Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Omkara]

Just looking for creative ideas. Are there any things which you have done which have been particularly effective? How can you calm a rowdy bunch of 2nd grade middle school boys, who are otherwise a good bunch of kids?

I'm not looking to oppose them, but rather guide their energy to a focal point.

[jaderedux]

Been teaching middle school boys for now going on six years. You have to be strict and harsh in the beginning. Sorry but that is the way it is. It is easier to relax once they realize you are the Teacher and this "ain't " fun time with the wayguk.

My students have 10 minutes between classes. Don't be late cuz you get to do all sorts of ugly stuff. If you are late up to 35 push ups for the boys and squats holding out a dictionary for the girls.

I have rules and I am consistent. I am the teacher they are the student. I love my boys. The girls tend to be boring and quiet. But very sweet. The boys will at least try cuz they never know if candy is involved. And this applies to 3rd year boys too. They will talk. But you screw with me your life sucks.

Sleep: I have bottle of wake-up medicine. (water) pisses them off too cuz they are vain about their hair.

No Book: You get to go to the Teachers room with me and stand with a sign that says I don't bring my book to class in Korean and English.

Swear: English or Korean you get to visit the Vice Principal. We are considered the "good" school. So they don't tolerate much.

Funny thing once they realize I am not going to put up with any crap. We have a ball. I have students visit me from 3 or 4 years ago. The parents gave me a rousing ovation this year at introductions.

BUT YOU HAVE TO BE THE ALPHA DOG for lack of a better word. I have had my trouble makers and I get right in their face and ask them in Korean if they have a problem. I have 4 brothers and nothing they can do can surprise me or fool me. I have a death stare that can stop a kid dead in his tracks but never really have to use it.

IT IS YOUR CLASSROOM NOT THEIRS. If you move around for the time you are there IT IS YOURS. Be consistent. Reward and praise good behavior. Use peer pressure. Oh Min-su was bad we are all going to stay during your break and talk about why you shouldn't spit on the floor. His friends will make sure it never happens again.

Jade

[Omkara]

Thanks, jade. This is more helpful.

[bosintang]

I can quiet my class down just by saying "quiet!" or making a motion of zipping my mouth shut and saying "Zip!...No more. " and glaring like I mean it. You don't have to be creative. As always, it's not what you do that matters, it's the attitude you have behind it. I put 90% of my effort and passion into the lesson itself, and I believe the classroom management follows from that, not vice-versa.

I'm sorry Jade (and others), but I disagree with a lot of the over-analysis. You have to be sincere, and in control. If a particular method works for you, it works. That is all. It doesn't need to be analysed any further than that as if you are talking about animal dynamics in a zoo.

[Voyeur]

High vs. low english level matters A LOT esp. if you are trying to maintain a no korean speaking rule

Age level also matters.

class size matters too

Hogwon vs. public school usually matters too

Unless you have really serious back-up, if you are teaching young, low-english speaking level kids at a hogwon you cannot control a class the way Jade can at a middle school level.

Yelling and death stares will work well at first but then quickly diminishing returns sets in as kids get used to it.

After awhile, I have decided taht you simply need to adjust your expectations. A quiet, controlled grade 2-3 class of beginner speakers at a Hogwon is simply not possible in many cases. It depends on the luck of the draw: how big it is and what the make-up is. If it is a boy-dominated class, large, and naturally boisterous and rebellious trying to crack the whp all the time will just bite you in the ass in the end IMO.

[VanIslander]

wrong question

the goal is not to shut them up, to make them passive containers to dump info into

the goal is to have them use English

so the question is, How can I ENGAGE students? What activity do I want them to do?

Captivate their interest, divert their attention. I use realia occasionally to do so, bringing in a puppet to model a dialogue, or bringing in a picture on my cell phone but making each student say "What's on your cell phone?" or some such phrase before they can see it, something that gets them to focus on me and what's happening between us.

Teaching is about perspective and approach as much as it is about techniques and tactics.

You first gotta figure out what the hell you're trying to do in the classroom. If you think 'teach' is the easy answer then - unless you have training in an innovatibe method - it's probably best you take a moment to unpack what you mean by that.

[Junior]

The shouting QUIET! and rapping the table works, but then you have to have something to hold their attention with to follow it up.

They usually follow my voice tone and mood. If I slow down and quiten my voice, they usually do the same. Sounds funny but by turning out the lights or putting up a couple of blinds, they really calm down. Bright lights in the class causes them to be much noisier.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

One thing I find works well is to do a little bit of listen-and-repeat. For instance, if I'm passing out a handout and the volume level is increasing (more of a problem with middle school than high school) I'll clap a few times, say 'Look at _________', and read the first couple lines or list of words or whatever's on the top of the handout, with them repeating after me. It's far from the superlative teaching method, but it does get everyone focused and make it very difficult to carry on a conversation. I can also patrol the classroom while doing it, pin-pointing any source of continuing noise. Then, in that split-second after everyone's repeated the last word, I'll quickly try to focus everyone's attention on to what we're doing next. If that doesn't work a quick 'shhh!' seems to work better than yelling in Korean, though in the rare event they're so noisy that doesn't work yelling in Korean will at least give everyone the message. And if that doesn't work and there are still some motor-mouths carrying on, scanning the class looking for someone to make an example of and occasionally follow through with this usually works. Having a good mixture of routine and novelty is also essential. Far more important than having a quiet class is having a class that's paying attention, and being noisy in English is not unwelcomed.

[Voyeur]

If you have an innately bad, low level class full of young boys (mostly) is there any method that will keep the class in-check AND
that doesn't involve a fairly major and consistent output of energy by the teacher?

I teach mostly older kids and advanced classes. I got saddled with one bad class of beginners because of some scheduling conflict etc...

I kept looking for ways to train the class so that at the end of it, I was no more emotionally drained or energy taxed than I was at the end of my smaller, more advanced classes. Eventually I gave up and accepted that big, young classes are all about you *commanding* the class through presence and *hard work*. You just have to stay out in front of them working it the whole damn time. KLinda sucks sometimes if you are having a bad day.

[rothkowitz]

Count to five with your hand aloft.It gives them time to shush each other.They'll stretch it to 3 or 4,then silence.

If you're willfully ignored by some,deal with them.

It's so simple.Be firm but fair.

[gsxr750r]

I killed a child for speaking out-of-turn in class once.

My school is really strict, so they thanked me.

Ever since then, my classes have been a breeze.

[alabamaman]

What does your director have to say? I take their chairs away from them for an extended period of time while they stand in place, COPS (face the wall with hands up in the air while they're outside in the hallway), squats, sentences, send them to my supervisor, and various other dscipline measures. This is for the select few who refuse to follow the classroom rules despite multiple corrections to follow the said rule. VanIslander hit the nail on the head.

[rothkowitz]

The Korean teacher at school that I really like,no,not the music teacher-darn she's a dish,but she doesn't see me -does the following.

-gets them to put their heads down,tells them be quiet repeatedly,relaxes them basically
-uses polite terms almost unfailingly
-won't overuse public embarrassment.If students are late,she'll make them sing,after a time she'll make it into a point of entertainment
-will smack a student in the arm if they give her s-hit
-will utilise a points system which goes towardsmarking(or indication giving to parents)
-prompt,punctual,ambitious,non-defensive,doesn't take herself too seriously
-will back me up
-can drink
-makes sure to tell me when I don't have to be there

She's great.The school's not.At any rate,it's been basically her that's kept me there.

[laogaiguk]

Battle Royale would fix things

But what you have to do is get the other children to tell them to be quiet without you needing to. This takes times though in the end it really pays off.

[mindmetoo]