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marlow
Joined: 06 Feb 2005
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 Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 7:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Seon-bee wrote: |
| So you say you're an excellent teacher. Then why would anyone complain about your teaching? |
All I know is that when I worked at a hagwon I was often considered to be not doing a good job (although they were so sad to be losing such an excellent teacher when I left), but that when I started teaching at public school I immediately became respected as a very good teacher. You figure it out.
The hagwon's bottom line is money, and if there is anything less than billions of won flowing into the owner's pockets each month, the teacher is obviously doing a shitty job, right? |
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makemischief
Joined: 04 Nov 2005
Location: Traveling
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| Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Seon-bee wrote: |
So you say you're an excellent teacher. Then why would anyone complain about your teaching? Excellent teachers consider the needs and wants of their students. You can have fun and promote learning in class without being a clown. Maybe they're bored because you're not connecting with them on a personal level. You might hate your job and your students and they understand this through your voice, actions, and body langauge.
It's not the curriculum. Good teachers make lemons out of lemonade. Maybe you talk too fast and they don't understand you. Maybe you're not making the material comprehensible. That wouldn't be your fault if you can't use realia or flashcards.
Some "teachers" tend look down on Koreans who can't speak "my language" and think of their students as "little snots," not as students or even children. Even young kids can see it.
Just because you speak English doesn't mean you can teach. If you have to resort to candy as an incentive, you're not really teaching.
On the other hand, some of your complaints ring true, and I feel bad for the position you're in. To solve the problem, you need to better communicate your methods and techniques to management. Ask them for suggestions on how to motivate your students. Ask what it is you're doing wrong. |
wow. ignorance is bliss eh?
if you have good management then indeed yes, communication is the key.
but if the management is completely lacking any concept of educational theory... what then?
"just because you can speak english doesn't mean you can teach"
VERY true.
but in the same sentence it should be said: just because someone can rent a couple of rooms, it doesn't mean they are qualified to run a hagwon.
it's not the curriculum? better to say: it's not only the curriculum.
you can make lemonade from lemons, but no matter how hard you squeeze and sweeten, you can't make lemonade from *beep*.
Last edited by makemischief on Mon Sep 10, 2007 11:58 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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thegadfly
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 11:28 pm Post subject: |
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I have found that every successful innovation I have attempted has been met with a positive response. The trouble is, innovation is not a guarantee of success. Just because you try something new, it does not mean it works. In fact, in Korea, I have found that often the old stand-bys are more effective. If I go to an Italian restaurant, I expect Italian food -- it may be the very best Balinese-Swahili-Swiss Fusion the world has to offer, but I am probably going to react badly to it, since I came in expecting pasta.
A teacher makes it work -- a teacher teaches. Some jobs make it easy, some jobs make it tough, but the bottom line is, the responsibility for the success or failure of a class rests on the teacher's shoulders. The responsibility -- a class full of kids that do not want to learn will not learn -- nothing you can do -- but as a teacher, you ARE responsible for that outcome. Part of the job is motivation, part of it is reaching the students, part of it is recognizing how far you can push or when it is best to let it lay where it fell.
It sounds like the OP is getting a very bad deal from the school, but any time I hear a "teacher" blaming the "curriculum," I have to wonder. I mean, if you KNOW what is wrong with the curriculum, write a new one and offer it to the boss -- problem solved. If you don't know what is wrong, are you sure you are even FOLLOWING it then? A curriculum is not a recipe -- you don't just follow the steps and voila`, an excellent teacher! |
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genezorm
Joined: 01 Jul 2007
Location: Mokpo
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| Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 11:40 pm Post subject: |
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when i talked to my hagwon on the phone before i signed with them...they asked if i know who isaac durst is.....
i said no......
they said i should check him out
when i arrived, my training was to watch 6 hours of english programs starring isaac durst....
when i get to class they have the bright ties and big glasses and even a prosthetic big nose for me to put on before i start work
they tell me to sing and dance and let the kids pet my arm hair
its probably the best job ever |
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koon_taung_daeng
Joined: 28 Jan 2007
Location: south korea
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| Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 11:51 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="makemischief"]
| Seon-bee wrote: |
you can make lemonade from lemons, but no mater how hard you squeeze and sweeten, you can't make lemonade from *beep*. |
hahahah that is pure genius. |
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jajdude
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 4:57 am Post subject: |
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Did you all notice how old the original post is?
Sometimes I forget to look, but it's worth noting. |
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thegadfly
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 5:50 am Post subject: |
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Doh! I didn't notice how out of date that was....
Oh, and jaja, nice signature quote... |
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tomato
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: I get so little foreign language experience, I must be in Koreatown, Los Angeles.
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| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 6:40 am Post subject: |
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I see what you mean now, Jajdude.
The thread was six months old when Nick09 bumped it.
That made me--and probnably everyone else--think it was a brand new thread.
That's okay, it's a good thread and it's worth reviving anyway. |
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jajdude
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 7:45 am Post subject: |
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| Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2003 2:27 pm |
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VirginIslander
Joined: 24 May 2006
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 7:47 am Post subject: |
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My boss has a unique and interesting position on teaching English: we teach it better than Koreans.
Although I dont always agree, he allows me to choose all the books for all 250 elementary students. I found really good books for pre-beginner, beginner, beginner 2 and novels for Elite but Im still looking for better books for 2 intermediate classes and 2 advanced classes. Currently, we are using Go For It for those levels but they dont impress me too much.
I'll appreciate any suggetions for new books. |
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Fishead soup
Joined: 24 Jun 2007
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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Tell your students
"I'm not here to entertain you.
You're here to entertain me".
John Lydon aka Johnny Rotten |
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jiberish
Joined: 17 Jul 2006
Location: The Carribean Bay Wrestler
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| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Yeah when people ask what I do I say im a dancing monkey for korean kids. But then again I work public schools. What can I teach when I see mmm well over 1000 students a month. |
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yingwenlaoshi
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Location: ... location, location!
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| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:04 pm Post subject: |
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| jiberish wrote: |
| Yeah when people ask what I do I say im a dancing monkey for korean kids. But then again I work public schools. What can I teach when I see mmm well over 1000 students a month. |
jiberish |
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Fishead soup
Joined: 24 Jun 2007
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Get some Mickey Mouse ears and dance around like Mr. Bean |
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