[livinginkorea]

Hi Whistleblower,

I have worked is a couple of different hagwons (private schools for everybody outside of korea) since I first came here back in 2004. It's true that most of the time they do things that is totally baffling to me but let's remember that they are managers not teachers. Some of them might have taught a few classes but they are more concerned about making money than anything else.

You have to understand that the hagwon situation came about very recently about 10 years ago into full swing. The economy was doing well and all the companies wanted graduates who spoke English and also many students were travelling abroad and studying in Ivy League schools so all of a sudden English had to be learnt from the 3rd Grade onwards. As a result a lot of mothers were screaming for hagwons and they sprung up with no thought about how or what to teach. In Korea it seems that once their child goes to a hagwon with a native English teacher then they will think that he/she will progress and it's true that they should progress more in pronunciation, speech and listening more than their Korean English teachers as the majority of their English teachers have not had proper training.

Therefore a lot of private schools here seem very unorganised as their bosses mostly care about getting the cash and you keeping the students happy rather than what exactly you teach. One of my friends had to constantly play games with all his classes as his boss said so and it made him feel like a clown constantly and the kids had no respect for him. The management were more concerned about keeping the kids "enterained" than actually allowing them to study. It's all about the money in most cases. It's sad but true.

I am in a new hagwon now, basically because it's part time and the money is great but to be honest the owners (husband and wife, which is also very common in Korea) don't have much of an idea and seem to be relying on me a lot. I don't mind relying on me for the teaching but I won't run the school. I won't answer the phones and take the money. Not unless they will pay me for it too.