Korean Job Discussion Forums

[The_Conservative]

Today, my co-worker approached me and told me that the local education office wanted me to teach their staff English.....from 5pm to 6pm.

I didn't sprint immediately to Dave's and start posting "Oh woe is me, whatever shall I do?"

I firmly but politely pointed out that my contract says from 9am-5pm and that during any time between those hours on Mon-Fri I would be delighted to teach said staff. Otherwise I could not do it.

Him: "You mean it is not possible?"

Me: "It is most utterly impossible."

And that was that. And THEN I came to Dave's and posted about it.


Moral of the story. Nip such things in the bud before they get out of hand.

[mrsquirrel]

Why did you not demand 100k and hour corporate rate.

[tob55]

A very excellent post about how to become more proactive regarding what you will do as an employee...Good for you...it was the best thing to do in this situation...You understood your contract terms and communicated clearly, Cheers to you for that one...

[meangradin]

Not to be picky, but it is "woe is I."

Sorry, I just read the book, "Woe Is I" today, and as I had nothing better to do, I thought I would take advantage of the gigantic coincidence and correct you.

[inkoreaforgood]

The consequences of saying no is what everyone will find interesting in a month or two.

[ajuma]

[mindmetoo]

A friend got approached by a coteacher and she wanted him to give her English lessons on his day off. He said no. He needs his time off. She asked him "are you Christian?" I guess the idea is if he was Christian then why was he acting in such an unchristian way, you know not violating the terms of his visa is so unChristian. He told her flat out he did not believe in god and bye.

I mostly just respond "If I teach outside of the school, then I'm too tired to teach in school. I want to give our actual customers 100% not 80%."

[The_Conservative]

[The_Conservative]

[Fishead soup]

[ajuma]

[Unposter]

Good Job Conservative!

While I find the Springer like airing of dirty laundry here entertaining, there really isn't any necessity to ask advice about every little request made.

In the Conservative's situation, all went well. It very well could be because he has a good relationship with his school.

Of course, if it had not gone well. Let's say, this starts a domino process of bad feelings between him and his employer leading to bad schedules, complaints about his teaching, refusal to pay insuarance and tax, late payments, and severance, and of course the trips to the labor board then the Conservative would have had good reason to come to this board and ask away.

But, there is a good lesson here: Usually if you are direct, and communicate well, there is little reason why a reasonable school would not listen to you.

Good on you the Conservative.

[riley]

I had something similar happen. My school asked me to teach teachers and offered me money for it. I simply told them the only times I am free to teach, and that was it. They never got back to me on the idea of teaching them again. Sometimes a good way to turn them down is to make it impossible for them to agree.

[Mosley]

I'll be dating myself but...when I was a kid there was this TV cartoon character(from Loony Tunes?) who was always saying "Oh, woe is me!"....

Anyway, to the OP: It's not clear to me whether or not this was a "one-off" thing or were they expecting you to work after 5 Mon.-Fri. or...what?

It seems strange to me that they would all of a sudden schedule a taechers' class so late in the term. Then again, many things in Korea seem strange to me....

[The_Conservative]