Topic: After School Jobs (Specifically K-Edu?) Read 2094 times

tamahari · « **on:** February 08, 2020, 02:22:44 pm »

Hi!
I have a job offer from K-Edu to work in an after school program in Seoul. It's getting more important that I find a full-time/day-time job, for numerous reasons (I've been working part-time teaching adults.) However, I don't want to take a job I'm going to hate, and I just couldn't tell that much about what it would be like to do this job in the interview. So I have a number of questions, if anyone has worked for them (or even just for after-school programs in general.)

1.) I know the hours are shorter, the staff are fewer (and hopefully staff politics less complicated) and I imagine the physical classrooms are less crowded (even if similar numbers of students) compared to working in a typical hagwon. What I really want to know, though, is how is actually teaching there different from teaching in a hagwon? Is the curriculum and schedule typically as rigid, with really boring books and a full schedule of what you have to cover every day with not much chance for the teacher to get creative or do different activities to engage the kids?

2.) Are students in after school programs often less proficient in English than hagwon students? Is Korean used much in the classrooms? Do they tend to have strict rules about foreign teachers not using it? Students not using it?

3.) How much additional grading is required outside of class for teachers? Are teachers responsible for writing evaluations of students? If so, how often, and can they be honest?

4.) Is it typically just one foreign teacher and one Korean teacher working together in each class? (Do they teach classes together sometimes or all the time?)

5.) Are you typically teaching the entire time you're there? Aside from the hour of prep beforehand? Or do you switch off with the Korean teacher?

6.) Has anyone really liked an after school job? Really disliked it? And why?

oglop · « **Reply #1 on:** February 08, 2020, 03:15:02 pm »

i worked for AS programs for about 3 years. one job was quite good, one okay, one absolute, complete shit

1. you'll generally teach kids who don't want to be there, and many parents treat it as cheap babysitting. kids will be generally really disrespectful, and if you discipline them too much, they'll complaint to their mum and will leave the program, which you'll get in trouble for. kids know this, generally, so will piss about as much as they can. the main idea in AS programs is to have "fun". do not worry about teaching. complete the book quickly, play a game

2. depends. i'd start off with a strict no korean rule, which would generally taper off towards the end of the year, as i'd generally get sick of the bratty kids and terrible AS management by then

3. you'll probably have to write student evaluations every 2 or 3 months. a few sentences per student. i used a dictation program which sped things up x10.

4. you'll teach by yourself, and a korean teacher will teach by herself next door. every day you'll swap students. you'll never teach together, but you may have an assistant teacher in your class. generally, they are useless, and sit at the back on their phone the whole time. although they get paid minimum wage and probably don't give a ****, so i don't blame em

5. i will never, ever, ever work in an after school program again. christ. absolutely no way. i've never felt so unappreciated, never taught such awful kids. i would often not even be supplied with basics such as board markers or paper or even my own textbook. was often not paid on time, had to file with the MOEL to get my severance. please read your contract carefully. don't sign it there's ANYTHING you don't agree with. they will most likely try to screw you over at some point.

having said all this, the hours are decent and the pay is as well. the most annoying bit is moving to morning hours in summer/winter breaks, as it messes with your other jobs.

oh. have a look on facebook for these groups: "After School Jobs", and "After School Jobs You Can Trust". you can compare your offer for jobs posted there.

Topic: After School Jobs (Specifically K-Edu?) Read 2094 times

After School Jobs (Specifically K-Edu?)

Re: After School Jobs (Specifically K-Edu?)