Job Discussion Forums

[Jayray]

I've had classes with 45+ students for oral English classes. I arranged to have half the class arrive for the first half. When the second period started, the first group was dismissed, and the second group came in. It made more sense to be able to spend quality time with half the class than to have all of them come at one time.

It also makes it more difficult for the disruptive students to hide in the crowd. I've been pretty lucky. I've put only one student out of the room.

Remember: if you have a truly "bad" class, don't smile until after the May and October breaks.

[Lobster]

Let me give you some free, if unsolicited, advice. Maybe some of you have no training or you snoozed through the classroom management part of your course. This advice may seem harsh, but my 15 years of experience show that it's sound.

1. Never be too friendly and easy-going during the first week of classes. This is a fatal newbie error that will dog you throughout the term. If you start off with a free and easy attitude you will never be able to become more strict later. Start off strict and you can relax after the students are trained. Your first impression on your students is going to make or break you.

2. You can never win a series of firefights against 40-50 students. Like a cop who has to maintain authority over superior numbers, you need to keep them in line with a combination of discipline and uncertainty. Lay down the rules on day one and stick to them. Discuss your available disclipline options with your department head before you set foot in the classroom. Tell students your rules in the very first class.

3. Don't get hot, get cold. Never lose your temper. The proper reaction is disappointment. Once you get emotional, you lose. If students start to get whacky, count to three in a loud voice while giving offenders the hairy eyeball.

4. Be fair with all students regardless of ability and attitude. Start every class with a clean slate for every student.

5. Make the punishment fit the crime. Distinguish between minor incidents and major disruptions and discipline accordingly.

6. Walk around the classroom a lot and don't stay at the front of the room. If particular students have a tendancy to become disruptive, make a point of standing right beside them a lot.

7 Keep your classes student centered so they are actively engaged. A bored student is a trouble student. Use peer pressue to help keep students in line. This includes effective use of the class monitor.

8. Don't allow the back-row boys to exist. On your first day look at where students are sitting. Take all the ones from the back and move them to the front. Alternate boys and girls so the guys don't sit with their friends and get up to shenanigans.

A well-behaved class is a pleasure to teach, and an unruly one is hell. Do yourself a favor and try these techniques with your next class. Students appreciate a teacher who can manage the class and provide a good working environment. I think you'll find things will go a lot better. You can thank me if it works.

RED

[Jayray]

Lobster, that should be a sticky. What you said works not only in China but in inner-city America as well.

[TexasHighway]

I agree that it is important to establish the rules and expectations during the first week of classes. My biggest problem I had this past semester at my university was undoing the damage done by a previous FT. He was a complete loser who never bothered talking to any of the boys and spent most of his time trying to hit on the pretty girls. He was very unpopular with his students and he ended up failing many of them, most of whom never showed up for class. I didn't find it necessary to pull any kind of drill sergeant routine but from day one, I let my students know what to expect. I told them that if they acted like adults, they would be treated as adults. I let them sit where they wanted, as long as they obeyed the rules and were not disruptive. If they wanted to bring their breakfasts to their early morning classes, I told them that is fine, as long as they cleaned up after themselves. They learned quickly that if they failed to meet my expectations, that they shouldn't be surprised when they received low grades. Occasionally, I have to make an example of someone so they know I mean business. From my many years of teaching in China, I have learned how to strike a balance between establishing classroom discipline while, at the same time, maintaining a relaxed, fun atmosphere that is a good learning environment. I also agree that it is important to have a good working relationship with the class monitor. But sometimes the students choose the class clown as their monitor and on rare occasions, I have taken action with the administration to have the monitor replaced.

[dharma86]

I agree. It's all about expecting them to behave like adults. And develop a good relationship, a friendship with them on an adult-adult basis. Then everybody gets along, and your students just look and listen to you when you speak, so it doesn't matter about the 45+

[brsmith15]

There are some real jewels of wisdom here. Someone should take the best and make a small book.

Much of it reminded me of my short military careerand when I was given a company to command in Nam, my batallion colonel told me to be an s.o.b. for 2-3 weeks and then back off. As he advised, it's much harder to go the other way.

So here in China, I'd lay down the law for the fist hour of class. Then I'd tell them about my background, getting thrown out of high school several times and then let back in if I promised to behave and try to get into some college somewhere.

When I did calm down, I figgered engineering was best suited. I'd tell my Chinese students that the two most common engineers in the US are a technical grad and someone who drives a train.

"Wa! I'm going to study to drive a train," -- and this is back when there were still a few steam locomotives around. What a shock I had the first day of class as the math teacher filled the blackboard with a bunch of squiggly things!

Then they could see my dual nature. But if someone was unruly, I'd have them stand and ask them to sing.

[tomstone]

[Cubism]

Now I've run into a uni class problem -- the admin refuses to make xeroxes..you know the basic stuff you hand out in class: situations for the role plays you're doing, vocabulary, stories, pictures to describe speaking English, etc. The classroom has only a tiny blackboard that most of the kids can't see. The other unis where I taught were fine with making my copies. The pay at the new one is low, so can't imagine making my own xeroxes. I have a computer & printer but when the class is 40+ the number of copies is 6 the kids get frustrated and start sleeping or chatting in Chinese (can't blame them). The admin "suggests" getting an email acct and giving the sts the password, posting lessons there. I won't do that; I write articles about ESL and sell those ideas, not post them for free. The other FT's in the same boat. I consider just putting, say, the vocabulary words in the email.

Ideas? Thanks. Cubism in China

[Lobster]

Sounds like a pretty Mickey Mouse setup for a uni. If you have a computer and projector in the room you can use that by preparing word docs or ppts, but it sounds like you don't even have that. Personally, I'd be furious. Looks like you're going to have to tell admin that they will be responsible for materials for your class, as it's not your job to create them. They can buy books for all the students or supply handouts. Really, they sound like garbage. Think about getting out of there asap. Until then, make the students give oral presentations every day, all day. Make one sheet of paper with 100 topics and sign them up. Let them talk while you sit back and give advice and feedback.

RED

[Cubism]

That's great. 3 yrs ago I had 2 classes of grads, 100 each class, but had the projector & computer so it was OK. still kind of tiring, and you wonder if anyone learns anything, since it's an oral class...

I did not mention that my classes do have textbooks. Like many Chiney texts, it's way off the point, pages & pages about public speaking to kids who can't make a sentence yet. Te grad one is laughable. When faced with similar situations in the past I'd make handouts of things on the net, write and even edit stuff, etc.

But I'll look at the book again; and I'll reduce handouts to lists of vocab. Give the topics orally/on the bl board & put them in small groups. Have the presentation signup sheet w/ 100 topics. It'll be fine.

I can't leave this place because of costs/fatigue resulting from the items we've discussed elsewhere. Also, it's light years better than the last 2 unis. (I'd begun to wonder if I was ever going to make a good decision again.) My apt. is honestly nice. The classes are nice, rooms are spotless. But we shall see...You never know. Thank you. Cube

[Cubism]

Lobster, and Others, you're completely correct; but the kiddos write detailed evaluations. EG, at one uni I taught a business english class well over 50 sts. The bus. dean gave me strict instructions what to teach, how, and the kids were rich kids who were absolutely not interested. Lots of sneering when I told them to put away their phones, & the phones reappeared 1 min. later.

At that school, I handled the situation badly by one stern look at the beginning of the first class. The monitor announced, "She's just a Teacher!" and that was that. Evaluation time, I was disliked as much as on the first day. During the semester, the kids reported to the dean that they wanted no more strict teaching but American movies and music -- which they got.

Now I try to build trust initially; I definitely teach, but I'm kind, friendly, but sturdy. After a couple of classes I use this magic formula "OK, students: this is for marks. These <vocabulary words> will be on your bi-weekly pop quiz." That works. But telling them the rules the first class -- I still do that -- doesn't seem to make much impression. They know they're ultimately in charge. At least the Chinese admin agrees when I bring up that idea.

All the advice is excellent. Much of it I can put into practice asap. Thank you. Cube[/quote]