Job Discussion Forums

[jibbs]

I don't know about the rest of you but we are given some stuff that simply does not work, Material way too hard. Laziest kids I ever met too. Songs. I think songs mights work, or electroshock therapy. High school lazy.

[slayer6719]

Place i work is the same. It,s all on Computer and we aren't allowed to deviate from the curriculum.

[MisterButtkins]

One semester I got a book that was basically a manual on debating. It had all these different types of debates, different debating strategies, and different techniques. 3/4 of the kids couldn't even have a basic conversation in English.

[Guerciotti]

I guess I'm lucky I teach primarily English majors. The books are below their abilities and I'd kill for a good debate book because I end up sourcing everything from the internet. I do whatever I want, mostly because what I do is useful. Except for the few times when it's not useful.

I guess we're similar as my course books are useless, but for different reasons.

Lazy, no English, uninterested - all the opposite of my experience.

[rogerwilco]

A few years ago I was hired to teach English at a high school that gave me 19 textbooks, including teacher's editions, that were to be used in the two grades that I would be teaching. I was not hired directly by the school, but by an organization that claimed to be preparing students to go to colleges in America.

All of the books were just poorly written lessons copied from other textbooks, and I was expected to follow the curriculum without any deviations.

Fortunately, in my opinion, this organization later proved to not be able to legally hire foreigners, so I quickly found another job before having to figure out what to do with 19 crappy books.

I do not know the answer to the question posed by the OP. But most of the teaching materials that I have seen in China are just not very good.

[GHammer]

I can definitely sympathize and empathize with the comments on this thread. I teach at an International school and I fluctuate between trying to teach IGCSE material that is way too hard for even our highest level students and teaching "starter stuff" that even the laziest of students should already know by now.

It can be frustrating. I really try to mix-and-match, stick with scaffolding my lesson plans according to level, theme, topic, and skill-related goals. I focus on teaching practical spoken English, commonly used English and grammar, basic rules of writing and college level ideas of English Literature and composition. I use a lot of student-to-student, student-to-teacher interaction with role-play, games, drills and individualized instruction thrown in for good measure.

I play word games and brain games; I do logic puzzles; I do drills; I use the "Say-Back" technique extensively; I quiz; I probe; I demand answers and participation; I call on "non-volunteers" ... I challenge my students by name, and by exercise, and when they have trouble I often allow them to ask for help from others or pair-share. When they should know the answer themselves, I'm not afraid to show disappointment or disgust that they have disappointed me (individually and as a class). I form teams and make it a competition. I hole them responsible for learning and I just evaluate and promote that process. I give crappy little "rewards" like candy and suckers and stickers which my students absolutely LOVE and which costs me very little. I might give an occasional "Monthly Prize" which is often bigger, but STILL costs me VERY LITTLE! Winning teams get something "special"; losers ARE LOOOOSSSSEEEEEERRRRRRSS! and get nothing more than the "L" sign flashed at them. Keep it light, keep it fun, make it competitive but non-threatening. Make it VOCAL ... IN ENGLISH!

Occasionally, MAKE IT LOUD! ... sing, role play, debate, send half the class out and start a stupid (unharmful) rumor, then invite the rest of the class back into the room and have them try to figure out the rumor. Every 7 to 10 days, take 15 to 20 minutes to sing a popular song and provide students with a copy of accurate lyrics, then practice off-and-on for a week or two. Make them stand, bow and READ ... provide each student with a small paragraph and require them to practice it, rehearse it and read it to the class -- do a few every other day just to get students talking, using the language and participating. Mix it up!

Occasionally, MAKE IT QUIET! ... send a "Silent Sentence" around the room student-by-student and see how different the original sentence is when it finally reaches the last student then it was when you first quietly whispered it to the first student in class!

I generally try to alternate every few weeks between being very demanding and being very goal (but fun) oriented. My students study hard for tests and examinations, but they also let me know when it's time to loosen up, lighten up, and "Use It or Lose It!" Regardless if my students learn everything they're supposed to or not, they generally work pretty hard AND have fun too. This is popular with them and it also shows them that (as their teacher) I'M TRYING and I CARE! It offers them a nice "break" from the "Chinese method of instruction" (which they are all generally sick and tired of by now). That means they look forward to my class and to trying their best to talk to me and communicate, and as a teacher, that's important to me.

Afraid of occasionally looking like an idiot or a fool? I've got news for you: we TEACH for a living! ... which means we're ALL FOOLS! Why fight the "Dancing Monkey Syndrome?" ... I say EMBRACE IT! because, as teachers, we're ALL Dancing Monkeys at some point or another -- and this has certainly been true in every country I've ever taught in (America, Mexico, and China) as well as being true in every other country on the planet.

Honestly, we ALL KNOW that some of the best planned, most meticulously thought-out and schemed lesson plans will FAIL! On the other hand, we all remember classes where we were un-prepared as teachers (or under-prepared) or where we took a risk as teachers ... classes where you walk in prepared to teach one lesson, and a student says something, asks a question, or mentions something completely obscure or off-topic and --the next thing you know-- you're teaching something ENTIRELY DIFFERENT than what you had originally planned and everyone is laughing, listening, talking, trying to speak and learn, and generally working to improve. Use these classes as review or use them as "Challenge Classes" ... build them into your lesson plans, your semester schedules and your curriculum maps.

When all is said and done, when all the tests are taken and the grades are turned in ... honestly ... what class will the students remember? What class will the administrators remember and praise (when you're being observed)?

I've found these ideas to be almost universally true no matter where --or in what country-- I've taught, trained and tutored.

--G

[Andrew108]

Good post GHammer - this is basically what an ESL teacher should be doing. Students like it and it can be a lot of fun. I did 5 years of this type of teaching when I was in Thailand.

[Guerciotti]

[Non Sequitur]

Excellent GHammer.
You are clearly an enthusiastic and talented teacher.
Keep it up!!