Job Discussion Forums

sharpe88 · Joined: 21 Oct 2008 Posts: 226

I don't think it's a big deal - what do you have to hide ? It's just an English class.

At least audiorecording should be fine.. did it all the time when I was in university as a review tool.

mdovell · Joined: 02 Nov 2009 Posts: 131

I should note that many laptops have internal microphones built in. I recorded some classes of mine and the professor didn't notice or care. In going over classes I could type much of what he said but not everything...that and when you have a classroom with doors that slam so hard it sounds like someone dropped a typewriter on the floor didn't help...

recording is one thing..but outright distraction and the potential for cheating should be understood. Way back in the day in the 90's some company asked people taking the SATs to write down everything they remembered...they were onthe west coast. Later they made up pencils with the answers!

These days if someone can send and receive photos that can be a issue.

as for games in one computer class I saw two students playing with full video game controls hooked up to a laptop with a huge screen. very distracting and I'm certain no teacher would want to teach with that in the background.

games can be fine if say the whole class participates and it is relevant.

roywebcafe · Joined: 13 Jan 2006 Posts: 259

at summer camp in belgium i confiscated 8 cells and 2 ps2's and put them all in a big sock i kept handy and took them all down to the teachers office. The little tykes followed me wailing about promising to be good. they then had to collect them from a more severe senior colleague after class.

It doesn't work very well in adult classes tho unless you keep a big gun handy. For adults a gun is the only way you can get them to play musical chairs!!

Orrin · Joined: 02 Apr 2005 Posts: 206 Location: Zhuhai, China

Unless you are teaching from an employer-supplied text and lesson plan, the lesson you deliver to your students is YOUR intellectual property. Therefore, if your students are recording your lesson without your permission, they are breaking the law.

I always tell my students on the very first lesson of the semester that any recording of my classes is strictly forbidden; and that any mobile phones or laptops are not allowed in the classroom. When I see one of these (and I have seen many) I seize them and turn them over to the department director with directions to the offending students that they can retrieve them there. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Last year, a colleague of mine allowed students to record her lessons on their mobile phones only to have them put up on www.youku.com for all to enjoy.

Nexus11 · Joined: 18 Nov 2009 Posts: 38

I can't believe that this is even being discussed. Never allow cellphones in class. It is just asking for problems. I don't even allow them for dictionaries.

There are two reasons for this: one is that a quick-fingered student knows that he can sit in class and text his friends and then quickly open the dictionary when the teacher is coming. The second is that dictionaries don't help students learn. They should be asking the teacher or even a classmate for help. If they are ever in an all-English environment, they will need the ability to describe IN ENGLISH the word they don't know.

With that being said, I still allow electronic dictionaries if they are dictionary only. Cellphone and Nintendo DS dictionaries are for home, not school.

ayahyaha · Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 7:58 am Post subject:

I agree with Nexus 100%. I ban cell phones entirely. I've tried compromises and it's never worked.

If I have an activity that specifically calls for dictionary work, that's one thing, but otherwise I generally don't even allow the use of electronic dictionaries. It's much more useful to discuss the meaning of a new word together, and not obsessing over single words improves their ability to read for general meaning, etc.

As for recording, HELL NO. It's distracting to me and as everyone has pointed out, it's my lesson, not to be redistributed (or laughed at over and over, whichever the case may be).

Anyhow, being the only female foreigner in my entire city, I have so many pictures and videos taken of me on a daily basis outside of the classroom that I feel completely justified in banning them in the classroom.

The Ever-changing Cleric · Joined: 19 Feb 2009 Posts: 1523

Nexus11 · Joined: 18 Nov 2009 Posts: 38

Halapo · Joined: 05 Sep 2009 Posts: 140 Location: Jiangsu, China

High School, I say no. There is no need. Serious oral English wont happen until after the college entry exams.
University, sure, no prob, but audio only.

I tell my night students I have no interest in being on Chinese Youtube, and promise them that I can use the "human flesh search engine" just as well as them, to find out who posted anything of me. So far I have only needed to ask in class that they don't photo me without telling me. I just tell them I am vain and want to look my best for any photo's.

They even rat out the ones who do, long before I find out.

Anything that makes noise in my class has the risk of becoming mine, aside from students, but then, they never talk in English class now do they? Wink

theincredibleegg · Joined: 01 Jul 2008 Posts: 224

Lorean · Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Posts: 476 Location: Beijing

Theaters and stage shows forbid free recording of their entertainers. Similarly, we should demand royalties from students. 1 RMB for posting on Youku, Youtube or other variant. 0.1 mao per viewing. Exclusive distribution rights available starting at 100RMB.

mrwslee003 · Joined: 14 Nov 2009 Posts: 190

Its your classroom and therefore you make the rules. They (the students) have to be told what your rules are or how you feel about
video equipment, such as cell phones.

Let them know if you don't like your picture taken. On the other hand,
they may like you so much that they want to hear your lessons again and
again. So don't just assume they record you to offend you or exploit you.

I would find out why they record you in the first place before getting all defensive about their motives.

If your students are high school kids, then they are kids, they are there to learn, including their teacher's likes and dislikes.

I don't believe these students deliberately do things to offend their FT's.

Rooster_2006 · Joined: 24 Sep 2007 Posts: 984

I don't know about China, but in Taiwan and Korea, it's illegal to take the picture of a non-famous person without his/her permission.

If there is such a law in China, any argument that the phone is "their property" is moot.

Of course, trying to enforce your right not to be photographed often simply doesn't work. The school officials will side with a fourth grader every time when it comes to confiscating things or otherwise enforcing discipline.

I'll never forget the time the school administration at a hagwon in Korea blamed me because I confiscated a pellet gun from a student who was shooting it around the room...

Remind me to get out of this industry...

mrwslee003 · Joined: 14 Nov 2009 Posts: 190

Being a teacher you must have a thick skin. You can't get all riled up on little things kids do that you may not like. Being a teacher, your values,
identity, and personality are questioned or challenged everyday.
Whatever you do, or ask the kids to do, some kid will ask the un-welcomed question "why?". Its the "nature of the beast!"

I guess it is a screening process as well-to make sure only the hardy will
survive. When you choose to be a teacher in front of a group of kids and
interact with them and try to instill some wisdom or information in them then you have to not mind getting down and dirty!

Mind you, that doesn't mean you let them run the show. Remeber you
are the adult and you are in control. Even with adults, the teacher is suppose to be in control. Otherwise effective learning will suffer.