Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sojourner1]

Is this typical of hagwons to ask more, demand more, complain, and treat you like doo doo without adequate support while making threats of not paying?

I am at my 6 month point and find that the vice director and director are very unhappy and saying there is a huge problem. Not just with me, but with the whole school, it's program, and all of it's teachers. They say that a bad rumor is going around with parents that our school is not good any more as an elite program in that it's students do not like going and are not learning English as well as at Kids Club and other hagwons. They say enrollment is about to drop and that we are changing our program next month. They threaten us FT's that if any enrollment drops, they will not pay us. This situation is appalling and has me worried to the point that I do not feel comfortable going in there anymore.

Director and vice-director are disappointed in us FT's that these 6 year olds are not interacting or answering questions fluently in situations such as touring an American military base and other English speaking situations. I explain that the Americans spoke too quickly with lots of common slang these kids never hear and didn't realize that we must speak slower for young ESL learners. Vice director then yells at me saying that the kids won't be able speak when they travel abroad and are not up to standards. Just what exactly are the standards??? (I didn't ask) I explain, later on they will do better after many years of practice and more exposure to native speaking situations such as traveling to America. Our curriculum is obviously too hard so they tell us to not make the kids write, but to speak through asking questions, having them repeat after us, and to play more. I do all these things, in fact, that is my teaching style though I have been pushing the writing copying sentences part too in the books which the kids hate. I honestly thought that the school wanted the kids to write on top of speaking this material and would see it as me not doing my job if they don't see some book work. Now vice director says their is not enough showmanship. I have been actively engaging the kids with all the questions of basic conversation for 6 months and they are doing well for their age, albiet, no English is used outside the classroom in everyday life which is why Koreans are having a hard time learning. Questions surrounding thins like, how you are, what the weather is, what day it is, what month is it, what year is it, where we live, where we go to school, etc. I have been working a solid 30 teaching hours a week for 6 months straight and doing my best and feel I am not liked or wanted, but they don't just send me packing yet, becuase no one is waiting in line for this job. I am tempted to just make them fire me through getting a little rude and resistent.

I personally have thoughts of quitting at this point as it pisses me off to be presented with an impossible situation of problems out of my scope while support and statements they make are broad and vague with little support and a tense work environment. I can clearly see this problem is their fault, not mine. Curriculum of American books, lack of training, 50 week school year, a lack of teaching support, disorganization, bad attitudes, poor leadership, and lack of supplies leads up to a big fat mess.

What do you think I should do?

I could just try to stick it out, but that might ruin my health with all the anxiety involved. I could just tell them how screwed up they are and get them raging at me in attempt to get fired. I already told the recruiter all about it and he says he is going to talk to them and find out what is going on. I have my bags packed and prepared to leave should things get uglier.

[albazalba]

Welcome to Korea man. Hagwon owners and assistants always blame the FT's for their problems but take all the credit for the success. I think your problem is taking it all too seriously. Just take a deep breath, and realize that none of this matters to you, you're just feeling the projected stress of the Korean staff who are not doing their job.
You sound like you're doing your job just fine, don't feel incompetent at all, no kids become fluent in six months no matter how good the teacher is. The fact that the hagwon might drop in enrollment doesn't have to do with your teaching. The hagwon industry is a gamble and Korean mothers minds are fickle, it is all out of your control.
Hang in there, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

[rhinocharge64]

If they don't pay you then head for the labour board. Personally, I would be looking for the exit door either by resigning, or getting fired. It sounds like hell, and typical of another hogwon 'school' that in most other societies would have been out of business a long time ago. You can try talking to your recruiter in helping you to get out of this situation, but I would say this is slim to none. Also, your at the six month mark, which means if you are to be fired or resign the airfare will have to be returned. Best of luck, and don't take any nonsense from these 'cowboys'.

[unknown9398]

This approach to FTs seems pretty common. After three months on the job, my hogwan boss told me much the same...that enrollment was dropping...that the kids were bored and unhappy with my teaching. At first it bothered me. Then I realized that I was taking it way too seriously, and responded by *reducing* my expecations of the students and entertaining them more than in the past. There have been no complaints since.

Where I work, they never threatened not to pay, and that would have annoyed me, too. But they don't have a leg to stand on there.

It's easy to become cynical about teaching English in Korea or a particular hogwan boss, but don't let it get you down. Be as professional as you can, do what they ask of you, and finish your contract with a smile. If nothing else, it's good training for the rest of your life.

[some waygug-in]

You could just say, If you're not happy, then give me a release letter and let me go. If you don't pay me, I will be contacting the labor board.


So glad I don't have this crap to deal with in public school.

[sojourner1]

Vice director did admit that we are not Crown, but is disappointed with the situation like to the tune of being heartbroken.

As of today, I am taking the approach of teaching them how to converse rather than teaching what is in the American books. Oh, what a big relief to not have to push the disgruntled spoiled rich brats into writing stuff, but just talk and teach them conversational skills. I wasn't told to go easy on them from the start nor told anything about what is expected, but I know a conversation English oriented curriculum is more appropriate for foreign teachers here, not hard core math, science, and literacy teaching and writing. They had me going that if book work is incomplete, I am not competent in my job. I have a hunch that a curriculum or job description of teaching conversational English in a fun and silly manner is more appropriate than being really technical in attempt to be an elite school. I told my head FT about this a few hours ago and he said, "I have been trying to tell them for several years now to fix the curriculum and to talk to FT's more." He has been working with this hagwon for several years and sees that it's an elite program that is badly flawed by management looking to just put on a showmanship of deceptive lies. I know many hagwons like mine are all about showmanship, not actual teaching or adding value to make little John or Jane more equipped upstairs to live life in a globalized 21st century though that precisely is the ambition of parents sending their little ones to English academies. Broken education system if you ask me. I can bet you that within 5 years, the hagwon system as we know it today will be becoming obsolete since it is an ineffective learning system due to not producing results. For one, the government needs to allow teachers to own the visa, not the school! Two, foreign teachers are best for conversation skills teaching, not technical traditional teaching!

Now I see a big scramble happening today in the office to change curriculum for the new semester next month taking place as vice-director and director are having long meetings now, but the problem is the fact they don't know what to do other than act negative and defensive and be all intimidating, while bickering about with each other. What do you make of seeing the director on the phone yelling and having an argument on the central common phone outside her office where I can see? I see an incompetent captain of a sinking outdated ship.

While I needed to know more about the right things to do, they needed to know how to operate a school, not just wait until the last minute on everything when it's too late to fix it. I am very sure that this big problem they claim to have begun long before I got here. Waiting until now to fix this is like trying to scrub a dirty pot after letting it sit for several weeks after having burned it black. It's not me nor my teaching skill, it's them that is phucked up and I know it and I won't hesitate to point this out in furthur detail to them should they cause me more discomfort like this.

Uh, I have been here for only 6 months and was not told one darned cotton picken thing about anything, not even an orientation or training so how could they expect FT's to know how to run things in the most appropriate manner to this situation. I was told nothing about teaching methodology, curriculum, students abilities, not even what the program really is. When I ask, I get run around answers that make no sense and just get an in-affable defense presented. What the heck?!

I am disappointed that they can't run a school. They can't even be affable enough to talk to me in an open and honest manner without being offended and defensive about the issues and the truth. Heck, they're too tense to get a reply when I say, "Good morning". They have no regards for me and expect me to respect them without ever losing face, but it's OK for them to lose face. Corrupt Sh*t if you ask me. No I don't go around accusing anybody of anything, but I sure ask questions about what I don't understand and things I know I need know. They sure have a problem and they (director and vice director) are the problem. Not to mention, how fickle minded the parents must be on account of being ignorant about how hagwons function. I can't hardly believe the parents don't see the rehearsed show we are putting on when it is open class time. Maybe they did see and realize that open classes are not real classes. You take 2 of 5 FT's for open classes who are suited up to do a rehearsed open classes, while the other FT's are in their casual clothes teaching in usual manner. The intellengent business executive parent looks in on the non-open classes when touring the school on an open day which is what I saw. Private education is a big lie... We might as well have a fun theme park with movie rooms and rides or a theme park English village instead of a school house with only white boards.

Why do they need to cut a bunch of corners when most FT's are willing to do the right thing with integrity through dedicated hard work, given the right information, tools, and school management leadership? I just don't fully understand how to handle this problem, so I am stressing with fight or flight syndrome anxiety. I know I first fight before a flight when dealing with a problem that really is way over my head and out of my control (other than making the kids have fun), but I might just lose my temper on this one of these days soon since they (director and vice-director) are pissing me off with their bad attitudes that it's FT's fault for bad rumors going around that this school is not top notch like Kids Club and Crown are.

Got any ideas? Thanks in advance for your time. I apologize for this being a long post, uh, I mean a book on hagwon teaching.

[spliff]

Either ignore the criticism or give notice...anyhow, why would you waste time worrying about it?

[rhinocharge64]

because it's her job fook pig.

[sojourner1]

[ED209]

Print out this thread put it in an envelope and send it to your boss then fly home tonight, or become an alcoholic for the next 6 months.

[jlb]

Just do the best job you can do within reason. Prep for your classes but don't do all the crazy over-the-top things. Just say no. Stop worrying so much. Don't take stupid people's comments to heart.

If they fire you, they fire you. I got fired from a hagwon once and i was upset for about 3 hours but when I woke up the next morning, I realized it was the best thing that could have possibly happened. I never had to go to that stressful, evil place again.