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Things To Consider Before Committing Yourself To An Overseas School
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A common myth surrounding the overseas teaching industry is ‘WORK”. Many people read stories online about how teaching jobs in Asia are nothing more than baby sitting jobs and/or a great way to get paid while traveling. We would like to warn you in advance that if you’re expecting to play games and hand out cross word puzzles everyday then you WILL FACE PROBLEMS WITH YOUR SCHOOL! If you really think a Korean school is going to pay for your flight over, cover your apartment costs for a year, and pay you a competitive salary in the process for you to not TEACH then you’re in for an unfortunate surprise. |
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Teachers get released from their contracts because they don’t take the job seriously, then wonder why they were let go. It’s important for all western graduates to know: it’s a legitimate job and YOUR SCHOOL WILL EXPECT YOU TO APPLY YOUR ABILITIES. |
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Just like teachers in the west, there will be other job related duties other than classroom teaching that will be expected of you to complete or take part in. |
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Most of the complaints from westerners in Korea are associated with the responsibilities that come with the job. People need to understand that you’re a teacher and as a teacher there will be other, usually minimal, duties that are directly associated with the job such as class preparation and staff meetings. In the end it’s like anywhere else in the world, teachers get paid a set monthly salary and that salary includes things outside of classroom teaching…it’s inevitable. Overtime is only paid for hours that exceed ‘in-class teaching hours’ that have been stipulated in the contract.
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Be prepared to commit yourself to a full year in Korea |
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Rarely do schools let the teachers go home for important events. As a teacher you will have set vacation schedules which are predetermined by your employer. Generally speaking most schools in Korea provide one week of vacation in December or January and another week of vacation during late July or early August. You’re more than welcome to leave Korea during your vacation periods, however, it’s very rare that a school will let you request additional vacation breaks or altered vacation schedules during your 12 month contract period. It’s best to understand these terms before going abroad for a year because expecting additional time off from your employer for a best friends wedding, family reunion, etc. is not usually possible. |
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The only circumstances in which schools provide a leave of absence are for deaths in the family. The public school education boards allow a maximum of 7 days in such an event and the private schools usually offer 5 – 10 days. We apologize if this information is discouraging, unfortunately this are how things are done in Korea and you or your recruiter have no control in the matter.
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Take pride in your work and enjoy your time as a teacher! |
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Watching your students learn and progress over the months can be quite gratifying so take pride in your accomplishments as a teacher. Remember that teachers in Korea are highly regarded and it is your obligation, as an educator, to fulfill your end of the commitment.
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Stay focused and try to keep a positive attitude! |
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You will have lots of free time for entertainment, sports, nightlife, etc. during weekends and non-working hours as a teacher in Korea. Therefore it’s important to apply yourself for the limited time spent in the classroom each day.
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Prepare yourself in advance! |
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Teaching English as a second language is not rocket science! Anyone with a positive attitude, a willingness to succeed and the ability to communicate can be an excellent ESL instructor. The hardest part of the job is not what you are teaching, but how you implement lessons in order to keep your students interested and involved with your classes. Before departing try to do some research on ESL teaching methods, lesson planning, interactive games, etc. It doesn’t take long to read through a few websites and doing so will greatly help with the transition into your work.
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What you need to know |
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If a school is getting complaints from the parents on a regular basis then there is a strong possibility that the school is going to let you go. Yes you have a signed contract but people really need to put this into perspective. If a business (your school) is loosing clients (parents taking their kids out of the school) and loosing money (tuition rates) as a direct result of your work then they really have no choice in the matter. Any business, in any country, in any sector, would also do the same. A business isn’t going to damage their reputation and loose money in the process in order to keep one employee happy who in the end is the reason for the complaints and such.
If parents start taking their kids out of the school and they’re from your classes then you can surely expect to get released.
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For more information about teacher duties and obligations please visit our ESL Teacher Responsibilities page.
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