TEFL forum

[eslbase]

This message is posted on behalf of Sean:

This is for anyone interested in teaching positions in South Korea. I strongly advise you to be cautious about any positions offered by Honors Review Academy in South Korea. This school has had a very large turnover rate among foreign teachers. The manager, Harry, is very discriminating against foreign teachers. We had a young woman here who desperately needed to go home to be with a very ill family member. When she requested time off, she was refused, and not in a very nice or sympathetic way. She then quit so that she could go home. The same manager has also made remarks during staff meetings about the superiority of Korean teachers versus foreign teachers. Teachers are also constantly held accountable for all students' failures and problems.

Hopefully, you can find a better position with a different academy in South Korea. South Korea itself does have a very high turnover rate as they find it very difficult to keep foreign teachers; hence, the reason for the bonus money at the end of your one year contract. As a former Peace Corps Volunteer for the U.S., I can assure you that this is not a good environment. Best of luck to you in your search for a good and rewarding position.

This message is posted on behalf of Sean:

This is for anyone interested in teaching positions in South Korea. I strongly advise you to be cautious about any positions offered by Honors Review Academy in South Korea.

Seems to be one of those ugly hagwons.
Most likely, foreign teachers are better off when signung up with a public school (College, University). I remember having had a good time with them more than 1o years ago.

I would like to say that I know and respect Sean as a person and a teacher. What happened to him was unacceptable, and a terrible example of how things can go wrong when working in a foreign country.

However, I currently work at Honors Review academy and I am very happy with my job. I would like to encourage people to apply here, and assure you that things are much better since the terrible incident with Sean. When I first arrived at this school, things were not great. Since Sean has left, we have changed head-teachers, and have had more success in dealing with the manager here.

Please do not judge our school based on this incident. Again, there is no excuse for how Sean was treated, but things are quite different now. As for the other incident mentioned by Sean, I was not here when it happened. I have heard a much different story than the one Sean recounts, however, from my co-workers. I will not make any judgements, but, while everyone agrees that Sean was treated unfairly, many disagree that the female teacher he mentioned was completely honest about her situation and assert that she was lying to get out of her contract.

Please apply to our school. We have over one-hundred and fifty new students, and need good teachers who are willing to work. It is not easy, but it is rewarding.

Thank you.