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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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ghost
Joined: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Many congenial places
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 Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 6:40 am Post subject: Which is best in Korea - Elementary, Middle or High School? |
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I am a teacher-trainer in Korea, teaching methods to Korean teachers.
I would be interested in getting your opinions on which teaching situations are best/most interesting for foreign teachers in Korea - Elementary, Middle or High Schools?
From my experiences in Taiwan two years ago, I found teaching in a Private Taiwanese High school to be a sad experience, with bored/listless students who lacked motivation for EFL and preferred sleeping in class.
Conversely, I found the elementary students (in Taiwan) to be more enthusiastic, but rather noisy (with foreign teachers - not with their own teachers!).
How about the situation in Korea - which do you think is the most rewarding for foreign teachers - Elementary, Middle or High school?
Thank you for your responses
Ghost |
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yingwenlaoshi
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Location: ... location, location!
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| Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 7:32 am Post subject: |
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Elementary 3, 4, and maybe 5. After that they don't give you a reason to find it rewarding. Middle schoolers seem to be in the technical side of learning where they so distinguishly have the honor of using Korean to study it. The one or two high schoolers I taught were just knuckle heads and hopeless.
I can't get over these middle schoolers though. I just want to whack them across the face and say, "No more Korean! How stupid are you!" And I'm not violent.
Can't stand them, sometimes.
I'm going to buy a big ruler tomorrow. |
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ghost
Joined: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Many congenial places
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| Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 8:44 pm Post subject: reply |
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Elementary 3, 4, and maybe 5. After that they don't give you a reason to find it rewarding. Middle schoolers seem to be in the technical side of learning where they so distinguishly have the honor of using Korean to study it. The one or two high schoolers I taught were just knuckle heads and hopeless.
I can't get over these middle schoolers though. I just want to whack them across the face and say, "No more Korean! How stupid are you!" And I'm not violent.
Can't stand them, sometimes.
I'm going to buy a big ruler tomorrow. |
Your answer confirms what I already thought.
I have previous experience with High schoolers in Taiwan, and most of them looked like they were 'brain dead' - especially the boys - absolutely no enthusiasm for learning English, no inititiative, no curiosity about things and the world outside their little box. It was a disheartening experience.
Thanks for the response
Ghost |
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crazy_arcade
Joined: 05 Nov 2006
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| Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 10:10 pm Post subject: |
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| I've taught both elementary and middle in Korea. Elementary was fun but I thought the curriculum was too simple and the job wasn't very challenging. I far prefer middle school. They know more English and you can do some really interesting communicative activities with them. They're never quite as enthusiastic as elementary but if you go in with the right attitude they can be really amazing. |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 11:20 pm Post subject: |
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| It all depends on the person and the school. |
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ilovebdt
Joined: 03 Jun 2005
Location: Nr Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:01 am Post subject: |
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| Yu_Bum_suk wrote: |
| It all depends on the person and the school. |
True YBS.
I have taught both elementary and high school in Korea.
Although, the elementary school kids are cute and all the work was too easy.
I much prefer my, as you say "brain dead" highschool students.
In all my classes there are only one or two students who I would say are "brain dead". But, I work at an academic high school where a large majority of the students are highly motivated to learn English.
If your students were "brain dead" in class maybe it had something to do with your class. I can get something out of the tiredest of students.
Although, my experience will be different from someone who works at a vocational high school because they are two different places.
ilovebdt |
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yingwenlaoshi
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Location: ... location, location!
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| Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 12:28 am Post subject: |
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| ilovebdt wrote: |
| Yu_Bum_suk wrote: |
| It all depends on the person and the school. |
True YBS.
I have taught both elementary and high school in Korea.
Although, the elementary school kids are cute and all the work was too easy.
I much prefer my, as you say "brain dead" highschool students.
In all my classes there are only one or two students who I would say are "brain dead". But, I work at an academic high school where a large majority of the students are highly motivated to learn English.
If your students were "brain dead" in class maybe it had something to do with your class. I can get something out of the tiredest of students.
Although, my experience will be different from someone who works at a vocational high school because they are two different places.
ilovebdt |
What I wrote before editing this was a little harsh, but it also depends on situations. The students I taught were only temporary and it was very painstaking. Only had them for a month. I don't normally teach high school.
Still though, you can't shine *beep*. You may think you're some "magical" teacher, but I guess everyone has the right to live in dreamland.
Last edited by yingwenlaoshi on Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:24 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Xian
Joined: 08 Jan 2006
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ryanbonner
Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:38 am Post subject: |
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| I'd go with elementary school, but and it's a huge but, only for the higher grade levels. The younger kids, the ones who understand very basic English combined with their 6-year-old energy levels are a handful to keep control of. The 4th and 5th grade levels I've found the most enjoyable, still keep things exciting in class, but they also know when it's time to study and stop fooling around. Forget middle and high school, most of them are similar to a lot of the Korean adults I've met here, lame and boring. |
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ghost
Joined: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Many congenial places
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| Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:55 am Post subject: reply |
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| Forget middle and high school, most of them are similar to a lot of the Korean adults I've met here, lame and boring. |
Thank you for confirming what I thought.
What is it that makes the bright and vibrant elementary kids turn into such dull 'automatons' (robots) when they hit middle and especially High School?
Yes - they are pushed to study a lot (in High School) but from what I gather a lot of what they 'study' is just time wasting stuff, which could be done in much shorter time.
In Asia, there seems to be the sentiment that if people sit at a school desk for hours they will become smart and intelligent - but it doesn't work that way.
When I tell Koreans that many students in Europe only attend classes from 9am to 1pm (in places like Germany/Holland/Scandinavia) -they have trouble believing me. And last time I checked, the citizens of those countries are not deficient in general education.
It is demoralizing to try to teach to disinterested students in middle and high school, and it has little to do with the teacher, who can be bright and resourceful - at the end of the day if the students are not receptive, a successful learning situation will not result.
Ghost |
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VirginIslander
Joined: 24 May 2006
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 7:22 am Post subject: |
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Ghost,
Can you tell us more about your job? It sounds interesting.
VI |
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ghost
Joined: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Many congenial places
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| Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:00 pm Post subject: |
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| VirginIslander wrote: |
Ghost,
Can you tell us more about your job? It sounds interesting.
VI |
The job involves training Korean Elementary/Middle/Secondary school teachers of EFL to improve their teaching strategies at their schools.
Often it is just a case of refining what they already do, because many of them do a good job.
However, many Korean EFL teachers still use the old grammar/translation method and use a lot of Korean in class, and for those Korean teachers we try to give them knowledge and strategies and concrete lesson plans to change what they do in class.
Also, with the big reform in English teaching planned a few years down the road, when the Ministry will push for 'English only' to be used in EFL classes, we also make teachers aware of that and discuss ways in which the changes can be made.
We are always looking for suitably qualified Teachers who possess a B.Ed. and M.A. preferably to work with us. Anyone qualified who would like to apply to our College, please contact me by pm.
Ghost |
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Ekuboko
Joined: 22 Dec 2004
Location: ex-Gyeonggi
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| Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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| ghost wrote: |
The job involves training Korean Elementary/Middle/Secondary school teachers of EFL to improve their teaching strategies at their schools.
Often it is just a case of refining what they already do, because many of them do a good job.
However, many Korean EFL teachers still use the old grammar/translation method and use a lot of Korean in class, and for those Korean teachers we try to give them knowledge and strategies and concrete lesson plans to change what they do in class.
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Sure, especially the newer generation of teachers want to change teaching styles from what they experienced as students. However, in reality, when they start their jobs as an English teacher, they may be swamped with other duties such as homeroom teacher and other school admin things that involve a load of paperwork.
So due to having a load of other work, learning the ropes with few or no mentors, not to mention time constraints (to finish teaching certain units for exams), they may not have time or energy to plan lessons which results in them teaching like all the other "old timers" - lecturing and teaching from the textbook , page after page, with no deviation. Because it's easier to walk in to a class and "teach" like that.
Edited for clarification
Last edited by Ekuboko on Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:06 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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bosintang
Joined: 01 Dec 2003
Location: In the pot with the rest of the mutts
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| Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Ekuboko wrote: |
Sure, especially the newer generation of teachers want to change teaching styles to what they experienced as students. However, in reality, when they start their jobs as an English teacher, they may be swamped with other duties such as homeroom teacher and other school admin things that involve a load of paperwork.
So due to having a load of other work, learning the ropes with few or no mentors, not to mention time constraints (to finish teaching certain units for exams), they may not have time or energy to plan lessons which results in them teaching like all the other "old timers" - lecturing and teaching from the textbook , page after page, with no deviation. Because it's easier to walk in to a class and "teach" like that. |
I work with two English teachers that have a very high level of English, studied English for years both in Korea and overseas. They are qualified up the ying yang with qualifications for teaching and speaking English.
However, every time I walk past their rooms while I'm teaching, I inevitably see them in the front of the room lecturing the class in Korean. Like you mentioned, it's no doubt what they are comfortable with and is the easier route when they have other duties like being a homeroom teacher, etc.
If these teachers won't teach in English, no Korean teacher is going to teach in English. What has to give?
Last edited by bosintang on Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:41 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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oldfatfarang
Joined: 19 May 2005
Location: On the road to somewhere.
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| Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:40 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="
So due to having a load of other work, learning the ropes with few or no mentors, not to mention time constraints (to finish teaching certain units for exams), they may not have time or energy to plan lessons which results in them teaching like all the other "old timers" - lecturing and teaching from the textbook , page after page, with no deviation. Because it's easier to walk in to a class and "teach" like that.[/quote]
I agree entirely. There's just no way my K co-teachers could prepare one of my lessons - they simply don't have time. Preparing lesson plans/activities/visuals etc takes a lot of time. It's much easier for them to say" open your books to pageee ..." |
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