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#1 Parent Tanya Claxton - 2019-02-23
Re: Black List IN KOREA, Jayeon ESOL

I worked for a couple Shin and Oh who owned Ja-Yeon, Ja-Ram and Juk-Jeon Hakwons in Suji, Yong-In area.
My experience was terrible. Passports witheld. Suitcases witheld for 24 hrs on arrival.
Cockroach infested apartment that was supposed to be cleaned before we moved in and which I wasn't allowed to view prior.
My husband and I both contracted Pneumonia, Sinusitis and food poisoning in the first few weeks and were told we couldn't take time off.
A whole months pay witheld for 'Tax"purposes, which was illegal.
Teachers were supposed to provide the syllabus and make materials for the new schools in the Shin-Oh portfolio.
Hours increased and pay decreased over time. Visa runs to Japan funded by the teachers, when contracts stated they woiuld be paid for by the school.
My husband and I worked at 3 of the schools in the company in the one day and had to travel in our lunch break and afternoon tea break without remuneration.
The owners were constantly bullying and harassing staff including us and we even complained to immigration and inland revenue. To no avail.
Aparently in the 2 years prior to us joining the company, when they had only one school, it was more relaxed and fun.
When we joined the Shin-Ohs were strung-out, millitant and in debt from expansion. So, they were not pleasant to work for, to say the least.
They have since expanded to more schools, so I can't imagine it is any better.
They were horrible to their Korean teachers, which is usual in their culture and tried to treat the English Teachers the same way.
I wouldn't work for them again.

#2 Parent anonymous - 2015-03-05
Re: Black List IN KOREA, Jayeon ESOL

Sorry, where is this school located?

#3 Parent j - 2015-01-14
Re: Black List IN KOREA, Jayeon ESOL

If you want to work in a communicative environment, or if you wish to work for a sane boss, I would strongly advise you not to work here.

#4 Parent Teacher - 2012-08-19
Re: Black List IN KOREA, Jayeon ESOL

Why were all the other posts deleted? It is obvious this post I am replying to was in response to other posts (that were obviously not good). In Korea, I heard there is a law that you can not talk bad about an employer even if it is true. As for the previous posts I recall reading, I wonder if they were deleted as a result of this law. And to the person who posted the above comment, how would you know the previous posters worked at the school still for 2 or more years.

It sounds to me that the school reached out to you to write such a post. Did they also get the other teachers to delete their posts by subjecting them to more cultural ill treatment? If you are going to post a reply, I believe you need to answer why you actually posted such a reply and answer why the previous posts were deleted? I have been hesitant to post specifics because of this law in Korea. Thus, I rather remain vague at this time. [as for anyone looking to teach in Korea, keep this in mind. if you want to speak out about a business in Korea. Do not say anything bad as I heard it is a crime. OR manage to keep specifics out to prevent them from identifying you. Someone told me it is a crime and you can get sued even if you speak the truth]

Why do you not endorse or want to say anything bad about the school? If you are neutral, why did you feel the need to defend the school when you are not working for them or in Korea anymore. Saying this, I am sure you want continued letters of recommendations and good reference. In order to gain our readers trust, we would like to know "What was this post worth to you"?

I was shocked at how shady the school is. What I claim is shady, you most likely call cultural business practices.

Would you say discrimination and illegal activity is ok as long as it is cultural? I hope you never become the victim of such practices when you travel somewhere. I hope you learn the easy way that no one should ever have to endure such ill treatment just because it is what you claim to be cultural. Also, you lose so much credibility as a person for implying it is ok that they carried out such practices because you were only there to make money. You do not get to turn your back and continue to claim your a good person. The things these posters before wrote involved discrimination and serious harassment.

If teachers were there for two years and posting such complaints, I feel they hoped to remain unknown but somehow, the school knew who they were based on the specifics they posted. Now, if the school did not actually treat the posters like this, how did they and you know who they were? I find this very interesting. The school has many teachers and I recall only a handful of posters at most. It was not even 5 teachers who posted but somehow you know who posted the comments alleging the ill treatment. The only way you would have known who it was was if they actually treated the teachers as such.

As to anyone thinking of working for them, I do not think you need to read the previous posts. You only need to read this post I replied to and know that the school managed to know who the teachers were based on the content of the posts. The posts did allege ill treatment in what is referred to as a smear campaign. REALLY! Ask yourself, if they have so many teachers, how did they know who the teachers were and how did they know the teachers were still working for them.

#5 Parent Absolutely Not! - 2012-04-29
Re: Black List IN KOREA, Jayeon ESOL

I posted my opinion of the school to enable teachers to make a better decision when coming to Korea. I am not endorsing this school, nor am I trying to destroy its reputation. I am just stating he facts as I observed them whilst working there.
I am not employed by the school anymore. In fact, I am not in Korea at the moment.
I was able to collect all the funds owed to me at the end of my contract, without a single problem or issue.
I received a letter of recommendation from the school and was able to secure employment based on that letter (not solely on it, but I did use it).
I was a teacher at the school, not part of the management at any point.

As far as the curriculum is concerned, if anyone has at any point worked in Korea, they would know that curriculum some schools provide equals to a bunch of random books, no timeline, no expectations, no useful material, no outcomes... In fact, the school was pretty much like that when I first started there. They IMPROVED by leaps and bounds. Curriculum, by definition, is a set of expectations that students would be able to do/perform after delivery of that curriculum, within a set timeline. Jayeon does, in fact, have this. In addition, Jayeon provides TONS of material available to teachers. All one has to do is actually ask for it, or look for it! There is a clear outcome expectation, but also a lot of room for teachers to personalize lessons. The school provides, in fact, much more than a kindergarten in the western world would. In addition, Jayeon provides materials to make anything deemed necessary by the teachers! That's a FACT! Again, all you need to do is ASK!

In case of the smear campaigns against Korean staff: I am not endorsing that, either. But, I was in Korea to work and make money, not to criticize their business practices which are cultural. I had no interest in questioning that. I will say one thing: this is a privately operated business in a very congested and cut-throat environment. All they are trying to do is protect themselves. The Korean teacher mentioned in someone's post quit her position only to get another job IN THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR (which was a church-run school), fully aware of the consequences. I know, as this person was a good friend of mine. The person who was let go soon after was not let go because she supported the first person but because she made serious errors in dealing with parents and was constantly overwhelmed with work. This was, perhaps, the last drop. I know, I was there. I did not hear this from anyone.

Finally, as I was asked to clarify this: when I mentioned a high turnover I mentioned a high turnover DUE to the fact that people leave BEFORE their contract is up, mostly for reasons personal to them, creating problems for people who want to stay and do stay. I know, for a fact, that RIGHT NOW there are at least 7 or 8 teachers who have been with the school for at least 2 years (some of them 4 or 5). And I know, for a fact, that some people who contribute to this forum are people who have been with the school for at least 2 years and are still, at this moment, employed by the school. Hypocrisy? You judge!

Hope my clarification was to Magister's satisfaction.

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