During the two-day event held at the Olympic Parktel in southern Seoul, Prof. Kevin Price of Kyung Hee University presented his experiences about Korea as an English teacher. Also, the other foreigners shared their experiences with each other. They also watched a famous performance in the evening and took a city tour on a boat cruise.
The article closed with some application information.
The program teachers can earn 1.5-2.5 million won per month according to their degrees and teaching certificates and will receive an entrance and settlement allowance and free single furnished housing. Successful candidates will conduct English conversation classes with Korean co-teachers.
*cough* Anyway, in the article they didn't actually talk to any foreign teachers, though on the same day a few teachers shared their thoughts on the program. From Connie Defalco's "Teaching Guidelines, Training Needed!":
South Korea is not well known in Canada compared to Japan, so, originally, I was going to try to teach in Japan. My daughter is currently teaching English at a Japanese university. After doing research on Japan and Korea, I realized that South Korea would suit me better. Busan is not far from Japan and the Korean alphabet was much easier to learn. I also felt that the EPIK contract was better than Japan's JET program's contract. I was also very impressed with the government's commitment to English education in Korea.
I think the most difficult time was when I first arrived in Busan. I didn’t know what to expect. At our orientation, EPIK told us that they could not tell us what to expect because everyone's experience would be different. Since I never worked as a teacher, I would have appreciated being able to observe some English classes before I began teaching. I would have appreciated being given a lesson outline and told: ``Teach this your first week.’’ I would have appreciated seeing videos of actual classes depicting different experiences.
I also find it difficult to have to depend on a Korean friend or co-worker to help me do simple tasks like ordering merchandise or buying a ticket online.
From Penny Li's "More Communication With School Principals!":
I admire my principal very much for his efforts in becoming capable in English all on his own without majoring in it in university or going to a foreign land. I also respect his passion for English education at his schools.
Of course, not all principals are like the one mentioned above, and that is mainly where most of my difficulties originate. Most principals are not capable of communicating directly with me, which would usually involve the co-teacher as a medium of up-down communication within the school. However, the Korean-English teachers are very busy people, who tend not to ask the principal for the school's support in developing new English initiatives, since doing so would potentially risk their relationship with their superior for the rest of their teaching career at that particular school.
From Danielle Henderson's "Korean Skills a Must for Future Teachers!":
In regards to schedule changes and exam dates, it appears that the last people to be informed are the native English teachers, in my case anyways. For example, I would go to class and, either it would be empty, or my students would have a confused look on their face. I would then return to my desk in the office and my co-teachers would find me and inform me that the schedule had changed. There was another time when I arrived to school only to be told to go home because the students had an exam and that my classes were cancelled. I soon realized that things are done differently here. So I had to adapt and expect that my schedule may change at any moment.
The teachers also offered advice and tried to come to some conclusions. From Defalco:
My advice for future EPIK teachers: inform yourself. Read about Korean customs and culture. Use the EPIK mentor program and support personnel if you have questions or issues. In your first week, bring bread or cake to share with your co-workers. Expect that after the initial honeymoon period, the students will probably be more talkative and your class management skills will become more important. Finally, just do your best, that's all that can be expected.
Li:
In order for EPIK teachers to function more effectively within their schools, I think it is essential to have a English education budget in each school in which EPIK teachers are placed. It can then be readily accessed for purchasing more fitting English textbooks as well as developing new education programs, since changing the hierarchical structure at Korean public schools would be very difficult in the short term. Also, I think it is necessary at this point for EPIK to organize seminars for principals of EPIK schools in order for them to gain a fuller understanding of the teaching goals of EPIK teachers, so the EPIK program would be more integrated into the Korean public education system.
Henderson:
Tips for future EPIK teachers: get to know your students, ask them questions and do your research. For example, find out what music groups or singers are popular. I did just that. When I told my students that I enjoyed listening to Big Bang and the Wonder Girls, not only were they impressed that I knew of these groups, but they were proud that I took an interest in Korean music. Finding a commonality can also open many doors with regards to mutual understanding.
From Suzanne Wagener's "'No to Corporal Punishment for Discipline'":
EPIK is an ideal way to bring English to students. As more teachers participate and give feedback, the program will go from strength to strength. A greater focus at the elementary level of schooling, where students are keen to learn, and less at the high school level, where some students don’t see the value of continuing with English education, may be a better allocation of resources.
I have only experienced students at a boys’ middle school in Cheongju and I have found these students to be polite and, on most occasions, well behaved. I have used the strategy of focusing on good behavior ― and rewarding ``good English’’ has worked well. I have not had responsibility for implementing any discipline and I have struggled at times to watch boys receiving the ``cane’’ for infractions. I believe that teachers should be role models for their students and using corporal punishment for discipline seems to me to be condoning violence and bullying.
And Grahame Wagener's "Encourage Students to Speak English Publicly!":
My advice to new EPIK teachers is to be tolerant, observe, try to immerse yourself in Korean culture, make an effort to learn Korean, be flexible because last minute change frequently happens, but above all enjoy.
I'm surprised EPIK has stayed afloat so long given the generally bad reviews it has received, though many of the complaints---disorganization, inflexibility, professional stagnation---are endemic to native speaker teaching jobs in Korea and not exclusive to EPIK. But that it's affiliated with the government has apparently allayed fears of applicants, because EPIK is still around. What I think will be more prohibitive, should applicants bother to do research, is that wages have been stagnant for years, and that the pay scales haven't changed in at least four years. When wages don't increase, and when professional develoment is neither offered or rewarded, teachers don't feel much incentive to stick around longer than one year. For a longer discussion of that, and links to more damning reviews, see this post from last month. As I saw it back when I came to Korea, moving to another country is such a time-consuming ordeal that it wouldn't be worth all the trouble for just one year.
Ah, also worth mentioning that the winners of the EPIK essay contest were announced a couple of weeks ago. The above-quoted Henderson won a bronze prize, Li and Defalco received honorable mentions, as did Mokpo's Jamie Edwards, so congratulations to him. The full list is available on this board, post number 66. I'd be curious to read the essays, though I doubt they'll be released publicly.
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