Teach English in Korea with EPIK
EPIK (English Program in Korea) is a program to improve the English speaking abilities of students and teachers in Korea, to foster cultural exchanges, and to reform English teaching methodologies in Korea. It is affiliated with the Korean Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MEST) and is operated by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED). Established in 1995, EPIK program encourages cross cultural exchanges while promoting the development of English language competence for Korean students.
As an EPIK English instructor in South Korea, your everyday duties will be:
* To conduct English conversation classes for Korean teachers and students
* To prepare teaching materials for English language education
* To assist in developing teaching for English language education
* To assist with activities related to English language education and other extracurricular activities
* Have a good command of the English Language
Reviews
90%Overall
Rating
80%Overall
Rating
Korea is great place for traveling, meeting people and saving money. On Jeju the summer time is amazing for camping, hiking, beach volleyball and of course beaches. The winters are mild and there is always a group of foreigners up to something, whether it be yoga, taekwondo, or a Jeju Furey event. It also never ceases to amaze me how talented some of the people are here when it comes to art and music. As for EPIK, things are changing. They were talking about expecting a years experience to start, couples may not be placed together in the same city or area and you can't choose where you live. Whether these are in full effect, make sure to ask your recruiter.
Your schools are a crap shoot really. I've worked at amazing schools with amazing students and I've had the worst. Sometimes you have great co-teachers and sometimes you have ones that are hard to work with or none at all. My advice is try not to take it too seriously and go with the flow.
Critical Feedback:
There is no career advancement with EPIK. All you'll ever be is a "foreign" teacher which is regarded as the bottom of the totem pole. If you are an experienced teacher, this can get very frustrating. Get used to being the last to know what is going on with your classes and always expect last minute changes. EPIK on Jeju is not very well organized.
90%Overall
Rating
Teaching in Korea has been a very rewarding experience. My students are terrific, even if it is hard to get them to pay attention some days. The kids generally are not in your class willingly to learn English and the textbook materials are HORRIBLE. There are times when I feel like a marionette because the schools sometimes decide they want to overly control me and what I teach, even if I go by the book. It is kind of like I am a bragging right for the school: "Look! We have a native English teacher!" The support you receive is awesome and the orientation they hold before you start is pretty well done. There are opportunities to do things like temple stays and festivals, so you won't be bored easily. The transportation system within Korea is amazing. The downside is that there is a LOT of desk warming. You are contracted to teach 22 hours and work 40 hours a week, so you potentially have at least 18 hours of sitting at your desk not doing much. The pay and benefits are great. My schools are fantastic and I have a good support base. Other English teachers in my city, and from what I can tell other cities do this too, have a network online to help each other and get together to do things. If you are vegetarian or vegan, it will be hard to satisfy your diet, but it is not impossible. Food is very expensive here. Every month the city has a meeting of EPIK teachers to discuss problems and train you some more. I am glad I decided to teach through EPIK, mainly because I know if I have a problem there is a network in place to help me and that it is not easy for schools to take advantage of my contract, as in decide to work me past my contracted hours without paying me and that sort of thing.
Critical Feedback:
The orientation was well done if you were teaching elementary school. There are hardly any resources readily available for middle school and high school students and they did not train you for what to do as a young foreign person in the work place. Korean society has a hierarchy based on age and gender. As a young, white woman (I am the youngest teacher at my schools), I am the lowest ranked person on the totem pole but it can be extremely hard to get anything done with this hierarchy in place without the training to know how to do it.
80%Overall
Rating
I've just started my second contract and I'm really enjoying my time in Busan. The social scene is great and the summer on the beaches is fantastic. The job itself varies from school to school. I've been lucky in that I've got good co teachers but the kids are quite disrespectful. Some classes are a nightmare even with a co-teacher.
Overall i'd advise new teachers to apply, I imagine it can get quite boring if you're experienced and want a real challenge.
Critical Feedback:
I don't like the fact that we're often the only teachers desk warming. I think that when other teachers are allowed to leave the school that we should be also. I think the contract should be updated to include spring break into our vacation. I sat on my own in the school in february last year for three weeks. It was freezing cold and we weren't provided with lunch. Half of my friends were given that time off while myself and the other half were forced to sit and wait until 4.30 before going home.
100%Overall
Rating
I have nothing bad to say about EPIK. It is the softest cushion into teaching abroad. Korea is a really interesting country, there is so much to see and do.
They provide excellent training and a soft way into the extremely unique culture. You teach with a co teacher (most Elementary EPIK teachers) so you are not alone in the classroom. The schools have lots of English resources, and if you do have any problems so many people can help you.
The pay and accommodation (living in your own apt) are fantastic! It's really easy to travel within Asia from Korea. I could not nto say enough about how great EPIK is!
If you have more questions about the process, check out my blog post, or want to read more about Korean life check it out!
http://nicoleyoleravioli.blog.com/how-to-teach-with-epikin-koreain-asia/
Critical Feedback:
The only difficult part is not knowing what part of the country you will teach in until after you arrive in Korea!
90%Overall
Rating
I have been teaching through EPIK in Gumi, South Korea for 3 months and wanted to give some insight for people thinking about it.
Let me get the one problem with the EPIK program out of the way first...you don't have any control over where you live. When you apply you can request 'metro' or 'rural' but when you get on your flight over here you only know what province you will be living in. Some people can't take the required leap of faith but if you can have a good attitude about it you will be fine.
It's also important to understand that everyone will have a different situation. My city has 350,000 people in it..some of my friends are in towns of 10,000. Everyone has different experiences with co-teachers, schools, living conditions and anything you can think of. I am telling you how my experience has been.
TEACHING: You are suppose to teach with a Korean co-teacher at all times. Although some people don't, I luckily teach with a great co-teacher every single class. We make lesson plans together and do everything as a team, and although this makes things take longer to plan and organize it is the best strategy. 90% of your classes will be awesome, but there will always be one or two classes that make you want to pull your hair out...it's just the way it goes. Everyone at my school is really friendly and very helpful despite the language barrier. I only teach my 22 hours and I do them in a variety of ways...4th and 6th grade normal classes, reading to 1st and 2nd graders for 'story time' in the morning, after school classes for low level 5th graders (only 4 kids in each class) and a friday afternoon teachers class where other teachers can work on their English with me. For someone who has no teaching experience and was a Finance major in college it has been an easier transition to the classroom than I thought it would be.
HOUSING: Everyone has a small apartment, but thankfully mine has two rooms. For living by myself it is perfect. A small kitchen but has most things you would need to cook and the location is great. I am a 5 minute walk to school and most people never live far from school. Also, you won't pay rent...more on that in a second. It is a little cold in the winter but if you want to pay for the heating you can just use it as much as you need.
PAY: This is one of the main attractions to teaching in Korea. They will pay for your flight here and back. Your housing is paid for. Your salary starting out with no experience is about $1850 a month. Every month they take about $100 out into a pension fund and the school matches it. You will get it back when you leave Korea! When you finish the contract you will get a one month bonus. Your bills are cheap (about $125 a month for everything for me) and you can eat really cheap too.
Social life: It's really easy to meet other English teachers, and you will make really good friends at orientation. Most younger Koreans are friendly too and may want to practice their English with you! Every weekend can bring a new adventure in another city, or you can learn all the good spots to go in your home city. In the fall months there is always some festival or even to go to and with public transportation is very easy to get all over the country.
Overall I tell everyone I know that is interested in teaching English abroad to give the EPIK program a look. Financially it is one of the best in the world, but the benefits go way beyond that. Korea is a safe country, with a wonderful public transportation system that lets you see every single part of this beautiful country. The language is not that difficult to pick up some basics quickly and the overall experience will leave you a much better rounded person than when you first arrive.
If you are reading this and any part of you wants to teach through the EPIK program...please go for it...I promise you down the road you will NEVER regret it!
60%Overall
Rating
I did not enjoy my experience in Korea. There are good and bad things I experienced (which I will lay out for you) but in my opinion the bad outweighed the good.
Good:
-Pay is good relative to living conditions, especially when you factor in the free rent. However, bill prices vary (whether you have gas or electric only, whether you have a "maintenance fee" for your apartment, etc) and there's nothing you can do about it as the school chooses the apartment for you. They also pay for your flight over and back and you get a bonus month's pay at the end and some countries can get the pension money back, all of which add up to a nice lump of cash at the end.
-If you live in a city, the social life is great. Bar hopping in Busan with my fellow waygooks always turned out to be a fun night out, as did the beach in the summer. I met some really awesome people who will be my friends for life.
Bad:
-This is not all Koreans, I'm sure, but many of them, especially the older generation, are VERY xenophobic towards anyone not Korean. Particularly towards anyone with dark skin, or Japanese people.
- Some people get excellent support at their schools, but I didn't. I was basically left to teach by myself most of the time (with elementary kids who spoke little to no english, including a pack of demonic 7 year olds that I came to just detest by the end of the year). There was little to no actual "co-teaching". Also, I basically had to beg to have help dealing with my landlady (who spoke 0 english), with banking issues, etc. My co-teacher usually helped me but she always seemed to do it begrudgingly and like it was a waste of her time.
Bottom line: if you can put up with people treating you like crap and being left alone with kids who don't respect anyone foreign, the pay is pretty good and the social life can be awesome. If you are someone with a low BS tolerance like me, the money and social life does not make up for it and you will be itching to get away by 6 months in.
80%Overall
Rating
I am 2.5 months into my contract. I am a certified teacher with 2 years teaching experience in the States.
Program: As mentioned before, you don't really have a clue as to where you will be placed until a. you get here or b. the teacher you are replacing finds you on Facebook and gives you a heads up (I got lucky here). The placement, school, and apartment situations vary greatly. Some teachers teach at multiple schools, some have only one. Some teachers have rather large one-bedroom apartments, some live in tiny studios. Some teachers have a 50/50 teaching relationship with Korean co-teachers, some are human parrots. Some teachers teach more than the required 24 classes and get paid overtime, some teachers teach less than 24 classes per week. Some teachers have nearly fluent students, some teachers have very low level students. It's really the luck of the draw.
Life: Varies due to placement in larger city vs. town vs. very rural. Expat community is well connected and thriving in certain areas despite actual size of community. It is what you make of it, if you stay cooped up in your apartment and never attempt to experience what Korea has to offer then it will be a very long year. Joining a gym, joining a sports league, hiking, Templestays, etc. If you make connections and explore the country time will fly.
Finances: The pay is great, and the expenses are minimal. My Korean bills total to about $120 per month (including iphone contract, water, apartment maintenance fee, and gas). Your pay is at least $1,600 per month and that's at the very bottom of the pay scale, it's very easy to make/save money here in Korea.
Teaching: As an experienced teacher I can say that it is not a challenge at all and I do get bored with the lessons. I do have a little freedom in that I follow the curriculum but do not have to teach directly from the book. If you are new to teaching it will give you a great introduction and experience in a classroom. If you've taught before you will not feel fulfilled as a trained teacher.
My Rating: So far so good! There are downsides, but everything in life has a downside. Do these downsides outweigh my new happiness and peace of mind? No. You have to adapt, that's the name of the game. I would recommend EPIK to all that are interested in either teaching, or living abroad as it gives a glimpse of what it is like in both areas. If you are an experienced teacher, just be aware that it is less work and less fulfilling than an actual classroom.
100%Overall
Rating
Every single day Korea and it's wonderful culture took me on a journey. I experienced naughty, misbehaved, rude, cocky, loving, caring, hard working, hilarious, smart, lazy, and sweet students as well as teachers every single day. I thought that South Africa is a multi-cultural country, but these Koreans aren't far behind. As a teacher straight out of University, all of a sudden I was faced with teaching these students while discovering what kind of teacher I want to be in the process. Day to day experiences for me was me constantly trying to explain something to either my co-teacher, principle, students, lady at the supermarket, the bank or even just ordering a pizza. This taught me one of two things. 1.) Patience and 2.) How to play Charades.
The school didn't offer me any training or support. If I asked a question, my co-teacher would either laugh at me or just ignore me. Asking for help, was followed by a sigh. I managed to open my own bank account, get my own Cell-Phone, pay my own bills and find my way around. Your probable thinking: "What's so hard about doing the above?". Well try doing it in a foreign language you can't speak or understand. Except for the lack of help and communication from my schools and co-teachers, I had Amazing Schools compared to my friend's schools. My Main School's Principle was extremely nice (maybe too nice if you know what I mean), I got send home early often and were invited to numerous field trips, which I accepted gladly. Something I loved about the schools here, is that you get school lunch at the school. I was open to trying everything. At first I didn't like the food and they ate way too much rice for me. Eating basically the same food every single day, one get used to the food very quickly and after 2 months I was hooked.
Because of the big culture difference, what was important to me wasn't necessarily important to them and visa versa. It was very difficult for the schools to actually fully fulfill my needs. I only approached one of my main school's co-teachers when it was really important, like for example dates regarding Summer and Winter Camps, information about my contract and sometimes transportation around Korea.
As a woman alone in a foreign country it's rare to find another woman who felt save 100% of the time. You hear stories about burglaries and assaults anywhere in the world. But yes, I felt save 99% of the time. Whereas South Africa would be a 50%.
I live in an extremely Rural area so everybody in the town new me. At least 8 parents tried to convince me to help them or their sons with English, but we weren't allowed to work outside our contracts. Everyone was so friendly, the woman at the bank, the cashiers at the grocery market, and the other subject area teachers at my schools.
I came in with the concept of being a "yes-man". Now, a "yes-man" is someone who says yes when asked to do something. That worked for the first 3 months until I realized that 3 months had passed and I haven't had one day of rest. I was so tired all the time. People started getting frustrated with me because I couldn't commit to all of their requests. I decided to take a break from everything and everyone and spent some time on my own. That's when the growth started. I decided what is important for me and not other people. This led to me not having tea time with my Principle every single day, going on trips with him every single day and having dinner with him and his wive every night. This new change could have been taken the wrong way from other people, looking like I'm not interested anymore or don't care anymore. But this also showed me who my real friends are. Sticking by me no matter what. I wouldn't have changed this strategy because I believe that this positive attitude in the beginning gave a good first impression.
The only thing I would have wanted to know is how difficult it is to find grocery items. I would have brought it with me and not pay so much money shipping it here. As a 2 feet tall woman I had to bring a lot of extra clothes, because I heard that it's so hard to find clothes in your size. That is definitely the case with shoes, but I haven't had trouble finding clothes though. I would have brought less clothes and more personal items.
School supplies wasn't a problem. They gave me the textbooks and recordings I had to use in class. Every classroom had a computer, TV, Projector and White Board. I had my own computer with internet and I could print and copy as many papers as I'd like. One of my schools had a color printer.
You have your misbehaved students here and there, but nothing I couldn't handle. You have to keep in mind that what might seem like misbehavior to you, isn't necessarily considered rude to the students. A lot of misinterpretation can happen, so make sure before punishing a student.
This Program broadened my field of expertise. I'm only qualified to teach High School Students in the field of Life Orientation and Life Orientation Psychology. Now I'm excited to go work in an Elematary School and be an English Teacher.
I am very sad to leave after one year. I'm going to miss Korea extremely. I already decided that if I don't find work within 6 months, I'm definitely applying for the August intake again.
I definitely found my passion and that is teaching, especially students between the ages of 13 and 18. If it was up to me, I would make it compulsory to teach in another country to gain experience. You face so much more obstacles than you would in your own community. Culture, language, food, habits, and even the humor (see the pun right here) is different.
In only one year I realized so many life lessons. I know the type of teacher I want to and strive to be. I know exactly who I am and I grew way beyond my 24 years as a woman spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
Critical Feedback:
I'm aware that this is a very long process and that it takes time and that one should be patient. It's very hard to be patient if you don't hear back from EPIK for weeks. I feel that they would receive less e-mails and phone calls if they could maybe have updates more regularly. Maybe after everyday just Post on Facebook that they did 10 Interviews today and number 20-30 is expected to be tomorrow.
They also promised me that they will let me know within one week after my Skype interview whether or not I got accepted. I waited two weeks and when I phoned them, their response was that they tried once and couldn't get hold of me. I felt that they could have sent an e-mail letting me know.
I also only heard about my interview less that 8 hours before my interview. They said that they send an e-mail, but I never received it. They phoned me hours before my interview, asking me if I'm ready. I was busy with exams and had less than 8 hours to organize an arrangement with my lecturers.
80%Overall
Rating
EPIK keeps you in the dark with the application process and you have no idea where you will be placed.Depending on your school, you can either be teaching or doing absolutely nothing.
With my new principal, my work environment is hell due to the teaching methods that are enforced. I am at a constant struggle trying to create a fun learning environment when my principal dislikes fun.
Social life is what you make it. So much to do and the expat community is so large!
I would apply directly to the province instead of going through EPIK.
90%Overall
Rating
I settled in very easily and the EPIK orientation was a helpful experience.
My days are pretty easy, although my school did not give me a very good training period--they did not tell me background info on classes other than the level (advanced or intermediate--which means nothing. my intermediate class is basically a low level class and the advanced is really intermediate).
My apartment is good and the location is perfect. My co-teachers are all extremely kind nad helpful; I got lucky. I just wish they'd given me more of guiding hand when I first got here--they assumed I knew how to teach,which was correct. But I needed to know about preferred styles at the school, what technology the classrooms had, what kind of thingswere expected of me--all my co-teachers said was "oh, just do whatever". This is frustrating because I did a lot of guesswork and wasted time in the beginning. I have now hit my stride, but it's a struggle.
Overall, however, everything is reallyreally great and the EPIK program is an excellent choice for first-time teachers travelling abroad. A good safe choice.
Critical Feedback:
Bring in more teachers with actual in-class experience or real qualifications. Even though they mean well, some recent liberal arts grad who only plans to mess around for a year is not the best person to be teaching children. Bring only those who actually want to teach for real.
Put more money into training the Korean co-teachers, because many of them have NO idea how to handle a foreign teacher.
70%Overall
Rating
EPIK - Honestly, if you want to come to Korea and you are VERY new to teaching - go for it. If you have more than one degree and an online teaching certificate - this program is not for you.
EPIK has it's perks - the benefits are good - medical cover is above average, apartment - small as they are - are comfortable, pay - even at entry level is good, standard of living is good, safety and security is good, opportunities to travel around Korea and Asia are limited to when yo have time off - weekends are normal off day - and the train and bus network is expensive and cheap and EASY! Going anywhere in Korea for the weekend is more than possible and a breeze!
The disadvantages, as an experienced teacher much of what I do on a day-to-day basic is dull. There is little or no challenge - especially if you are in a non-city area. I teach at three schools. All three are very rural. One - I teach whatever I please - I have ZERO input from the English teacher - no feedback either. Second school - I am little more than a human tape recorder - 'push play for native voice'. The third school - I work from the text book - period by period.
If you are experienced and you actually want to teach - try a cram school - the experience will likely be far more rewarding.
That said - it you are new to ESL - EPIK is a fantastic start - you will get ALL, and I mean ALL the grounding you will ever want. You get to do three courses - a pre-orientation course, followed by 8 days of in-class training in Korea, followed by an in-service training course online. The training is intensive and covers all sorts of topics. There is also on-going professional development - that generally takes place once a month.
Would I recommend this program? Yes - if you are starting out. No, if you are looking for a challenge.
Do not count on your years of experience getting you placed in a big city school - you get placed where there is a need. It is totally random. Experienced and licensed teachers are placed in Elementary Schools, first timers are placed in Senior Schools.
20%Overall
Rating
THe orientation was good, everything was laid out, planned, and presented well-it went off without a hitch. That lasted for nine days. On the tenth and final day we got our city assignments, school assignments, ect-this is where it went down hill. I had started applying back in February (2011) and didn't find out where I was going until I got out of the car, it is a small middle of nowhere town with nothing to do. After that I was set up with my apartment which is outlandishly expensive given it's size, my utilities are through the roof, and I found out that unlike the EPIK website says, things are not cheaper here in Korea-in fact, they are more expensive. So, thank you EPIK, for that lie. As previously stated, my utilities are ridiculously expensive. I have to scrape and save every penny I can just to make being here worth it as far as making money goes. You really need to update your website and pit the true information on there so people know what they're getting themselves in to. The one saving grace has been my school. I am actually glad to get up and go to work in the mornings, other than that I have not had an enjoyable experience here and I would not recommend EPIK.
80%Overall
Rating
Honestly, I never thought Korea was a place I'd ever find myself. It's one of those lovely little countries that, sadly, is often overlooked. Had it not been for the opportunity to teach near Seoul, I think I would have missed it entirely. Korea has so much to offer, and I learn something new everyday. My teaching job has been challenging, exciting, frustrating, surprising, amusing and very rewarding. Korea is very English friendly, which makes traveling a cinch for non-Koreans. The food is fantastic, the cost of living allows me to save more than I ever could back home, I've made wonderful friends through my EPIK teaching orientation and language exchange program, and I've seen some pretty amazing sites. I never thought I'd become a cheerleader for a place that, up until a year ago, I'd never imagined I'd be standing, but Korea will do that to you.
80%Overall
Rating
I've worked with both EPIK and the private school system in Korea and, I have to say, EPIK wins hands down.
When you arrive in Korea for a private school, you're alone in a foreign country and probably starting teaching a day after you land. But EPIK has an orientation program that'll get you situated and allow you to meet hundreds of other teachers in your areas - a ready-made friendship and support group.
Once you're actually at your school, unfortunately this is the only thing you can't control - and people do have mixed experiences. But I think - compared to other people I know in Korea - I have had a 'bad' school this year and even so, I can't complain... Although I have to deal with a lot of school politics (and a rather rude Principle) - hence the bad school - EPIK is still a great job. The benefits, pay and hours you work are second to none, along with the holiday allowances of 2 weeks in summer and 2 weeks in winter. Right now, I'm writing this in October and I haven't worked a full quota of classes (that's 22 x 40 minutes a week) since June, thanks to school trips or competitions or various other events.
80%Overall
Rating
The ten day orientation is a great way to ease into Korean life and the perfect place to make some great friends who'll become your family for the next 12 months.
The whole experience can be really overwhelming at first, especially if you've never taught before, lived away from home before and have no familarity with the Korean language. We were lucky in that we were placed in a major city with a bunch of other English speaking teachers, so when things got us down (not too often but they did) we had people to share the experience with and who more than likely had encountered the same thing. We also had great co-teachers who spoke excellent English, lovely schools and a comfortable apartment.
Every EPIK experience is different. Your school, city, teaching hours, desk warming hours, apartment. It's all a game of chance really and it's important not to compare your experience with that of other people.
Some people love it and have been living in Korea for years. Some people hate it and leave within a month. As long as you keep an open mind, make an effort to learn some Korean and chalk everything down to life experience you'll have a great time and meet all kinds of people, some who'll become your friends for life.
80%Overall
Rating
I remember thinking that the EPIK application process was like a wild goose chase - multiple documents to mail in, never getting any answers, and finding out at the last minute whether or not I'd be going to Korea in a few weeks' time.
It turns out that the application process was actually a pretty good inkling of what it's like to live in Korea.When I first arrived,I had no idea what was going on. Teacher dinners, hikes, and school performances materialized out of nowhere. I just decided to say yes to everything and keep a very flexible schedule.
After 1 year in Korea, I have learned the ropes. It might seem daunting at first, but you will figure out what's going on. However, don't look to EPIK to answer all of your day to day questions. Outside of the initial comprehensive orientation, I have had very little contact with EPIK.
That's because you do most of your learning by living your specific situation. It's impossible to generalize everyone's experience, because each one is different.
I teach elementary school kids in Gangwon-do. I have a spacious apartment within walking distance of work. My teaching hours have ranged from 22-30 hours per week, and each class has approximately 30 kids.
Another EPIK teacher I know lives in a studio apartment, takes a 40 minute bus to her school, where she plans 17 different lessons a week and teaches an average of 12 students per class.
We live in the same town, but our experiences of Korea are dramatically different.
Teaching with the EPIK program is a great way to jump into a new culture, get out of your comfort zone, and learn a new skill set. It's rewarding, it's challenging, and it's worth it.
90%Overall
Rating
It's been 3 years now, and time does fly. There are ups (beautiful scenery, friendly people, rewarding students) and downs (last minute changes, mindless paper work, irritating co-workers) but it's a good job.
EPIK is a great program if you are new to travelling, or fresh out of college. BUT If you are an inexperienced teacher, make sure you put the effort into your job after you arrive at your school. The program offers some training but it's up to you to pick up the slack. It's a fast learning curve and if you can't keep up, your students and co-workers with see it.
EPIK has great resources, and co-ordinators that can help out with teaching or administrative problems. I would recommend the program to anyone that is eager to learn and ready to dive into the ESL world the Korean public schools have to offer.
100%Overall
Rating
Korea is a first stop for many ESL teachers, and why wouldn't it be? No TESL requirement, decent benefits, short term contracts. What they don't tell you is you are also signing on for a once in a lifetime opportunity to teach wonderful students, make great friends, eat some of the world's best food, and get a peak at a truly unique culture.
EPIK makes the transition an easy one with a fantastic orientation, fun events held for teachers throughout the year, and a good track record for making sure teachers get paid and are taken care of. With these things out of the way, all you need to worry about is finding the best place to eat live octopus and snap up some aju-ma photos.
Anyong!
90%Overall
Rating
I'm going to be quite honest here, and say when I applied for a teaching position in Korea, I actually thought Korea was a significantly underdeveloped country ......boy, did I get that wrong!!
From the first day that I arrived in Korea, to now my 14th month, Korea has been one heck of an adventure ....it's been everything that I could never have imagined it to be.
My first ten days in Korea, were a total blur and i'm not just talking about the soju. I was surrounded by fellow nervous foreigners, living in dorms at Jeonju University, and trying to take in all the information being thrown at us at the orientation. I remember clearly one question going through my mind on a daily basis... "what the hell am I doing? Why have I just left a good job, friends and family to come teach children- something which I don't really know much about." This question was slowly answered over the following months....
After a four hour coach journey from Jeonju to Ulsan, the city which I would soon be referring to as home, I was met by my new co-teacher at the Office of Education - a very shy and quiet young lady. I thought I was nervous, but she was definitely more nervous and it was an awkward drive down to my little village, Eonyang (home :-) ).
Even though I was hot, sweaty, tired and nervous, I tried to make conversation with my new co-teacher, only for her to tell me, that she didn't like teaching and didn't like English. What more could I say to that? Alot...I just carried on babbling, asking questions, and thinking to myself, well if she already doesn't like English and teaching then I can't really do or say much that would upset her.
I would probably describe my first semester at school as being a mish-mash of emotions...I had a co-teacher who barely spoke / communicated, but expected me to have things done. But then, was a god send with regards to all things out of school (sorting out mobiles / internet / banking issues etc).
School was difficult. I had Grade 6's who hated English, and was teaching after school classes on my own with no direction. The English textbook's weren't the best and I was having to sing and dance - which was quite amusing to my students. To be honest, I was totally lost!! But I thank those who created the legendary website, that is waygook.org - long live the administrators and those who contribute to this amazing website. If you need an answer to a question related to either teaching or Korea, your first port of call will always be this wonderful website.
Out of school, life could only be described as Assa!!! Weekends would come along and with it adventures of new places, new foods, new drinks, new people....everything NEW.
I live in a small village, called Eonyang - aka The Centre of the Universe (as my friends and I often like to refer to it as). It is the perfect location, close to Ulsan downtown, Busan (my next favourite city), Gyeongju and the KTX (Korea Train Express - i.e. Korea's answer to high speed trains) station for Ulsan. In Eonyang, myself and my fellow waygookin's (foreigners) - of which there are about 12 or so - we are the local, so-called "celebrities". You find yourself frequenting certain restaurants / coffee shops / banks and supermarkets, and the staff familiarise themselves with you, and use your custom, as an opportunity for themselves to practice their English - once an English Teacher, your always an English Teacher - whether you are in school or out.
Korea is a country of pure beauty in so many forms. Physical beauty, spiritual beauty, cultural beauty...but like they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I have always been quite open minded. Try everything once in life, if I like something, i'll go back for more and if I don't then at least I can say that i've tried it. And with that in mind, let me just say, that I have definitely come out of my comfort zones and have pushed myself to limits that I didn't think I had in me.
Then came Christmas. This was by far the hardest thing I have had to deal with whilst being here. Christmas has always been one of my favourite times of the year, time to spend with your family and friends, to eat festive foods and listen to Christmas songs - and I won't lie, it was hard. But with great friends I got through it. I put up a Christmas tree, played Christmas music and with friends attempted to make our own version of Christmas dinner, oh and not forgetting a dvd of Muppets Christmas Carol.
Soon after Christmas, came the so called dreaded Winter Camps. I had heard a lot about Winter Camps from other teachers and was preparing myself for the worst. But do you know what, I loved it. I had three weeks of fun, even though I was teaching 8 classes a day. Some days I would pinch myself, when I looked around and realised that I am getting paid to play with adorable little children, who want to learn English and who want to learn English from me. There would be days where we would have cooking days or sports day, and this still be considered as teaching.
Following Winter Camp, I had a few weeks for winter vacation, during which time I managed to visit parts of both Japan and Thailand. Allowing me to fulfil one of the main reasons, for me ever wanting to move to Korea, this being to travel.
Second semester, and two new co-teachers, who actually wanted to teach English. Along with the new co-teachers came an epiphany with regards to teaching and what I wanted to achieve. Having been able to spend the three weeks at a different school during Winter Camp, I started the new semester with a new teaching style, and this combined with my new co-teachers enthusiasm and wanting of great success, lead to a fairly successful second semester.
Outside of school, my thirst for adventure and all things new continued. During my first year in Korea I visited a whole host of places, including: The DMZ (The demilitarized zone); Paraeso Waterfalls; Boseong Tea Plantation; several Temples; three different theme parks (Everland / Lotte World / Woobang Land); to name but a few. My experimentation with both food and drink also carried on. Some hits and a lot of misses, but like I said, at least i've tried it. My culinary highs and lows have included: kimchi (fermented cabbage); fish stew; spicy octopus; green tea; green tea ice cream ; green tea noodles; Korean-Chinese (which is delicious by the way); black sausage; tofu (of various textures); rice cakes; black bean filling; bubble tea and a whole lot more.
Then came the question - "Would you like to re-new for another year?" It was then that I remembered the question that went through my head everyday when I first arrived in Korea - "what the hell am I doing? Why have I just left a good job, friends and family to come teach children." Now, after a year, I have an answer: "I came to Korea to experience all things new and to find myself. You never really know yourself, until you take yourself out of your comfort zone and put yourself out there. For me, Korea has been an awakening, for the mind, body and soul. I have discovered so much about this wonderful country, about teaching and about myself. Don't get me wrong, Korea and teaching isn't always for everyone - but for those of you out there looking for an adventure and a new lease of life, this could be the golden ticket " ....and so before I knew it, I was re-signing a new contract for a second year in Korea...and here I am, 14 months in and still loving it.
100%Overall
Rating
I'm currently teaching in Korea with my girlfriend, both with the EPIK program. And we absolutely love it. The perks are amazing (vacation, pay, travel, social, cultural), the people you meet are amazing, and the job is a LOT of fun. This has been our experience though, we have great co-teachers, great schools, great support, etc...Occasionally, but not often, you hear of other teachers having a difficult time at their school (lack of material, unsure of what to do, lack of support from co-teacher), but EPIK seems to handle these situations in a professional and diligent manner. When we applied we used a recruiting agency, but there is no need. We were not satisfied with this agency and had several problems. I would DEFINITELY recommend applying directly with EPIK.
90%Overall
Rating
I am currently starting my second year at a public middle school in Busan, South Korea and loving every minute of the time I spend with the teachers and my students.
I teach three grades -- first grade (13 year olds), second grade (14 year olds) and third grade (15 year olds). My largest classes are with the first grade students, averaging somewhere between 30-35 students a class. My second and third grade students are in what we call 'leveled' classes, meaning students are separated by their English level (high and medium to low). These classes tend to have somewhere between 20-25 students in each class.
In the public schools, foreign English teachers have Korean co-teachers with them in each class to assist with teaching, lesson planning, materials, and offer Korean translation if necessary. I have 7 amazing co-teachers that I work with throughout the day. This number varies by the size of your school and what level you teach (elementary, middle, or high school). I am lucky in that my co-teachers give me free reign of how I structure and teach my speaking class with the only exception of making sure to always incorporate their textbook into the lesson. So, I take the lesson for the day and structure my activities and games to fit with the key phrases in the book.
The structure of my classes look somewhat like this:
- Welcome, small talk, and warm-up
- Introduction of Lesson, key phrases
- Textbook dialogue CD (students follow along in their books), teachers then model the conversation again, students practice phrases and conversation with a partner.
- Practice, practice, practice! Students practice but this time using different types of conversations with the same key phrases. Usually, this is an active part of class. I do like using activities that move students around the class, always changing partners a few times, to keep them interested and having fun.
- Production activity. This lets me know students have practiced and understand the material. This is always an active part of class. I have a soft soccer ball I through around the class to have students stand up and practice or I play a game or sometimes both depending on the time.
- Calm down, review, and goodbyes!
One thing I've learned while teaching in my middle school is how important it is to smile and really be available for your students to talk to throughout the day. For my birthday last year, a student brought me a card she had made the night before (I later found out she was up at 3 AM doing it). But inside the card there was one thing she said that really stood out to me, "Teacher I like you very much. You always smile to us and you are always happy. That is why I like your class."
I genuinely love my job and my students. Teaching is always what you make it. Some day the students are bouncing off the walls and driving you crazy and other days they just won't talk! But a smile goes a long way with these students. If you show that you care just a little bit, they will often give you more joy than you could have ever imagined.
70%Overall
Rating
I have just begun my experience with EPIK, but so far I can say that the support from the staff and coordinators has been great. My apartment wasn't quite as nice as I had been hoping for, but after a good clean and with a little time and effort the place feels like my own now. My co teacher has been great so far and really helped me get settled in. She spoke great English and helped me sort out all the little things that need to be done when moving to a foreign country (bank account, ARC card etc). The only thing I would have liked was a little more information about adapting to life in Korea at the orientation. It was intensive training about teaching, but there was little info given about actually living in Korea.
90%Overall
Rating
This was my first experience teaching in Korea and I'm glad I went with EPIK. The 10 day orientation eased us into Korean culture so by the time I started my job it wasn't so "shocking". It's very difficult to rate EPIK though because the teachers' situations vary a lot. I ended up in a low income school on the outskirts of the city; however, I lucked out with very kind, caring co-teachers and administration. Due to my (lack of) qualifications I'm on the bottom of the payscale, which I wouldn't have minded so much had the school not set me up with an apartment in the most expensive area of the city. The cost of living where I am is just slightly higher than other areas. But other than that, I have no serious complaints :)
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Alumni Interviews
Meet Rathi Sivasothy, EPIK alum
GO: Why did you decide to teach abroad with EPIK in South Korea?
Rathi: I was actually at work one day, when one of my best friends rang me up and asked me how I would feel about going abroad to teach. To be honest, I had never really thought about it. I had always wanted to go travelling, but had never considered working abroad. My friend read out to me the job description posted on the Reach To Teach website. It sounded like fun and the best part was I didn't need a teaching qualification and this opportunity would also allow me to travel.
My friend then proceeded to read up about various teaching opportunities abroad. He spent days scouring numerous websites, looking at the pro's and con's of it all and just trying to find out how legitimate EPIK really were. Having also researched into teaching opportunities in China and Japan, my friend concluded that the programme with EPIK was probably one of the better ones out there. It appeared that EPIK really looked after their teachers, providing them with housing and medical cover, and the salary wasn't too bad either. We had read several reviews by other existing and previous teachers, detailing their adventures inside and outside of school. So with a string of plus points against EPIK, we took the plunge and applied for a teaching position in South Korea.
GO: Describe your day to day activities as a teacher.
Rathi: I like to arrive in school early, so that I have time to check my email, Facebook, the news and then make any photocopies that are required for the morning lessons.
I will then wonder down to the English Department and open up the classrooms and get the room ready for the first lesson. This will include putting out the children's name cards, writing the objectives and activities on the board, getting the PowerPoint presentations ready, sweeping the floor in the classroom etc.
I would normally then teach four lessons and then break for lunch. In between each of the morning lessons is a ten minute break, where I will either check my email again or have conversations with my students.
After lunch, my co-teacher and I will then discuss about the following days classes. What activities need to be prepared and any other projects that need to be completed. On Thursday's, I teach a class after lunch, and on Monday's and Wednesday's I teach the after school English Club.
When I'm not teaching (in the afternoons and days where the lessons have been cancelled), I'll be in the teachers room on my computer preparing lessons for the following day. My school provides me with a computer and a desk in the teacher's room - I share this teacher's room with another contract English teacher and two science teachers. However it's not all work, work, work. The teachers whom I share the teachers room with, we will often share snacks in the afternoon together and have a bit of chitchat. I usually also use this free time to plan my weekends adventures and do a spot of online shopping with the help of my co-teachers.
Before you know it, five o'clock has come around and it's time to go home - they always say that time flies when you're having fun!!
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Rathi: Prior to Korea, I had been working as a Branch Manager for five years in the car rental industry. Part of my role as Manager was to train (teach) my staff in their roles, however, these were adults that I was training. Going from teaching adults to teaching children, whose first language is not English, was a challenge. However, it has definitely broadened my thinking and creativity and has strengthened my managerial skills.
A manager in a business situation is very different to a manager in a school environment. However, the key strengths of a manager should be the same. So, what makes a good manager? Some might say; "A key to successful management is the relationship between the manager and his or her staff. Good relationships are based on trust, commitment and engagement, and a good manager's essential role is to build these relationships for the benefit of the organisation." Having come to Korea with no teaching qualifications, I put to use my acquired managerial skills into my teaching. I built relationships with my co-teachers and students, gained their trust and commitment and have managed to make my lessons interesting and fun so as to keep them engaged and wanting more, and all of this in English - their second (or third in some case) language.
To succeed here, in Korea, as an English Teacher, I have really had to come out of my comfort zone and have had to be extremely creative in my teaching. Professionally, the new skills which I have acquired will be extremely beneficial to me when I eventually return back home and seek future work. To have the experience of coming to a foreign country and working in a very different environment to what I am used to, has given me the confidence and strength to try any challenge that may come my way.
On a personal level, the boost in confidence you get from seeing and hearing your students speaking in English, is indescribable. To know that, your presence and hard work has encouraged them to learn English and to succeed is an amazing feeling and one to be proud of.
I will forever cherish my memories from Korea.
Further Info
About EPIK
EPIK, English Program in Korea, affiliated to the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology was established in 1995 with the missions to improve the English speaking abilities of students and teachers in Korea, to develop cultural exchanges, and to reform English teaching methodologies in Korea.
EPIK further extends invitations to responsible, enthusiastic native English speakers who are motivated to share knowledge with students and teachers. If you are looking for jobs in teaching, EPIK will be a great choice.
Through EPIK, English language education will cultivate open-minded and well-rounded Korean individuals capable of advancing Korea in this age of information and globalization. In doing so, EPIK will promote cultural exchange and foster strong ties between Korea and other countries. If you wish to explore the world, teach English in Korea. You will be rewarded. EPIK further extends invitations to responsible, enthusiastic native English speakers who are motivated to share knowledge with students and teachers. If you are looking for jobs in teaching, EPIK is a great choice.
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Your experience teaching in Korea is heavily dependent on your expectations. It may not be an overwhelming cultural or spiritual experience that changes your life forever, but, it will be fun. Korea offers travel, change, new sights, new people, and an excellent opportunity to save money.
EPIK is a large program and almost no teacher I have talked to has had the same experience in the workplace. So much is dependent on individual schools and co-workers that it is hard to anticipate what your situation will be. Your greatest assets are flexibility and patience. I have taught in large schools and small schools, with coteachers and without coteachers. Each situation has its own challenges and its own rewards. The EPIK program will basically plant you in any type of work atmosphere and then expect you to thrive.
I find the work to be very easy. Teaching rarely surpasses 22 hours a week and the 'planning' time is so excessive I often have trouble finding productive things to do with my time in the office. This is nice some days but the lack of challenge can eventually get a bit tiresome.
In my opinion, the two most prominent benefits of teaching for the EPIK are the opportunity for travel and the capacity for saving money.
The EPIK program is much more liberal with their vacation days than almost all private teaching positions in Korea. With Korea as a starting point travel around Eastern and South Eastern Asia is easy business.
As for the second benefit, that of money. Within six months of arriving in Korea I had paid off my student loans and at the end of two years here I should have around 20,000 US dollars set aside for graduate school. There are almost no personal expenses when you work with the EPIK program. I spend less than 100 a month on utilities and food and entertainment are my only other expenses. I spend more money here than I ever have in my life and still manage to put aside about 1000 USD a month. Your travel should not be all about the money but in this case it is a very beneficial factor.
My main complaint about Korea is the lack of interaction with Koreans. Culturally Koreans are a sort of shy people. I have found it hard to become close friends with any Korean. I do have Korean friends but it is always a bit of a reserved relationship. You will be invited to do things with Korean groups but I have never felt like an insider. Even now that I speak enough Korean to hold conversations with the locals I still find it hard to feel truly welcome in Korean social settings.
And that is my review of EPIK. I would recommend it. It has been wonderful for me and for many others.