Job Discussion Forums

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

TEACH A 10 YEAR OLD KID!!!!!

Due to the fact that a teacher has done a runner I've been lumbered with it.I haven't taught kids in over 12 years. That was my first job. Sınce then I haven't been near a kid.
I hate kids. I'm absolutely terrified.(I'd rather go back to the Gulf)
Any advice would be greatly appreciated

shmooj · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 1758 Location: Seoul, ROK

what... one kid ... ONE ??... get a grip...

we might need a little more to go on. Kids aren't exactly the world's most homogenous group Wink

leeroy · Joined: 30 Jan 2003 Posts: 777 Location: London UK

I'm with dmb, despite him(?) being Scottish Smile

Kids suck.

They are like rubbish versions of adults.

waxwing · Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 719 Location: China

Speaking as a teacher, I'd say the best thing about kids is that you won't be left wondering if they hate you.

You'll know.

yaramaz · Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2004 2:04 am Post subject:

Aw geeze, dmb, please remember that for the past two years I've been dealing with classes of 25-35 of the little monsters. I've never been a fan of kids (even when I was a kid, my peers annoyed me) but strangely enough I've grown to really like them and was really sad to say goodbye last week. One kid will be easier, calmer, saner than 35-- they egg each other on.

Turkish kids like little games and puzzles so if you can incorporate that somehow... I'd recommend one of my 10 yr olds' favourites, Verb Darts, but am not sure how it'd work with just one kid... It was so popular that we used it to review almost every grammatical structure they learned. Very useful.

(If you want to adapt it, this is what you do: make a list of verbs the kid is familiar with, both regular or irregular, in infinitive form, and then draw a huge dartboard on the board. Then you go down the verb list and each time the kid(s) successfully conjugates it into the tense being reviewed, they get to throw a wad of sticky tape at the dartboard. Each rung on the dartboard has a different point value. I used to have 2 teams, which wont help you, but hell, maybe... tell the kid that your previous student got x number of points and dare him to beat the imaginary opponent. Turkish kids are fiercely competitive)

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Sorry to let you down, but I do honestly think if you HATE kids you shouldn't be in this profession!

lagerlout2006 · Joined: 17 Sep 2003 Posts: 985

To paraphrase the movie Barfly:

I don't hate kids--I just feel better when they're not around.

Snoopy · Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 185

My last job (in Thailand) had been advertised as "maximum class size 18". So I found myself in a classroom with 54 11-year-old screaming brats. I can control a class of kids better than most, but give me back some pig-ignorant Gulf Arab college layabouts next time, please!

biffinbridge · Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 701 Location: Frank's Wild Years

dmb tell the little sod to shut up and behave or you'll nick his sweets.count yourself lucky though...I live in a cardboard box in middle o' road.might as well do.im off to the middle ,(currently on the edge),of the Sahara tomorrow to live in a container and teach sand western oriental gentlemen for 30 days.I have never been to a place this dreadful.Ghengis Khan,( a progressive thinker in his day), had the right idea about Muslims.While we're at it;does anyone who has taught Arabs actually like 'em?Apologies in advance I know this isn't pc but then again nor am I.

garbotara · Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Posts: 529 Location: China

When I got to the school I just completed my contract at, tehy told me I would teach 5th grade.I said fine.Then they fired a teacher and made me teach his classes- first and second grades- yikes! Shocked

Well, though the classes were a bit noisy at first, I really got to like the children.The first graders were harder to deal woth, but the second graders were delightful.They were really sweet and funny.Their behavior
really improved and so did their English.
I found myself wanting to help them with their grammar- creating games and things.They really enjoyed the grammar games and it helped them a lot.
Don't be afraid of the little buggers . They can be alot of fun.

yaramaz · Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2004 11:43 am Post subject:

garbotara-- that was i bit like my situation- I took my job in Turkey under the assumption (read: promise) that I'd be teaching the upper high school kids and prep classes, which is where I was experienced. Due to some Turkish twist of fate I landed in the primary school instead-- what I thought would be my worst nightmare. But the kids weren't too bad. I had no idea what to do with a group of 35 10 year olds high on sweets and freedom from Turkish classroom teachers. Very frightening. But it turned out fine. I got to know the kids and they got to know me and we yelled a bit, stomped around a bit, did some work, and it worked out fine...

dmb, kids arent as bad as we might think they are...

garbotara · Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Posts: 529 Location: China

phis · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 250

salmon · Joined: 03 Mar 2004 Posts: 32

Dear dmb,

Your fear / adversion to kids must be horrific if you're saying things like "I'd rather go back to the Gulf"
--- It's only one, you'll be fine.

basiltherat · Joined: 04 Oct 2003 Posts: 952

i see nothing traumatic about teaching kids ... but on just one condition .... as long as theyre my own !! Smile

seriously though, i think a lot depends on what the kid's domestic upbringing has been like. he might turn out to be the sweetest kid ever. on the other hand he might -- (fill the blank) === Evil or Very Mad

basil