Job Discussion Forums

[NYCESOL11211]

My friend, I'm nearly five years into my teaching career. Here's how mine went down:

A little over one year in South Korea, and all went well. Three plus years of teaching adults esol, composition, literacy etc, and almost all of it has went exceedingly well.

Subbed a few weeks in Brooklyn (in between my Korean and NYC adult ed jobs). F-ing nightmare. First day on the job and kids were chasing each other around a science room with BRICKS. Yeah, so now I teach college. Never had a single discipline issue.

Don't let a nightmare experience subbing detour you from your dreams.

Also, why don't you get a Korean job? Airfare paid, and most will even front you with a couple hundred won to float you to your first payday. Hopefully later in your career you won't need to be "fronted" but no shame in doing in while you are young and new.

[naturegirl321]

talent and working hard for something are different. Some people have natural talent. If they never practise, they can only get so far.

[funkyj]

Hi

I don't know anything about teaching overseas in regular classrooms nor teaching EFL in a language school (I am currently looking into teaching overseas, at the beginning stages). However, I can relate in regards to teaching in an American public school classroom and the constant fear that I will never be awesome at what I do.

I too struggle with classroom management and it is extremely frustrating to WANT to be a good teacher and to CARE about being a good teacher, but constantly find that you are failing in some way.

I have been in and out of teaching in public schools in NY. Most of my jobs have been leave-replacement positions, subbing, night school, etc etc. My experience is teaching at the middle and high school levels. I have taught in upper-middle class neighborhoods on LOng Island to the lowest-income neighborhoods in Brooklyn. No matter if it was a "good" school or a "bad" school, I still SUCKED with classroom management. I have read tons of books, solicited help/tips from friends and colleagues, and still feel that I do not have a handle on it.

Last year I was in a NIGHTMARE of a hellhole school in Brooklyn, it was my first official tenure-track full-time classroom teaching position. I was eaten alive. I had no idea how to deal with classrooms of 33 students, no support from admins, and a children and parents who had no interest in education. I felt like a complete failure because no matter what strategies I tried, I still could NOT control my students and hardly any learning had occurred. ANyway, this year I am an an alternative school (on Long Island) for teens who have "issues" and have been basically kicked out of there regular schools. Seems like I am a glutton for punishment teaching in these challenging environments.

Anyway, I finally realized that part of classroom management is JUST BEING YOURSELF, NOT TRYING TOO HARD, and NOT TAKING YOURSELf TOO SERIOUSLY. In my previous classroom experiences, I was so caught up in order, and rules, and making myself LOOK like I mean business, I tried to come off as hard and no-nonsense, but everyone could see through me because I completely the opposite. Because of that, I think most of my kids didn't respect me because I didn't seem true. I HATED my kids, HATED my job, HATED myself for SUCKING. This year, I am dealing with a pretty tough population as well (but to be fair, these kids are 15-17, last year's hell was 11-14) but I absolutely LOVE my students and LOVE going to work everyday, and have many days where I FEEL successful. The main difference between my approaches to teaching from last year to this year is that I let go and relaxed and bent rules and am flexible and humorous and relate to my students in any level I can find. Oh, and it probably helps that in these current classes I have a maximum of 12 students!! Cutting class size down helps tremendously in management.

So, though I don't know how I would handle a regular classroom again and managing it, I can say that I have come far in the regaining of my confidence as a teacher, and am finally starting to feel some level of control and skill in my classroom environment.

AS for my take on "natural teachers", I have three friends who are those naturals (that I envy). But mostly all of my other teacher friends had to LEARN how to be teachers and to desperately search for and find their particular style. I found my style and it is letting my kids see what a freak I can be instead of feeling them some BS about what is "proper" and"right".

Anyway, good luck to you. I do believe that so long as you CARE about and REFLECT on your teaching practices, that you will be successful in due time.

[spiral78]

Sara, I think I can say I'm a relatively successful teacher, after 12+ years in 5 different countries. But I once had the Job from Hell in a private language school in Canada, back in 2004. My contract termination was mutually agreed upon by all parties concerned (including me, obviously) after one month with a pack of young Korean language tourists.

It simply wasn't a forum in which I could work effectively or comfortably, though many other teachers I know excel in such a classroom.

Don't let one bad experience sour you - no one can teach well in every possible situation. Most likely there is a good niche for you out there - I think the main ingredients boil down to enthusiasm, energy, interest in the students and in doing the job well.

[spiral78]

By the way, I also lived and taught in NC for a year. My students were ok, but the livestyle and many of the people I lived among.....NOT my cuppa tea, by any means.