Job Discussion Forums

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

I know you did and thank you very much.

It's not all doom and gloom. I am perfectly capable of teaching my classes. My problem has been that I am after a 100% success rate and that is not going to happen given the general level of apathy in my classes.

I used to employ the "don't get envolved in your work" attitude in my previous career and I am finding that is the way to go now.

In the interest of discourse, I would like to present some of the challenges I am facing and look forward to your input.

At the end of the day, it is not the method which an instructor employs so much as the energy and vitality that the instructor brings to the lesson which is the determining factor in how much of the subject matter the students choose to retain. (I would like to edit out this bit)

Once again Glenski, thank you very much. I appreciate you taking your time to help me and trust you will forgive my foolish and inappropriate remarks, they are only the murmurings of injured pride.

Peace to you,
sweetsee

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

And when you are finished take the bulllies outside and leave them to the...

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

I'm with Gordon. The combination of energy, vitality, and good teaching method more greatly ensures that students will retain something. You can be an energetic teaching clown all you want, but if your methods are poor, the only thing students will remember is your energy and clownish attitude.

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Yes, I agree with both of you that method also counts.

And I would love to take a TEFL course. My first considerations would be cost, schedule and I would have to be sure that the methods taught would help me in my current teaching.

It is entirely possible that after 12 years of teaching that I don't know the first thing about method.

Perhaps, someone who knows some of these methods would be kind enough to outline some of them. Glenski, Gordon, you are both experts in your fields. How about a quick assessment of my teaching methods or lack of them? Or if that is not possible than perhaps I could outline a teaching plan and you could weigh in on it?

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Thank you Gordon. I appreciate that. Have you or anyone you know taken one of these courses?

"do you not think you owe it to your students to spend a bit of money on some training? " Depends on how much is a bit and the value of the course.

I live in Saitama and will look into nearby courses and send you the links.

Celeste · Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2004 12:29 am Post subject:

Sweetsee- YOu might check out the language teaching Expo nearest you this fall.

http://www.eltnews.com/ETJ/events/preregistration.shtml

That is a good (and cheap!) place to start looking into further training, and to glean some free advice from the 'pros'. There are some good books on the market as well, but I find not everyone absorbs methodology from books very well. It really does help to see it in action.
A book that a lot of training courses use is

Learning Teaching (Teacher Development)
by Jim Scrivener

You can get it on Amazon.com.

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Hi Celeste,

Thanks so much. That is very kind of you and I am looking into it.

All the best,
sweetsee

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

I wonder how many full-time teachers there are enrolled in TEFL courses?
I wonder if it would really help me? I wonder if I can make the time and the investment? I wonder of the value to me personally?

Anyway, Celeste, I really want to get that book. I joined that group you linked me to and pre-registered for the Expo. It said it was a book fair but I guess that will be a start. Thank you so much.

Can I ask you what kind of teaching you are doing?

Celeste · Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2004 4:46 am Post subject:

I am currently a JET ALT working at an in-service training centre for teachers. I do teacher training and assist in research teachers' classes at elementary schools as well as help teachers start English lessons at elementary schools that have never done English before. I did my TEFL training before I came to Japan. I had taught for 2 years in Korea and then 6 months in Canada before I got my TEFL training, and I must say that it turned on a lot of lights for me. I had been doing fairly well before, just going by instinct, but it is nice to no longer be stumbling around in the dark and to actually know the reasons behind why some things work and some things don't. It's much easier to get the training and not have to be reinventing the wheel all the time.

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

That's great Celeste, I haven't had a good grin and laugh here in a while,
your words rang so true!
Would mean no tennis...hmmm?
Anyhows, I ordered the book(marketplace?, 1500 yen). Can't wait! And the Expo next month.

muchas gracias,
s

Nagoyaguy · Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 425 Location: Aichi, Japan

I am in a similar situation.

Did a TESL course in Canada before coming to Japan. AFter 3 years as an ALT, I started my M.Ed online via the University of Southern Queensland. I was distressed to learn how much I DIDNT know about teaching. Experience, confidence, and the ability to BS only get you so far. You need the knowledge too. If all goes well, I will finish the course next April.

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

The BS sounds a lot better when you use pedagogical jargon. Very Happy

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

I'd like to decribe somethings that happen in my lessons that bother me. I realize that I mustn't get bothered and that these things can be signs of my failings.

1. After the class has settled down, I have taken attendance and proceed to introduce the lesson. I begin to see students doing other things. First, I take note but do not show it. Proceeding with the lesson I am watching these students and give them a nod or look to let them know they need to pay attention. Afterwhich, they continue and I ask them to stop. Looking back, it seems to me that I have initiated a power struggle and invariably lose control of the class.

My question: should I ignore these students during the introduction stage and do my best to introduce the lesson without interruption?

2. After demonstrating the model dialog, I ask the students to repeat after me. Some students don't.

My question: let them be?

3. I ask the students to practice the dialog with partners. Some don't.

My question: let them be?

4. I encourage students to act out the dialog, to try without looking at the print. They sort of laugh as if that is not possible. They look amazed and ask me if I mean they are to memorize it. As I am working with one pair I can't help but notice that most students are not practicing at all. When I have helped this pair along I go to another that is doing nothing or talking and ask if they are finished. They say they are and I ask them to demonstrate for me. They grab the print and read out the dialog as if they are not sure which word follows the next. I listen patiently and then try to help them to use the key language. I demonstrate the correct rythym and stress and show them they can do it without looking at the print. Of course, now all the other students are goofing off.

My question: should I bother with students who choose not to work?