Job Discussion Forums

[dagi]

Just had a bad day at school At the moment none of my classes seem to work, it's rather going 'downhill'. Trying to work out what's the reason but somehow I cannot figure it out. The classroom is just one mess and none of the kids seems to listen to me. Maybe I should add that I teach in Amsterdam and the kids are quite rough and rowdy.
More and more I think one of my friends was right when he said that I might have the patience to teach but lack authority.
Sorry, this is just a bit of a work rant but I start to feel a bit depressed cause when my classes work I really enjoy teaching.

[Sekhmet]

Hey, I know how you feel - exactly the same happened to me today. I have a couple of very intelligent classes, who always seem to feel the need to act like four year olds! And it really is disheartening. All I can say is hang on in there - the good times eventually start to outweigh the bad!!!
Good luck

[Lyov]

I know how you feel as well but I have a slightly different perspective on the subject. I spent a few years just teaching but currently I am also studying the local language as well so I get the interesting experience of seeing both sides at once. I tell you that compared to studying Mongolian teaching is easy. It has happened more than once that my face has been burning from embarassment because I can't understand what the teacher is saying and she is standing infront of the class bashing me as an example to the other students. I want to scream what the hell is wrong with me? Why is it so difficult?
When I take that perspective into the classroom as a teacher its a whole new experience. I know when a student is bluffing because thats what I do frequently, I know when they are just saying they understand and actually have no idea. The slack jawed blank eyed expression of total incomprehension is one that I know the best. I have been taught empathy. If you think its so hard then try to imagine what they are going through. Try to imagine being in a room full of nonsensical words that your expected to understand but don't and then think about how much more attractive it is to goof off than try to beat yourself into understanding. This is probably not the mentality of a good student but those aren't the ones who cause problems.
These are just my observations but teaching really has gotten easier for me due to this.

[dagi]

Good point! I learned English and French at school and later on Dutch. My students constantly remind me of how I felt when I for example learned English. Right now I am teaching myself Italian and think it's quite easy. It made me realize that the reason why I think it's easy to teach myself Italian is that by now I know a lot about the concept of languages.
My students don't know about this concepts and I don't blame them for that.
My major problem seems to be lack of authority and classroom managment. I guess I just have to learn a lot.

[The G-stringed Avenger]

Any classroom where the majority of students are externally motivated to study a language (you need it to pass your exam, your parents are making you study, it's a compulsory subject etc.) will be a difficult environment. You have to accept that the majority of your students do not care about learning the language, they will do the minimum needed and no more. All you can do is try to ensure that you and everyone else at least has a good time and learns at least something, even if it is only a couple of sentences. It might sound cynical of me, but I think the main problem is this overemphasis on English, forcing students into it - you must learn, you have to study, you will need it etc. I think the fact that most of my students aren't all "YEAH! ENGLISH!" is a result of this. And I think the majority of them will never really need English, and they know it.