What is it Like to Attend Ohio University

What is it Like to Attend Ohio University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teachtheyre sharing their college experiences as well. Kedrin is an Atlanta tutor and a 2013 graduate of Ohio University where he studied communications, English, and theater. He currently specializes in math tutoring, English tutoring, and numerous other areas. See what he had to say about his time at Ohio University: Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Kedrin: The campus setting can be overwhelming at first. Its the first time that you are on your own in a sense. Activity is vast and extensive; its almost as if you dont know exactly what to engage in first. However, its all about catering to your intereststhe campus setting has something for every individual. You will find an eclectic selection of people on campus; its the equivalent of getting your first taste of the real world. It can be both exciting and intimidating; however, everything will be just fine. Campus is both urban and safe. Its like being in a hip, upbeat city with your peers where there is time for fun and academics. Theres always something to do whether it be a gathering, social event or an event hosted by the school itself. Security is always on duty at all hours of the day and night. If you would like someone to escort you back to your dorm late at night, there are security officials on hand for that. Most freshmen are not allowed to have cars; this is where bus es become useful transportation. In addition, you can catch campus buses to/from your classes as well (freshmen or not). You dont need a car/bike on campus, but most upperclassmen like to have one when its allowed. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants at Ohio University? Kedrin: Professors, academic advisers and teaching assistants are very accessible. The most common way to contact these officials would be via email. Most of these individuals are usually very efficient when it comes to responding promptly. In addition, you can always set up appointments to visit with professors, academic advisers and teaching assistants in your spare time. I would recommend this as well. Its always nice to be able to communicate in-person with staff on campus. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Kedrin: Dorm life is something that I think all students should experience. Its not the most glamorous way of living, but its also one that you will always remember. The rooms are usually much smaller than your room at home. I wouldnt suggest bringing everything you own. In addition, you are likely to have a roommate or roommates (unless you request a single room). Dining options usually fall under the category of a meal plan. A meal plan consists of a specific amount that you are given to spend each week on food. This amount is loaded onto a card weekly that you just swipe for purchases. There are small grocery stores on campus, dining halls, food courts, etc. all for food options. There are also always fast food restaurants that you can eat at, but you will have to spend your own money at those places. Meal plans usually dont apply. The location of dormitories is central to everything you will need as a student. In fact, its so central that you will be able to walk to everywhere yo u need to be (class, events, to eat, etc.). Some walks may be longer than others, but its never too bad! The opportunity to socialize with other students is all around you! Dorm life is the perfect opportunity for this. You naturally and organically get to know the people that stay in the same residence hall as you. There are activities and social gatherings specific to your residence hall, which also allows you to socialize with other students. Also, getting involved on campus is a great way to connect with students. I would recommend joining a club or organization that you are interested in. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported at Ohio University? Kedrin: I would say the major or program that is best represented/supported would be anything in the School of Business. Business is a typical and popular area of study for a lot of students. A degree in business opens the door for a range of opportunities in the workforce. Also, communications is well represented and supported at universities (for the same reasons). I studied journalism with a focus in broadcast. Ive always been interested in entertainment and television. I also had minors in Theater and English. I felt these areas of studies reflected my interests. I didnt want to choose another area of study just for the sake of security after college. I recommend studying what interests you and the opportunities will come. The university did a fabulous job of supporting my area of study. The E.W. Scripps School of Journalism is one of the most noted in the country. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Kedrin: It wasnt difficult for me to meet people as a freshman. Im a people person and can get along with almost anyone. I think it really depends on the person and his or her personality. Its important to keep an open mind because you will meet several people that are different than you are (which makes the college experience what it is). Greek life is very present on campus. For me, it didnt influence my social life one way or another. At the end of the day, they are students and people just like everyone else. Greek life has just always been something that a certain group of people cater to. How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services? Kedrin: The Career Center is a resource I would suggest all students take advantage of while it is accessible to them. A college campus prepares you for life after college. It would only make sense that resources relating to careers, employment, etc. be reachable for students. There are career fairs and events that several reputable companies come to for the purpose of recruiting students for potential employment. Its a great thing given that students get to see what awaits them post graduation (and options that they have). The Career Center is beneficial for helping you narrow down what you may be interested in as a career. A lot of times students go through their undergraduate years unsure. Career resources on campus help you get rid of some of this uncertainty. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Kedrin: Libraries, the student union and dorm lounges are good for a number of things. Studying, organization meetings, social gatherings, or just to hang out; these are all things that take place in these particular places on campus. As a student, these areas are always easily accessible to you. However, depending on where you are in the semester (or the time of day), the issue of over-crowding could be active. This usually occurs during finals week. A lot of studying takes place during this time. You will find that libraries are full of students when finals are about to take place. Its all part of the college experience. Describe the surrounding town at Ohio University. Kedrin: The surrounding area is a small town. The university is actually the main attraction in Athens, Ohio. However, all of your normal establishments are still there (Walmart, Kroger, McDonalds, a movie theater, bowling alley, etc.). The university itself is what makes Athens fun, and a town to always remember. Athens doesnt have a downtown or city area. The uptown area on campus actually serves as the substitute for what one would consider downtown. Individuals who do not attend the university would sometimes make their way to uptown for entertainment. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Kedrin: The student body is very large at Ohio University. Students love the university given that its like its own little town where memories are created. I was pleased with the typical class size. It really helped create the experience of what its like to be a college student in a college classroom (while also being part of the general student body). If the class size had been too small, it would take away from the experience. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Kedrin: One class I loved the most was a theater/acting class that I took. I am a lover of the arts and entertainment. I enjoyed this class so much that sometimes it didnt even feel like a real class. We were required to go see plays, movies and things relating to the arts. Ill never forget The Addams Family Musical came to campus, and it was our assignment to go see the show and write a review. How cool is that?! Check out Kedrin's tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Categorical Data - Online Math Tutoring

Categorical Data - Online Math Tutoring Definition:-A variable that cannot assume a numerical value but can be classified into two or more nonnumeric categories are called categorical variable or qualitative variable. The data collected on such a variable are called categorical data. It is also known as qualitative data. Note:-Categorical data are always nominal whereas nominal data need not be categorical. Example:- The status of an undergraduate college student is a qualitative variable because a student can fall into any one of four categories: freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior etc. Other examples of Categorical variables are the gender, race, sex, age group, educational level, hair color of a person, and the make of a car, model of a car or computer, colors of cars, marital status of people etc. Suppose there is several numbers of toys with different colors. These toys can be classified according to their color brown, yellow, red, blue, and green as: Color Number of toys Brown 2 Yellow 5 Red 4 Blue 3 Green 6 Organizing and graphing Categorical data Data set are organized into tables, and data using graphs. Frequency distributions for Categorical data. Relative frequency and percentage distributions. Graphical presentation of categorical data. Bar graph Pie chart

3 Educational Summer Road Trips

3 Educational Summer Road Trips Once school is out and the summer months arrive, many families look for educational activities to keep their students engaged. Educational family field tripsare great opportunities to continue learning throughout the summer months. These educational summer road trips can include visits to National Parks, the Lewis and Clark Trail, or presidential museums and libraries. Here are three educational summer road trips to get your entire family excited about learning this summer: Educational summer road trip #1: National Parks Visiting Americas National Parks with your family can be a very rewarding experience. It can allow you and your student to embrace nature, and to gain a deeper understanding of the protected lands in the U.S. In total, there are 59 National Parks spread across America, providing plenty of opportunities for exploration. You can camp, hike, and take advantage of other recreational activities. The National Parks Service also offers the Junior Ranger program for children. Through this program, students are able to spend the day as a junior ranger, completing various activities and interacting with official park rangers. The National Park Service also has a list of park ranger badges that your student can earn at home. If you are unable to participate in the Junior Ranger program during your visit, you can still incorporate the topics of these badges into your road trip. [RELATED: Educational Road Trip Games for the Whole Family] Educational summer road trip #2: The Lewis and Clark Trail The Lewis and Clark Trail spans the majority of the country. Along their trail, Lewis and Clark made many discoveries, including ecological and geological findings that are discussed in the present day. Many sites on the Lewis and Clark Trail feature locations on the National Register of Historic Places. These include caves, forts, and various historic districts. These sites could provide a roadmap of educational locations to visit. The National Park Service offers a Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail map that you can use as guidance on your educational summer road trip. Educational summer road trip #3: Presidential libraries and museums Presidential libraries and museums can provide students with a deeper understanding of U.S. history. These museums offer: Interactive exhibits Films Memorabilia A closer look into the life of former presidents Many of these museums and libraries offer educational programs that are open to the public. If your student is interested in the lives of American presidents, you can also visit presidential homes. These sites include tours of the houses that presidents grew up in or lived in before or after their presidency, sometimes inside a historic district. [RELATED: 6 Summer Learning Programs for Students of All Ages] There are many opportunities to keep your student engaged in learning over the summer months. Educational summer road trips can not only introduce your student to areas of the country he or she might not be familiar with, they can also further understanding of its history. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

How can I write an awesome thesis statement

How can I write an awesome thesis statement Writing awesome thesis statements involves knowledge and skill. It is a crucial step in learning to write high-scoring essays. To succeed, you have to know how to make a thesis statement well-structured, strong, action-oriented, and focused. Whats more, writing awesome thesis statements is a skill that takes practice to develop. Once you know what to do, you will need deliberate practice hammering out thesis after thesis, revision after revision, until the central claim of your essay says exactly what you want it to say with the structure and force you want it to have. With a well-crafted thesis statement, your essay will almost write itself. How? It will outline your essay so that all you will have to do is give examples to show what you mean. What is a thesis statement? A thesis statement is the central claim your essay makes. It summarizes everything you intend to say in your essay in one sentence. Of course, your argument will need context and further elaboration with examples to persuade your reader, but that is what the rest of the essay is for. Where can you find the thesis statement? The thesis statement almost always comes at the end of the introduction of an essay. The introduction is the name we give to the first paragraph of the essay. Introductory paragraphs perform four important jobs. They start the essay by trying capture the readers attention, give some background and context to your topic, focus your topic saying what you will and will not be talking about, and then end with the central argument you intend to develop with the rest of your essay. The introduction prepares your reader for your thesis, and if your thesis statement is well-crafted it will make your reader want to read to the end. Because of its important role as the organizing idea behind the whole essay, it is vital that you get it right every time. A loose, unfocused, unstructured, bland claim will not motivate your reader to read on. Make your thesis awesome, and your reader will devour your essay with great relish. Heres how. Structure your thesis statement with topics A good thesis statement should contain 2 or 3 three topics that can be developed in the paragraphs of the essay that follow. This formula can be represented as a claim with divisions or prongs. Below, X Y represents the claim, and because A, B, and C represent the topics you will develop with evidence in the body paragraphs of your essay. X Y because A, B, and C Take a stand with your thesis statement A good thesis should take a strong stance that can be debated and defended. In academic writing, students are often expected to make a strong claim about a controversial issue and defend it vigorously. In the example below, you can see that the first example simply offers an observation about the world. The second example raises the alarm that something must change. Make your thesis statements strong. Today, it is common to see young people spending time on social media, memes, and selfies. (WEAK) Today’s generation of young people is becoming alarmingly focused only on themselves because of the rise of social media, memes, and selfies.(STRONG) Use action verbs in your thesis statement A thesis sentence will capture the readers imagination when it conjures up action and transformation. To conjure up action in your readers mind, use action verbs rather than stative verbs. Action verbs suggest an action is being performed. In the example below the active verbs are underlined. Compare them with the stative verbs is and have in the second example which describe states of being and possession rather than actions. Romeoembodies the ideal tragic hero because hebelongs to a noble family, displays great virtue, anddiesof a tragic flaw. (4 action verbs: good) Romeo is the ideal tragic hero because he is noble, he is virtuous, and he has a tragic death. (4 stative verbs: not as good) Keep your thesis statement short A good thesis statement should be short and to the point. Aim for a sentence length of no more than 30 words. If you can make it shorter, do. Eliminate any unnecessary elaboration to give your thesis more focus. You can develop and support your ideas later in your essay. Ice cream is the best of all the desserts because it is creamy owing to the ingredients with a high fat content, sweet because of added sugar and lactose, and cool because of the temperature it is served at. (39 words) Ice cream is the best dessert because it is creamy, sweet, and cool. (13 words) Examples of thesis statements This list of thesis statements illustrates how to structure the central claim of your argument around bolded keywords. Note that each 3-item series of topics that follows the keyword will serve as an outline for the rest of your essay. Because We should wear school uniforms because they would help ensure discipline, help reduce class-consciousness, and help foster school pride.Students should wear uniforms to school because they are less expensive than other clothing, they will decrease issues related to dress code, and they will improve school culture.Zoos should be banned because animals need to remain in the wild, zoos cannot provide natural experiences for animals, and animals in zoos get sick and die.Romeo embodies the ideal tragic hero because he belongs to a noble family, displays great virtue, and dies of a tragic flaw. Spring is the best time of year because the sun shines longer, the temperature rises, and flowers bloom. To + Infinitive Prostitution should be legalized to decrease the number of violent acts committed against sex workers, to give people in the sex trade a safe working environment, and to promote the psychological health of sex workers. By Today’s generation is alarmingly focused only on themselves, as evidenced by the rise of social media, memes, and selfies.This lacking aspect of the American ideal is reflected by the characters, the symbols and the overall theme of the book.Whether by the brutal imagery, the somber theme of the book, the captivating plot, or rather lack thereof, Remarque did his best to paint war in a negative light. Through The author demonstrates this issue through symbolism and her use of language. Through the themes of censorship, knowledge and technology, the novel teaches us that to blossom, people must think by themselves. Through theand but also through This is revealed not only through the main plot of the story, but also through the way characters are portrayed and the themes presented in the novel. For the In The Magicians, Lev Grossman uses magic as a unifying device for the characters, the plot and the theme. In its Samuel Beckett’s Endgame reflects characteristics of Theatre of the Absurd in its minimalist stage setting, its seemingly meaningless dialogue, and its apocalyptic or nihilist vision. Please follow and like us:

When to use Already, Still and Yet in English ?? - Time words in English

When to use Already, Still and Yet in English ?? - Time words in English In this lesson you will learn when to use already, still and yet and other time words in English.We will talk what is difference between STILL and YET.We will review in detail the difference between FOR and SINCE which confuse many many ESL students. When to use Already, Still and Yet - Time Words in English Hi there and welcome back to Harrys English lessons.And if you havent already subscribed to Learn English with Harry YouTube channel, just press the subscribe button.  Today, Im going to talk to you about time words. These are English expressions that we use about time.So I go through each of them and then Ill give you some examples and hopefully youll be able to understand exactly what they mean because I know they cause some people a few problems.So the first one we have is AGO.Ago is referring to back in time in the past. Its all about back. So here were using the simple past in terms of verb tense.When we talk about ago, we can say something like two weeks ago. So its back in time. Youre travelling back in time, like Dr Who.So heres an example. You meet your friend and youre walking down the street and youre asking them about some other friend Jane. He says:Oh yes, Jane, she moved to Canada two weeks ago.So hes talking about two weeks that from the time that you met him two week s ago.The next time word I want to use is BEFOREIn our first example, when were using ago, we said when we spoke to Paul that Jane had moved to Canada two weeks ago.So when you met him two weeks ago, when we use before we can use the same example:The last time I met Paul, he had told me that Jane had moved to Canada two weeks before. Two weeks before the date you last met Paul. So before is talking about again about history.But we can also use before with the simple present and the simple past. Let me give you two examples.I will leave before he comes.Meaning I will leave the office, I will leave the meeting, I will leave home before he comes. Simple present. Okay.Or the simple past.  He completed or did or finished his homework before he had dinner.The next time word I want to use is SINCESo this again can be a little bit confusing, but we use since with the perfect tenses present, perfect or past perfect depending on the circumstances.So let me give you a good understanding of how we use it.So lets say I have been living in this particular house for 19 years.  So that means today is 2019. 19 years ago when I moved in would have been the year 2000. So when I use the word since it takes me back to the past, brings me up to the present and tells me that Ive been living here since a particular date or year.The next time word that I  have for you is FORNow,  since and four always get confused.When were using the word FOR, were talking about a duration period of time.So lets go back to my example about the house here.Living here since the year 2000 started in the past.  It brings me up to the present.I can say it in the exact same way by saying I have been living here for 19 years, for 19 years, the duration of 19 years. Again, it started in the past. It brings me up to the present. I have been living here for a period of 19 years.   When to use Already, Still and Yet - Time Words in English And the next time word that I want to use is ALREADY  And here again we use already with the perfect tenses.It either comes in the middle of the sentence or at the end of the sentence and it tells you something that has already happened.She had already left the party before he arrived. Did you post that letter for me? Yes, Ive posted already. I have posted it already. Here we use the present perfect. I have have plus the past participle posted. I have posted it already and here we have already at the end of the sentence.So you can have it in the middle. You can have it at the end, you can use it with the past perfect. And you can use it with the present perfect.And the next time word then is YET And this one is a bit different so be careful. We only use it with negative statements and questions. And its always about something that hasnt been completed. It isnt finished.So youre asking a question about whether something has done as has been done or youre asking us making a stable as s omething in the negative.Has he finished his dinner yet?Present perfect.  And then if you want to put it into a negative statement:He hasnt called me yet. He hasnt called me yet. Im getting very worried.So again, up to the time that youre talking to the person, you havent received a phone call, so it isnt complete that as an action that hasnt finished. Its a negative statement. HAnd then one I have for you is STILLThis is the last time word. So we use this in positive statements or we use it in questions.It comes after the auxiliary verb and before the main verb. For example:Are you still playing tennis? Yes. I am still playing tennis. Okay, so weve looked at ago, before, since, four, yet and still.So hopefully youve got a good understanding of how to use them.And if you want to contact us, of course, you can subscribe to our channel and join me on www.englishlessonviaskype.com and subscribe, as I said, and we’ll see you soon.

Official italki Blog

Official italki Blog Official italki Blog Official italki Blog Official italki Blog Official italki Blog Official italki Blog Official italki Blog One important aspect of learning a language is getting connected into a community of students and teachers.  Thats why we revised our Groups function on italki.  We wanted to make it easier to have discussions about every aspect of learning a language.   What weve done is create official italki Groups for every language.   Each language now has five official groups called: Learning the language Teachers and Schools Tests and Exams Culture and Society Travel, Living Abroad and Study Abroad We made this change in order to consolidate discussions in each language.  All of the previous user-created groups still exist, and you can still create your own group.  As with before, each group is basically a forum where members of the group can create a topic and start a discussions with other group members.   We also wanted to highlight a few interesting ways you could use groups. Many teachers have asked us how they can reach students who are interested in paid tutoring sessions.  Teachers can now post information about themselves in the Teachers and Schools Group (example: Teachers and Schools for learning English).  We think this could be a great place for teachers to market to students, and for students to learn more about a teachers background and teaching style. Another interesting use of groups could be for sharing test knowledge (example: Tests and Exams for learning English.   Now if you are taking a language test such as the  TOEFL (Test of English as a Foriegn Language), the  HSK (the main test for Chinese proficiency), or the  AP Spanish test  (US College Boards test of Spanish competency) you should be able to find discussions about how to prepare for them in the Tests and Exams group for that language.   In general, we just wanted to make it easier for the italki community to connect and communicate with each other.  If you have any questions about how to use groups or want to send us any feedback on the site changes, please click on our feedback link or send us an email (feedback at italki dot com). Your opinions really help us understand where we need to improve the site. And keep reading our blog   well be letting you know about our future updates here. Official italki Blog Official italki Blog We want to wish a happy new year to all our members, teachers, supporters, investors, advisers, and staff.   Thank you for a great 2009! And we look forward to an even more exciting 2010. Best Wishes for the Near Year, The italki Team P.S. The December Unwrap the Joy of Learning promotion ends tonight at midnight, China time.   Thats in 6 hours, so hurry now! Official italki Blog Official italki Blog We want you to get the most out of italki, and so were planning to write a series of blog posts for how you can improve your experience. General tips for finding good language partners 1. First, offer to help other users Many users ask other users to become friends by demanding that they help them learn a language.  This isnt wrong exactly, but its always important to think from the other persons perspective.  Ask yourself why this person would want to become your italki friend? * Person A:  Hi * Person B:  Teach me English I wan learn English very mch * Person C:  Salut, I see that you are learning French.   I was born in Paris, and I am native speaker of French.   I was wondering if you could help me with English for practice in French? bad introduction In order to receive help, you must be willing to give it. Especially at the start, its important to let other users know that youre interested in helping them too. 2. Show something real about yourself Profile pictures When youre online, it is harder to build trust, so its important to try to be real. Not having a picture or using fake pictures makes it harder to connect with other users. Which one of these is a real person? Audrey Hepburn did not join italki Profile information Likewise, profiles with no information makes it harder for other users to know if they should be friends with you. The more youre willing to share about yourself, the more likely other people will be willing to share their time with you.  Again, always offer to help people in your profile. 3. Answer questions, ask questions Answering questions is a great way to show other people that you are interested in sharing your knowledge. In addition, other users who have similar questions may view your answer and find you that way. Asking good questions also shows potential language partners that youre serious about learning a language. Some users are looking for longer-term study partners, and showing that you know something about the language helps the community understand who you are. 4. Having discussions in groups Groups is another place to be seen and to participate in a dialogue. In particular, if you are a teacher or tutor and want to let other language learners know that you are available to teach, definitely go to the help offered / schools and teachers group to post an introduction. If you are student looking for help, you should post here. Likewise, if youre a student, go post in a group like learning the language or in the help wanted / tests and exams area. 5. Dont give up It isnt easy to find good long-term language partners, so dont assume after sending five invitations that there is nobody who wants to work with you. Its also important to know there are many reasons why people dont reply or arent interested. Some users already have many friends, and dont want to add new ones. Some users are just too busy. Our main recommendation is just to keep on trying, and keep on coming back to the site. The language partner search results are generally filtered by who was last online so dont wait to be found. Stay online, and get involved! If you have other suggestions or ideas about how to get the most out of italki, please let us know in the comments below! You can also always send us feedback or email at feedback at italki dot com. The italki team Official italki Blog Official italki Blog Official italki Blog Official italki Blog Official italki Blog Official italki Blog Official italki Blog Official italki Blog Official italki Blog

Everything you need to know about teaching in a hagwon

Everything you need to know about teaching in a hagwon South Korea is a great destination for TEFL teachers and if you’re thinking of teaching there you’ve probably already realised the first decision you’ll need to make: public school or hagwon? Um, what is a hagwon? Hagwons are private schools that many South Korean students attend outside regular school hours to get in some extra study. This is where they get the nickname ‘crammer schools.’ Academic success is a big deal in South Korea and while not all students do this kind of extra study, the hagwon industry is huge. There are around 100, 000 of them throughout South Korea, mostly in urban centers like Seoul and Busan. Does it make much difference if I teach in a hagwon or a public school? There are quite a few similarities between teaching in hagwons and public schools. You can expect a similar salary of around 2.1-2.5 million won per month ($1900 â€" 2236), with benefits like furnished accommodation, health insurance and return airfare included in your contract. You can also be sure you’ll teach kids and teenagers at public schools and hagwons, although hagwons may also run business English classes for adults. Beyond this, there are actually more differences than you might think between teaching in a public school and a hagwon. We’ll go into these in more detail below, but one of the most important things to bear in mind is that while public schools are funded and government-regulated, hagwons are unregulated, privately owned businesses. This means you could have a completely different experience working in one hagwon than you might in another. (Look below for tips on how to choose the right hagwon for you!) The general consensus is that while teaching in a public school might provide regular hours and stability, hagwons could offer more flexibility and independence. But let’s take a look at the finer details. Hagwons vs public schools: You decide! When do you want to move to South Korea? The application process might make this decision for you. South Korean public schools have two start dates for English teachers each year: spring term and fall term. The application process takes a minimum of three months, and is normally done through programs like EPIK, GEPIK and SMOE. So if you decide in February that you want to teach in a South Korean public school, you’ll have to wait until the fall term of the same year to start. That’s a 7 month wait! On the other hand, hagwons are not tied to the academic calendar and hire teachers all year round. The application process is also much quicker (generally only 2-3 months) so if you want to move to South Korea ASAP, this could be the option for you. There is less competition for teaching positions in hagwons but all applicants will be expected to be a native English speaker, hold a degree and possibly a TEFL certificate. Where in South Korea do you want to teach? Do you think you’d be more at home in a busy urban centre, a small town or surrounded by nature in the countryside? If all three options sound pretty great, then you’d be an ideal candidate for the public school system. When you apply to teach in a South Korean public school you don’t get to choose your exact location, as teachers have to be placed in schools throughout the country. Hagwons are all over South Korea, so if you’ve got your heart set on teaching in a particular location applying to hagwons in the area might be your best bet. This is particularly true for big, popular cities where competition for teaching positions in public schools is most fierce but there are plenty of hagwon jobs around. What kind of teaching do you want to do? You know wherever you teach you’ll be working with kids and teens, but the kind of teaching you end up doing might differ depending on the kind of school you work in. For starters, class sizes in public schools are about 30 â€" 40 students whereas in hagwons classes only have about eight students. Also, in a public school you’ll teach with a Korean co-teacher during your lessons and in a hagwon you’ll work alone. The pros and cons of these set-ups really depend on the kind of teaching you want to do. Some TEFL teachers find it more rewarding to teach independently and form stronger bonds with their small classes of students, as you can in a hagwon. Others find the pressure placed on hagwon students to succeed is transferred on to them, making the job more stressful than it might be in a public school. Are you looking for a South Korean immersion or an expat lifestyle? Normally, teaching in a public school means you’ll be the only foreigner among all the other staff and students. If you are looking to learn Korean or immerse yourself in South Korean culture, this is a great way to do it! But if you’d prefer your workplace to have a more international atmosphere, teaching in a hagwon will mean you have other expat colleagues to share your experience with. When deciding on the kind of lifestyle you want, it’s also worth thinking about where you hope to live in South Korea. Big cities are more likely to have big expat communities. Do you prefer working during the day or at night? And what about vacations?! In public schools, working hours are a pretty regular Monday to Friday, morning and afternoon deal. You might have to work 8-hour days (rather than 6 or 7 at a hagwon) but you’ll normally only have to teach around 22 hours per week. Hagwon teaching days might be shorter, but they could also be more intense, with up to 30 teaching hours, and possible overtime on weekends. Hagwon working hours also start as the public school hours wind down, so working evenings and weekends is to be expected. When it comes to vacation time, public schools have the edge â€" on top of the 14 Korean national holidays most public school contracts normally include 20 â€" 25 days paid vacation per year, compared to two weeks paid vacation in a hagwon. Sign up to Teach Away today for access to the latest teaching jobs around the world. I think hagwon teaching is for me! But how do I choose which hagwon to work for? Good question! A word of warning before you start your Google search: there are plenty of hagwon horror stories out there. A quick peek at Hagwon Blacklist shows, at worst, hagwon bosses demanding overtime, withholding pay and terminating contracts at the last minute to avoid paying their teachers’ return airfares. None of this is something you want to deal with in an unfamiliar country where you don’t speak the language! Thankfully, there are also good hagwons out there and many teachers have great experiences working in them. The best way to tell if a hagwon is good or not is to do plenty of research before you take a job anywhere. Here are some things to look out for… Which are the best hagwons? Firstly, do you know anyone who has worked in South Korea? Can they recommend any hagwons to work in or do they know someone else who can? If not, search for reviews online. Waygook is a good forum for teachers in South Korea. As a rule, look for schools that have lots of reviews and avoid schools that don’t have any. Work with a few different recruiters. Each recruiter will have relationships with a different set of schools giving you a broader idea of what’s out there. Think about working for a hagwon chain. They are more likely to have some kind of standardised contract, and plenty of teacher reviews online so you can get a good idea of their work terms. Ask to speak to current teachers at any hagwon you are interested in working in. No one is in a better position to give you the real story about what it’s like to work there! Try to speak to more than one teacher, if possible. Finally, interview with as many different schools as you can, take notes and compare them. What should I ask in a hagwon interview? Interviews are a great chance to get a feel for your potential employers. How approachable they are and how clearly they answer your questions will give you an indication of what they might be like to work for. Here are some things you should definitely ask in an interview before accepting a hagwon job: What is a teaching hour? Some hagwons define a teaching hour as 45-50 minutes with a few minutes turn-around between lessons, and others count an hour as a full 60 minutes. What do teachers do apart from teach? Other responsibilities might include writing reports, doing marking or monitoring students. Make sure you find out how often you’ll be expected to do these things and be paid for them. Do teachers work overtime? Find out if you’ll be expected to work weekends and if so, how many. What does the teachers’ accommodation look like? Ask to see photos of the accommodation they are offering and find out exactly what furniture is included. What is the commute to work like? Find out how long you’ll spend travelling to work from your accommodation and make sure there is a reliable public transport route. How does vacation time work? Make sure you know in advance whether the school specifies when you take your vacations or if you get to choose. These are just some questions to cover in an interview, but ask as many as you can think of. Any good hagwon should be able to answer all of these questions and more! Take notes, make sure you get clear answers and you can even ask for confirmation of the terms agreed to in your interview in writing. Finally, don’t be afraid to be a bit picky. There are thousands of hagwons in South Korea, and there’s sure to be one that’s great for you!