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getbehindthemule
Joined: 15 Oct 2015
Posts: 712
Location: Shanghai
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 Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 2:50 am Post subject: |
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Iguessitsme,
Sorry for hijacking your thread a little bit 
How's your 7 day work week going? |
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theoriginalprankster
Joined: 19 Mar 2012
Posts: 895
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| Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 11:41 am Post subject: |
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| I have heard that middle school can be a tough enough gig, how do you find the students? |
If it weren't for them I would have walked 11 months ago.
They're a lovely bunch of kids. A few aren't particularly interested in learning English, and a couple are mute.
The lessons are only 40 minutes and I pack a lesson full of interesting activities. Before we know it, time's up.
The head teacher does not like me for some reason, or perhaps she wants me to know she's the top dog, because all she does is criticize and complain.
I ignore her, and work with my clients - the kids. |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
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| Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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| theoriginalprankster wrote: |
| Quote: |
| I have heard that middle school can be a tough enough gig, how do you find the students? |
If it weren't for them I would have walked 11 months ago.
They're a lovely bunch of kids. A few aren't particularly interested in learning English, and a couple are mute.
The lessons are only 40 minutes and I pack a lesson full of interesting activities. Before we know it, time's up.
The head teacher does not like me for some reason, or perhaps she wants me to know she's the top dog, because all she does is criticize and complain.
I ignore her, and work with my clients - the kids. |
I know from personal experience that Chinese teachers can resent the student-centred approach adopted by active FTs.
A Chinese lady married to a fellow FT said the reason our school was so grudging about photo-copying was because v few Chinese teachers can be bothered with handouts. FTs doing this make Chinese look bad.
The comparison could get back to parents thus forcing Chinese to do extra work, |
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plumpy nut
Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652
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| Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 6:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Non Sequitur wrote: |
Have a few songs - words and music. Kick off the lesson with one chosen by a student. End with one also. This is supported speech which hooks the less enthusiastic into the process.
If you've got the room to mill around - try cocktail party games. These are best with large classes.
If your classroom is static ie bolted down desks try a word race. Be unexpected. Don't give them time to think. They'll concentrate on the task if it's more interesting than chatting to their mates |
Good edutainment No need to take time on finding a quality song containing language material that fits a planned lesson or makes the lesson a quality lesson or is useful for the student's learning. Anything that makes the students happy. |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
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| Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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Who said the songs didn't have content that contributed to learning?
Even without vocab acquisition, confidence is an affective barrier to learning. Given that my classes are freshmen in new surroundings with new classmates just getting them (especially boys) to vocalise is an achievement.
I have been in contact with Dr Schoepp:
http://iteslj.org/Articles/Schoepp-Songs.html
He agrees with my view that there is work still to be done on choice of song in such areas as accessibility which covers no playing equipment and chorus v verse issues. |
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getbehindthemule
Joined: 15 Oct 2015
Posts: 712
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 12:49 am Post subject: |
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| theoriginalprankster wrote: |
| Quote: |
| I have heard that middle school can be a tough enough gig, how do you find the students? |
If it weren't for them I would have walked 11 months ago.
They're a lovely bunch of kids. A few aren't particularly interested in learning English, and a couple are mute.
The lessons are only 40 minutes and I pack a lesson full of interesting activities. Before we know it, time's up.
The head teacher does not like me for some reason, or perhaps she wants me to know she's the top dog, because all she does is criticize and complain.
I ignore her, and work with my clients - the kids. |
That's the important thing and it seems that you are well able to handle it. Don't understimate the power of the kids! The kids tell their parents that they like you and your lessons, this then gets back to the school. Which may be a reason why the head teacher resents you so much.
During my first year I was monitored a bit I guess, but I'm lucky to be left to my own devices for the most part now. I get on really well with most of the teachers, staff and my principal is great.
I usually still have the class teacher in the classroom with me though and I'm not naieve enough to think that I'm not being watched. To add to that, things can change/turn very quickly as a colleague of mine based at another school found out to his demise.
I would say to anyone on here: choose your battles wisely! |
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Iguessitsme
Joined: 21 Nov 2013
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 5:56 am Post subject: |
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Great discussion. I had notifications turned off, fixed now!
Office hours are a part of the job and I agree that we should have them in line with our Chinese co-workers. I'm basically left alone for three hours a day and can do whatever I want (learning web development currently). It works out well!
NS- Good suggestion with the song. I think that's a great idea that I will explore soon.
Back to the original topic...class management. It really only seems to be one class now. The other classes I've had since this post speak a lot of Chinese in class, but it's related to the topic and it's interspersed with English. For example, we are discussing "being sick/ill" and if I introduce "fever" the students recognize it and talk about it a bit in Chinese, but then the conversation slowly changes to English after the initial spurt of Chinese. I'm trying to feed off of this energy and go "okay, awesome that you recognize it, let's try and use more English and if you don't know the English then I'll tell you some associated words." And that seems to have gone well (just one class so far, but am making assumptions).
I think with my "bad" class, they had no energy and that affected me to where I was staring at blank faces and thought that they weren't interested, which may still be the case. BUT it's on me to present to them the topic with the same amount of energy and enthusiasm as I do with my "better" classes. It won't hurt to see how they respond. Hopefully this makes sense.
One more day of this horrid seven day week! |
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getbehindthemule
Joined: 15 Oct 2015
Posts: 712
Location: Shanghai
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| Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 6:32 am Post subject: |
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| Iguessitsme wrote: |
Great discussion. I had notifications turned off, fixed now!
Office hours are a part of the job and I agree that we should have them in line with our Chinese co-workers. I'm basically left alone for three hours a day and can do whatever I want (learning web development currently). It works out well!
NS- Good suggestion with the song. I think that's a great idea that I will explore soon.
Back to the original topic...class management. It really only seems to be one class now. The other classes I've had since this post speak a lot of Chinese in class, but it's related to the topic and it's interspersed with English. For example, we are discussing "being sick/ill" and if I introduce "fever" the students recognize it and talk about it a bit in Chinese, but then the conversation slowly changes to English after the initial spurt of Chinese. I'm trying to feed off of this energy and go "okay, awesome that you recognize it, let's try and use more English and if you don't know the English then I'll tell you some associated words." And that seems to have gone well (just one class so far, but am making assumptions).
I think with my "bad" class, they had no energy and that affected me to where I was staring at blank faces and thought that they weren't interested, which may still be the case. BUT it's on me to present to them the topic with the same amount of energy and enthusiasm as I do with my "better" classes. It won't hurt to see how they respond. Hopefully this makes sense.
One more day of this horrid seven day week! |
Interesting that I have a similar predicament with one of my Grade 4 classes. A few students aside, they don't have the same energy/enthusiasm as their counterparts. I have to work much harder with this group (or at least it certainly feels that way) and still get the blank faces and limited participation in English. I sometimes go away a bit disapointed after teaching this particular class. This being the case even though I have a great relationship built up with the majority of these students (taught them in Grade2+3 also).
Other teachers (Chinese) have commented that this class is weaker in the other subjects also, so luck of the draw I guess. We just need to keep delivering for them as you say!
Yep, one more day, it's been a long week...will enjoy this weekend!
...and just to add, let's keep this thread going in the hope of finding a few more primary school teachers. They seem to be few and far between on Dave's for whatever reason! |
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