I would have sat down with the Head Teacher, and the Professional Smile Checker and came to an agreement, but I felt depressed in my situation and afraid of the hagwon. I've had two years with hagwons and I'm on my second with Epik. Yep. My friend could have contended this but rightly, why would he feel the strength to do this when he was dealing with someone’s passing? I did return in 2018 for a year but that only lasted about 3 months. If you have researched teaching English in Asia, or talked to people who’ve been there, you’ve probably heard a handful of horror stories that make you a little weary about your decision to be an ESL teacher. I recall one particular day when Professional Smile Checker was checking the student’s books – not to check that the student’s work was completed, but to check that the foreign teacher’s marking was to a good enough standard. There is even a post on Reddit and another on Waygook discussing the illegality of their contracts. The school I was teaching at was Lykeion Language Forum, Suwon. Anyways, good for you. Oh my god this sounds awful, I don’t know how you coped as long as you did!! It may also be the soul of ESL reading practice! One midnight runner is a rogue instance, multiple midnight runners equal a screaming red flag. Definitely never happened but thanks for the laugh, whoever you are . He was outraged that he was fired. Do you want to continue teaching? My leaving had nothing to do with a lack of cultural awareness or being an inept teacher or anything like that. Hagwon Horror Stories: Kevin M. Maher’s English-Teaching Expat Novel “No Couches in Korea”. Anyone have any updates on them? I told them that I would think about it and look to complete my contract but I knew I couldn’t face doing so. . Another useful resource is this article on quitting your job in South Korea. There used to be an amazing thread on Dave's called the Freaky Foreigner thread or somwthing. Since so many of them are continually opening up left, right, and centre (education is big business in Korea), it is not uncommon for them to just suddenly go out of business either. However, I had to bide my time. Another useful resource to use is the forum at the Facebook group. The visa run one sounds bad. My boss was clearly abusing her power. As you can see from the images, there is nothing wrong with my handwriting. Like for example in Taiwan they are called buxibans so you could do a search for buxiban horror stories. Cleaning fees, agency fees to find a new teacher, fees for leaving early – you name it, it was deducted. I slept on clothes for the first night since I arrived late on a Saturday evening and spent the next day shopping for cleaning supplies and tidying the place. It was the summer of 2013, and I received my first job offer: the opportunity to teach English in China. To do so would mean that they are losing half a month’s pay. I assure you, it did not look like a bag of dicks. Pushing the Boundaries of Solo Female Travel. I know that I was a good teacher and I know that my students would have been wondering what happened to “Melissa teacherrr”. Since they operate as businesses and are not managed by the government, they have a pretty bad reputation for not really giving a damn about either their teachers or students, provided that they are in the green. In fact, I loved my time living in Korea (just look around the site), but this article explains why it is that I chose to stop teaching English in South Korea after just one year. This is about my personal experience working at ILCE (I Love Clover English) academy in Daejeon, South Korea. Did you work in Italy? Even my coworkers were shocked at the situation. Admittedly, this hagwon horror story is just one person’s (my) experience and opinion. You can read more info on these incidents here. FOUR more teachers left the school in Feb 2019. I did have kind of a similar experience once. I tried to make the most out of my time in Korea and take my mind off my work situation. I left because it was having a damaging impact on my mental health and wellbeing and honestly, I am surprised I stuck the conditions at Lykeion Language Forum for as long as I did. A controversial issue in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) profession is about people who teach English in Japan without any real training. All the new teachers arrived and found out that budgets had changed and they didn't have jobs. I was also made to go to the school to apologise for being ill every day that I was sick. 2. I am not sure about how familiar you are with Korean contract law. I strongly suggest that you also document any instances of abusive/inappropriate hagwons to the Korean government via. Expectation: Teaching in Korea would give me a good idea as to what teaching in America would be like. Melissa Douglas is a British Travel Writer and Blogger based in Athens, Greece. As mentioned, there are currently very few laws protecting foreign teachers in Korea, but by addressing the issue and helping others avoid experiencing the same problems and upset, we can start to initiate positive change. I didn’t see anything wrong with my writing (and neither did the other teachers). I strongly suggest that you also document any instances of abusive/inappropriate hagwons to the Korean government via this petition. I had given up a great job in strategic procurement, with a respectful salary, generous vacation time, and wonderful perks. As I passed through the gate at Seoul’s Incheon airport and boarded my flight to Italy, I felt nothing but relief…. I am not someone to pull sickies or take days off without real cause. When I told her that I had to leave, because I had another class waiting for me she pulled me back into the office by my wrist and twisted my arm. They can imply that these teachers are just “irresponsible” or “can’t handle the culture” or whatever. Thanks for that. “Hier j’ai fait des préservatifs.” (“Yesterday I made jam”—at least I hoped that’s what I’d said.) I totally admire how you manage to stay there, it was probably a worse experience that any teacher could have in a foreign country. And my supervisors at the board of education are really kind. Given what had happened to my friend, I didn’t trust the school not to make illegal deductions to me also if I tried to leave amicably. I was moved into the girl’s former apartment (schools and Hagwons in Korea provide foreign staff with accommodation) and the place had not even been cleaned before I moved in. At this point, I really wasn’t happy with the situation. Reading that back now, I realise how ridiculous it all sounds, and it was. Hagwon horror stories happen when Teachers are treated particularly badly. To add to that, I discovered that the school was illegally documenting foreign employees as independent contractors. Thanks Gwen – I don’t know either! All positions offer free accommodations, round-trip airfare and an excellent salary. She writes for numerous high profile travel publications across the globe - including Forbes Travel Guide, Matador Network, The Times of Israel and The Huffington Post. As such, I decided to flee the country. The Teacher that did a midnight run from the Hagwon in October 2018 would later tell me that he had similar experiences with the Professional Smile Checker. I didn’t necessarily want to leave Korea, since I truly loved the country. She called me into her office to tell me that my red circles were not big enough and started analysing the circle sizes. I know that my blog has become very well known in Suwon and Seoul. More About Seoul and Sungdong-gu. However, the school is not allowed to make any deductions from your paycheck. The only person that I got along with at the Hagwon, a fellow British Teacher, came in distraught one day. Agency fees are agreements between the hagwons and the school, nothing to do with the teacher. Some of the best horror wruting Ive ever had the pleasure to come across. Yet at the time I was so terrified of my Hagwon, I didn’t trust them not to steal my money. 2 contracts and quite a few sub jobs. We had five days of vacation a year at the Hagwon. Easy work day: You’ll only teach a few hours a day, with the rest of the time to lesson plan; at hagwons, you’ll be in the classroom the whole time you’re there, which is exhausting. A community for teachers in Korea. You can read more info on these incidents, This hagwon horror story article was one of the early posts I wrote on my blog. After my first day at the Hagwon, I was asked to perform a mock lesson in front of the other teachers. (after finishing 10pm the night before). Korea … The problem is that in Korea you are at the mercy of your hagwon’s administration. Teaching English in Korea Teaching English in Korea can be a positive experience, and the majority of those who come here as English teachers find this to be so. The class giggled. I guess my main reason for staying as long as I did was because I’d left everything (job, apartment, etc) to go to Korea and didn’t have much saved up as a plan B (lesson learned there). This way, they could check that I wasn’t lying about it. I had given up my career, my house, and left everything behind to move to Korea. If we didn’t look smiley or happy enough, she would enter the room and yell at us in front of the students. For anyone considering teaching English in South Korea, one option is the EPIK program, a government-sponsored program that recruits native English-speakers from English-speaking countries to teach on a 1-year contract. During this mock, the headteacher noticed the sheer. The list goes on. I decided at this point that I wanted to leave. I'd say the average teacher has a good chance of not getting any training. If you are considering a role at Lykeion and this hagwon horror story is the post you read first, I strongly recommend reading this Hagwon Blacklist post about Lykeion Language Forum. that was my handwriting and warned me that I had a month to improve it or else I’d be sent back home. A few horror stories shouldn't deter someone from a good experience. This deters them from midnight running. It was no coincidence that I found myself being treated poorly when the former teacher had conducted a midnight run. Why it detailed which pages of the students’ homework books had insufficiently sized red circles. English Education in Korea: Unrealistic Expectations. I could never have imagined myself being in a situation like this. I know one dude who fell asleep during his lesson. However, my Hagwon situation became unbearable and I decided that for my own well being it was better to just leave rather than stick out something that was making me miserable. If we took any of our generous five days vacations, or we had a public holiday, we had to message the school with our whereabouts and itinerary. The headteacher came in to check up on me every ten minutes or so and her scrutiny on my writing bordered on clinically insane. I did both public school and hagwons in Korea. I reiterate – in a normal circumstance, I would have liked to stay in Korea. Short stories strike the perfect balance of challenging, engaging and rewarding for language students. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. College jobs are plums. I was straight into teaching 6 classes on my first visit to the campus. I call BS. However, no-one ever found it in themselves to stand up for me. However, I feel obliged to provide an update considering the fact that several other teachers have contacted me to tell me that they have experienced equally terrible conditions at the Lykeion Language Forum. It transpires that she would scream at him and give him warnings over outrageous things like a student’s pencil breaking while he was sharpening it. Another useful resource to use is the forum at the Facebook group LOFT: Legal Office for Foreign Teachers. I work directly for the Japanese government so get full healthcare, sick leave, 30 days holiday etc. Some gave accounts of being thrown into a classroom within the first few days of their arrival with no training, preparation time or resources. In total, I lost more than $1000 to Lykeion – in lost salary, lost pension, and lost security deposit. Recent Features. It was more like a lunatic asylum. Leaving a contract in Korea is a scary and daunting process. 10/17/2016. The bulk of English teaching jobs are in hagwons, private language institutes. ILCE (I Love Clover English), Daejeon, South Korea Thu, Mar 12 at 1:15 AM. Where did you work next? Why? The hagwon can dress it up any way they like. If you do your research and prepare correctly, you can easily get a very good job. I had a bad time working there and it made me depressed. Unfortunately, of the many Westerners that fly halfway around the World to teach English in South Korea, a number of them have a “Hagwon Horror Story”. I have been teaching English in Japan for 2 years and have had the complete opposite experience. In my experience zero training is pretty normal around Asia. I’ll let you draw your conclusions if you let me share my story. This was also illegal since the notice period is 30 days. recruiters asking for deposits. English schools contribute to classist education. Pros of teaching with EPIK. getting shitty housing. Thanks for sharing! I’m dreaming up where to go after Korea, I want a stable job. . This isn’t only an issue for the students with unqualified teachers, but for the teachers themselves feeling like they don’t know how to do the job. Korean Hagwons are privately operated after school academies. However, they knew how miserable working there was making me so I am sure that they could understand. Teach English in Seoul Korea. Seoul is the capital – and largest city – of South Korea. Fortunately, the writer was able to leave her hagwon amicably and obtain a letter of release that allowed her to remain in the country and find work elsewhere. If you need help clarifying as to whether a Hagwon or a Hagwon teaching contract is reputable then please feel free to contact me as I would hate to see someone end up in the same misery as I did. Have you heard about any Hagwon horror stories or even experienced one yourself? With a population of over 52 million people, Seoul is ranked as the 16th largest city in the entire world. Let’s Be Frank. However, I think that it’s important for me not to gloss over my experience. Perhaps the most trying task of them all was sitting crouched on the bathroom floor, unclogging the former teacher’s hair from the drain with a knife. Now, this isn’t to scare you, I know plenty of people that work in Hagwons in Korea and haven’t had the bad luck that I did. Soon after I began celebrating my first "real-world" job, red flags started coming in. I remember articles from the first school saying they were having issues and maltreatment that was reported to the BC ministry of education even before this all happened and that article above mentioned this... maybe all the schools had maltreatment of staff. “Those small t’s don’t look like small t’s… Make them more like t’s!”. That sounds dramatic, and believe me, I would have much rather left on good terms. Moving to South Korea to work is not a mere trip in space, it is a trip in time. I used to ask myself, “What if I had ‘an accent?’” I mean I certainly had … They didn't happen to me, but just curious what people's experiences have been or even horror stories that might have happened to your friend. I did work for like a month in a hagwon and when I moved in to the place no one had cleaned it. I had to take photos of my boards every day for a month. I could go on, but this is all pretty standard stuff if you're with a large chain. Unable to find any related work in the UK, he took the opportunity to travel and teach English in Japan. Are you teaching English in Korea? In the more objective post I wrote on this site, I have included a copy of the contract and reviewed its many illegalities. This is probably one of the most talked about issues amongst English-speaking foreigners teaching in South Korea. Avoid at all costs. What data was stored on these spreadsheets? I totally hear you. Pay 2.1m-2.4m won. School! However, promising that I would make a conscious effort to improve wasn’t enough for them. WANT TO AVOID A HORROR STORY TEACHING IN KOREA? Honestly, with the way that I looked, I think it was pretty evident how ill I was. I have had some nasty troll comments off the back of this article criticising me for being “irresponsible” or “childish” or whatever else for fleeing. 31 Students On Their Worst Teacher Horror Stories. She was employed to patrol the halls and check up on foreign teachers during their lessons. I mean the staff were just off the wall. However, at the time, it was terrifying. Many members of this group will be happy to discuss and assist you with your specific problem. I had not left all of that to be treated like a petulant child. Schools and colleges also hire native teachers, but these posts often go to people who’ve done a stint in a hagwon or are in the country already. I have moved on and I’m living my best life in Greece. Because many Teachers have fled over the years. I thought mine was a horror story, and then I realised that the entire hagwon industry is a horror show. The toilet seat that you ripped off in your fit of mad rage is still annoying to this day. I have recruited one from this community and I'm hoping there will be another? I was appalled at the lack of empathy. FOUR more teachers left the school in Feb 2019. Hagwons pay their staff on the 10th or the 15th of the month for the previous month. Refused to pay or reimburse me for my visa run even though it was clearly stated in the contract. It contained simply my personal experience at. I represent Korean Horizons and I represent public school positions. If you’re interested in teaching English in Korea, you've come to the right place! I trust anyone that sees his malicious post can see it for what it is: online trollin’ at its saddest. The Hagwon showed not the smallest ounce of compassion and tried to guilt him into staying in Korea. It was specified on our contract at the beginning that the school operates its own pension plans rather than the governments. Before reading this post, please note that Korea holds a fond place in my heart and there are many things that I love about the country. I felt singled out. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the teachinginkorea community. They are out there. I would have given my notice period. Lykeion Language Forum Suwon: Hagwon Blacklist, Teaching English in South Korea: Your Complete 2021 Guide, Perivoli Holiday Studios Skopelos: Hotels to Avoid in Greece, Domestic Violence in Greece: How to Seek Help -…, Racism in South Korea: An Observation of Racism in 2020, What is it Like to Live on a Greek Island? getting fired on the 11th month. ban from visiting Korea again. Japan spends more on English education than European countries, yet their approach has proved ineffective. By 10/16/2016. Apply for English teaching jobs in Korea with a leading agency. ... Get briefed on the story of the week, and developing stories to watch across the Asia-Pacific. I wanted to leave this behind me. Complaints have however been received from Australian citizens teaching English in Korea about alleged misrepresentation of their living and working conditions. I was projectile vomiting like the exorcist and could barely walk without feeling faint. Oh yeah....it's called woorking abroad...only a few are lucky enough to get themselves into good working conditions!!! Whatever the little good that comes out of experiencing their culture it is no match for the horrendous working conditions that prevail in that country. He had received news from home that his Dad had suddenly passed away. I didn’t want to be trapped in my situation any longer so I felt that running away was the only alternative. on account of unbearable/borderline abusive working conditions at the school. 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