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Is this dodgy? - English Seoul � After School Program

 
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dawnbuckley



Joined: 10 Jul 2007

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:56 am    Post subject: Is this dodgy? - English Seoul � After School Program Reply with quote

Hi,

Can anyone help?

I just got this curios offer to teach in an `after school programme` in Nowon with a company. The hours are 1.00 to 5.25 and they are offering 2.3 mil. I think it sounds well strange. Especially the bit at the end (info he sent is pasted below about opening a `dummy` bank accout. Is this dodgy? I hav`nt heard of anything like this before. It`s weird, or.. maybe not..I don`t know!
He did give me emails of other teachers but I haven`t heard back yet.
Please have a look at what he sent below if you have time.

Thanks!

Dawn
English Seoul � After School Program



Introduction:


Our company administers a program in public elementary schools, in Seoul and Gyeonggi province, to provide EFL classes to groups of students after they finish their normal classes.



Teaching philosophy:


It has been common in Korea for EFL to be undertaken using Grammar Translation and Audio-lingual approaches. Thus, one often meets people with excellent grammar or comprehension who are unable to confidently converse in English.

Our aim is to use the critical period of elementary school to use Communicative Language Teaching to enable Korean children to achieve a high level of communicative competence.

While we provide training, support and curriculum the teacher is expected to have the ability to independently operate in the classroom. There is no co-teacher.

The lesson plans we provide are a guideline. We encourage creativity from our teachers.



Teaching conditions:


Monday to Friday from 1:00-5:25.
Five classes of up to 15 students graded by ability.
Students enroll for 12 week semesters.
The teacher will need to level test new applicants towards the end of each semester.
There are no set office hours, but time must be given to preparation and marking.
During Summer and Winter vacations, the program is taught in the morning with the teacher finishing at 1:35.
Each teacher has their own classroom.
Evaluations are done each semester, a daily attendance card must be completed and an identification card for each student needs to up-dated when needed.
There are 10 paid vacation days in addition to Korean national public holidays.
Medical insurance is split between the teacher and the company. Basic coverage comes to about $70 a month.


Administration:


We provide the curriculum, books, teaching materials and lesson plans.
We provide training and on-going support.
We provide a Korean co-worker who liaises with the school and counsels students and parents.
We organize, and pay for, the teacher�s E2 work visa.
The teacher needs to provide an original of their degree certificate which is returned after processing
The teacher also must have a sealed, stamped copy of their university transcripts.
The teacher must be able to pass the Korean Education Department medical test for all public school employees. This is a basic physical but does include screens for drug usage.
We provide and pay for a single furnished apartment. You may choose where you live.
The company administers the student fees paid by the school. As the school can only pay the teacher directly we need you to open a second bank account here to enable the transfer of student fees from the school to the company (see the sample Employment Contract 3.1.3)
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TheUrbanMyth



Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You are correct. That is dogey. All the funds will go to this bank account (and you will be required to give the bankbook and bank card to the co-teacher or recruiter). The problem is that you will be liable for all taxes on the amount that goes into that bank account. So if you are making 2.3 million..but 10 million goes into your bank account, you will have to pay taxes on the 10 million.

I wouldn't do it.
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CentralCali



Joined: 17 May 2007

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:22 am    Post subject: Re: Is this dodgy? - English Seoul � After School Program Reply with quote

dawnbuckley wrote:
Hi,

Can anyone help?

I just got this curios offer to teach in an `after school programme` in Nowon with a company. The hours are 1.00 to 5.25 and they are offering 2.3 mil. I think it sounds well strange. Especially the bit at the end (info he sent is pasted below about opening a `dummy` bank accout. Is this dodgy? I hav`nt heard of anything like this before. It`s weird, or.. maybe not..I don`t know!


The dummy bank account thing seems to be a common scam here.

Quote:
He did give me emails of other teachers but I haven`t heard back yet.


You won't hear back. I wouldn't put it past him to have actually created those e-mail accounts himself and if you were to tell him that nobody responds, he'd say, "Well, I can't control that. I just gave you their contact information."

Quote:
The lesson plans we provide are a guideline. We encourage creativity from our teachers.


Don't believe that one for a minute. If you experiment, the boss will blame you for whatever he decides is going wrong with the program.

Quote:
Teaching conditions:

Monday to Friday from 1:00-5:25.
Five classes of up to 15 students graded by ability.


Those seem to be kind of short hours, but I would venture you'd be teaching five classes every day. That's five classes in a row with five minutes break in-between.

Quote:
Students enroll for 12 week semesters.


That's normal.

Quote:
The teacher will need to level test new applicants towards the end of each semester.


Forget it. If they're interested in assigning the students based on ability, they'll figure out what level they belong before you even meet them.

Quote:
There are no set office hours, but time must be given to preparation and marking.


In other words, you will have to be there prior to 1:00 pm and stay after 5:25 pm. And that's unpaid time.

Quote:
During Summer and Winter vacations, the program is taught in the morning with the teacher finishing at 1:35.


I notice there's no mention of exactly what the dates are for the vacation school.

Quote:
Each teacher has their own classroom.
Evaluations are done each semester, a daily attendance card must be completed and an identification card for each student needs to up-dated when needed.


That's cool you'd have your own classroom, especially because you'll need it for the extra time you'll have to be there.

Quote:
There are 10 paid vacation days in addition to Korean national public holidays.


When?

Quote:
Medical insurance is split between the teacher and the company. Basic coverage comes to about $70 a month.


The rate is 2.385% which 54,855 won, approximately $59. That means the company will pocket approximately $11 (on top of whatever else they're skimming from the bank book dodge).

Quote:
Administration:

We provide the curriculum, books, teaching materials and lesson plans.
We provide training and on-going support.


See above about experimenting. This is what's know as confirmation.

Quote:
We provide a Korean co-worker who liaises with the school and counsels students and parents.


And yet you work alone so how do you know what this liason is doing "in your behalf?"

Quote:
We organize, and pay for, the teacher�s E2 work visa.


That's their job.

Quote:
The teacher needs to provide an original of their degree certificate which is returned after processing


I'd go with the certified bit.

Quote:
The teacher also must have a sealed, stamped copy of their university transcripts.
The teacher must be able to pass the Korean Education Department medical test for all public school employees. This is a basic physical but does include screens for drug usage.
We provide and pay for a single furnished apartment. You may choose where you live.


Standard stuff.

Quote:
The company administers the student fees paid by the school. As the school can only pay the teacher directly we need you to open a second bank account here to enable the transfer of student fees from the school to the company (see the sample Employment Contract 3.1.3)


FORGET IT!

Are you interested in working five classes in a row, five days a week for someone who can't be trusted? That's a recipe for quick burnout.
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dawnbuckley



Joined: 10 Jul 2007

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks so much, I know it seemed dodgy but I needed advice, Ill tell him no way!
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Tony_Balony



Joined: 12 Apr 2007

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 6:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can tell him yes way if you tell him that you want a raise to match your increased tax liability plus no BS with permission to work elsewhere.
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Roch



Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 6:39 am    Post subject: Re: Is this dodgy? - English Seoul � After School Program Reply with quote

dawnbuckley wrote:
Hi,

Can anyone help?

I just got this curios offer to teach in an `after school programme` in Nowon with a company. The hours are 1.00 to 5.25 and they are offering 2.3 mil. I think it sounds well strange. Especially the bit at the end (info he sent is pasted below about opening a `dummy` bank accout. Is this dodgy? I hav`nt heard of anything like this before. It`s weird, or.. maybe not..I don`t know!
He did give me emails of other teachers but I haven`t heard back yet.
Please have a look at what he sent below if you have time.

Thanks!

Dawn
English Seoul � After School Program



Introduction:


Our company administers a program in public elementary schools, in Seoul and Gyeonggi province, to provide EFL classes to groups of students after they finish their normal classes.



Teaching philosophy:


It has been common in Korea for EFL to be undertaken using Grammar Translation and Audio-lingual approaches. Thus, one often meets people with excellent grammar or comprehension who are unable to confidently converse in English.

Our aim is to use the critical period of elementary school to use Communicative Language Teaching to enable Korean children to achieve a high level of communicative competence.

While we provide training, support and curriculum the teacher is expected to have the ability to independently operate in the classroom. There is no co-teacher.

The lesson plans we provide are a guideline. We encourage creativity from our teachers.



Teaching conditions:


Monday to Friday from 1:00-5:25.
Five classes of up to 15 students graded by ability.
Students enroll for 12 week semesters.
The teacher will need to level test new applicants towards the end of each semester.
There are no set office hours, but time must be given to preparation and marking.
During Summer and Winter vacations, the program is taught in the morning with the teacher finishing at 1:35.
Each teacher has their own classroom.
Evaluations are done each semester, a daily attendance card must be completed and an identification card for each student needs to up-dated when needed.
There are 10 paid vacation days in addition to Korean national public holidays.
Medical insurance is split between the teacher and the company. Basic coverage comes to about $70 a month.


Administration:


We provide the curriculum, books, teaching materials and lesson plans.
We provide training and on-going support.
We provide a Korean co-worker who liaises with the school and counsels students and parents.
We organize, and pay for, the teacher�s E2 work visa.
The teacher needs to provide an original of their degree certificate which is returned after processing
The teacher also must have a sealed, stamped copy of their university transcripts.
The teacher must be able to pass the Korean Education Department medical test for all public school employees. This is a basic physical but does include screens for drug usage.
We provide and pay for a single furnished apartment. You may choose where you live.
The company administers the student fees paid by the school. As the school can only pay the teacher directly we need you to open a second bank account here to enable the transfer of student fees from the school to the company (see the sample Employment Contract 3.1.3)


Is this company known as BNC Action English?
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Pak Yu Man



Joined: 02 Jun 2005
Location: The Ida galaxy

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Take the job and then go to the bank when the money is deposited. Tell them a few days before that you lost your card and bankbook. Get a new one.

Withdraw all the money. Boss will be angry, but what can he do? You took your money from your bank. He might fire you on the spot. Get another job. Easy way to make at least 8 mil in a month.
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wylies99



Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: I'm one cool cat!

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You'll be working for crooks.
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spliff



Joined: 19 Jan 2004
Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't sign it, you'll be screwed... Confused
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