elsguy
- 2010-01-04
I had my Korea experience from 2003-3009...off and on for six years.
I love working with the kids, no doubt. I excelled in that aspect.
But dealing with Koreans, in general..............no more. Their outlook on life is 180 degree version as to how westerners see it. That is OK, in respect to differences. But I just don't understand these following points.
1. Korea spends sooooooooo much on English education but has the lowest results. Yet, they blame these results on the foreign teachers, not their backwards way of learning, which will NEVER work.
2. Korea does not want to keep good teachers. This is evident by the lowering standards to public school contracts, visa regulations and the lack of legal support for expats. Instead of promoting ways to keep the few good teachers it can attract, they drive them away.
3. Korea has the idea that looks and age determine a teachers ability. People with any sense know this is not how things operate in a succesfull industry.
4. Koreans in general, are not known for keeping their word.
5. In the ESL industry, those in power are not capable of leading by example. During my time in Korea, not once did I meet one Korean co-worker or supervisor who had any ability to teach a class in English, prepare and show a solid ESL lesson plan, actually listen to the expats who knew what they were doing, provide useful ideas on who to enrich a learning environment, provide solid feedback to not only encourage but to help promote new ideas, ............the list goes on.
6. 99% of ESL recruiters in Korea are not to be trusted.
Personally, Korea gets what it derserves in regards to its reputation.
Newbies, don't be fooled. Though there are SOME good opportunities there, they are few and far between. You are not considered a "teacher". You are considered to have equal status as a dishwasher (though if it is an honest dollar then I don't see anything wrong with washing dishes). Korea blames its poor results in the ESL industry (really, they are a joke) on the teachers that it brings in.
But hey...................there are some who have had a great experience, no doubt. But be careful of expat teachers as well. They will sell you out in a minute.
eslguy
ANET
- 2010-01-03
Well put, eslguy.
My first experience in Korea was a good one. After teaching elsewhere, I returned and as readers know, I had the misfortune of getting sick. I will never forget my bad experience with their hospital and juducial systems. I was disgusted by the way older patients were treated. They refused to accept that people can recover from a serious, sudden illness to go on being reliable and productive employees. I knew several teachers who were shafted by their hagwons and generally, English education programs were poor. All hagwon owners seemed to care about was money. It was a horrifying experience and I advise responsible teachers to try another country.
Some say there are only two reasons to stay in Korea: money and romance. I know that English education is not one of them.
eslguy
- 2010-01-02
Another reason NOT to teach in Korea.
The following is written in the public interest of the ESL community. If I can spare at least one teacher the misery these people caused me, this effort will have been worthwhile.
For native English teachers, South Korea offers wonderful opportunities, especially in Seoul, Daegu and Busan. This is not the case with Ahil English School in Ulsan.
According to Immigration Law, English Academy owners have a duty to help their foreign teachers who get sick. There are provisions for this in the employment contracts of reputable Academies. Ahils contract is silent about this responsibility because the president will let you die on her premises. If you are hospitalized, Ahil will fire you while you are in the hospital. Ahil has been before Korean authorities for this, but powerful friends got them off.
According to Korean Labor laws, reputable employers wishing to dismiss an employee will give that employee proper notice, that is 30 days or payment in lieu of notice. Through a crooked system, Ahil bought the right to fire foreign teachers without any written warning or written notice.
Before I got involved, Ahils president was telling new teachers that foreigners had no right to enrollment in the pension and medical insurance plans.
The 10 vacation days allowed must be taken when the Academy closes. There is no other vacation time. Compare that with what reputable English Academies offer before you sign up.
Ahil has been known to shortchange foreign teachers on the last pay. You will have to get the balance owing through the Ulsan Labor Office.
Attached is a photo of Ahil. Its the yellow building on the right. In spite of its new bright yellow color, it is still the same old moldy, cockroach infested nest.
Contrary to what their ads would have you believe, it is not on the coast and there is no view of the sea. In fact, it is on a busy city street. This street is also a well traveled major bus route.
This is a highly industrial part of Ulsan and there is pollution from the factories and from the steady stream of industrial trucks barreling by, blowing their horns as early as 6:00 a.m. The closest beach, about a 12 minute bus ride away, is a rocky shore.
Accommodation at Ahil is on the 5th floor of the school. Its right above heavy traffic and there is frequent construction in the neighborhood. Ahils accommodation is below standards relative to what reputable Academies offer.
Reputable Academies supply clean, bug free, well furnished apartments with real refrigerators.
Reputable Academies supply cell phones whereas Ahil does not. This may seem trivial, but bear in mind that, for foreigners, cell phones are expensive and hard to buy legally in Korea, yet they are the main means of communication. If you take the wrong bus, get lost and cannot understand anyone, you will soon understand the need for a cell phone. Your boss will get very irritated if you cannot be reached.
The ANONYMOUS recommendation on the Korean Green List is over 3 years old. I believed it and agreed to work at Ahil. I paid dearly for it. Trust me: these days at least, that Green List recommendation does not hold true. Think about it; the people playing it up on the Internet are recruiters working on commission.
Ahil has been posting impressive recommendations from the same 3 or 4 previous teachers for the last 4 years. Teachers who recruit stand to gain by promoting the Academy they recruit for. Ahil employs, on average, every 5 to 7 months and they ruthlessly pursue and silence anyone who reports a bad experience with them. In fact, this posting is considered by their friends in the Ulsan Administration criminal defamation because offenders are allowed to offend and victims have no right to protect the ESL community by publicly reporting the offenses. In the 3 miserable months I dealt with Ahil, I was one of 5 native teachers who worked there for just a few months and for whom Ahil was a bad experience. Before and after that, I worked in wonderful Academies.
Among the many native English teachers Ahil employs, there are always a few who can be bought and when paid enough money, they sell out other teachers.
Dont be fooled by Ahils ads and dated recommendations.
