Korean Job Discussion Forums

[missmary]

I have been offered several public school positions in Gyeonggi. I am considering an elementary position in Suwon. I have been reading as many posts on here to get an idea of what is going to be required of me. I have one year experience at a hagwon, and no teaching certificates. I enjoyed teaching at the hagwon, and thought I did an alright job. How difficult is adjusting to public school (especially one that has never had a foreign teacher before)?

Aside from the five day training period, what other professional development opportunities are available/required? I have read about open classes on the posts. How often do these take place?

[Smee]

I switched to a public school this year, after a year in a hagwon in Bundang. The biggest adjustment is that your students will likely have a lower level of English than you're used to at a hagwon. I was teaching near-fluent students at my hagwon, and I had to switch to kids who didn't know their ABCs.

This produces a different class that has been hard to adjust to at times. Instead of reading stories and articles, instead of free-talking and question-answer sessions, and instead of essay writing, the classes consist of songs, chants, and games. Once you get the hang of it you'll start doing more group work, because that's an opportunity to get everyone talking.

The classes are quite large. Mine average about 32 per class, but I've read about people with 40 or more. It's hard to learn the names of your students, and you won't have the same sort of relationship as at a hagwon.

You can take a look at the stuff you'd be doing at an elementary school here: http://www.gochang.es.kr/gepik/zboard.php?id=c1 It has sample syllabi. In class we use a CD-Rom with animations, dialogues, and songs. The kids seem to like it, although I like to have kids listen to me rather than to a CD.

There are a lot of benefits to public school teaching (people on this site will argue about them, though): more professionalism, less paperwork, fewer classes, more vacation time. While I found the public school challenging, it's been a good opportunity to teach to kids of different levels.

[EMKAYES]

Hey missmary,

I was in your situ. 1 year hogwan - Schools 1st time for foreign teacher.

I started teaching 4 different elementary schools (all 1st time for foreigner) and it was interesting to see how I was integrated.

Basically, even though they knew I was coming a month ahead of time, they didn�t have a clue what to do with me for the first couple of weeks.

The elementary schools as far as I know have a curriculum for grades 3-6 and text books and teaching guides are all in Korean.

That being said it�s very structured; let�s read/lets chant/lets sing/lets play/lets write. I settled into it after a couple of weeks.

Its right what smee said, the level of the students can be lower. Interestingly enough, you can tell which students go to hogwans because their English is that little bit better than the rest. Which shows hogwans do work.

In some schools I lead the class the whole lessons, others I am the assistant to the teacher.

One drawback is the lack of influence you can have in what is being taught compared with a hogwan.

In PS all the kids in the class are the same age/kids don�t chop and change school like they do hogwans.

I don�t know about open classes or even the 2 weeks training (as didn�t do it)

IMO - you will be fine, just be prepared for the first few weeks to be an adjustment period after which everything will be cool.

p.s. most of the K staff probably wont speak English unlike (in theory) hogwan staff so a certain level of Korean is very helpful.

[pest2]

Public school teaching is not difficult to adjust to if you've already spent a year teaching. You might have to prepare your own lessons -- although according to an earlier post here, sometimes there a book, etc -- which I guess could be hard for someone who's used to relying only on a conversation textbook to do the job. I'd recommend taking a TESOL course to help learn to do that, but I guess you could get by without it.

Otherwise, its usually better in most ways so I expect you will be happier.

Of course, there is the off-chance you will be placed in a bad school or schools with an incompetent co-teacher, bad apartment, terrible students, etc etc... maybe its like a 33/67% chance in your favor?

One problem might be (but not necessarily) that you wont get as much support regarding issues such as paystubs, transit to and from work, help dealing with problems in your apartment... especially if you end up in an extremely remote countryside location.

[LateBloomer]

Teaching manuals for elementary school are available in English, although they are full of grammatical errors. I have them for grades 3-6.

[chris_J2]

[kimchi story]

EMKAYEs WROTE "Basically, even though they knew I was coming a month ahead of time, they didn�t have a clue what to do with me for the first couple of weeks. "

I had exactly the same experience.

And if you can pick up the ball and run with it, you're golden.

[Smee]

[chris_J2]

I don't need to check a website. I was supplied with hard copy English version books, for grades 4,5, & 6. Agree with a previous post that grammar is sometimes off, though.

My post was in response to "The elementary schools as far as I know have a curriculum for grades 3-6 and text books and teaching guides are all in Korean"

[Milwaukiedave]

I have to agree with what some others said. If you have already taught for one year, then public school will not be difficult. The level of the students English is much lower though so you can't expect miracles.

The one downside (and others have mentioned this in different threads) is that you are the only native teacher so it can be quite isolating. Overall, I prefer teaching at a public school more then a hagwon.

[EMKAYES]

[chris_J2]

Okay, Just looking at the English versions in my Public School now.

They were printed Dec 2004, for the 2005 school year, were issued by Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, & are titled "Elementary School English 4-2, 5-2, & 6-2 Teachers Guide" On the back are the words "Native English Teacher". Korean teachers get a different version in Korean. The 2 web addresses on the back cover are:

http://www.ken.go.kr
http://www.gepik.ken.go.kr

I'd imagine each province in Korea issues its own? If the school has thrown out the 2004 or 2005/06 editions, ask for copies.

EPIK & GEPIK ? Gyeonggi + EPIK = GEPIK?

So would another province, say Busan, be BEPIK? (Just as an example).

[Yu_Bum_suk]

My best advise would be to be prepared to take all the initiative yourself if need be. If you get support or help with this or that, great, but be ready to do it all yourself if need be.

Also, at public school it's way more important to get along with your co-workers. You can pull rank with contract teachers who are younger than you, but with older teachers be very diplomatic, even if it's obvious that you as the English speaker are right and they as the Konglish fumblers are not. Accept as many invitations as you can and always go along on staff events. What happens outside the classroom has a huge bearing on what happens inside it, and there's a direct correlation between the respect your co-workers have for you and that your students give to you.

Finally, choose your battles very carefully.

[Curious George]

In the past, I have worked for 2 hogwans and this year am working at a public school in Uiwang. I will say the the public schools are much better than hogwans in many ways.

Discipline is better, holidays are MUCH better, and for me, the pay is better too.

In a hogwan I got about 10 days vacation a year and no sick days. This year I have gotten about 5 weeks paid vacation in addition to the national holidays and 6 sick days. Also, during the national holiday months when the kids were not in school, I didnt do anything. While I had to come to school, I just did my own thing until it was time to go home.

As far as teaching at one it's a cake walk compared to the chaos in most hogwans. Students tend to be more respectful and listen. You actually get to teach, instead of yelling at them to sit down and be quiet.

In Uiwang, all foreign English teachers also have a Korean co-teacher in the regular classes to help, so interpreting textbooks is not a problem.

I will say that after this year, I will never work in a hogwan again, AMEN!

A few of the drawbacks are that you have to go to alot of meetings, dinners, etc and participate in a few extra camps and so forth.

The open house thing happens 1 or 2 times a year and is no big deal really if you are comfortable teaching in the first place. But, these things are very minor compared to the benefits you get over a hogwan.

[hubba bubba]

That's all pretty good advice.

I'm gonna say that isolation is the hardest thing to get used to for me.

Sure miss talking to people in English!!!!