Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kentucker4]

I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but I teach 9 and 10 classes a day...7 of those classes which I have a homeroom teacher who teaches the material to the students every day before my class...in other words there is nothing new for me left in the book to do..just review. But even with the other ones, I don't have any time to lesson plan and I never know which pages my homeroom Korean teacher has done until I get in there because it's way too busy to ask each one every day as they are always doing something and me too. Also, my bosses are always asking me to take such and such class today because such and such is in a meeting.....it's TOTAL chaos and now I have a new class.....chaos. At the beginning, I was teaching 5 and 6 classes a day with some time in between some of them...now it's just way too much to come up with lesson plans for everyone of them, so I just go from the book and it's very unorganized. To top it off I have this adult class late at night with students who are at VERY different levels. Three can speak almost fluently, one won't and pretty much can't talk...and the other one can speak a little. My bosses say there is no way to split that class up. I'm not sure what to think at this point.

[yingwenlaoshi]

I always try to solve these kind of problems on my own. After a while, things always seem to iron themselves out.

Just remember that the shortest distance between point A and point B is a straight line.

[oldfatfarang]

You're being placed in an impossible situation here. So relax, don't sweat it. Obviously your boss (co-teachers) don't expect you to plan for that amount of classes (although I suspect your training is making you think that you have to plan for this mahem).

I'd suggest that you just use your classes as revision for what the K teachers have already taught. Think of your class as a real - life language lab. You don't have to prepare for this type of class - just try to get the students to 'use' the English that their co-teachers have already taught them. That seems to be the expectation of most K teachers anyway.

I had the unfortunate experience in a recent DOE interview of being told: "You're just an assistant. We only want you for your voice." I wish someone had told me that a year ago - and not waited until I'd spent a year preparing hours of well designed - communicatively focused lesson plans grounded in modern TEFL methodology that, apparently, weren't appreciated or wanted by my co-teachers.

Don't sweat it. You don't need the stress.

[gangpae]

You have ten 50 minute classes a day?
How much are you getting paid?
Do you get paid for lesson planning?

[crazy tigger]

I'm in a similiar situation, apartf rom there is noone teaching thekids the stuffbefore I get to them, I teach 10-11 30min classes a day, I try and prep for asmany as I can, but I priorotise, sometimes you can see which ones can easily just be followed from the book. I teach most classes everyday and try and makesureI have some extra activities planned for each class a couple of times a week.

To be honestthough mostHogwon teachers I knowdont do any planning or extramaterial at all,in fact my director is really shocked that I do!

[mistermasan]

write lesson plan for each class immediately after each class. do so until ordered otherwise.

they gotta have something in writing for inquisitive parents. you are correct, there is no way to prepare for all the classes. hang in there and maintain a positive outlook.

i used to teach 10 hrs straight on saturdays in taiwan (each class was 2 hours). it can be done. but everyday...bully for you!