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Thinking about teaching ESL in S.Korea
taliosfalcon
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So i'm thinking about going to teach english in korea for a year and thought i'd check to see if anyone here had done it, or if anyone just has any general opinions.
Basically i'm 24, haven't really worked anywhere long term since I graduated a year ago thanks to the recession hitting (lots of short term contract work)and I figure it'll be a chance to see new places, start to pick up a bit of another language (hopefully) and meet new people while I still have pretty much nothing tying me down here. Who knows maybe it'll even look better on a resume than another year of living contract job to contract job will.
I've never been a very adventurous person, but I have always wanted to be. So I figure this could be a way of helping to kick start that. But i'm also fearing that not knowing anyone/the language/everything being completely different could be pretty crushing.
Anyway, greatest or worst idea ever?
Basically i'm 24, haven't really worked anywhere long term since I graduated a year ago thanks to the recession hitting (lots of short term contract work)and I figure it'll be a chance to see new places, start to pick up a bit of another language (hopefully) and meet new people while I still have pretty much nothing tying me down here. Who knows maybe it'll even look better on a resume than another year of living contract job to contract job will.
I've never been a very adventurous person, but I have always wanted to be. So I figure this could be a way of helping to kick start that. But i'm also fearing that not knowing anyone/the language/everything being completely different could be pretty crushing.
Anyway, greatest or worst idea ever?
taliosfalcon on
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What made them choose South Korea? Same question to the OP.
I think they're making about ~$40K a year (more if they tutor on the side). I think they said that the school provides housing for you.
well for me it was a variety of factors
The pay is decent for ESL teaching, free housing and flights are provided, the weathers pretty much perfect for me (i don't like it too too hot but no -50 C canadian winters = yay) The culture is quite different and interesting but it's also easy to find Americanized things, the cost of living is fairly low and it's supposed to be fairly cheap and quick to also hop on over to japan and china for vacations. There are also quite a lot of locals who speak english coupled with a larger expat community (% wise) than most countries have.
edit:yeah the only a bachelors needed thing as taranis mentioned is also a draw, although if I do decide to do it i'd probably cram in a quick 1 month tesol cert to make more money once i get there
Maybe. There are lots of great things, and lots of annoying things about this job.
I don't have time this second for a long response, if the OP has specific questions feel free to PM me.
Basically, make sure you do a lot of research into where you will be teaching.
PSN: Corbius
In general:
If you like teaching children, don't mind food or culture that is sometimes very different, can deal with institutional racism without recourse as a foreigner, and generally don't have culture shock, you'll do fine. That's no small order, but if you can approach it as things being "Different" from time to time, it helps a lot. It's not always bad, but everyone has a war story now and again.
Hagwon/Academies:
The private school system is FOR PROFIT first, teaching second. There are few holidays, but you'll basically work 50-51 weeks a year, weekends off, no sick days in most cases. There are no substitutes. If you don't teach, your school loses money and parents complain. You can work like crazy and make a lot of money for school loans or paying off debt. Cost of living in a city outside of Seoul is SUBSTANTIALLY cheaper than the States. If you live within your means you can pocket 50-80% of your salary easily. Even if you party a lot you'll have cash to burn, which can get a lot of people in a lot of trouble.
Where to live:
Housing is either subsidized in richer areas, or paid for in places outside of Seoul. Rural countryside jobs are hard to tolerate because you'll run into intolerance and racism far more often, and there can be shit else to do but drink to forget your problems. It's better for people to start in the city. City jobs are better because you can meet more people and have more friends right away, but depending on the area can be competitive and stressful for both you and the students. It depends on the school, region, and type of program you are put into on your salary and apartment.
Where to look for work:
If you want to know competitive salaries look up some recruiters on Facebook. Dave's ESL Korea job pages is also a good source of info, but for the love of god forgo their forums. That place is a den of hate for Korean burnouts.
There is very little actual recourse with teachers in abusive schools, so working with a recruiter to find a really good school can be important. They let you dictate terms and do a little leg work for you. Finding a good recruiter is also important, because some are on the take from schools. Recruiters get a headhunting fee paid to them if you don't burn out after a month. They will tell you all sorts of shit to get you over here, but it might not match the actual case on the ground. Ask recruiters to contact other people they've placed in schools to see if they have a good reputation.
About the teaching:
Schools push students through book series and classes, sometimes regardless of actual ability. Standardized testing has created a system where students study for 18 years for a single college entrance examination. It's ULTRA competitive and that is why people are willing to spend mad cash on English teaching. Responsibilities for first year teachers range from foreign speaking monkey to actual teaching of grammar, phonics, or reading skills. Students as young as 3-5 years old are in immersion classes with foreign teachers at some schools. I know. I used to teach them. That's "normal" here. Deal with it.
How to approach the work:
Teaching is secondary to surviving Korea. If you can't handle your culture shock, or can't adjust to the food, you won't be a good teacher because you'll be too overwhelmed. If you are taking a long term approach, you won't have a clue what is going on until you've got a little experience. It takes time to adjust. Good schools let people that can't adjust burn out, then they hire the survivors when they finish their contracts. Don't be one of those culture shock victims!
If you end up at a school with a positive learning environment and people that care about work, you'll have a kick ass time. My first year in Korea was the time of my life. I had hard times, but it was rewarding and totally life changing. If you end up with some dead enders, you'll have a rotten time and will take a negative opinion away from the country and the work.
What the fuck, I'm a teacher now? What the hell am I doing?
Even at the best school I ever worked at, I got no training what so ever. My second DAY in Korea I was tossed into a class, jet lag and all, with no training. They just point you at the door and say, "TEACH!"
Controlling a class in a second language is a daunting challenge. Looking for a school with a Korean co-teacher is what some people try their first year. I never had the luxury, but I'd look into it if you are going to be teaching kids, especially if you are with pre-kindergarten classes often. It's pretty common at places that teach young children and hire first year teachers.
As long as you show up for work, try your best, and keep your temper around misbehaving students you'll have a job. Also, don't do anything that could be considered drugs other than alcohol, or be a pedo. Obviously. Korea is much more conservative than the United States, but by and large people still respect teachers. Korean students are great, as long as you keep in mind that in any given day they might study 10-15 hours as a middle school/high school student. Kids have been studying English all their life, and you are just one more reason they can't go out to play Starcraft. Sometimes they accept that, sometimes they don't.
Getting a better job:
Some places are awful to work at, some aren't, like anywhere else. Stick out a full year's contract so that you can get your feet wet and find a better place. Finishing your first contract might be Herculean, but it's seen as a big plus when you go to renegotiate for a job in Korea. Any place that routinely or exclusively hires people with a BA straight from the States is looking to save money. It might mean they don't actually care about the quality of their teaching in my experience.
If you find a place that is trying to actually teach students that pays on time every month, look into it in greater detail to see if you are interested in what they are doing, where they are located, and try to find a job there. Some schools can't find anyone to hire and are desperate. You might get lucky. If you do a good days work, you can find a better job somewhere else eventually.
If you stick around for a year or two, you might get enough Korean under your belt to make your life a little easier. Then you'll have a network of contacts and relationships that can help you find better work at a school that actually knows what they are doing. When you go looking for a better job, a director that sees you've stuck it out will be much more likely to take a chance and offer you a higher salary to boot.
Why do you need to stay at a crappy job sometimes?
Your visa as a first year teacher will be E-2. The E-2 visa is provided on the terms of your employment as a teacher. Your boss OWNS your house, owns your visa, and pays your salary. See how this could potentially be abused? The foreigner basically only has control of their own reputation as a teacher, and showing that they can do the work asked of them whenever they can. If you get screwed over, and you might, you can look for work before your visa expires, but it is a tiring prospect that is really difficult to do. The law and the money is on the school director's side most of the time. People with E-2 visas aren't going to get special protection from the law 9 times out of 10. Talking to a good recruiter to find you a school that has a good reputation will save you a lot of headaches.
Teach me oh wise one:
If you need to know something specific, PM me.
"Dave's ESL Korea job pages is also a good source of info, but for the love of god forgo their forums. That place is a den of hate for Korean burnouts."
Was especially good to hear as the amount of negativity on those forums had been one of the main things making me uneasy.
My main sticking point so far, and one of the reasons I will not be staying here a third year is the second-class citizen thing you have to deal with. There are so many things you straight up cannot do at all simply because you are a foreigner. When I opened my bank account, they told me that my atm card has a chip in that you can swipe to pay for busses or taxis or the subway. Except they wouldn't activate that service for me, cause im a foreigner.
So, know that stuff going in. Do not expect to be treated fairly all the time.
PSN: Corbius
He's teaching adults though, and the actual work itself doesn't seem too bad, it's the rest of it that's wearing him down. He's just finishing out a year contract and then coming back to Canada.
Do... Re... Mi... So... Fa.... Do... Re.... Do...
Forget it...
Yeah it's pretty much my biggest worry that that might happen to me. I'm pretty sure I can deal with the different culture and racial problems fine, but if I don't find any people to hang out with in my free time (korean or fellow foreigners, doesn't really matter) it would be pretty horrible. I'm hoping the fact that i'm trying to find something within an hours distance of Seoul (closer the better) will help alleviate this issue
My step-sister has been teaching English in Korea for 1-2 years now and not sure how she ended up with this position, but she technically is not allowed to teach any of her students. She does not grade, give out tests or quizzes, or even allowed to give homework. All she does when she is "teaching" is there to talk to the students and verbally correct any mistakes.
I don't know too much of the details, though.
Giving a test doesn't mean you are a teacher.
At an academy where students go after school you can end up with all sorts of warped versions of what people there consider "teaching". It's all about what makes the parents happy.
Sounds like she landed herself an English speaking monkey sort of position. At some schools that is all people are comfortable with letting a teacher do. You get a book (maybe) and are told to do a conversation style class and pick at people's mistakes.
It happens. It all depends on how much you want to put into your work. Even a job like that can be rewarding.
I haven't given a grade in my entire time here. I'm technically an Assistant Teacher, and I'm supposed to co-teach my classes with a Korean english teacher.
The reality is I make all my own lessons and the Korean teacher translates some stuff/does discipline if she bothers to show up to class
PSN: Corbius
And when will parents ever learn that babying their kids never helps the kid? I'm actually well aware of this here (in Canada) since my mom was a professor for a program which you had to take to become a doctor. She would get many parents (over the many years she taught) coming to her claiming that it was their kids right to pass (and excel) in the class since of course, their kid has to become a doctor...
Hopefully my step sister will be able to take the most out of this opportunity.
Depends on the school.
I've done sing a long, read a book stuff with little ones that was really fun, and then I've also done intensive morning immersion English that was horrible and hard to get up for every morning. It's exhausting either way when there is no one helping you. Schools will be upfront if they need you to work in the kindergarten programs. If you can't handle being around little kids, don't work there. Some people never end up teaching kindergarten classes at all if they are firm about it.
I have foreign friends that all work together in a school managing students in classes ages 4-6 with a Korean native speaker helper and they all love their jobs. I've also worked in kindergarten environments that were just short of torture for their teachers. Long hours, little kids, no vacation...it can be terrible. It is usually not the students, but the parents that can be real trouble. I'd rather work with little kids than have to deal with annoying parents making demands of me all day.
Being a first year teacher, unless you want to work a crazy bad adult split shift (6 am- 9am / 7pm- 10pm), you will end up teaching kids. You do get a choice if it is pre-school or after school. Make sure your preference is clear to your recruiter.
I live in Gangdong-gu which is a stone's throw from Olympic Park. I work in a hagwon, teaching kindergarten in the morning and elementary school in the afternoon. My school only accepts students that already speak, read, and write English pretty well so I'm lucky in that way. A lot of people recommend public school but I think a hagwon is best for a first time teacher. Just make sure you don't accept the first position offered to you. Read over the contract thoroughly and decline if anything makes you unsure.
I agree about staying away from Dave's forum, unless you have a specific question to ask.
PM me if you have any questions.
PSN: Corbius
Also, don't send your original degree even if they tell you that you have to. My school said that I absolutely had to send the original because immigration would often refuse a Visa without it. I just sent a notarized copy and it worked just fine.
He was threatened with jail? For?
He was missing work or was late? Often? Why?
He secretly fled the country? Why?
Sounds like things did not go well. If people were calling someone a slave without knowing what the word really meant, that's fucked up. I'm not here to defend Korean business practices, but it might have gone poorly on both sides...All I can say is provide some context? It's very possible that you can have a bad time in Korea depending on where someone worked. Instead of spreading that sort of information without explanations, provide something useful. Name the school. Describe the details that led it go so far out of control. Provide advice or help for people looking for avoid that sort of scene.
If you want horror stories, I've got horror stories to share.
I used to have a dickhead director who's policy it was to come to your apartment if you called in sick. He would try to play it off as concern, "Oh, I'm just checking on your health and offering to take you to a hospital!" but actually he wanted to make sure if you were sick you were bedridden and incapacitated before you could miss a class. If you weren't visibly ill he would accuse you of faking an illness to get out of work. We had TERRIBLE morale at work, needless to say, and burned through teachers constantly.
Worst case example: The spicy Korean food I was eating with friends agitated my stomach lining. They put a camera down my throat into my stomach on a fiber optic line, took a biopsy while I was awake, and then removed the camera after snapping a few pictures. All of this was happening before my class, so when I got out of the hospital they picked me up and made me go to work. I had a camera in my throat and less than an hour later they expected me to be teaching. I had to teach class less than an hour later. I was VERY happy when I heard that asshole went out of business.
Here is how you can avoid that situation:
If you are sick and the director starts banging on the door, give them a warning that it isn't okay to visit unless you need someone to take you to the hospital. They should NEVER harass you outside of work if you call in to explain you are sick and really can't be at work. Never let them in to check on you. Directors that "drop by" apartments from time to time without permission aren't doing you a favor.
If the director offers to save you money by putting you on their own insurance, tell them it is ILLEGAL, and that he must report your employment and get you your OWN MEDICAL CARD. I was never officially registered as being employed at this school because of that shady director and didn't have control of my own health care.
Korean health care is cheap as hell and very good. You can drop into any private clinic and get most things looked at immediately, but you must INSIST on having a Korean national health plan when you begin working. Typically schools with reimburse 50% of all medical expenses. If not, negotiate for that in a contract. Make sure you pay tax, pension, and also medical insurance EVERY month, and have your school tell you LINE BY LINE how much everything you paid cost, how much they paid, and why it was taken out of your salary.
Cultural note:
Be aware there ARE NO SICK DAYS. Classes don't ever get canceled at private academies unless the students stop showing up. If you miss a day for vacation or for being sick, that means someone else has to teach those classes. You need to be at work, sick, healthy, tired, hungover, whatever....every single day.
It is NOT LIKE the approach we have in the WEST. Korean people would rather you show up to work sick and unable to do a job well than miss a day. Students take the exact same approach to coming to class. The effort of showing up and showing a willingness to suffer personally to help the team is a Korean idea that seems fucked up to foreigners. Some people do not react to this well.
EVERY single job I've ever gotten is a last second opening, or a thing that came about quickly. Trying to find a school a few months in advance is impossible. No school in Korea looks more than a month ahead at the most. It's frustrating as hell that people don't plan, but most schools operate on such a thin margin that they can't be looking too far in the future.
Notarized copies of diplomas work. I've done this too, but whenever there is a round of fake diploma crackdowns it gets harder to do this. Immigration's policies are different EVERY single time you go. It depends on the person at the window, the mood in the country, and possibly the position of the stars.
Everything pretty much depends on your school. Make sure you contact someone via email that works there before you accept. If it's a crappy school they'll probably tell you so... or a crappy school won't allow you to contact anyone.
I can let you know the name of my school. They are always hiring and it's a great place to work if you don't mind working harder than at your average hagwon.