Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dreaming_saturn]

I've been offered a position at a school that looks quite good - small groups of adults, nice housing withing 7 minutes walking distance, reasonable but not fantastic pay, spoken to current teachers, etc, but the one drawback is the split shift -

It involves working 7-8 , 11-12 and 5-9 Monday through Friday, one long weekend a month and national holidays.

I'd like some feedback from anyone who has done this type of split shift before - were you actually able to pull it off with power naps in the afternoon?

In addition, there isn't too much on teaching adults in Korea on this site so any feeback would be helpful - are they like adults in China ( i.e. a lot of grammar/passive knowledge but need work with speaking and listening skills)

Thanks for any advice.

[poof]

14 hours a day with virtually zero vacation!! I couldn't do it for more than a few months at most. If it only offers average salary, is there any reason why you can't try to get another position? Or is it that it's one of these adult learner institutes and you want adults only? Teaching adults here has no big wow factor. Honestly.

[dreaming_saturn]

Hey poof , I do virtually the same thing here in the Netherlands to make ends meet, but here it's private so no show = no pay. However as a freelancer I take as many vacations as I want. I know the drain, but in my case I also only work 4 days a week but have to travel 45 minutes between home and work.

Teaching adults anywhere is no big woop, though I enjoy it, it's just less physically draining, especially with groups.

As such, i'ts 6 hours a day, you'd really need to be able to take a power nap in the afternoon - but is it really possible?

[Col.Brandon]

Standard split shifts are an absolute nightmare, and you're considering a double split there.
It'd be way better to work just one shift with them (if they'll still sponsor you), then find something else to fill up the rest of your day. There are pleanty of other good gigs out there. Honestly, don't do it.

[Ya-ta Boy]

One split is more than enough.

Chances are there will be an elementary school right across the street from where you live or a construction site next door. You will be fried within a week. Psychotic within two.

[4 months left]

It depends what you do between the shifts. I did a similar schedule and went to the gym, studied or had a nap if I was tired. It is tough but it beats teaching kids.

I hope you mean you get one long weekend a month and national holidays off? Some schools do this, working only 20 days a month.

Usually the students want to work on speaking and mistake correction. Their grammar is usually quite high but many have not had much practice to speak. In my experience they'll want to have lunch with you and go out drinking. But be careful not to let yourself be taken advantage of, a few may do this but many will want to make your experience here a good one.

[dreaming_saturn]

Ya-ta Boy have you worked split shifts with adults before? I currently do about the same thing and it's draining, but not impossible.

To be honest a day with kids takes a lot more out of me, I've done the summer camp thing in China. Maybe the only reason I'm still considering this is that I've been doing it for four years in the NL.

I just wish I could find a job teaching adults didn't turn out to be crappy. Warnings well heeded ...if I take it I can only blame myself. Anyone have experience with a split like this?

edit: Thanks 4 months, we were posting at the same time. What specifically do you mean by take advantage??

[Ya-ta Boy]

[some waygug-in]

I did it for my first year here. It was exhausting, but the teaching was rewarding compared to kids.

The problem was that being tired all the time is not great for your health either. I was never so sick, so often as that year. I must have caught every cold and flu bug that went around and the way sick days were set up.......I couldn't really take any without losing a lot of pay.

Bottom line....it sucks, but it's doable.

I also agree that the double split is not a good idea. They should be able to schedule all your classes into 2 blocks, if they can't they are probably not a big school and there may be other changes to your schedule that you won't be told about until after you are here......... be careful.

[Son Deureo!]

I'm going to be an arrogant bastard and quote myself from a previous thread:

[dreaming_saturn]

[sadsac]

You will be a physical and emotional wreck in 3 months. Splits like that are a nightmare and throw in the unexpected factor of such and such isn't available, could you do this just once please and it'seven more stressful. Teaching adults is either a love or hate thing. A good group, you love them and they are great, the other side of the coin is the moaners and whingers who think everything is too hard or too easy, or she spoke longer than I did, or teacher likes him better than me. This group is a nightmare and I've taught both and the latter, you want to take to them with an ax. Look at other positions, they probably offer more.

[JeJuJitsu]

I wish people would stop taking, ne, considering these split shift jobs. They'll go away eventually if people don't take them.

[4 months left]

[Son Deureo!]