Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Darkness]

What are you doing with kids in your classes who are CLEARLY behind EVERYONE else in the class? It's F'n so dumb, I have kids who dont even know how to read, in with kids who can read, write and communicate somewhat with me....

There is no reasoning in they way they set up the classes other then by age...it's ridiculous, these kids are not going to grasp any of the material I'm going over.

Do I just keep moving on and let them copy off the other students? Cause that's what I've been doing, because the 2 of them are so far behind it's not even funny...then I have to stop help them out and the rest of the class starts acting up, and getting bored....

[mack the knife]

The principal at my last school called me into the office to give me a lecture on how I needed to forget about the slow students. That's not my style. In a class with 40+ kids I made sure everyone at least said something. However, at the end of the day, some kids just ain't gonna get it. Focus your attention on the middle of the bell curve. If the slow ones are lucky, they'll play catch-up later in life. The higher level kids are going to be bored with your schtick no matter what.

This goes for classes in both hogwons and public schools.

[ChopChaeJoe]

go by the slowest student rule -- go ver the material until all but one student gets it. It hlps to have at least a slower and a faster class for every two-three years of age.

For the fast kids, mmake them redo minor points of spacing, capitalization, punction, and handwriting.

[Darkness]

See I want to help the slower ones, but some of the smarter ones complained they were bored them my boss said some gibberish to me about it, so it looks like my only option is to find the middle and go with that....

[mack the knife]

[swetepete]

Ritalin. then steal it off them or trade for a good grade. it does fun things to adults.

[Bibbitybop]

mack the knife said:

[twg]

[ilovebdt]

I have some slow children in my high school classes, but I can't just let them do nothing.
What me and my co-teacher do is to give the instructions to the whole class and then go around and check with the slower students that they understand.
The slower children don't normally volunteer to answer questions in class, but when they do I praise them a lot and also if they try hard in their written work too.

ilovebdt

[jlb]

I teach in a hagwon where the average class size is about 5 students and never more than 7. It is blatantly obvious who the smart kids are and the ones who struggle. At what point do you just give up on a kid and focus on the smart ones who actually want to be there and learn.

Some of the slower ones went through a phonics class, of an hour a day, for four months and still can't read a word. I have a feeling there's no hope for them and would be beating my head against a brick wall trying to help them. I have tried and so has their Korean teacher but it seems like almost all efforts are futile.

[Boodleheimer]

i'm just instantly reminded of those road signs people put up: "Slow Children" or "Slow Children at Play"

poor kids. parents shouldn't be telling total strangers about that.

(i saw one in Wales that was Slow Horses. funniest sign ever)

[oneofthesarahs]

I've actually found that a couple of kids that I thought were slow were actually quite bright when given a little extra attention. Sometimes the kids who seem slow are just lazy or lack motivation or need to be taught in a different way.

But yeah, there are some students who just don't get it, and maybe never will. You've got to do what you can without sacrificing the quality of the other students' education.

[Dan The Chainsawman]

My worst behaved ones are my smartest students. And my best behaved ones are my dumbest. I guess when you have an 7 year old hellion making laps around your class you just come to appreciate the clod who sits quietly and hopes you don't ask him any questions.

[jay-shi]

In group or pair activities I've always found it helpful to get the best and worst students into the same groups. The smart kids get that extra bit of confidence and self-realization they need to keep things interesting for them, while helping the slower kids, and letting me focus on the middle of the curve.

[oneofthesarahs]