Korean Job Discussion Forums

[AylaZ]

So what happened to all the public school positions with a months holiday? They have seemed to disappear. There seems to be not much difference now apart from time of work and 14 days holidays between many jobs now....

[Soccerstar]

Most of the public school teachers are in USA, Canda, New Zealand, or England for the summer holiday right now so you won't get a whole lot of them replying to your post.
Correction, we don't get just a month holiday in the public schools. On paper maybe, but in reality we get anywhere from seven to eight weeks a year. We're leaving on Wednesday for three weeks in Calgary, and others in our program are taking four or five weeks this summer. Winter we should get even more.

[Alyallen]

Yeah, I'm leaving tonight for 2 weeks in Mongolia. I had about 3 weeks off this winter plus various canceled classes...it adds up. I would probably have longer vacations if I didn't do camps but hey...it gives me the money to go travel...

[cbclark4]

There is a lot of off contract benefits in publics.

Don't tell everyone, ok.

[nobbyken]

I am a first year teacher.
I only got 1 week holiday this summer. I am in the middle of 4 weeks of summer camp.

The principal and vp are very old school, so I don't know about re-signing next year.
I had planned to take my 14 contract days vacation before the start of the school year in March '08. I was going to resign and get an extra 2 weeks, giving me a near 5 week break back to Scotland.

My 5 days off earlier, was a bonus (I was told).

Might just save up cash, chuck the job and take a few months off instead.
May try and come back to another school, but undecided yet?

Certainly not what I expected, the contract seemed to change during my time of applying in January.

[cbclark4]

This is a link to the EPIK contract.


http://epik.knue.ac.kr/file/2007_EPIK_Contract_Form_Letter_size_.pdf


Your contract should not be very different from this.

[xCustomx]

I'm also doing a 4 week camp with only 5 days of vacation this summer. I'll get at least 12 days in winter but will only re-sign with my school if they put in the next contract that I only have to teach 1 or 2 weeks of camps (or not at all).

[nobbyken]

I heard on this board, that they were taking the stance of no camp then no pay.

I would rather this, so I could go to an organised camp for a few weeks and get proper money than try to organise camp activities myself here.

The fiasco that is the Korean education system is what makes me want to chuck it.

Teaching means nothing, they only like shouting and acting superior to the kids.......
.............................but oh boy, what a fuss (and noise) they makewhen it c omes to lunch tme. You'd think they hadn't seen food for weeks!

[Atavistic]

I am GEPIK. I get no extra vacation either. 7 days this summer and 7 this winter.

However, when I've needed to miss work entirely (as in my third day at this job!) to go to Labor against my old boss, they let me and didn't dock pay or anything. When I've needed to miss an afternoon (again to go to Labor), called in sick, needed to go to the Vietnamese Embassy, needed to go to the bank, etc, they've let me leave without any problem.

I get paid on time.

I get paid my overtime.

Considering my last boss got me evicted because she couldn't pay the rent, and she still owes me over 2 million....I'll take it.

[nobbyken]

Korean teachers get an extra 13 days a year time-off, over and above the normal vacation time.

My co-teacher uses hers to take every second Saturday morning off.

I have also been let go to travel for car registration, etc.
I think it is fairly the norm., although I don't get or ask for 1 day a month in time off.

Today was the most hacked off I have been since starting in March.
The school is 4 years old, but the equipment seems to be at leat 10 years old. Copier, laminater, PCs, etc.Some of the staff are also 10 years behind the times.

A lot changes in Korea in 10 years, no point trying to keep it the same.

[pkang0202]

Its really up to the school. In my area, the local education office sent a letter to all the schools saying the Native teachers had to teach every day during the summer that they are not on vacation. Also, they mandated that all the native teachers stay at school til 4:40.

Of course, the schools enforce it strictly. They keep saying, "You can't go early because the education office might show up while you are gone and we will get in trouble."


I think i would prefer the "no camp, no pay" clause.

[some waygug-in]

Man! If I were told that kind of crap, I would just say that any hagwan job is better than this and quit.

I'm getting 3 1/2 weeks this summer (not all together mind you)

but still, and when camps are on, I leave at about 12:30.

I'm not saying things are perfect by any means, but sheesk....

[oskinny1]

I know I have said this before but...

My school let me off for the entirety of both summer and winter breaks. They gave me permission to work at outside camps so I could make double the money.

My brother got married the first week of July and they gave me 2 weeks off (with pay) no problem. Yes I am lucky, but then again, I chose them because I new that was going to happen (not the 2 weeks thing though).

It is ridiculous that some teachers have to sit in an empty school for weeks at a time.

[Soccerstar]

[ESL2007]

Avoid working with GEPIK. Just don't resign and tell your friends. Friends don't let friends get suckered into working for GEPIK.