Korean Job Discussion Forums

[The Bobster]

Here's what I did at my last school, after witnessing another teacher do it at the one just previous.

Printed up some pieces of paper of my own (poor) design, labeled them "Genius Money" and used them as an all-purpose reward tool. Perfect spelling test, 1 Genius Dollar, homework finished on time with no mistakes, 2 Genius Dollars (late homework or mistakes, 1 Dollar), and I'd sometimes just hand them out randomly to people who answer a question in class, especially in those classes where the kids just sit there. If the whole class had a perfect test or all did their homework I handed out a double bonus.

I also demanded that they give one back to me for speaking Korean in class, or for other egregious behavior. If they tried to call it "Chunjae Money" I asked them to give me one, haha ...

About once a month I went to the store and used a very little bit of my drinking money to buy small presents, and then I'd later sell them to the kids with the Genius Money. I never spent more than 15 or 20,000 won per month and it was always worth it. Classroom management became a breeze overnight, and kids were suddenly studying - yes, studying - for weekly quizzes, drilling each other in those few minutes before the bell rang and I entered the room, which is something I had never seen before in any of my classes here.

I set the bar pretty high and made sure that even the most concientious kids would need to save up for a couple of weeks to buy even something as small as a Harry Potter ballpoint pen. (My cost, 500 won - their price, 25 Genius Dollars.)

I became the most popular teacher in the school, and kids were requesting to come into my class, despite the fact that I was far more strict than other teachers and seldom allowed card games and such. One night I was having some beer with my supervisor in the evening, and some parents came over and introduced themselves and thanked me for making their daughter suddently get interested in learning English.

Like I said, well worth the money.

Love to hear some other ideas cuz this system isn't quite practical in the school I'm at now ...

[kangnamdragon]

That's a great idea!! What happens if a kid misbehaves in class and has no dollars left?

[globalfish]

Great idea!

Might steal it.

Thanks

Globalfish

[kimcheeking]

A perfect example of why rewards work and punishments don't. Great idea... if I ever teach kids again (please kill me first) I would do something like that.

[The Bobster]

Yeah, sometimes the incorrigible ones go broke really fast. I used to open up my attendance book in front of everyone and say, "David ... minus 1."

What worked best was the bonus dollars when the whole class was doing well. If there's one kid who's consistently the only one with no homework, the others got on his case for me. Hey, why should I be the only one stressing out over a troublemaker?

[Scott in HK]

I have done the same thing...one twist you can add is to have an auction for the toys/gifts with the students bidding (in English) for the ones they want....

[IconsFanatic]

Wow, great ideas.

I think I'll now employ the onomaetapia for "stealing", as on The Simpsons:

YOINK!

[The Bobster]

If more than one teacher at a school is doing this, they'd better all get together on it and not be competing with each other or else the kids win and you need to pass out more and more stickers or coupons or whatever just to keep them happy.

The goal is not just to make them happy, but rather to make them happy WHILE they learn something.

Had some counterfeiting going on, also. I mean, I just used the office photocopier to make these things, and some kids must have figured out that you can make copies of copies ... got a little stamp pad and had to sit and stamp each one of the suckers in blue ink with a certain little design with the kids would find it hard to duplicate. Got to be a hassle - I liek the suggestion of play money from back in the States : it would be hard for them to get hold of over here.

[mack the knife]

at our school we tried "red cards" and "yellow cards" which were handed out like football penalties. yellow cards for repeatedly speaking korean or talking durning class, and red cards for fighting or other more serious behavior. the kids had to take the cards home to get them signed (korean teachers would write on the card what the kid did wrong). it never really worked because the korean teachers were too hesitant to give them out...and perhaps a few foreign teachers were over zealous...but i liked the idea and the kids can relate to it...

i always divide my classes into 2 teams. teams score points based on homework turned in, test results, games played in class, behavior, etc...the team with the most points at the end of each class gets candy or some other small prize.

as for discipline issues...i put the real trouble makers out of the classroom (they sit in a chair for 5 minutes of "time-out"...this "time out" is as much for me as it is for them!!) if you let them remain in the room they simply distract the other kids...

[william beckerson]

Stickers! They dont even have to be good stickers either.

When I remembered to do it, I would list the kids names down on the board. They get a point for working, they lose a point for being a turd. (Turd being an arbatrary judgement) The kid with the most points got the sticker.

I think they like to rub each other's faces in it.

[tomato]

I usually use the second half of the classtime for games.
If the class behaves splendidly, I let them divide into groups for go fish games. (The go fish game doesn't seem to have disseminated into Korea. I have to teach them.)
If the class behaves satisfactorily, I play a game with the whole class--usually bingo.
If the class behaves poorly, I take some of the time to read picture books, which they don't enjoy quite as much.
If the class is obnoxious, I pass out copies of Side by Side and have a drill.

[Ody1966]

[angela]

I made up little cards with phrases on them: Speaks excellent English, Star English Speaker, Top English Writer, etc. I punched holes in the top and gave each student a little ring. They collect 10 and they can pick a prize out of a jar. I also just give stickers: 10 stickers for a prize. They receive a sticker for homework completed, 100% on the Spelling Test, and if the entire class has 100% they receive 2 stickers. 100 stickers and I give a big prize: girls usually pencil cases (very low price at Technomart) and the boys love the little locks I found at a hardware store or pencil cases. I usually spend around 15,000 per month. It also fosters the concept of generosity. I too have not lost a student. Our school also has the punishment system of yellow card, red card and I use that if I have to. I really stress to the kids that I don't want to do it, but they made me .... A little guilt goes a long way. Overall, I think rewards really help create a bond, and a way for me to encourage them. They work very hard for those pieces of paper or stickers and their confidence really grows. Once they have that confidence, English skills increase 10 fold.

[Seatangle]

For my kindergarten kids I use an idea I stole from a teacher's website and modified for my own purposes. To start with I made a big stoplight out of construction paper and laminated the different colored circles so I can write on them. I also made a large poster with the class rules. Three rules is all: Listen, follow directions, and don't hurt another student.

At the beginning of class I write all the kids names on the green circle. If I'm having a problem with one student or they break a class rule, I erase their name and move it to the yellow circle. They aren't punished yet, it just means "you're on thin ice son, so watch yourself" or words to that effect. If they continue to misbehave I move them to the red circle. At that point, they are punished, which in my case means they go sit in the director's office for five minutes. It could also mean a loss of privileges or whatever else is appropriate for your situation.

If the entire class stays on green for the whole period, I'll reward them. Candy is good, but it doesn't always have to be. A friend in the states sent me some novelty erasers that I give to the kids as rewards, they work well. Other times I give them some extra free time. After they got better at being good for one class, I upped the ante and said they would have to maintain for two or three days to get a reward.

I like that this system rewards the whole class for an accomplishment, and also doesn't punish the bad ones right away. They get a clear warning when their behavior is out of line. BTW, I amost never have to write a name on the red circle. Usually the warning, and loss of a reward is punishment enough.

[Squaffy]

Fantastic ideas - I will certainly employ some of them in my classes. Thanks for imparting such good advice.