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A. Contract and Application Procedure
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1. How long in advance should I apply? How long does
it take to process applications, receive visas, etc?
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2. Do I need ESL training in order teach at Connexus?
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3. We are a married couple. Does Connexus employ couples?
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4. Is it possible to commit for a term of less than
twelve months?
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5. What if I want to extend my contract?
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B. Schedule
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6. Will I have to work on the weekend?
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7. Will my hours or schedule change?
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8. Will I have to work shifts or one block of time
a day?
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C. Program
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9. Is there a set curriculum?
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10. Where do I find resources and materials for class?
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11. I've never taught before. Is there any time of
training before I begin?
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12. Who is the ¡°average student¡± at Connexus?
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13. Do you do evangelism at Connexus?
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14. What involvement will I have with the Korea Anabaptist
Center?
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D. Working conditions & living situation
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15. Where is Connexus located? How far will my host
family be from Connexus?
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16. What is it like to live with a host family?
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17. What if a family member gets sick and I have
to go home?
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18. What if I get sick or injured?
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19. What if I have special dietary needs? Is Korea
a vegetarian/vegan friendly place?
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20. What should I bring?
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| 1.
How long in advance should I apply? How long does it take to process
applications, receive visas, etc? |
Applications should be sent in as soon as possible, preferably
several months in advance, in order to provide time for further
discussion as to arrival date, booking plane tickets, and receiving
visas. It takes a minimum of two months for the process to be
completed.
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| 2.
Do I need ESL training in order teach at Connexus? |
ESL training is not required to teach at Connexus. Any training
prospective teachers have, however, will greatly enhance the experience
at Connexus for both students and teachers. If applicants do not
have training, we recommend at least a short course on teaching
English prior to arrival if time allows.
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| 3.
We are a married couple. Does Connexus employ couples? |
Yes. Since we provide separate housing instead of a host family,
this can depend on availablity at the time of application. We
ask couples interested in working at Connexus to inquire through
the contact details page prior to application.
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| 4.
Is it possible to commit for a term of less than twelve months? |
Connexus requests that teachers commit for a twelve month term
according to the contract conditions.
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| 5.
What if I want to extend my contract? |
Teachers wishing to extend their contracts may do so by invitation
of Connexus administration. We ask that teachers discuss this
with the administration by the fifth month after their arrival.
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| 6.
Will I have to work on the weekend? |
Currently classes do not take place on the weekend. As Connexus
grows and works towards developing more programs to meet the various
needs of students, however, schedules may change. Administrators
and teachers will discuss together any changes taking place and,
as in the contract, teachers will work no more than five days
of the week.
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| 7.
Will my hours or schedule change? |
Although the maximum number of teaching hours follows the time
listed in the contract, hours less than that may fluctuate and
schedules will most likely change. Working at an institute in
Korea means that students come and go every month, which impacts
schedules. Because of a maximum of six students per class, Connexus
in particular requires some flexibility in class scheduling.
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| 8.
Will I have to work shifts or one block of time a day? |
Most classes occur according to students' preferences and availability.
Since Connexus holds class for adults, most classes take place
in the evening, with some during the late morning or afternoon.
This means that although teachers might only teach five classes
a day, they may start at 10:00am and finish at 10:00pm.
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| 9.
Is there a set curriculum? |
For Basic to Intermediate classes teachers follow a set of textbooks
which include specific activity and topic ideas for the class.
For Advanced classes, teachers use materials developed for the
classes in addition to supplements from teacher's manuals and
other resources. Teachers have flexibility in the classroom to
bring in their interests and abilities, but also have resources
at hand as needed. As Connexus expands its programs, teachers
may take part in selecting and developing appropriate materials.
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| 10.
Where do I find resources and materials for class? |
Connexus has a library of texts, teacher resources, and class materials
in the teacher¡¯s office which we continue to expand as new materials
become available. Teachers also use the wealth of information accessible
from internet teaching and English studying websites, as well as
various newspapers, journals, and online articles.
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| 11.
I've never taught before. Is there any time of training before I begin?
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When teachers arrive at Connexus, the first several weeks consist
of orientation including becoming familiar with course and program
information, studying class materials and teacher resources, and
observing classes with other teachers. Teacher meetings and workshops
take place throughout the year, teacher can also take part in local
English teacher training workshops, such as the KOTESOL conference
in fall.
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| 12.
Who is the ¡°average student¡± at Connexus? |
Connexus provides classes for adult students. Although most students
are in their twenties or thirties, adults of all ages register.
Students come from a variety of backgrounds, with a large majority
of students studying at university, preparing to studying overseas,
or working at businesses in the area.
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| 13.
Do you do evangelism at Connexus? |
Connexus is an English language institute with a focus on providing
good education for students and opportunities to build cross-cultural
relationships and does not engage in open evangelism. We believe
that God¡¯s work in learning and relationships transforms people
and we open ourselves to that work and recognize that the most powerful
witness is through one¡¯s daily life and actions. When occasions
for discussion with students regarding faith or religious perspectives
arise in or outside of class, we ask teachers to listen with an
attitude of humility and respect and engage in dialogue without
other agenda and respond honestly and respectfully.
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| 14.
What involvement will I have with the Korea Anabaptist Center? |
An extension of the Korea Anabaptist Center¡¯s education ministries,
Connexus teachers also work as part of the larger KAC community.
This means opportunities arise for sharing common meals when at
the office, spending time together in recreational activities and
attending activities together when possible such as KAC's annual
seminar. KAC also welcomes support from teachers through volunteering
or other ways as interest and time allow.
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| 15.
Where is Connexus located? How far will my host family be from Connexus? |
Connexus is located in Gangnam, a center of southern Seoul. The
busy area around Connexus has many offices, shops, and restaurants.
In Seoul, the reality of housing and business means that most
people commute to and from work. Connexus looks for host families
with easily accessible transportation and located within an hour
distance from the office. Daily travel for Connexus staff averages
from thirty to forty minutes.
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| 16.
What is it like to live with a host family or roommate? |
Living with a host family in another culture includes both challenges
and rewards. Although teachers often find it somewhat complicated
and sometimes frustrating to adjust to living with another family,
communication, and different expectations, rewards of building
relationships, learning about Korean culture, and practicing language
at home often outweighs the difficulties. Families in Seoul have
busy schedules and teachers will often have classes in the evening,
which means weekends provide most of the time to spend together.
Families will provide meals, lodging and often welcome teachers
into their families for seasonal celebrations, special cultural
experiences and church events as well. Roommates often become
good friends and connections to other communities. If problems
should arise with host families or roommates that cannot be resolved
in communication between the teacher and the family or roommate,
both KAC and Connexus staff will provide advice, communication
help and other assistance required.
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| 17.
What if a family member gets sick and I have to go home? |
Should an emergency situation arise, Connexus administration
will discuss with the teacher appropriate plans for a response,
including a leave of absence if necessary.
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| 18.
What if I get sick or injured? |
A variety of clinics and hospitals in Seoul, including international
clinics, provide excellent medical treatment and a Korean staff
member from Connexus will be available to accompany teachers for
assistance. While Connexus provides the standardized medical insurance
as required by the Korean governement for all workers, this only
covers a small portion of the total medical costs. Teachers are
asked to obtain full health insurance and provide proof of this
to Connexus prior to leaving their home countries (eg: Missionary
Insurance - www.gninsurance.com).
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| 19.
What if I have special dietary needs? Is Korea a vegetarian/vegan
friendly place? |
Seoul hosts restaurants and shops with a variety of Asian and
Western foods. Although Korean food and ingredients dominate the
shelves, one can find most Western ingredients with some effort.
As teachers live with host families and eat most meals either
with the family or at Connexus, most special dietary needs can
be met with some planning. Vegetarians or vegans may find it difficult
to maintain a strict diet as much Korean food contains bits of
pork, beef, or shellfish and soups often include meat or seafood
broths. One can also request dishes made without meat. Korean
dishes include many varieties of vegetables, however, and use
many beans, tofu, and spinach in cooking, which make a great resource
for cooking one's own food as well. We request that any teachers
with special dietary needs make note of this in their application
in advance.
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| 20.
What should I bring? |
See the Living in Korea section for
suggestions of what to bring and what one can find here.
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