Mark Your Calendars! Teaching English In Korea Discussion

[broadway-bound3.livejournal.com]

This is the official invitiation for the first informational discussion on teaching English in Korea! Thank you everyone for your interest and feedback on the discussion! I've decided to make a short series of these discussions and this first one will focus on hagwons/private schools.

Date: Friday, November 6, 2015
Time: 7:30 PM EST
Location: Google Hangouts: On the day of the discussion I will make a separate post with the link to the google hangout chat. I think you need a google account to use the hangout feature.

Topics: 1) Recruiters 2) Paperwork Process 3) Settling In 4) Teaching Environment

Format: Though we'll be in a video chat, feel free to turn your videos off. I will be playing music to make sure everyone can hear my audio. Because I get easily distracted I will ask that everyone turn their mics off. I'll do a short speil on each topic and if you have a question, feel free to leave it in the chat window. After I finish each topic I will go back and answer the questions that were left in the chat window, and then move on to the next topic.

NOTE: The discussion will be recorded and posted for those who can't make it. It will only be my voice though.

I hope everyone can make it! 

Comments

[typhlogirl.livejournal.com]

This is super wonderful of you to do, OP! 7:30 EST is in the morning for my timezone so I might not be able to make it, but I'll defs be listening to the recording!

[omgcats.livejournal.com]

this is really amazing of you to put together. i live on the east coast, so i'll definitely be listening!

[episkia.livejournal.com]

man i would love to participate in this, but i'm tutoring at that time :((((
thanks for making a recording of it! will definitely follow up :D

if you can include it, or perhaps respond to this - i have two specific questions

1. i'm a heritage korean, born and raised aussie. i've heard it's harder to get jobs when you're korean (bc kids will rely on your korean ability, also you don't look ~exotic~)., is that true generally? is it looser in the hagwons or certain districts?

2. what are the job opportunities like at non-public schools? are the recruiters more/less helpful for this? i'll have a theology degree by the time i go, and half way into a BA and i was interested if there would be work in christian or international schools as well (though i'd also love to work in the public school system).

thanks so much for doing this <333

[snowmog.livejournal.com]

1. It can work for you and against you. As Sobaek said,under EPIK/GEPIK they can't discriminate by race or gender, so going with them you should get accepted somewhere. I have seen some jobs in hagwons and outside of EPIK/GEPIK specify for 'gyopos'/F-4 visa holders applicants only (you may be eligible for this as someone of Korean heritage, but I'm not entirely sure not being eligible myself). Being an F-4 visa definitely gives you some flexibility as some of the jobs advertising for these seem much better than what is available to regular E-2 visa status expats (teachers/educators from abroad). Some hagwons would ideally like someone who is blond(e), attractive, blue-eyed and American or Canadian, and a few people may have been denied an interview because they don't meet these standards, or close to(this isn't just from the business side, but also comes from parents and what they think is 'best' for educating their children, etc. reinforced by the hagwon businesses). Ultimately, there are so many hagwons needing teachers English teachers that getting a job will not be too much of an issue.

2. Never worked for a hagwon as I hated the sound of the working hours (split-shifts are not uncommon and expect to work on public holidays). International schools are tough to get in and from what you have told us, you do not meet the minimum requirements to get a job in one (you're not a qualified teacher). Some Christian schools recruit directly, but just watch out as some of these schools demand their foreign English teachers only go to the church at their school and that you become teetotal. I think most of the teachers have said no, and been able to keep their job, but obviously they may not decide to renew your contract because, yes some school presidents are really that petty. People have probably posted about them on their blogs, so you may be able to find out which schools are more problematic.

[hillando.livejournal.com]

oh man 7.30am on a saturday for me @.@
although this is really interesting, I'm currently teaching English in China, so it would be nice to get more info on opportunities in Korea. If I don't make it, I'll definitely listen to the recording!

[raksha38.livejournal.com]

Thank you for doing this! I can't be there live, but I'm really looking forward to the recordings.