Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lastat06513]

Do you think it is possible for a new teacher to continue teaching the same material and using the same teaching style as the previous teacher?

Do you think there can be continuity in ESL teaching in Korea as there is in our home countries?

[thegadfly]

No two teachers are going to use the same style, even if they both teach from the same canned lessons, doing the same pages of the textbook.

Your post begs the question that there IS some kind of continuity in ESL teaching in my home country, and that this is lacking in Korea.

Continuity is not using the same book, at the same place on the same day. Continuity is being aware of the long term goals and being certain that each day's lesson works toward those goals. Some teachers in my home country (the US) are aware, and do plan their lessons accordingly. Some simply do the pages on the days that the curriculum dictates.

There may be more continuity in ESL classes in the US, simply because in most states, you have to be a trained, licensed, certified teacher to have that job. Someone with that kind of background ought to know how to plan a lesson, a unit, and a curriculum for the year.

So, in answer, if both the previous teacher and the new teacher are professionals that have planned out the units and curriculum, then certainly there can be continuity -- but for this to be a Korea-wide phenomenon, there would have to be a tremendous improvement in the average teacher's training and background.

[lastat06513]

The main reason for my topic;

One of the biggest complaints Koreans have is that ESL teachers come and go at a tremendously fast rate. Some would start a semester and quit for some reason or another in the middle of it.

Having some kind of continuity, not exactly teaching the same text book pages on the same exact days as scheduled, might calm these fears and give an appearance of stability at a certain school.

By "conintuity", I mean a departing teacher should sit down at least 3 days prior to departure and explain where they left off in the book, what difficulties the students have in class and what they teacher does to remedy those weaknesses.

When I was teaching a private student once, and I had to leave on vacation for 30 days, I handed him off to a friend of mine. But before I left, I sat down and explained to him what I was teaching him, how I taught him and what to expect as a learning outcome.

I even guided my replacement at my old college job before I left Korea also, explaining what level the students were at, what kind of subjects the teacher needed to emphasize more on, and how to deliver the lesson.

Now my friend followed my advice while the college teacher wanted to go her own way.

The results;

My friend- He was highly recommended and he actually got more students as a result of following my method....

The college teacher- She ended up getting frustrated by the lack of "challenge" and "enthusiasm" the students exhibited for the change in teaching style. Thus, she quit in mid-term....

I have found conintuity to be a valuable tool in working in Korea because it shows the students that the situation is stable and they know both teachers are in many ways professional...

[Juregen]

I agree that continuity is an important factor.

Public school solve this issue by instigating specific programs, in the private sector this is almost impossible to do.

[lastat06513]

Since an increasing chunk of ESL teachers are starting to work more in the public sector, continuity becomes an important issue.

And the sad part about the last post is that it is very true, hogwons are more prone to be mismanaged and care more about image rather than "real" education that if a teacher just ups and leaves a school, they can just call a recruiter, pay a fee and a new shiny-eyed newbie is on the next plane either to "make a difference" or "to explore something new" or even "to find him/herslf" until they get fed up with the situation or until the director gets bored of that particular teacher.

A mark of a truly professional operation is being able to help contiue a certain method rather than start anew every time a teacher bails...