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vikdk
Joined: 25 Jun 2003
Posts: 1676
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 Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 2:06 am Post subject: |
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| I refuse to be the dancing monkey, |
If you actually agree to teach these large classes - then, in meaningful educational terms, their successful running will not have so much to do with what you as a FT refuse to do - but what the students refuse to do. Working from a textbook is all well and good if you enjoy the cooperation of your students - but if you meet massed opposition you have problems. After all, since the FT isn't expected, or even allowed to wield a rod of harsh disciplinarian power - because we sometimes start to get into trouble for constantly ejecting the classroom sleepers/talkers/mobile players - and since most of us aren't allowed to examine (and fail those who don't come up to the standards) through a meaningful exam - then what is a poor ol' FT to do ????
Well we certainly don't have to play dancing monkey - but we do have to look at some of the elements of entertainment that captures a persons interest.
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| look at the unit that they are studying, for example could be food and prepare your lesson plan around the unit they are learning. |
Using topic-based lessons is an excellent idea - especially if that topic has relevance to that being taught in the other Chinese classes. But just imagine being taught about food through a text and a dictionary - a bit borin' aint it - not exactly the stuff that captures the attention of 60+ teenagers!!!! After all just imagine a film without a musical soundtrack - or how that MTV music track is brought alive by video.
Now I'm not suggesting bring in a classical orchestra to give your lessons a bit more of a humphhhh, but making the point that in a lesson on food (or any other topic) then we can add that little extra to make it more eye/ear catching and memorable.
The most obvious way of doing this is to utalise visual reference. In it�s most "classroom primitive" - the blackboard. But far more interesting is to bring pictures of western food - food that will interest students - make them want to ask questions about this food. The easiest way to do this, is by downloading webpics onto a disc and playing it through a DVD onto a TV.
You can also bring examples of food into the classroom - bringing in a can of beans, a box of cereal or a slab of cheese can generate a fair bit of interest - especially if the viewers aren't familiar with this stuff.
The most complicated visualisation of food I've attempted - is to go through the motions of making food for a class - I've done sandwiches and pancakes. With the pancakes I just mixed the ingredients and had the finished product ready - which was afterwards cut up into small pieces so everyone could get a taste.
These type of lessons take a bit of preparation (actually not that much) - but they are educational and attract a lot of interest, even getting a student or two to put a mobile back in their pocket - and build that kind of teacher/student cooperation that is necessary when going on to the drier textbook type teaching. |
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lychee
Joined: 14 May 2007
Posts: 109
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| Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 3:14 am Post subject: |
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Years ago when I had 70-80 student in the class and 14 classes a week at the smae level.
I had a cooking demo in the classroom.
I took the microwave and toaster to the classrooms. Made fresh orange juice, oatmeal porridge, scrambled eggs on toast. toast and jam and a pot of tea.
The kids loved it and it did spark a lot of interest and as the lesson refined itself I got them to cook the breakfast, with me instructing some of the students.
If time permitted, I had two students sit down at the table and eat with a knife and fork. Made it a bit of a competition to see who was the most skilled with the cutlery.
It was very funny to watch..
My language focus was on sequence adverbs. So I would have the students repeat after me as I went through the process step by step.
My point being, I will do the fun things in class but every activity has to have a language focus or otherwise I feel I am just wasting time |
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vikdk
Joined: 25 Jun 2003
Posts: 1676
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| Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 3:25 am Post subject: |
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| My point being, I will do the fun things in class but every activity has to have a language focus or otherwise I feel I am just wasting time |
I totally agree with you - but the point I'm trying to make is - sometimes that focusing process, especially when our students are trying to stay out of focus, sometimes takes a rather long time. But if we don't go through this process - then trying to be an effective English teacher, who the students follow and pay attention to - can also be a waste of time.
Just going into a classroom � pretending to teach English by just talking English (with no planning or ultimate goal) � is, in my book, definitely a waste of time � and really playing the monkey game (look our school has a white teacher)!!!!! |
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englishgibson
Joined: 09 Mar 2005
Posts: 4345
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| Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 6:29 am Post subject: |
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60+ kids in one classroom is a "monkey game" which does not require a plannning. "Trying to be an effective English teacher" in such a large classroom is more than a mission impossible. However, it is a very convenient way for Chinese public schools. 
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One wrote:
In his last post EG gives us one piece of advice relevant to the thread subject. This being -
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| plan carefully what to do with 60 kids that wait for you |
(Ignoring the grammar) we can see that this advice differs greatly from that given by the Gregor - whose posts EG was supporting -
Gregor wrote about those large classes -
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| I stopped planning lessons for them at all |
What really makes me scratch me ol' head is - I also believe in careful planning - so EG since you agree with me - what about giving us a run through on your ideas about lesson planning - maybe you could build on that highly technical term you used -"carefully"!!!! Come on EG you�re making great progress - lets compare notes  |
As said before, your flamish approach on forums never disappoints
Now, "ignoring the grammar" and "the Gregor", I'd say that you might be overlooking my chuckles after some words I write or you might be conveniently presuming my position here (in that post). Or, is it that you cannot grasp the concept of sarcasm  Respectfully, it sounds like someone on here is a Chinese national protecting the interests of the Peoples Republic on our forums...lil wrong with that
With respect to Gregor, I support his view on 60 plus kids in a classroom, so don't you get your hopes up high there. Teaching 60+ kids is , and I hope you can notice my emoticons as well as that sarcasm there.
Now, I don't agree with you, do I???
Regarding your
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| EG gives us one piece of advice |
That's a nice touch with that "us" there, however you need that piece of advice. The advice is; "Lighten up and open up your computer room's cutrain!"
Peace to our forums
and
cheers and beers to all hard working FTs in China 
_____________________________________________________________
Pretending to teach English by just talking English is a waste of time.
Pretending to teach English by just giving a show is a "showbiz". |
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lychee
Joined: 14 May 2007
Posts: 109
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| Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 8:51 am Post subject: |
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Actually IMO these large classes need more planning than your smaller classes.
The way I see it, is that a lot of teachers just give up, play music or DVDs and feel totally disheartened .
But I say push it further, this is one of the few jobs where you can be creative, take on the challenge. I see every lesson that bombs as a personal failure.
The other day I was talking to one of my adult students and was telling him that I feel very bad because the class is so passive and I need to generate energy in the classroom. He understood completely and could relate the same feelings to his work.
It is not an easy job. If I know that I have done my best and have really tried hard and spent a lot of time and thought on my lesson plans it makes the sense of failure easier to bear.
So I have to think of a way to get to them. |
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englishgibson
Joined: 09 Mar 2005
Posts: 4345
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| Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 9:40 am Post subject: |
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keep thinking ... you're on the right track
cheers and beers |
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vikdk
Joined: 25 Jun 2003
Posts: 1676
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| Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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EG writes -
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| 60+ kids in one classroom is a "monkey game" which does not require a plannning. |
lychee then writes a post on the theme -
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| Actually IMO these large classes need more planning than your smaller classes |
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EG then replies -
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| keep thinking ... you're on the right track |
EG I can see you're a fine role model for all those FT newbies - easy both to follow and understand - and always writing posts full of useful tips
and this -
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| Pretending to teach English by just giving a show is a "showbiz". |
ohhhhh - well that is mind numbing stuff - I bet a lot of high-powered thinking went into that one 
So EG put a poor simpleton like me on-track - what are the essentials of teaching English - are we not ment to give English lessons any entertainment value?????? |
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englishgibson
Joined: 09 Mar 2005
Posts: 4345
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| Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 4:12 am Post subject: |
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ohh yes we are...especially on our forums
keep coming
and
cheers and beers to 1.3 billion in vikdk's classroom
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there's one teachin' plan for 1.3 billion students and that is vikdk and a loud speaker |
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vikdk
Joined: 25 Jun 2003
Posts: 1676
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| Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 4:36 am Post subject: |
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| ohh yes we are...especially on our forums |
Well I presume that means we are to add a little entertainment value - so the question begs to be asked - EG why not tells us about how you make your lessons interesting!!!!
By the way going back to EG's statement -
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| Pretending to teach English by just giving a show is a "showbiz". |
a couple of points -
1. people in the spotlight can't help teaching - after all if you like those folk you tend to want to copy them, or vice versa (role models). So as a teacher stuck up in front of a class - you can't help teaching something
2. main-stream showbiz - has given a reason for many folk to want to learn English, and I suspect more wanted to learn English, because of a personal desire to understand the likes of the Beatles or the actual voice of Brad Pitt - than all the combined effort of us poor ol' English teachers!!!! One of our problems in china is that the English speaking "showbiz" media does not seem motivate as much as in other parts of the world - less aspiring rock-stars/moviestars here who want to be the next Jonny rotten/Meryl Streep.
Don't knock showbiz - or the idea of doing a show as such. And if you think this means being a monkey -
Teaching monkey equates to your professional dignity - doing stuff you find degrading for wage rates that embarrass - and in the China case - work that is primarily focused on earning more cash at the personal expense of the FT's dignity!!!!
Being an entertaining and effective teacher is a far cry from this  |
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Anda
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 2199
Location: Jiangsu Province
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| Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 10:08 am Post subject: Um |
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Here I go again! Try this: I start a conversation off on the board like below.
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1. Ann: I got told that you had cheated on your business partner and took all his money!
2. Tom: How was I to know that he�d take it like he did and have a mental breakdown?I just thought he�d start up another business again.
3. Ann: You rotten animal you�re a sick dog and should be shot for what you did! Now your friend is dead in case you haven�t heard he committed suicide this morning. It�s terrible to think that I called you my boyfriend. 4. Tom: Oh no he didn�t did he?
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I chose students to come out and keep the conversation going.
I watch what my students write and take in ideas of theirs plus my own and write up a two page script using ideas generated in class. I them have the students read after me the two page script two weeks later.
The story I write is more complex. After reading the script together I start another story off on the board and so on.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
You Are An Animal, A Dog! By Anda
1. Ann: I got told that you had cheated on your business partner and took all his money!
What type of person are you?
2. Tom: How was I to know that he�d take it like he did and have a mental breakdown? I
didn�t expect that it would turn out like it did. I just thought he�d start up another
business again and make another fortune. He shouldn�t have trusted me so much,
business is business.
3. Ann: You rotten animal you�re a sick dog and should be shot for what you did! Now
you friend is dead in case you haven�t heard he committed suicide this morning.
It�s terrible to think that I called you my boyfriend and intended to marry you!
4. Tom: Oh no he didn�t did he? |
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smitten13
Joined: 08 May 2006
Posts: 293
Location: Philippines
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| Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 12:03 pm Post subject: |
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lyche said:
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| I have been teaching classes of this size for over 3 years and I refuse to be the dancing monkey, I only have them once a week but they will learn something from me and they respect that. Don't ever lower yourself to the monkey. |
I agree with you 101%! This monkey don't dance!
If you cannot impart some knowledge in an interesting context that is relevant, you shouldn't be in the classroom. I only speak from limited experience in a middle school setting, but 60 odd students should not be seen as mission impossible.
I actually enjoy it.  |
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