Teaching in Korea

Now there's an ambitious title! From time to time, I get emails along the lines of, "Hi Brian. My friend is going to Korea and is looking for information about jobs and the teaching out there". I do like to reply, because I certainly relied on others when I first came here (and before) so think it's only right that I pay my dues. Rather than constantly repeating the same spiel, in future, I'm going to refer people to this post and you can make of it what you will. If you're in Korea and you have anything to add/correct, please leave a comment below. Ok, here goes.

First off, you need to be sure that teaching is something that you are prepared for and actually want to do. A lot of people come here straight out of University and haven't had any experience actually teaching kids. As a result, they often find that it's not for them after they have signed a one-year contract and traveled to the other side of the planet. Try to do some observation in a school or do a tutoring program while you are still at University. That could help you understand what teaching involves and, if you still want to do it, which age groups you'd be best suited to.

That's a key point. Lot's of first-time teachers in Korea wind up teaching kindergarten kids in private language academies. Some people love it, some hate it. Make sure you know what you're getting yourself into before you come. There are online forums where you can access a broad range of opinions on teaching and life in Korea, as well as read job listings, such as Dave's esl cafe. You need to remember to take a lot of it with a pinch of salt; there are a lot of whiners with too much time on their hands on there... However, if you sift through it, you should find the answers to most of, if not all, your queries.

If you're looking to work in a professional teaching environment with strong support mechanisms and opportunities for development and progression, then teaching English in Korea is probably NOT for you. Get your teaching certificate, get a couple of year's experience in your home country, and apply for a job at an International School. I think teaching in Korea is perfect for people who are also interested in doing something else. Personally, it's helping me gain teaching experience whilst having adequate time to do my MA, as well as helping to pay for it. Others come here to fund their travels. Others still to help pay off University loans. Don't come here unless you're prepared for the unexpected and be ready for some haphazard and illogical (compared to what you're used to) approaches to teaching and learning.

I always recommend a job in a public school with SMOE or GEPIK for first-time teachers in Korea. Although I have never worked for either myself, I have a lot of friends who have and currently do. Their experiences seem to vary from school to school but they have the benefit of an induction (to meet other newcomers, pick up some guidance, etc.) and a bit more security than if you were to work for a private academy (hagwon). They are far from being trouble-free, but many people stay beyond their first year, which speaks volumes. Although the holidays aren't unbelievably long, there will be periods of the year when you have very little to do, although you may be required to come to school anyway and just desk-warm.

Whatever job you accept, you're likely to start on around 2-2.1 million won ($1,700 or €1,320) per month in your first year. On top of this you'll receive a furnished apartment and one-month salary as a bonus on completion of your contract. Without really trying, I routinely save around half my salary each month. Also, although it's illegal, some take the risk of teaching private lessons for as much as 50,000 won (€33) per hour. There are opportunities to make more money in subsequent contracts, if you so wish. You're hardly going to become rich, but you'll live comfortably and be able to afford few holidays and so on throughout the year.

Increasingly, English teachers here are banding together to make life more comfortable and bring like-minded people into contact with one another. Whatever you're interested in, you're likely to find it here in some form. Just off the top of my head there are Gaelic football teams, soccer, ultimate frisbee, cricket, rugby, hiking, fishing, cycling, all kinds of restaurants, some English theater/musicals, reading groups, travel groups, and on and on and on and on.... I'd venture to say that if you're bored here, it might be because you're boring or that you'd be bored anywhere. There is a vibrant nightlife appealing to different tastes, a vibrant live music scene, more and more international bands and DJs coming to Korea, galleries and museums galore. Resources such as the Seoul Global Center can point you in the direction you want to go in terms of classes and cultural events. Free helplines are on hand (in English) to help you with buses, timetables, direction, etc. They even settle bets in the pub if you are drunk enough to have the neck to call them, although I doubt they're very happy to do so. The Association for Teachers of English in Korea is on hand for your professional and educational needs. Free English-language magazines (available in foreign bars in Itaewon, for example) offer suggestions on what to do, where to go, as well as advertising resources you may like to take advantage of. In short, after you come here, you're only alone if you choose to be so.

Those are my two cents to help you get started in deciding whether or not teaching in Korea is for you. Maybe I have painted too-positive a picture. If so, that's because I love it here. Be prepared and be honest with yourself about yourself and what you're looking for. Some people absolutely LOATHE life in Korea and, from their perspective, I can understand why. Use the links here to find more detail about the topics I have only touched upon so far. As I have said, if you have some experience teaching in Korea and have anything to add or question, please add a comment below. I hope you enjoy teaching here as much as I do, appreciate the positives and don't look at the negatives as any more than they really are. If you do wind up coming here and teaching fr SMOE/GEPIK, this video will very likely appeal to you when you're sat at a desk, twiddling your thumbs and wondering why you're not laying on a beach somewhere... Enjoy!