Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Rapacious Mr. Batstove]

Things are cranking along nicely at my middle school. The teachers and staff are friendly and polite, the kids are energetic and wide-eyed with enthusiasm. I have my own office space with a good laptop. Lunch is pretty good.

Whoever is responsible for my schedules has included me as part of the scene on Saturdays. It's not that I really even mind coming in for a class or two on every second Saturday, it's just the principle. On SMOE, this is breaching my contract. I wouldn't go asking them for more overtime pay, or tweaking my contracted hours, yet it's OK for them to bend the rules to fit their schedule?

Next question. How do I go about politely and non-confrontationally informing someone that working Saturdays is a breach of my contract? Who should I talk to first? It sucks that this has happened, hopefully it doesn't lead to whispers of the lazy foreigner in the corridors, when I pull contract.

Any thoughts?

Chur

[ChuckECheese]

Nothing to get upset about.

If you don't mind getting extra overtime pay, just tell them nicely to pay up. But if you don't want to even bother on Saturday, f'em. Don't show up and if they ask why, tell them you don't have to and show them your contract.

[Ya-ta Boy]

How about going to your co-teacher, your best fake smile firmly pasted in place and saying there seems to be a mistake on the schedule. You've 'suddenly' noticed that you are on the schedule for Saturdays and aren't supposed to be.

[ED209]

This is a middle school right? Not a hagwon. Public schools are a lot better at seeing your side and just being direct should work "I don't work Saturdays. Look!"

[Rapacious Mr. Batstove]

Cheers for the advice homies. I just thought I'd ask before I psyched myself up with the coprophagous smile and pseudo surprise in case there was a better way.

I'll post how the event goes tomorrow as I expect there are a few people on new public systems contracts in similar situations.

I have six co-teachers, I'll choose the least sensitive, but I'm still looking forward to the kicked brown eyed puppy look.

[ttompatz]

[Rapacious Mr. Batstove]

Mission accomplished. Had a copy of the contract ready and waiting but I didn't need to pull it out. I went for the 'there is a mistake on my schedule' approach. Followed with, 'I will always honor the contract and I expect the school to do the same, and the contract is NOT flexible'.

I picked out the most easily influenced co-teacher and talked through her ohhhs and ummms until the point was made.

"You better not come in tomorrow then"

Game, set, match. Batstove

[Horangi Munshin]

That wasn't hard then was it?

That reminds me of the teacher in charge of my schedule giving my my winter camp timetable. There was no vacation time in it!! When I asked what days I would get as vacation she said, 'Oh no vacation for you'!! It was easy to sort out though. A simple, "No I get two weeks" "Oh yeah check my contract."

[Bingo]

It's like last year GEPIK arranged a teacher workshop in Suwon (for Friday evening and Saturday morning. I said to the school that I do not work Saturdays. "This isn't work. It's a treacher workshop." I insisted that anything associated to work that I must attend is work. My contract says very clearly that I do not work on weekends. My weekend streches from 4:30 on Friday to 8:30 on Monday. Demanding that I attend a workshop in a distant city on Friday and Saturday is WORK.

The principle really tried to make me go, but I put down my foot with a firn "no."

Give them an inch and they'll take a foot. I even had a hogwan owner once try to pressure me into working on Christmas Day. "Help the school," he said.

[rokricky]

Tell them politely, you are very happy to focus and devote your time---or better yet: work "diligently", for twenty hours a week (or whatever your contract states) from Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. And then flash them a kind grin.....and then flex your muscles to scare them away.

[the eye]

Next time they schedule you on saturday, tell them you are busy. You can't come in. It's your day off.

[dmbfan]

[willneverteachagain]

[dmbfan]

[willneverteachagain]