Working Conditions of English Teachers in Korea
A native English teacher with a certificate from American TESOL Institute is expected to take 24 classes per week with a teaching hour not exceeding 22 hours. The usual duration of each class is 40- 50 minutes which varies according to the level of the class. The class duration is 40 minutes for elementary school classes, 45 minutes for middle school classes and 50 minutes for high school classes.
A teaching week is from Monday to Friday from 8 in the morning till 4.30 in the afternoon. South Korean schools remain closed on National holidays, Saturdays and Sundays. The teachers are expected to work 8 hours in a day which also includes the lunch hour. The usual work schedule is same with the civil servants of the Korean Government but the work hours are adjusted by the school principals according to the requirements. Teachers are sometimes asked to teach extra hours but that should not exceed 6 hours per week without his or her consent.
Rate for the supplementary classes is 20,000 won or $20 per hour which the teachers can also use as contribution holiday when you are expected to teach 8 hours in a day. The ESL teachers are asked to participate in special classes during school vacations, English day camps for a maximum of 20 hours per week. Teachers are also expected to make the lesson plans, sketch the monthly teaching materials after consulting the Korean co- teachers, and participate in extra curricular classes and teacher training programs during school vacations and to carry out other relevant educational duties. The ESL teachers are often asked to conduct English Conversational Classes for the native Korean teachers. They also have to participate in the teachers’ workshops conducted by the schools.
The overall responsibility of an ESL teacher will include individual monitoring, observing their language skills, disciplining the students, keeping a track of students’ weekly attendance and grades.
The TESOL certified teacher from American TESOL Institute are expected to respect all the rules and regulations of the school for a positive representation of the institution.
Dress codes for male teachers:
-
Smart neat and clean attires are accepted
-
No need to wear formal dresses every day
-
Suits and ties are for special occasions like parents- teachers meet or presentation day
-
Casual wear like shirts and jeans or T shirts are allowed as long as they are neat and clean
Dress codes for female teachers
-
Knee length or longer skirts with presentable blouse are accepted
-
No revealing or low cut shirts are allowed
-
Open toe and high heel shoes are allowed
-
Visible facial rings on lip, nose, chin and eyebrow are not accepted
-
Earrings are accepted if they are not worn in too many numbers
-
Hair should be well tied and presentable
-
Visible tattoos are not allowed
The dress codes vary from one school to another according to the preferences of the directors. Some schools do not allow the teachers to wear sandals, tank tops, short skirts and blue jeans. You are actually expected to wear something decent so that the students look up to you with respect.
The teachers are free to wear anything outside the school premise keeping in mind the Korean tradition and culture.
