Korean Job Discussion Forums

Unsure · Joined: 09 Feb 2003

I really need advice. I have been issued a warning from my manager about me being badly prepared for class...I won't go into details, but this isn't the case, and the "evidence" was extreme nitpicking. I believe that I'm being treated unfairly, and they are constantly watching me. They really have been searching to find things wrong with me and they are so much harder on me then any of the other foriegn teachers at my school. I have brought this issue up and of course they denied it and said that it was all in my head. I barely have room to breath. I have asked my fellow foriegn co-workers about it and they are extremely shocked at the way I'm being treated. They can't see why they are so intent on painting me as a bad teacher. They don't understand it either. When I first started I did have a major disagreement with a Korean co-worker and my fellow foriegn teachers rushed to my defense, but that was 6 months ago. I'm not late for class, I don't beat the kids, I don't turn up drunk, I turn up at least an hour before class to prepare, I can control the kids, and they really seem to enjoy my classes. I have racked my brains to see what I'm doing differently. I follow the rules to the best of my ability and I have put my head down and done my best not to draw attention to my self. Any way other than impossible managment I really enjoy teaching english and I'm really enjoying it here in Korea. I just don't want to stay at my Hogwon. I really want to go home for a bit, but I want to come back. I'm pretty sure they won't give me a release, so how do I leave legally and be able to come back?

Stunted Wookie · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Sound Studio

Does your contract say anything about resigning your post? Like 1 months notice, airfare not paid etc?
If it is well written there should be a clause on getting a release.

If not, then go home...'lose' your passport, and apply for a new one. You should get a different number on it, and you are ready to re-apply with a E2 free page. If your old passport has your middle name on it, leave it out next time...yes you can do that.

That being written:
I am not a supporter of the midnight run; in fact just the opposite. Call a foreign lawyer in Korea, and discuss the implications if you quit. I do not know if hogwan owners are required to give a release, but I am sure that what they tell you would be slightly different than the truth if you tell them you want to quit. explore your options first.

Oh...if you are sure you have not been slacking off lately, stand back and take a good look...sounds like you are being phased out of a job. Its Korean to put the blame on someone else...if they need someone gone, they will have to make a reason to fire you.

Good luck

Unsure · Joined: 09 Feb 2003

I have two passports. British and New Zealand. I came in on my New Zealand passport. My contract does not say how much notice I have to give. I have been told because I have been here for six months, I won't have to reimburse the company for my flight here but it says the opposite on my contract.

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

A similar thing happened to me last year. I still haven't figured out what happened. Probably, there has been someone who has complained about you. (I am not saying it was a justified complaint) But as long as someone complains, they will see you as a liability rather than an asset.
Even if there is nothing to the complaint, they will act as though it were true. Think back, was there a student that you had some problems with?
Could be the kid's parents.

How are your student numbers? How long have you been working there? Maybe they just want you to get fed up and leave early so they don't have to give you your bonus. (that's quite common)

I don't know how to advise you as I don't know the specific details, but here is what helped me.
They wanted to fire me after 11 months, claiming that there had been several complaints about me. But they could never be specific as to what the complaints were. They gave me less than a week's notice! Luckily for me, my coordinator (God bless him) stuck up for me. He told them that either they honor their contract and allow me to complete my last month or I would have no choice but to post the name of the school on every ESL site and black list I could find.

It worked for me, I hope it helps.
some waygug-in

slothrop · Joined: 03 Feb 2003

J.B. Clamence · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Or if worse comes to worse, you can always escape and return on your British passport.

Zyzyfer · Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2003 9:00 pm Post subject:

It's just speculation, but the school could have seen a potential American teacher for them and your New Zealand passport is a dead ringer for getting rid of you. I witnessed it before, though that Kiwi wasn't very good as class control.

Are you the only Kiwi on the foreign staff?

william beckerson · Guest

I've been in a similar situation twice. Let me ask you a few questions:

Are you fat, dark-skinned, or non-blonde? This is an image industry. You gotta look and act the part or else the moms will complain. That includes looking incredably busy in the office, even if you can prepare in your sleep.

Have you ever disciplined a kid? Moms think that precious can do no wrong. If they catch wind of it, they will complain.

I think it may be that you had a fight with your co-worker. Hagwon bosses like docile and obedient teachers. You made the mistake of showing some independence, and you made the mistake of making an enemy of the Korean teachers...

Korean teachers resent foreign teachers and all they need is some event to occur to bring it to the surface. You gave them a reason and they've been doing a hatchet job on you with the boss ever since.

My suggestion: Ask for a visa release letter and give them a month to get it to you. Then try to look for another job, because it's just going to get worse for you until you surrender and run away.

Captain Obvious 2.0 · Joined: 09 Jan 2003

Bill. You're an angry man.

kimcheeking · Guest

Wishmaster · Joined: 06 Feb 2003

First off, never worry about employment in Korea. There are tons of jobs and you have to remember that you are the commodity. They need you more than you need them. As far as your current school, do you really want to work for those kind of people for another half year??? All the negativity and resentment would send me out there pretty fast. If they don't like the job that you're doing and you feel that you are getting dissed pretty hard....leave. Look at the various embassy websites. It is stated that your E2 is cancelled as soon as you leave the country. In other words, you are free to search for another job. Now, if you want to stay in the country on your current E2, you can't get another job legally without the release. It is up to you...you have the leverage in this situation. Twisted Evil

william beckerson · Guest

King: You've been a lucky pile of pickled cabbage.

Of course what I say is based off of my experience. I figure it's pretty normal to assume that what everyone says about Korea is based on their personal experience. I didnt see a need to preface everything.

Captain: If you have my experience here, you'd be mighty annoyed too.

Unsure · Joined: 09 Feb 2003

Aswers to questions; I'm the only Kiwi at my school. There are 3 british staff there, but they have just got an american teacher. No I have never had to punish a kid severely. Possible I don't fit the image of a foriegn teacher, I'm on bigger side of things, but I'm blonde and blue eyed and they have had fat teachers before, that they have appreciated. For the most part I'm busy. As for the disagreement with the Korean teacher, she herself has seen fit to forgive. It is my supervisor who has had the problem with me. She seems to think I'm lazy, but everyone in the know knows this is the exact opposite. I am for the most part extremely docile and complient, to the point of being treated as a door mat. I just wanted to get on with it.
I have handed in my release and they have not seen fit to comment yet. I would go straight into another job but I want to go home to clear my head a bit. I'm trying to do the decent thing and leave with good feeling but they are making it very hard. I'm just extremely lucky that the rest of the foriegn staff have been supporting me through this.

Zyzyfer · Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2003 8:03 pm Post subject:

Speaking from my own experience with the big boss not liking me, it sounds like you might just be receiving the phase-out. It might not even have anything to do with your teaching or your home country. For all you know, some kid who seems otherwise perfect in the classroom could have told their parents that you threw scissors at them in an attempt to get themselves removed from your class because it's too high-level for them and their parents take it as you're a dangerous foreigner.

Nah, never happened to me. *burns with anger*

Cthulhu · Joined: 02 Feb 2003

There's something to what William says about many (though not all) Korean teachers disliking foreign teachers, though, as they pointed out to me, one of the big reasons is that the foreigners generally get paid more money, do less prep work (none at all in many cases) and don't deal with either parents or administration to the extent that the Korean teachers do.