Job Discussion Forums

[mjzinc]

I searched but didn't find much.

Based on what I have read first timers usually have to teach middle school or anything (and sometimes everything) in between.



I have found two POVs regarding the rugrat age group.

1-It is a nightmare to be avoided/tolerated until a better opportunity presents itself

-or-

2- It is preferred over other age groups with the exception of uni

Am I asking for trouble with this age group as my preference?
Anyone have any good experiences?
School recommendations?

Thanks for the input.

[tomstone]

I like teaching Kindergarten and pre-school, they usually behave themselves after a stern look or standing in the corner (sometimes they cry). They're also less self-conscious about trying. With the university students, it takes about three weeks of a) vague threats about lower grades and b) taking some of the worst offenders aside and making specific threats about failing grades before they start to realize that I'm serious.

[ttorriel]

Dude, everyone is different. Only YOU can decide what suits you.

[creztor]

It is a fair question. However, do you like children? Can you spend x number of hours a day playing with them and teaching at a level they need to be taught at? Some people love kindy for the above and many other reasons. Other people don't like having to jump around like a bubble of joy all day. I will say that the younger groups are usually less of a headache but will require you to be more physically active. Why not sign up at a place and try it yourself to see how you go?

[kukiv]

Biggest difference between the mature and kindergarten student work is the creation of classroom material. I'm afraid most kindies in China are different from those back home in that come in a traditional classroom setting - and expect the FT to teach a classroom of behind desk children rather than jump about and play in make it up as you go fashion. Some of these kindies actually use text books - and require the teacher to try and get the kids to memorise (not necessarily understanding) lists of sentences, rhymes and songs.
As with the mature student text books work materials - much of that you'll be supplied with can be total crap - but at least those older uni students know how to fall asleep in your lesson - they have had a whole education lifetime of being able to suck in and cope with boredom - while the kindy student.......well these guys for all the putting them in corners, making them cry..........they don't take crap too lightly. If your lessons suck and are boring they'll let you know - by fidgeting, talking, playing etc etc - one or two kids are easy to cope with but when you have 10+ kids who are bored out their brains - you are in a no win situation.
To cope with this you have to have all sorts of special tools - games (and lots of them since the kids soon get bored playing the same stuff), songs that they enjoy singing (lots of these as well since your kindy bosses often demand that), flashcards (these often have to be handmade since those you can get are often totally crap) and props, like toys and puppets that give your lessons the kind of interest and entertainment value that keep these young kids on your side rather than creating a minor rebellion.

Then you have to find topics for your lessons - unlike the older students who can spend a month or so studying a set-book or carrying out a specific project - topics usually only last a single lesson. The usual problem for the kindy teacher is - 'what the hell do I teach today?'

Kindy teachers for a good reason often need to be highly trained to fully understand their job - a training that also comes through hard won experience - otherwise its often here comes the monkey - and you'll just be a smiling white face to impress the parents and a plaything punch-bag to entertain the kids.

[tomstone]

[Mr. English]

I must disagree with kukiv. I have taught kindergarten in Guangzhou, at numerous kindergartens, teaching for an outfit that provides foreign teachers to any school that wants one, from five days a week to once a semester. The schools, every one of them, had a textbook and a program; I never had to design my own. Being 6'7" (2.01 meters) I had my problems, the principals think that I am too tall for the job, but the kids love me, as I do them; they are the best to teach. They run into the room with smiles on their faces and they are full of enthusiasm.

[kukiv]

[kukiv]

[cormac]

I enjoyed Kinder teaching. High energy needed to do the work, but it was a lot of fun. Chinese kids can be adorable or outright crazy. Its worth noting that kinder can cover any age from 3 - 10.. you might be doing kinder but end up taking "older" classes as well.

I hated children when i started teaching and grew to love them . Never want to do Kinder again, but I think its a great way to learn to teach. Things are so unpredictable, and you will learn to be able to change lesson plans depending on class attitude or the parents (depending on the school you might have parents in many classes watching), and the contribution of the assistant teachers (chinese, usually female).

Regards books, I did KK in Xi'an, so we had the KK setup of books. We knew the letters or pictures to get across, used the songs KK provided, and the learning games were up to us.

[kukiv]

[cormac]

[kukiv]

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

[cormac]