Monthly Rant Thread

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.

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

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?

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.

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!!!

Heya Redditors, I would like your advice/thoughts on my delicate situation, especially from African American teachers!

So I used to teach in a middle school where half of the kids in third grade have behavioural issues. Of those kids, the boys in particular would sometimes casually use the N word in conversations. I have told them not to use this word once or twice with a co-teacher present and explained that it is highly offensive with serious repercussions in North America. Personally, I don't think they necessarily understood the severity nor would heed my words. I also am not confident that my co-teachers or the school management would punish the kids for using the N word. I worry that an African-American teacher would end up teaching in my school and be subjected to hearing their students say the N word, without proper support from the Korean staff.

Well, that day has come. My replacement teacher is African-American and they will begin classes by next week. I am wondering: should I warn them ahead of time that some of the grade 3 boys may say the word out of ignorance (and possibly some extent of racism)? The part that is stopping me is that I do want the teacher to get to know the work environment and the students before making any judgement, because there are good things about the job/school/students. If I tell them immediately, I fear that they would develop a negative bias without giving the school and the students a chance at best, and at worst they may pull a midnight run.

So, to tell or not to tell? Thanks for reading.

I've been teaching English in Korea for 5 years and have had the opportunity to work on the hiring side of an academy. I made a free PDF of the most common questions they would want me to ask potential new teachers coming in to work for them. So this is for anyone who is getting ready to move to Korea and starting the hiring process and wants to prep for some potential interview questions. I've also included some questions to ask back to make sure you're not getting any unfair deals or something you were not aware of. If you found this usefull let me know!

I've been in Korea for almost 6 weeks and have not gotten paid.

The reason is because I cannot open a bank account because I don't have an ARC card.

Tomorrow I should be getting the ARC card. It is supposedly ready at the immigration office.

For those of you who opened a bank account in Korea, will I be able to do it with just my passport and ARC card? PLEASE do not tell me I'll need more than that. Also, I only have an American phone number. I plan to use Hana Bank.

If you opened your own bank account, PLEASE let me know if it was easy with just a passport and ARC card. Is there anything else I need???

Please DO NOT say alarmist or critical stuff for fun. I'm in a very stressful situation and I'm asking for help.

Hi all!
I recently received an offer from a school that has two campuses: a Korean kindy and an English kindy. I’ll be based at the Korean kindy, but on certain days of the week, I’ll go to the English campus to teach one elementary class.
Is this a normal arrangement?

I’m currently on an E-2 visa and recently saw an advertisement for a private tutoring position once a week. My understanding is that E-2 visa holders are generally restricted to working only at their school/hagwon so I’m not sure whether this would be possible or what the proper process would be.

Have any E-2 teachers considered or explored taking on additional teaching work while employed at a hagwon/school? Any advice is appreciated.

I did a midnight run earlier this year and I’m now looking to come back to Korea.

My old contract ends around Nov 1st and my ARC expires later in November. I spoke to immigration and apparently my school never reported that I stopped working there, so I have to wait for it to expire.

I’m speaking to recruiters now for jobs starting afterwards. Does the new school just apply for a completely new VIN/E-2? And can they start that process before my current visa expires but after my contract end date, or do they have to wait?

Would love to hear from anyone who’s midnight run and successfully come back on a new E-2!

Hey everyone, looking for some updated info to add to the many posts about Moreland's program.

I have been teaching at Korean universities for many years, but want to transition to international schools or other positions in education, and a teaching license is the necessary next step. Many previous posts have mentioned that they did their practicum (module 8) at their hagwon, but are several years old. Can anyone confirm that this is still possible?

Other online programs have very specific requirements about placement schools and mentor teachers (specifically that they must be a national curriculum at a full elementary/secondary school), which, as someone with a young family who can't drop everything to do this for months/years, is just not feasible.

While my specific question is about doing module 8 at a hagwon (or even my uni? - freshmen are 18...), any other updated info about the program for somebody in my particular position would be greatly appreciated. I would love to take a full-on M.Ed to expand my education at the same time as getting licensed (something like Western Governors University programs look great), but the practicum limitations for someone in their 40s making a slight pivot is unrealistic for me at this time. So, I'm looking at Moreland since it seems to be specifically geared for this.

Thank you for reading and I am looking forward to your responses.

Edit: While this post is here, anyone who has some insight as to the M.Ed extension that Moreland offers would be appreciated as well. Is there any legit learning going on there? I already have a masters so that peice of paper isnt necessary... but it could be worth it if I could actually learn something, leverage a degree in curriculum design for the future, and Im already 9 months deep anyway. Im caught between my genuine desire to learn and just getting what I need to check boxes.

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.

I'm asking about the possibility to teach arabic in south korea as its my native tongue but I'm not sure how or where to apply and what kind of visa would i require or ask for ?

Hello!

To preface, I work in a kindergarten and elementary level hagwon! I have a close Korean teacher friend who is an instructor at the same academy who gives several of her students her Kakao. Her students contact her frequently even past midnight (when we are out drinking together) and she scheduled meetups with them this weekend. The kids are in elementary grade (about 10-12 years old I believe) and I just think it is a little weird. She asked me for advice about juggling her commitments with them and I just told her I have no clue because I wouldn't have given them my contact anyway due to professional boundaries. She met with them to have food, go to a photobooth, and then a board game cafe.

Is this normal in Korea?

I'm just curious.

Thanks in advance!

So I've been in this academy for a few months now and i just assumed that everyone else was getting salary deductions for rent that the housing the academy provided. Went through the contract and it's not very clear and I've also talked to other teachers who aren't paying salary deductions. I have also talked to the academy and they ain't backing down and simply saying if the housing is above 600,000 provided or not, the rest is up to the employee to pay for.

The rent is very high here which is understandable, but if the housing is provided isn't it solely the academy that should be paying the rent? What's the next step? MOEL?