Korean Job Discussion Forums

Boodleheimer

my principal says i should be here the full 8 hours during the vacation. i guess the *last* teacher was disorganized, so *i* need to be more prepared. but it doesn't take all these 8 hour days to prep a semester of lessons. and once i prep them, what will i do with my office hours during the semester?

this is lame.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Yeah, that sucks, but you signed a contract stating you'd be there eight hours a day.

kat2 · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Location: Busan, South Korea

I suggest buying a nice pair of headphones, findin a computer that is out of the way and watching a lot of movies. Are you sure you don't have any camps or classes at all during summer break? I am teaching a free English class for 4 classes a day.

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

ouch,

wow, that really sucks, if I were you I would have a serious chat with your principle and the best korean english teacher there. Seriously for them to say that the last teacher was disorganized so you need to be there, thats just ridiculous. Ya ya I know you signed a contract but come on now thats crazy.

I know we have to pick and choose which battles we take on but that would be one i would go for.

Use your brain and show them that there is no need for it. As far as i am concerned that would be a deal breaker for me, i would have no problem telling them that they can find a new teacher. If they give you someone to teach now thats a different story, but sitting there for a month with nothing to do......insanity, korean logic at its best.

I am doing a one week camp, taking two weeks "official" vacation and I get another two weeks of "unofficial" time off.

PM me if you would like some hints on how to negotiatie with the Principle I am ptretty good at it.

I am now curious as to how many others are in the same predicament as you.

kat2 · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Location: Busan, South Korea

Dont break your contract over it. That would be plain stupid. I would rather a school make me come in and do nothing, than overwork me, treat me like a doormat, and do a bunch of other terrible things that lots of other jobs do.
I admit it's completely idiotic to make you come to work with nothin to do, but think about how many employees you see doing just that everywhere you go. # of Hours spent at work = dedication to company. Job well done does not.

rothkowitz · Joined: 27 Apr 2006

Its incredibly annoying although you/we are still being paid for being there I guess.

The Korean teachers here doing extra classes are getting paid for those though.Grr...

Leave a bag at school.That gives the impression you're somewhere around the place.Then don't come back from lunch/leave early.

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

RedRob · Joined: 07 Jul 2003 Location: Narnia

Treat it like a korean salaryman treats his 'optional' saturdays. Clock in on time, make a point of saying good morning to everyone. Surf net for two hrs. Scatter papers over desk, leave your blazer/suit jacket over the back of yr chair, grab 3 pals & head off to a nice 3hr SamGyup lunch, bottla two of soju, pop some gum on the way back to de office. No problemo. Let sweet sweeet soju work its magic, turn off brain for two more hours. Proceed to afternoon nokcha break.

Extra for experts: 20 mins before knock off time , grab a bunch of papers, do three laps of office, papers in hand, mumbling about "terrible deadlines etc, but lets just get this job done so we can put this busy day behind us and go home"

Horangi Munshin · Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Location: Busan

antoniothegreat · Joined: 28 Aug 2005 Location: Yangpyeong

i would suggest talking to your principal and metioning something along the lines of "well, if i have to do that, i am not sure if i really want to work here." that one works wonders. it can mean "i am not sure if i want to teach another year" or 'i am not sure if i will finish my contract"