Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ABC KID]

I could probably write similar stories on a reasonably regular basis but as I�m a fairly new poster to Dave�s I thought I�d just share a couple of things that made me feel good today.

I was teaching fifth grade at elementary school. There were three classes with about ninety-five students in total. One of my activities was a short game, enabling students to practice their reading. Anyway, the best score of the day was achieved by a quiet student in the last class of the day. Wow! She was inspired today. If I had to make a pecking order for my fifth grade students in terms of ability she would probably not even make it into the top fifty but she came good today. As it was the last class of the day, I was delighted to point out to the class that she was the best in fifth grade today and gave her the praise she deserved. You could see in her face how happy it made her. I think she will remember today�s English class for a long time.

The second thing that cheered me up today was something really simple in my first fifth grade class of the day. There is a student in the class who has done really badly in most mini assessments during the year and has spent most lessons with body language that has shouted out �Please don�t ask me anything. Please don�t choose me.� However, everything changed today. I asked a question and much to my surprise her hand went up for possibly the first time this year. Immediately I was drawn to this and asked for her answer. It was wrong albeit a very good try so I was able to offer encouragement. Nevertheless I thought that would be the end of her. However, a little later I asked something else and her hand went up again and this time she was right. BREAKTHROUGH! She might not remember today�s lesson for long but I will, especially if she starts to go from strength to strength.

Morals to the stories: Never give up on the students, try to always encourage them and if you give students enough opportunities they will often come good.

How about everyone else? What little things during your teaching have meant a lot to you? There must be hundreds of stories out there waiting to be told...

[Alyallen]

I teach at an elementary school. I taught my fifth graders about the present progressive. So during class, my co-teacher and I like to ham it up so the kids here as many different usages of the present progressive. In any event, we said that one of the students was "acting crazy."

Fast forward a day later and I saw 2 of my fifth graders. One of them started running around and carrying on. I looked at him and said to the other student, "He is crazy." The student nodded and said "He is acting crazy." I laughed so hard and gave him a high five for that! Made an otherwise horrid day interesting

[LateBloomer]

I've had so many "feel good" moments this past year that although I've decided to leave Korea soon, the kids and teachers are making it very difficult to do that without a lot of emotion.

A 6th grade boy--not even one of the top students--walked with me a whole block to the bus stop last week, trying to speak English the whole time.

Some kids try to speak Engish to their friends when I'm around.

A parent said her son used to hate English and now likes it.

As the OP mentioned, kids who used to be too shy to speak, now raise their hands in class.

There was a large sign-up for my second summer camp.

5 parents have faithfully showed up for English classes for over a year.

My co-teachers now try to speak English most of the lunch hour. (Months ago, I was on the verge of eating by myself in my office because some days I didn't hear a word of English.)

Two teachers who are going back to school to major in English Education
say that I influenced their decision to do so.

So, those of you who don't think you're making a difference in your public school..... (I certainly felt that way until last March) some day things just may start to turn the corner.

[ABC KID]

Another thing worth adding to my previous post is from a conversation I had with an experienced elementary school teacher back home. He said to me that at the end of every year he can look back at every student, no matter what their attitude or progress was like, and think, 'Mmm... We really achieved SOMETHING with this student this year'

I think he is so right. Remember we are not being asked to perform miracles or totally transform students. Things that may seem little at the time, may actually have a significant impact on a student.

I also sometimes hear stories of newbies who proudly give their first news back home. They go something like this...
When I arrived my students couldn't even say hello to me yet a few days later we can have a basic conversation.

If you genuinely care about teaching and students you can make a real difference to students on an almost daily basis.

[thegadfly]

My first gig in Korea was at Mokdong Wonderland, and my primary duty seemed to be to keep the kids inside the classroom. and keep the blood inside the kids. Coloring was the order of the day in my pre-kindy classes, although I did as much teaching as I could...and lo, one day about 6 months in, whilst two little 4-year olds were coloring...

Soo-ji: Could you please pass the crayons?

Ji-soo: What color would you like?

Soo-ji: The red one, please.

Ji-soo: (hands Soo-ji a red crayon) Here you go.

Soo-ji: Thank you.

Ji-soo: You're welcome.

(and both went back to coloring)

Spontaneous, unrehearsed, unprompted, and totally unexpected. I got kind of teary, I was so proud!

[Atavistic]