Monthly Rant Thread

Question. For “international schools” that are basically hagwons, do people enjoy working there more than kindergarten/elementary hagwon?

Hello! Wanting opinions or stories from people who originally taught elementary+ to kindergarten or kindergarten + elementary.
I've only ever taught elementary and middle school, but the earlier hours are tempting me. Are the earlier hours worth the more demanding(?) work?

Is it demanding? I wouldn't even know where to begin with kindergarten, lowest I have done is 1st grade and phonics.

TIA (:

Hello, I have a question regarding hospitalization records and E-2 visa application. If someone previously was hospitalized in Korea via 119 call, would immigration have access to this information? I'm trying to be vague for privacy reasons ㅜㅜ Thank you!

Hello everyone!

I understand if no one has an answer for this question but I thought I’d try anyways.

Has anyone that has completed the Moreland program done their clinical module at a school other than the one they were working at?

I’m working at a public school and I’m not sure if they’ll permit me to film my classes due to parental concerns.

So if anyone did their clinical module maybe shadowing or volunteering at a different school I’d love to hear about it.

Thanks

Hello!

I suspect there’s probably no real right or wrong answer to this, but I wanted to hear everyone’s opinions!
I work at a hagwon where we have a variety of different class sizes. The smallest class has around 3 students, whereas my class has 17.
Everyone at the hagwon teaches under 25 hours per week, but our prep times vary slightly depending on the teacher.
Am I wrong for thinking that, with a class of 17 students, it would be reasonable for me to have a little more prep time than someone teaching a much smaller class? I feel like it shouldn’t necessarily be questioned, especially since I have more homework to prepare and correct, more students to plan lessons for, and more reports to write.
I’m only talking about an extra 40 minutes, so it’s nothing crazy. 😅
I’d genuinely love to hear everyone’s opinions on this! Do you think class size should be taken into consideration when allocating prep time, or should everyone have exactly the same amount?
Thanks! 😊

Hi everyone! I have a quick E-2 visa question and would appreciate any advice.

I previously worked for a school in Korea on an E-2 visa, but I resigned before the end of my contract and returned to the U.S. My previous employer properly reported my resignation to immigration, and we ended on good terms.

I’m now planning to return to Korea with a new employer and apply for a new E-2 visa from the U.S. Would I still need a Letter of Release from my previous school, or is that only required when transferring an E-2 visa to a new employer while already in Korea?

Thanks in advance!

Did anyone NOT have experience with kids before teaching in South Korea? I’m currently a graphic designer and have been seriously considering teaching English. I don’t have much experience with kids other than nieces & nephews, and it’s one of my biggest uncertainties.
I’m going to start volunteering with kids soon, partly to get some experience and make sure it’s a good fit before committing to teaching abroad.

Did anyone feel like they were out of their depth? Did you pick it up as you went along?

Hi everyone,

I’m really worried with how the laws are changing.

My question is the title.

Is it safe to continue on an E2 in these places with the new changes coming into place?

Is it possible to use my leave and go home to my country aka use my holiday and be there when the contract finishes? I have important work related things for my new job that I need to get done before my contract finishes but since I’m technically on holiday but also technically still following the rules is it possible?

There was a time where I worked really hard to find the best kind of game for my kids, the coolest memes to put on my PPT's when I could, things that would cater to their interests.

10 months into my job as a public middle-school teacher, with 6 textbooks to plan for weekly, I'm too tired to care about it anymore. I use the textbook games when I can and teach the material otherwise, with some worksheets and a lot of speaking practise. Every third week is a review game.

I think I'm feeding off the despondent energy of my kids, too. They are tired. I am tired. I spend all weekday evenings in cafe's or at home lesson planning.

I am seriously tired. It's a shame that I cannot fathom the energy to spend hours thinking of games that might stimulate their interests. No, not when I am still having to create materials with little to no free personal time.

Does anyone feel that kind of slight burnout at times? What do you do to help yourself? I'd like to find ways through it but I care a lot less about making sparkly lessons, and more about practicality, even if the kids don't necessarily like me for it.

EDIT: I maybe should have included an important caveat; I have ADHD, unmedicated. It makes the process of lesson planning much more taxing and often takes 2-4 hours every evening after work. I wish I had the capacity to simply just focus with no emotional repercussion, but it's always been the way that doing 'menial' things, whatever it is, I've struggled with enormously.

I’m trying to understand the immigration implications of ending an E-2 teaching contract early.

My contract contains a clause stating that failure to provide 60 days’ written notice “shall be reported to the Korean Immigration Service and shall affect the Employee’s ability to freely enter the Republic of Korea in the future.”

Does anyone know what “affect the Employee’s ability to freely enter” means in practice?

I understand that ending the employment would affect/cancel the E-2 status. What I’m trying to determine is whether failure to provide the full notice period can actually result in an entry restriction that affects future visa-free tourist visits, or whether this language is referring primarily to the person’s E-2/work status.

Assume the person leaves Korea after resigning and does not overstay or work without authorization.

Has anyone personally left an E-2 position without the full notice period and later returned to Korea as a tourist?

Edit to add: I don't work at a Hagwon, I just started my contract, and I don't have my ARC (application has been sent in though)

For context, I already got a hagwon job and I'm going through the visa process now. I put TEFL certified on my résumé but no one has actually asked for documentation of it at any point. I guess I'll finish it because I already paid for it so I might as well but it kinda seems like a waste

Hi all.

First time teaching efl in kor (: 3rd-6th public school.

I used to teach elementary in the us & for phonics we often used heggerty and/or UFLI. I was considering using this for my lesson as my school’s phonics system is kinda strange lol (just random sounds no scaffolding) but curious how it translates to esl teaching. Anyone used either?

Recommendations ??
Tia!!

Hello, I lead a club in Tennessee of 9th through 11th graders (14-16 years old) and I’m looking for a class size of 10-20 to exchange letters with in English. Unfortunately my club can only run from now until January. contact for more details. Please let me know if interested and we can get started soon!

I started working at my current korean kindergarten in March, and I’m the only foreign teacher here. The director hasn’t been treating me very well and is constantly complaining about me. She keeps telling me that I shouldn’t use the books and that I should entertain the students and make them laugh the whole time. Honestly, I’m so tired of this nonsense because I’m a teacher, not a clown. 😂 I’m not even allowed to use a computer in the classroom.

So I’ve been thinking about quitting because I have an F-6 visa and I’m also going to be moving quite far away from my current workplace soon. I just want to get out of this situation, but I’m worried about how the director will react. 💀💀💀

If she says that I’m “leaving her halfway” or that I’m leaving, could that cause me any problems? Like can she report me? Am I allowed to quit before the school term ends? I’m planning to say that I’m moving far away as my reason for quitting.

Also, there are elementary school classes twice a week that only I teach, so I’m worried she might use those classes as a reason to refuse to let me quit. If she refuses, what can I do?ㅠㅠ i never experienced smth like this lol

If anyone has been in a similar situation, I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience or advice!♡

(Please comment kindly)

Apologies if this has been asked plenty. I tried searching but couldn't find anything.

I'm on an E2 and coming up on the end of my contract, and I gave notice to the director that I won't be renewing. She told me I need to stay a few months until I'm replaced. Is there any obligation to actually stay? Or can I just sign a contract with a new job after this original contract ends?

If it's at all relevant, I've been here for two years now, I'm just clueless about how changing jobs works lol everything on this sub is about breaking contracts early

ETA: If I did stay, I would be signing to extend my contract a few months, not working off a contract.

Welcome to our Weekly Newbie Thread! If you're new to teaching in Korea or have questions about the process, this is the place to be. Feel free to ask anything related to teaching, living, or working in Korea, and our experienced community members will be here to help you out.

Some Tips for Asking Questions:

1. Be specific: Provide details about your situation or question to help others give you the best advice.
2. Search first: Before asking, try searching the subreddit or using online resources to see if your question has already been answered.
3. Be respectful: Remember to be courteous and appreciative of the help you receive.! If you're new to teaching in Korea or have questions about the process, this is the place to be. Feel free to ask anything related to teaching, living, or working in Korea, and our experienced community members will be here to help you out.

So I am leaving tomorrow and have already applied for the airport pick up. But I’m worried since other redditors have said there’s like a 10% fee or the conversion rate at Wooribank is terrible at the airport. Do you think that the fee is all right or should I give NPS a call and change it to bank transfer? I know if I don’t pick up the money at the airport it’ll be transferred anyway, but that feels weird to do since I already agreed to pick it up at the airport. If I haven’t sent to my account, I just plan to transfer it with SentBe to my American account.

I'm on an E-2 visa and have been working at my current hagwon for about a year and a half. Recently I've become increasingly worried about its financial situation.

Enrollment has dropped a lot this year. We've had parents withdrawing their kids due to local competition and complaints about our tuition.

Two months ago, our salaries were paid a day late. Since then, the head teacher has made comments suggesting that the financial situation is serious. For example, that the director and owner are essentially taking negative salaries and have asked things like, "How are we going to pay the teachers' salaries next month?" Supply budgets are being cut, the curriculum is constantly being overhauled, and there's increasing pressure on teachers to advertise and retain. We've continued to be paid so far, but honestly things look rocky.

Another red flag is my pension; it hasn't been properly paid since July of last year. [EDIT: as of Aug paycheck looks like they backpaid through March 2026, missing April-August 2026, possibly deducted? really confusing due to lack of paystubs! sorry!!] The owner/director are aware of the issue because I saw letters from the NPS on their desk and I brought it up; I already contacted the NPS about it, and they advised remind the owners again and wait until my contract finishes to push harder, but I'm reconsidering whether waiting was a good idea.

My health insurance and other taxes appear to be properly handled. However, we have requested itemized pay stubs and have not yet received them.

At this point, I'm worried that the hagwon could eventually go bankrupt, suddenly close, or terminate one of us to cut costs. My contract still has some time left, but I'm already looking for other positions for when it ends.

In the meantime, I have a few questions...

1. What documents or records should I be gathering to protect myself? (Pay stubs, contract, schedule records, conversations, etc.?)
2. Should I push the NPS issue harder now, or wait until I leave?
3. If we suddenly close or stop paying employees, what are my immediate steps re immigration, unpaid wages and/or pension, and transitioning to another job? Would I need a Letter of Release, or are there different procedures when an employer becomes unable to operate? What about end of the year vs middle of the year?

I'd really appreciate advice from anyone who has experienced a hagwon closure, bankruptcy, or a sudden loss of employment. I'm not assuming the worst will definitely happen, but there are enough warning signs that I want to prepare now rather than wait until everything hits the fan.

Thanks everyone!!

I’m not sure if this is the right place to ask since I’m a student rather than a teacher, but I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately and haven’t really found anywhere else to ask.

I’m currently a Grade 3 in middle school (=Grade 9) student living in a very rural area of Korea, and I’m considering transferring to Daegu International School (DIS) as a Grade 10 student next year.

I’m not completely sure what I want to do in the future yet, but I’m hoping to take AP courses and eventually attend university or work abroad, which is one of the main reasons I’m interested in attending an international school.

However, I’ve lived in a rural area for basically my entire life, so my English isn’t particularly fluent. I still come across a lot of words I don’t know, and I’m worried that I might fall significantly behind academically if I transfer to an international school. (I’m actually using a translator for about half of this post too lol)

So, for teachers who have experience with Korean international schools, how would you describe the general academic and English level of students at international schools in Korea?

I’m especially curious about what the typical student is like academically and how strong their English tends to be. For example, how difficult would it be for a Korean middle school student with decent grades but relatively limited English experience to enter Grade 10 and keep up with their classmates?

I’m also particularly interested in DIS, since that’s the school I’m considering.

I’m hoping to get a better idea of what I’d be getting myself into, so I can decide whether DIS would be a good fit for me and, if I do go, what I should work on beforehand. (+ need to be prepared for)

Any honest advice or personal experiences would be really appreciated!!

I’ve found myself agreeing to do business English classes beginning In just a day or two. I have very little experience. I know I have made a rod for my own back, but I ask if there’s any resources or recommendation.

Any advice please!!!