Job Discussion Forums

[mandu]

I teach a K3 class at my kindy
it is a problem class

I have tried team games,teaching the book,being nice,talking,getting angry,being positive,giving out stickers (when deserved) but try as i might nothing seems to work or catch there attention

I have 28 children in the class,i have been told that most of the children have come from other kindys (kicked out)because of they were not good.i have been told the class has been a problem for a year but nothing has been done to fix the problem.other english teachers have had the same problem.
they do not listen at all,behave not very nice.I like the children and they do like me but the class just does not work.

i do hear the children being yelled at,they seem to get alot of negitive attention.
but what i would like to ask how can i fix my english class,are there any different methods i could use.

Iam at aloss at the moment,or should i just do what i can and not worry about it.they are very bright children,they maybe spoilt at home as they are the only child,I feel english is just a minor thing and the problem is much deeper.
maybe the chinese teachers dont really care
anyway any thoughts or ideas would be good
thankyou for your time

[lily]

First, I haven't taught at a Kindy, and don't know the exact way your Kindy is run. Here's a few ideas I had, sitting at the computer.

Do you have teaching assistants? I would hope so, at a Kindy. If you do, maybe try splitting the class into smaller groups - 1 group per teacher. Teach similar things to each group (but in a slightly diff format, with a diff game), pass them around during the lesson. This way they all get time with you - the FT.

If you don't have a TA, maybe talk to your FT colleagues, and come up with a plan for 2 - 3 of you to teach the class eveytime (this will increase your workload, I know - maybe negotiate with the school for the extra time to be paid at overtime rates) and do as suggested above.

I also think you need to have learning and games that keep all the students occupied at the same time. I'm also a firm believer in positive reinforcement (hard at times), so praise them lots when they do something good, even if it's only to smile at you. Smile lots too.

Will have a think, and see if any of the games I use might be suitable for your younger ones.

One game all my younger kids love (5 - 9) is called "Soldiers and Ninjas". In this game, you have 2 - 3 "soldiers" who get to wear a soldier hat (army colours). They protect the "Queen" or "King" (YOU!!) who wears a Crown. All the other kids are "Ninjas" who are trying to get the crown off the K or Q. Have the soldiers stand in a line, shoulder to shoulder, next to you. The ninja's line up in front of the first soldier (the one furthest away from you. In my classes, the soldiers ask the question they've just learnt "What's you name?" and the Ninja answers "My name is____." They then do Paper, Scissors, Rock. If the soldier wins, the ninja has to go to the back of the line - and start again. If the ninja wins, they move onto the next soldier. In the end, they meet the K or Q. Ask and answer. Do Paper, Scissors, Rock. If the K or Q wins, the ninja goes to the back of the line, and has to start again. If the ninja wins, they become the K or Q. Every now and then, change the soldiers, so most / all kids get a go at asking the question.

This game has a few draw-backs that I can think of. First, sometimes the kids at the back of the Ninja line can get out of hand. Not good. Second, it can sometimes be very frustrating for the students, i.e. if they never get past the first soldier, or never get past the 3rd, or the worst, always get to the K or Q, but never win. Third, I somehow think that you are not teaching Q & A's, but more just words or simple sentences. In this case, you could give each soldier a set of picture cards, they hold up the picture card and the Ninja says what it is. Do Paper, scissors, rock. But, like all good games, the language used can be adapted a thousand different ways.

For a class your size, I'd have 2 teams of 14, 2 - 3 soldiers in each team, 1 K or Q in each team. (This where having a TA, or fellow FT can help!)

Hope this is of some use,

Lily.

[kev7161]

they maybe spoilt at home as they are the only child

"Maybe"????

[cimarch]

28 is way too big for a kindy class. I can't remember exactly but I think the recommendation is one teacher/supervisor per 4 or 5 kids, maybe up to 7 kids. This means there should be an absolute minimum of 4 teachers/supervisors with this group, preferably 5 or 6. The only way you're gonna be able to handle them is to either get them in a big room where you can spread them out and do physical activities (great as they learn and get tired) or break it up into small groups as Lily said.

When I taught kindergarten we had 4 kids per adult, half the adults were teachers, half helpers. I used TPR (Total Physical Response) techniques, we did exercises, played Simon Says etc. Hell I even taught them the Macarena (for anyone who doesn't know that dance, you're blessed). Sometimes we'd split them up and do painting or something. For Halloween we made papier-mache masks and had a party on the day, bobbing for apples, swinging for apples, spiderweb, dance competitions etc. I taught them how to make simple Western foods, like salad, too.

[Madmaxola]

Yeah I think they are spoiled--

but I also think Chinese kids get tons of negative attention... they even start to grow sick of it as they realiye there is no boundary for them.

poor dudes

lots of good ones too

[Ace]

It's this fantastic Chinese culture...a few years back they were denouncing their parents...now half the parents are scared of them, some are complete tyrants, and a few are getting revenge...

Ok, seriously...most parents just look at them as insurance for their old age...but this "I love my Mummy " kills me...in 1960 it was probably "I love Chairman Mao, my Mummy is a class enemy..."

Learn Chinese? It must be the most meaningless language since the tower of Babel...

[MyraG]

Isolate the trouble makers, make them sit on a special seat with an assitant. Do not let them join in and have fun till hey change or apoligise

make sure you use plenty of physical games to wear them out, ie the hokey pokey

stand there and do nothing till they realise you are not participating

give out stars or stickers for good behaviour

have a jail corner

tell them tha you will talk to the headmaster or their parents

place outside classroom with teaching assistant