Korean Job Discussion Forums

Gwangjuboy · Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Location: England

Next week there are no classes but do we still go to work?

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

Depends on your school. I wouldn't ask until you are told. I haven't been yet.
They might make you come in they might not.

CdnEducator · Joined: 23 Mar 2005

Can you ask one of your co-teachers if you're expected at your school? Different schools have different expectations. Sometimes they want you to attend the graduation ceremonies that are happening this time of year, sometimes not.

zappadelta · Joined: 31 Aug 2004

Yea, you definitely won't know unless you ask. This is common in the public schools. Sometimes, even when you ask, you still don't know. They love hoarding info.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

I asked.

I have the week free. They call it Spring Vacation here.

thursdays child · Joined: 21 Sep 2005

For my school

this week teaching mon-thur, graduation ceremony Fri then 2 weeks off.

zappadelta · Joined: 31 Aug 2004

Yea, me too. Going home for about a week and a half to recharge the batteries. I am pretty charged anyways because I had about the last month off. I love the vacation you get that's not in your contract.

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

Depends on your school. My principal made me come in last year, however i got sick so my vice-principal told me to go home until march2nd.

Aside from graduation there is sually a booze-up for the outgoing/incoming teachers which is one that you'll have trouble avoiding.

I've found it important to have plenty of 'errants' to run if your princpal insists on you 'showing your face'

inspector gadget · Joined: 11 Apr 2003 Location: jeollanam-do in the boonies

My school had the graduation ceremonies today (funny stuff), then the teachers had lunch and ya booze. The principal and many of the male teachers were determined to see if I could drink soju. I swear I must have had two bottles of the stuff, every 5 minutes or so my glass was being filled.

I am off w, th, f of this week and then next week there is a winter camp then its off again m, t, w next week.

Yeah, two five day weekends in a row, these extra holidays in public school are certainly nice. I just got here three weeks ago and have had more days off than I have worked.

I just wish I had my passport so I could get away to fukoaka or something but I had to give it up the other day to get my ARC.

Maybe some hiking in the national parks is in order, I'm in Jeollanam do so maybe I'll check out wolchusan. Anybody know if the campsites are open in either wolchusan or jirisan???? For some reason I am getting the impression that they are closed

The national park website is vague and confusing about the camping bit.
If anyone in Jeollanam do is wanting to do some hiking or touring around the many islands around here send me a PM and we can go sit in the mountains or hit up some remote ares and regain some sanity and enjoy the peace and tranquility.

Gwangjuboy · Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Location: England

How long do these "spring vacations" usually last? I have heard conflicting stories. Is it one week or two?

zappadelta · Joined: 31 Aug 2004

Counting the weekends, mine is 12 days. From February 18th to March 1st. March 1st is a holiday so the school year starts on Thursday, March 2nd.

Francis-Pax · Joined: 20 Nov 2005

I work for a public school in Kyounggido. I already took my vacation (Jan 14 to Feb 7). I came back to work on Feb 8th. Since we finished the book, I was informed by my co-teacher that we would not have any classes until next semester (Mar 6th.) I asked my vice-principal if I had to come to school during that time, since starting next Monday there will be no classes in session. It's over 10 days.

He said I had to come in or I would not get paid. I wish that they could be more flexible. There will be only a few people at the school. There is nothing to really prepare for since my school forces me to use the pre-designed lesson plans made by the provincial office of education.

It looks like I will have bring some books along to fill in the time. I am glad to have the time free from teaching but I wish I could have it away from the school.

Anybody in my boat?

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

Yeah, , the holiday / off time is great. I'm in this week but off as of Thurs. until March 2nd. I will do the soju thing after our graduation ceremony tomorrow.

Seems it all depends on the school, what's happening spring vacation week..........the pragmatics of Korean 'rules". I would also think that those who get spring vacation "off", make sure to clear it with their V.P. or Principal that those days don't count as "vacation" time. I get 19 vacation days off/year but if the school tells me to stay home and it isn't part of my planned time off, I make it clear they aren't "vacation" days.....I know a couple teachers who have used up their vacation days without knowing it, thinking otherwise. So I'd say, make sure its clear with your school.....

DD

sarahsarah · Joined: 05 Aug 2004 Location: Bundang

jinju · Joined: 22 Jan 2006

Well, last year I had almost the whole 2 months off (january and february). This winter I did a winter camp, then I had to do some classes at my school for 2 weeks which turned out to be basically 100 minutes a day and 8 kids. Really easy stuff. It got me out of bed and I was free all day in the afternoons to shoot photos or just go home. This week is a total waste of time. No teaching but I have to be here, but atleast its only until Thursday and then I am off until school starts again in March.