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LeahForister
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
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 Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 5:37 pm Post subject: Choosing a School. . . help!! Please. |
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hey guys,
i'm new here and am currently trying to choose between a few schools in Busan/Pusan, Korea where i'll probably be teaching starting May for 6 months. there's so many schools! and i've received what appear to be some good offers. but how do i really know? any help would be appreciated. remember i'm only doing a 6 month contract so some of the benefits would be expected to be less than a year contract. and i've only interviewed with the first one - the others i've only exchanged a few emails/contracts with, but i plan on chatting with a teacher at the ones i'm still considering. here's the lowdown on the one's i've narrowed it down to so far:
Wonderland
neighborhood: Gwang ali Beach
mo pay: $2,185
hrs/wk: 30
children ages 5-13, no more than 10 students in each class
one-way airfare paid
housing
6 vacation days
50% of health insurance
*Talked to a current foreign teacher there at the school and he didn't have anything bad to say about the place - said it was a pretty good school
Busan Public Middle School (are korean middleschool children as highly obnoxious as american middleschoolers, b/c if so, this one may be a definite no - unfortunately it's the highest paid)
mo pay: $2200 + $300 settlement pay
<25 hrs/wk
one-way airfare paid
housing
7 days vacation
50% of health insurance
Don't remember the name of this school
mo pay: $2000 + $1200 severence pay
30 hrs/wk
elementary kids to adults
housing
one-way airfare paid
5 days vacation + holidays
50% of health insurance
Stanford English Language School (SELS)
neighborhood: Dongrae-Gu
mo pay: $2200
elementary kids to highschool
housing
one-way airfare paid
7 days vacation
50% of health insur
ETS/CAIS (Calvert & American International School)
neighborhood: Haeundae
mo pay: $2285
not sure about the age of students. . . should probably check on that. 
studio apartment in Haeundae
no airfare (but the mo sal makes up for it)
3 days vacation + holidays
not sure about health insurance
anyone know any of the schools/neighborhoods mentioned in Busan? any advice, suggestions, thoughts on those offers? i should probably make a decision here pretty soon. any help would be greatly appreciated.
THANKS! |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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Don't don't don't don't go to Wonderland.
Otherwise, it comes down to how you feel about teaching large classes in a highly structured environment or teaching small classes at a place that may not be so structured. What time of day you like to work may also make a huge difference.
'are korean middleschool children as highly obnoxious as american middleschoolers?'
It all depends on the context. I would say no, they're nothing like American middleschoolers. They can, however, be obnoxious in different ways. I have about 190 Korean middleschoolers this year (grades 7-9 in the US system) and I would only classify 3-4 of them as highly obnoxious. Most are wonderful little darlings.
Oh, and *do not* go to Wonderland. |
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laogaiguk
Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Location: somewhere in Korea
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| Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 5:44 pm Post subject: Re: Choosing a School. . . help!! Please. |
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| American, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand dollars? And before I get flamed, it's amazing how many people don't realize this and just assume we know. I know it is most likely American, but just incase. |
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Lemonade
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 7:20 pm Post subject: |
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Given that list, I'd pick the Busan Public Middle School.... hands DOWN.
You must have some teaching experience to be offered that position.
Oh and you can't compare the infamous Wonderland with the rest of what you have listed. Cross that outfit off your list right now... if you're smart. |
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peppermint
Joined: 13 May 2003
Location: traversing the minefields of caddishness.
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| Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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I'd say no to all of them One week vacation, tops? 
The average crappy hagwon at least offers two weeks |
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LeahForister
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 10:01 am Post subject: |
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| thanks for all the advice so far. keep em coming! one quick question though: what is Wonderland infamous for? and is it the wonderland in Busan or elsewhere b/c i think there's several throughout korea. . . thanks guys. |
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NearlyKorean
Joined: 15 Mar 2003
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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| Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 10:51 am Post subject: |
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| Yu_Bum_suk wrote: |
Don't don't don't don't go to Wonderland.
Otherwise, it comes down to how you feel about teaching large classes in a highly structured environment or teaching small classes at a place that may not be so structured. What time of day you like to work may also make a huge difference.
'are korean middleschool children as highly obnoxious as american middleschoolers?'
It all depends on the context. I would say no, they're nothing like American middleschoolers. They can, however, be obnoxious in different ways. I have about 190 Korean middleschoolers this year (grades 7-9 in the US system) and I would only classify 3-4 of them as highly obnoxious. Most are wonderful little darlings.
Oh, and *do not* go to Wonderland. |
I don't know if anyone mentioned it, but I wouldn't go to Wonderland.
To answer your question, there is so much information on the internet about Wonderland that a simple search would tell you all you need to know.
To find a good school is extremely difficiult. I think it's the wrong way to approach it. I think this is what Yu_Bum_suk was saying also. I have learned to change my thinking from finding a good school, to finding a good school for me. If you do enough research, you will be able to find the good and bad points about all the schools. You know what you can live with and what you can live without. You also know your own abilites better than anyone else. Also consider your likes and dislikes. Decide on what kind of school you want to work for, the pay, the hours, the size of the city you want to live in, and what kind of experience you want to have overseas. Then go looking for that school. When you found a school that meets your criteria it should be a good school. (unless it's Wonderland).
Best of Luck,
NK. |
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zappadelta
Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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| Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 1:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Yea, agree with Peppermint. Got to have more than 3-7 vacation days a year. I would take the middle school job, but ask them about more vacation. |
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jinks
Joined: 27 Oct 2004
Location: Formerly: Lower North Island
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| Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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| The 7 day vacation offered by the middle school is not too shabby - it is a six month contract, remember. |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 3:11 pm Post subject: |
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| LeahForister wrote: |
| thanks for all the advice so far. keep em coming! one quick question though: what is Wonderland infamous for? and is it the wonderland in Busan or elsewhere b/c i think there's several throughout korea. . . thanks guys. |
Wonderland is infamous for every possible workplace violation imagineable and in some cases harrassing people at home. Several books have been written about Wonderland hogwans, including the famous _Prisoner of Wonderland_. Not all are the same but Wonderland has, without a doubt, the worst repuation of any educational organisation in Korea.
The guy with whom you spoke may have been telling the truth about a very rare decent Wonderland hogwan. Or he may have been told that he can't go until they find a replacement. Or they may be short two teachers who fled and he's working so much overtime he'd say anything to get another teacher. Or his boss may be listening, having threatened that he'd fire him if he didn't say nice things. Don't take the risk.
As for which is best, read this board a bit to get an idea of what middle schools, children's hogwans, and adult academies are like and ask yourself which seems better for you. Some people love one but couldn't stand the other. |
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