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Expectations - English Teachers in KOREA
Smoking
Teachers are strictly prohibited from smoking within the school
premises. Respectable females in Korean society do not indulge in
smoking and the act also creates a negative impression of the
individual, especially for a teaching professional who is a lady. This
might also have an adverse effect on the prospective teacher’s career in
South Korea. However, it is not a taboo to smoke in public, if the
smoker is ready to face the consequences.
Alcohol
Intake of alcohol during school hours is prohibited. Teachers are
subject to dismissal if found untimely intoxicated/ under the influence
of alcohol within the periphery of the school. However, outside school,
consumption of alcohol is allowed. The same stigma is attached to
females who drink excessively as is for smoking.
Drugs
Narcotics and use of illegal drugs not only promises to damage the
career of an ESL teacher in South Korea, but also is a prosecutable
activity under Korean law. The laws are strict and penalties are
crushing for use and trafficking of illegal drugs in the country. The
ESL teacher certified by ATI and teaching in South Korea by choice is
expected to be responsible and sensible enough to comprehend and
accordingly respect South Korean laws and regulations.
Sexual Harassment and maltreatment
Making sexual advances towards or entering into relationships with the
students or co-teachers at school is strictly prohibited and offenders
may even have to face fine and detention.
Korean Culture
Korea is a land of strict Confucian hierarchy and etiquette. Buddhism
has greatly influenced Korean society, culture, and the arts. South
Korean cultural etiquettes may sometimes appear unusual to visitors.
However, some useful tips could acquaint visitors with these otherwise
strange practices. Korea has always proved to be a foreigner friendly
place where all the tourists are taken into its arms and adopted like
they are family. There is no dearth of intimacy and affection in South
Korea. Koreans are quite passionate about their cultural heritage and
expect similar conduct from the foreign teachers. Therefore, absorbing
and adapting to Korean culture and customs, respecting rites and
beliefs, at least superficially is considered to be a healthy effort
that can augment one’s teaching career in South Korea.
Korean society places a high value on the multi-generational family,
respect for elders, and education. Located between two Asian super
powers, the land is as generous as its people, whose zest for life is
reflected in their culture and traditions. In some ways Korean culture
is a pleasant blend between Japanese simplicity and Chinese ornate ness
.As a mark of respect Koreans usually take off their shoes before
entering someone's home, temple. Public displays of affection between
man and woman are not permissible. Almost all South Korean Villages have
a headman who is considered as the guardian of that village, holds the
most respectable position in the society. Koreans place a high value on
formality. This is reflected in the different levels of speech used to
address people of a different age or rank. Individuals of a higher rank
or older age are treated with more reverence than individuals of a lower
rank or younger age.
When first meeting a Korean, he or she may ask you questions that you
may find to be very personal such as your age, family background, etc.
This is not considered to be an invasion of privacy or an act of
disrespect. The purpose of these questions is to establish your age and
rank in order to determine how to address you with the correct level of
formality. It is also done to get to know you better. Koreans want to
know your family background because they believe it reveals a lot about
a person’s character. Knowing the family background of an individual can
give them clues about how the individual was raised and what kind of
values he or she holds.
Public expression of anger or agitation and indulgence in violence and
confrontation is bound to earn aversion for a foreigner in South Korea.
Aggressive and abrasive mode of communication is detested in South
Korea. It is thoroughly recommended for all native English speakers to
temporarily mould one’s conduct towards politeness, till the time they
chose to live in South Korea. It is always wise to discuss individual
problems and dissatisfactions with ATI, rather than exploding in public.
A calm, friendly, understanding, patient and smiling person will achieve
far greater things in Korea than someone who is hot-headed or
quick-tempered. Expressing anger will only be aggravating the worse.
Health / Illness
Adapting to a new climate, culture, food habit and way of life is always
strenuous for a visitor to a new country. Thus, it is not unusual to
bear the brunt by falling ill, initially. Understandably, travelers/health
insurance for at least 1 month is a must-buy for those teachers
traveling to Thailand to do the TESOL program. However, health care is
cheap and of high standard in Thailand. Medication and doctor visits are
amazingly inexpensive. Providers of Health Insurance in Thailand are
companies like BUPA or AIA.
Our ESL teachers in South Korea are eligible for paid sick leave if an
illness or injury prevents him/her from performing the duties under this
contract, provided, however, that he/she obtains Employer’s prior
consent. When Employee takes a sick leave for more than seven
consecutive days (inclusive of a National Holiday, Saturday and Sunday),
teachers are required to submit a medical doctor’s report to Employer.
Teacher’s paid sick leave during the Term of Employment shall not exceed
fifteen calendar days. If teacher requires a sick leave for more than
fifteen calendar days, Employee may take a longer sick leave without
pay. Employee’s sick leave is limited to thirty calendar days in total
including paid and unpaid leave.
Teachers may sometimes need to adjust their free periods in compensating
the absence of an individual teacher. A foreign ESL teacher might as
well need to substitute in their free periods. Certain contracts often
hold the clause of paying for overtime. This system of substitution is
applicable for all teachers in time of emergency.
Extra Curricular Activities
Regular school hours and schedules or beyond often accommodate extra
curricular activities/ parties/ special days and celebrations which are
good opportunities to mingle with the students and the teaching and
non-teaching staffs of the school. Such activities would also present a
foreign teacher to the community as they attend staff parties, field
trips, weddings, dinner invitations etc. It is definitely an affirmative
move from the side of the foreign ESL teacher if they participate in
some of these activities.
Discrepancies
If any discrepancies arise between what the school asks the
TESOL-trained teacher to do and the contract the ESL teacher have with
ATI should be reported to the ATI Coordinator. Often times these
discrepancies result from a communication error. By allowing the school
and ATI to discuss the matter, it is hoped, and been proven, that most
of these issues can be resolved much easier, faster and with less
cultural tensions than if the teacher attempt to resolve them alone.
Often these schools want their ESL teacher to do many extra little
things because they want to take advantage of the fact that they finally
have a foreigner working at their school. If you don’t mind doing a few
extra little things… great, AND this is the best way to get involved and
score extra PAID work after school hours. The more involved you are, the
more liked you will be and the more people you will meet, thus more
opportunities will arise. However, we all need our own time and you will
need to know when to say “Sorry, I can’t do that”.
Testimonials
Traveling
the world has been a life long dream of mine. When this opportunity
was presented to me by an advisor at my university, I knew it was
what I was looking for!
