Korean Job Discussion Forums

[garykasparov]

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/opi_view.asp?newsIdx=12987&categoryCode=197

Taking Back Classroom

Dr. Doane (Principal): Peg, as of this morning I've moved Philip from your English class.

Miss Narwin (English teacher): Why did you do that?

Dr. Doane: Probably for the best �

Miss Narwin: Best for whom?

Dr. Doane: For you. The boy �

Miss Narwin: People will misconstrue.

Dr. Doane: We are trying to be evenhanded ...

Miss Narwin: He's a student. I'm a teacher. Hands are not meant to be even.

― From the novel ``Nothing But The Truth'' by Avi (Harper Collins Publishers 1991)

By Steve Schertzer

During a recent English lesson, which was observed by co-teachers, fellow native English teachers, my vice-principal, and members of the District Office of Education here in Busan, I began by writing three things on the blackboard.

1) I own the room.

2) I control the class.

3) I am responsible.

I then said to the students: ``I own the room. From the moment I step into the classroom until the moment I leave, this is my house. And you are expected to behave yourself while you're in my house. I control the class. I am your teacher, not your friend. If there is something you want or need, you are expected to ask me politely and with respect.

``I control the class because I own the room. I am responsible. Yes, you are responsible for your own learning. But I am responsible for everything else that happens while in this room. That way, you learn what you need to learn and nobody gets hurt. I am responsible because I control the class and I own the room.''

This was translated into Korean by my co-teacher. The students understood, and then we started the lesson. It doesn't matter what lesson is started. The students must understand who controls the learning and teaching environment. Otherwise, chaos will ensue. And chaos has no place in any of my classes.

A teacher owns the room much the same way as an actor owns the stage. There is a certain stage presence that a teacher must have. A great actor commands the stage. The spectators are riveted by his performance and, when all is said and done, people are mesmerized.

But the comparison ends there. A teacher is not an actor. Nor should he be. His students are not spectators partaking in a theatrical illusion. They are the next generation, and the responsibilities of a teacher are adjusted to suit the social reality.

In my 10 plus years of teaching English as a foreign language in four different countries, I have found maintaining classroom control to be the most challenging of all teaching duties.

This is true for children, teenagers, and adults. It demands the patience of a saint and the wisdom of Solomon, neither of which I possess in abundance. I, like that the Korean teachers in my middle school, carry a ``love-stick,'' and I have been known to use it on occasion.

While it is true that many Korean and foreign teachers lack the skills and knowledge necessary to control their classes, that is not the major problem teachers have. Although it's not given the priority I believe it should in teacher training and professional development programs, classroom management can be taught to new teachers and can be learned through experience.

The major problem with teachers today is not a lack of skill or knowledge, but a lack of responsibility and leadership. There are simply not enough teachers who want to own the room, take control of the class, and take responsibility for the class.

This is not only unfortunate, it's tragic. In my experience, young students yearn for their teachers to show leadership. They need teachers who are not afraid to show that they are responsible and in charge. Young students should not be expected to raise themselves. Nor should they be expected to teach themselves.

A teacher who exhibits responsibility, by showing that he is able to respond, (for that is what responsibility truly is), is genuinely respected by his students as not only a good teacher, but also as a good person.

Doling out copious amounts of candy to your students is one way of getting them to like you. Stamping their notebook with pictures of cartoon characters may be one way to get your students to sit down quietly, but if that's all a teacher has in his repertoire of classroom management tricks, then he is one lousy teacher.

We can do better. In fact, we have an ethical and social obligation to do much better. After all, teachers, along with parents, are responsible for turning out the next generation of literate and socially functional human beings.

Unfortunately, far too many teachers today would rather be liked by their students than be respected. They would rather leave the teaching to others and take the easy way out by way of playing games like Bingo or Hangman. Teaching was never meant to be easy. And neither is learning.

Far too many teachers today would rather make their students feel good rather than teach them how to be good. We do a grave disservice to our students by treating them as our social equals. We do a terrible injustice to our students by trying to be evenhanded. I am a teacher. He is a student. Hands are not meant to be even.

Although there is much to learn from our students, the teacher/student relationship is one of setting boundaries and following rules. It is grounded in responsibility and a deeply rooted understanding that certain lines are never to be crossed.

Teachers must always be aware of this so that their students can behave accordingly and learn appropriately. Students must be made aware of exactly what is expected of them, in terms of behavior and academics, and the teacher is responsible for ensuring that these expectations are met.

Setting realistic expectations in a time-limited fashion is a good way to proceed in letting students know what their responsibilities are vis-a-vis their teacher.

It is often said that teaching is a thankless job. But it doesn't have to be seen that way. For those of us who know that we teachers teach not for today, but for tomorrow and everyday thereafter, teaching is seen as helping as many young people as possible realize their true potential.

Those of us who accept the responsibility for what being an educator entails, also accept the frustrations and pitfalls that too often accompany our endeavors. Those of us unafraid to assume a leadership position in the classroom know that with a little faith and trust in our students comes the reward of a job well done. We know there are no shortcuts and that our hard work will, in the end, yield high dividends.

For those teachers courageous enough to own the room, take control, and be responsible, great things await them. For those teachers brave enough to expect only the best from their students and hold them to it, the rewards are boundless.

For those teachers bold enough to rightfully demand that their classroom be a sacred place of growth and learning, the benefits are real. This begins with brave and responsible teachers because the next generation depends on it.

The writer teaches English at a public middle school in Busan through the EPIK program. He can be reached at [email protected].

[ddeubel]

[ttompatz]

This op-ed thread is a duplicate of another, similar thread that died a natural death from stupidity about 2 weeks ago.

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[garykasparov]

Does anyone actually agree with him? Are all foreign teachers idiots?

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Yes, this was all hashed out in two other threads, but...

Let me just say that I'm a lot more authoritarian than a lot of FTs and even I find Mr Schertzer's approach, tone, and utter lack of empathy for his students appalling. The whole 'I own...' is so counter to not only effective TEFL but also runs completely contrary to how Koreans view things. In Korea, for anything to succeed, and to be appreciated by Koreans, it has to be 우리, not 나. That doesn't say that there aren't clear lines of authority, but 'I own' is simply the worst of perspectives from either a western or a Korean point of view, especially for teaching a language.

I have a hard time thinking of a worse cultural ambassador for foreign educators. Bear in mind that this is someone who was reportedly sacked from a language academy in Thailand for discussing his sexual triumphs with Nana bargirls with his students. The really sick part is that all of his writings on this subject are simply a side-product of vitriolic Internet arguments to prove a point about his ego, not his students. It�s all about proving, not helping, and Mr Schertzer, you�re only proving yourself an ass of extreme proportion.

[RJjr]