Korean Job Discussion Forums

applesandshanana · Joined: 09 May 2007 Location: Michigan

After reading through the FAQ and tons of posts, it seems that public schools are the route I would like to take. I don't plan on coming to Korea until next summer, but I teach in the states and I won't have as much time to get things organized during the school year as I do now.

Is it likely that my fiance and I can find public school jobs our first year in Korea? It seems like most of the posts I've read from teachers at public schools mention getting their jobs through someone they know. If it's possible, what is the best way to go about finding them? I've searched the job board for public schools, but the posts that come back to me are still job offers from hagwons.

If I do find a public school offering, I'm assuming that most of the schools have similar contracts. What can I expect pay/vacation/hours-wise?

Lastly...
My fiance is afraid that if we teach in public schools we won't have contact with anyone else who speaks English and that we'll basically become loners who sit at home missing our Nintendo Wii. For those of you that teach in public schools, do you find this to be true?

Atavistic · Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 6:57 am Post subject:

You do not live at the school. If you want to meet English speakers, Korean or Western, you will.

Sody · Joined: 14 May 2006

Your chances of getting a job are above average considering your experience.

Bring your Nintendo Wii with you, there is an electric circuit transformer here that you can buy that will let you play it in your apartment/house.

Since it is your first job in Korea expect a standard contract. The better contracts happen in year 2+.

You can make friends with other foreigners easily in most cities, in rural areas you have to travel to cities to get more of a social life. At the public school itself you may be the only English speakers in the whole school! But it's not bad cause you can still communicate if you make the effort, especially with the students. PS jobs in Korea are nice gigs overall.

Sody

applesandshanana · Joined: 09 May 2007 Location: Michigan

I was hoping it wouldn't be too difficult. My fiance will have is bachelor's, but does not have his teaching certificate. Should he look into getting some kind of TESL certificate in order to get a public school job?

seven costanza · Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Location: UK

I'd go further than saying your chances are above average - from what I can see of the background of both of you it should be pretty nailed on!

I am applying for positions for this coming term and would sugest using a couple of recruiters (Footprints and Worknplay seem well respected on here) any more and you will probably be inundated by offers and spend half your time going through them. Just let them know you are looking for a public school position and they should come back with a good few to pick from.

I have only very limited teaching experience but have had offers of public school positions from pretty much every corner of Korea.

Go Well.

duns0014 · Joined: 11 Jun 2007 Location: Ilsan

It's easy to get a job here, including public schools (especially if you're white), but the public schools have nearly as many problems as the private ones, I've seen a lot of posts about this.

icicle · Joined: 09 Feb 2007 Location: Gyeonggi do Korea

I am working in a Public school ... and I would echo the comments which have already been made that you shouldn't have any problem getting a public school job ... Some of the jobs come through recruiters ... That is how I got mine ... And I was offered many of the hagwon jobs as well ... On that score it is mainly a question of saying what you want ... and just saying no to the jobs that don't match what you want ... It is also true that EPIK GEPIK and SMOE do recruit for public schools directly as well ... So it is worth considering that route as well ...

In your partners case I would suggest that the TESOL certificate is not a bad way to prepare for it ... without a teaching background ... But many people teaching in Public Schools don't have a teaching background ... but it is probably a little easier to get in with the background ...

Icicle

dogshed · Joined: 28 Apr 2006

dogshed · Joined: 28 Apr 2006

There are some fluent teachers at each of my schools but most of them don't live in my town and commute.

The gas station attendant and his sister are also fluent.

There's a group of English speakers nearby who meet for breakfast but there are only two of us that our fluent. The rest mostly listen.

I'm reluctant to get too close to anyone at work or in my town to avoid
the gossip networks. I could probably do more to be social though.

applesandshanana · Joined: 09 May 2007 Location: Michigan

Thanks for the help, it's making things look up.

Rather than start a new thread, I'll just ask another question Smile

I noticed that the SMOE schools start at the end of August...is there any other time when public schools hire teachers? It's a fine time for me to leave, but coming back at the end of August would mean I wouldn't be able to find a teaching job in the states by the time the school year starts. I hope I don't have to cut out public schools for that reason.

Atavistic · Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:20 am Post subject:

Public schools hire year-round.

loscatalanes · Joined: 05 Jan 2007

Public schools have big hiring in in August and March- there is usually a few day orientation then teaching begins. EPIK is the only govt run public school gig (if im not mistaken) or should i say sponsored. For jobs also check out tefl.com, as more than just hogwons advertise there. Tenet Korea is EPIK, Korea Connections is Seoul Ministry of Education and there are a few others.

bosintang · Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:41 pm Post subject:

Soccerstar · Joined: 21 Nov 2006 Location: Kyungsangnamdo

1. Get a TESOL Certificate. You can do it over a weekend and make thousands of $ more/year
2. pm people on this board that have good jobs and ask to join them. Find the post "Who has a good job?" There are lots of posters on Dave's that have good jobs and could help you out. Bypass the recruiter- they are a wast of time.
3. Bring your nintendo wii with you. Lots of teachers do.

And yes, public schools will hire you whenever you are ready, but don't settle for less that a base salary of 2.3 each and at least 30 days paid vacation/year.

Dome Vans · Guest

BA+teachercertificate
BA+teachingcertificate such as TESOL/TEFL(Minimum100hours)
BA+ over 1year teaching experience
BA+Major in education
MA

These are the quals you need for a level 2 in Chungnam province. That will give you 2.4 million a year with 21 weeks hol in the summer and 45 days in the winter. So if you have experience may be more useful than a tesol cert.

My tefl course at International House, only covered teaching children briefly, the rest of the time we were teaching adults. So in some cases it's not so relevant to have the tesol. Teaching experience and good level of understandable english is more useful.