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PLANET PEOPLETeach in Korea
Visa guideLife in Korea · 5 min read

A day in the life: hours, duties and curriculum

Typical schedules by student age, what you do besides teaching, and what the textbooks and lesson planning are really like.

Typical schedules

Student ageNormal teaching window
Kindergarten – Elementary9:30am – 6:00pm (about 6 teaching hours)
Elementary – Middle school2:00pm – 9:00pm (about 6 teaching hours)
Elementary – High school4:00pm – 11:00pm (about 6 teaching hours)
Adults6:30am – 10:00am and 5:00pm – 9:00pm

Most schools ask for around 120 hours a month. Classes are usually 40–50 minutes, occasionally 80. Choose your schedule deliberately: morning kindergarten jobs suit early risers, afternoon hagwon jobs suit people who want their mornings free.

Curriculum

Your school provides textbooks matched to the students' age and level, covering conversation, grammar, reading comprehension and pronunciation through everyday situations. Some schools follow a strict lesson plan; most give teachers freedom to present the material their own way. Teacher's manuals usually come with flashcards, audio and game ideas.

Duties beyond teaching

  • Preparing materials and lesson plans
  • Writing monthly evaluations of your students' progress
  • Helping with special events — Christmas, Halloween, open classes for parents
  • Weekly staff meetings about classes, curriculum and events

Housing

The school provides a rent-free furnished apartment with the basics: bed, kitchen and cooking utensils, washing machine, TV and a small fridge. The employer pays the rent or gives you a housing allowance. You pay your own utilities — typically 60,000–120,000 won a month.