Summer Camp...how long for??

[Willow]

Can anyone offer some informed advice?

If I did 3 weeks of winter camp, shouldn't it be 3 weeks of Summer Camp?

My co teacher tells me it will be 4 weeks?

I know schools kind of make up their own schedules etc, but I'm an elementary school teacher and usually its 4/5/6 grade, one per week.

If we do finish early I want to make some plans instead of my co teacher telling me on the day itself that I am free to go and that we have an extra week off...

Any help appreciated.. :D

[marchingocelot]

There isn't really a rhyme or reason. It's basically what they feel like, and what they can jam around the school schedule and whatever vacation is mandatory that you get.

The first winter I taught three weeks, last summer was two, and this winter was 4 weeks of camp.

[plchron]

@ op, make sure your vacation days are taken care of and raise hell if you get shorted because of this new schedule. after that, it is like any normal week. they can have you work 22 periods/ classes. Some schools are chill or under funded, or don't have enough kids sign up and some schools will work you until the day you get on the plane for your vacation. It is always a coin toss.

[Jumpman Jr.]

I'm slightly worried about this as well.
I've actually never worked a camp since I've been here (I've been here for 3 vacation periods - I know, I'm lucky). But I heard my boss and co-teacher talking to each other saying that my contract says I have to do the 20 hours of week or whatever. It's kind of annoying when they discuss something infront of me about me, when they don't even ask me anything about it. Right in front of my face they'll say "He has to work 20 hours during vacation..." when they both know I can speak Korean fairly well... anyways, that's another story.

Until now, they've never really bothered with the camps, but I think they're severely underfunded and need me to do it.

Thing is, I have 11 days of vacation left, and I'm leaving RIGHT after the summer break (the end of August). I used 9 days of vacation in the winter because I wanted to save some for the summer (in case I need/want to do some job interviews).

But, looking at this new schedule, there is only 14 days of summer vacation (not including weekends and the one holiday during the break). Can they even ask me to do anything, when I have 11 days of vacation that I plan on using in the summer?

[Rusty Shackleford]

They can make you do camp everyday, Monday to Friday. But, they still have to give you your designated vacation time.

[vw08]

I'm slightly worried about this as well.
I've actually never worked a camp since I've been here (I've been here for 3 vacation periods - I know, I'm lucky). But I heard my boss and co-teacher talking to each other saying that my contract says I have to do the 20 hours of week or whatever. It's kind of annoying when they discuss something infront of me about me, when they don't even ask me anything about it. Right in front of my face they'll say "He has to work 20 hours during vacation..." when they both know I can speak Korean fairly well... anyways, that's another story.

Until now, they've never really bothered with the camps, but I think they're severely underfunded and need me to do it.

Thing is, I have 11 days of vacation left, and I'm leaving RIGHT after the summer break (the end of August). I used 9 days of vacation in the winter because I wanted to save some for the summer (in case I need/want to do some job interviews).

But, looking at this new schedule, there is only 14 days of summer vacation (not including weekends and the one holiday during the break). Can they even ask me to do anything, when I have 11 days of vacation that I plan on using in the summer?

I have some friends in this situation and they have negotiated to take a few days off during class time.  Double check, if possible, how long your camp will be.  You might be owed a nice 3 or 4 day weekend depending upon how the schedule pans out.  I'm waiting to hear myself about my camp and whether it will be 2 weeks or 3 weeks.  If it is 3 weeks, I'll be in the same boat

[Squire]

I know contracts will be different, but I thought it was standard to have no more than 2 weeks of camp in each holiday. My school asked me to do three or ideally four during the winter but I told them no and showed my contract

[Rusty Shackleford]

I know contracts will be different, but I thought it was standard to have no more than 2 weeks of camp in each holiday. My school asked me to do three or ideally four during the winter but I told them no and showed my contract

Which part of your contract? Mine just said you have to teach 22 hours a week. Having said that, I never did more than 3 weeks a vacation. It didn't say when. Of course your contract could be different.

[Jumpman Jr.]

That's the thing, though... with the new scheduling this year (which I'm assuming went into effect because the students no longer have to go to school on Saturdays anymore), summer vacation this year is less only 3 weeks long (and one of those days being a holiday).

Surely they can't make us work for two weeks and say "okay, enjoy your 4 days where you can take some of your 20 days of vacation.".. not even giving us a change to use all of it.

This is all hypothetical to me, and its too early to make assumptions, but if my school were to come up with me and say "We want you to work for 2 weeks during the summer vacation" I'm figuring I could just say "I still have 11 days of vacation (which I couldn't even use in the winter) that I am entitled to use"

[Willow]

Its all so confusing!! :'(

For me, It was such a mess around winter time, when I kept hearing the word vacation being thrown around and when I booked something they said "oh no you cant go from the country unless you take leave."

Thank god I did because if I had of adhered to all the shoddy planning etc I would be ending my contract with 21 days of vacation leave that I cant allocate anywhere...

Anyway needless to say these replies have confused me more hahaha..Korea!

[plchron]

If i am put in the same situation, then my co teachers can have fun teaching while I am in jeju. They got to give you the vacation. Your MOE/ EPIK coordinator will make it clear to them. The schools that wait until the last minute to tell you that your camps trump vacation are going to be in for a big surprise. Call in sick, be a dick, call your rep., etc. 

[deanitsin]

Just try not to worry about how many camps you'll have, and focus on getting your vacation days locked down. Ask (politely, but repeatedly) if you can officially put in for your vacation time, because you need to book your flights, until your handler will finally sit down and settle it. Once that's settled, book your flights and go on with your life. They'll either give you the appropriate days off, or when the junk hits the fan in the summer, they'll find a way to work around it.

As far as extra time off that's not your contracted vacation time, but as a result of left over time with no camps, that's not really something we have a right to, so unfortunately, we just have to wait until the last minute to find out about it sometimes. Which should be fine, because you're really not supposed to be outside of the country (or even your house) on those days anyway.

[glb0b]

As deanitsin said. Get your school to agree your vacation dates as soon as possible. Get them in writing and signed by your school.

I got mine agreed (and signed for) when I renewed in March and have already booked my flights. I will not be changing them even if the school later tells me I should be teaching camp during that time (I doubt my school will, but the possibility of it happening is why I have it in writing).

They have to give you your vacation sometime. Depending on your contract, the number of days you get in summer may be flexible. Mine clearly states I get 8 days in summer,  so I get 8 days and camp has to be arranged so I get those 8 days, regardless of how long summer vacation is. If you have the other style contract which gives you a number of days for the year, but doesn't state how many you get in summer and winter, then it may be harder to get many days in the summer.

However, if the school summer vacation is 4 weeks long, then you can't do 4 weeks of camp as you should get some vacation days.

Jumpman Jr. - talk to your school. They have to give you your vacation days, but if they want you to do camp they may want you to take some of them during term time. Talk to them soon about it.

[Jumpman Jr.]

Jumpman Jr. - talk to your school. They have to give you your vacation days, but if they want you to do camp they may want you to take some of them during term time. Talk to them soon about it.

Yeah, of course talking to them sooner would be best. The past three vacations, I always just told them "I'm going to book my plane ticket on this day" and they agreed. My Korean wasn't as good back then, but I could always over hear them say "When his he going to teach camps?" and then somebody else saying "Oh, he already booked his vacation, and it is when the camps are going to be held."

I'd love to do the same thing again (book my tickets this far in advance) but in the summer I'm not sure if I'll be going to be hometown, or to another city to do an interview for my next job.