]