Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Zed]

[Basil Brush]

Dulouz, which one are you?

A. a 'man';

B. a white bear;

C. a CIA agent;

D. a dork;

E. All of the above?

_____________________________________________________________

Really now, which one are you?

[Juggertha]

IMO this job just doens't sound like its for you. You don't sound like your into the education bit. NP, it's not for everyone.

If you are wanting to finish out the contract... set some rules for yourself;

-Don't hit the kids! EVER!! Its too easy to. They can't fight back. Don't even start.

-If you want a challenge.. think of messed up ways to punish them. They adapt quickly so it'll keep you on your toes.. keeping them on theirs.

-Write all this down. How your feeling. So your not tempted to try it again thinking "it wasn't all that bad".

-Consider teaching adults?

[Len8]

Try not to see them as a challenge to your authority as a teacher. Been through what you are going through, but learned to let it roll off me. Little tykes know when they're getting the better of a teacher, and they just increase the trouble making. You might have goten yourself into a similar situation. Could be that you need a new class to start a fresh.

[ratslash]

leave dude, leave!

it does worry me this though. i could be a raging psychopath and here i am, working with children every day.

[paul]

You know what? I found that I got the most frustrated with kids when I tried too hard. You face up to one very important thing: they are kids and they will learn only so much, even if you are an expert educator.

Relax and don't expect the moon. Some days they will learn and some days they won't. If they are misbehaving, ignore them. Most kids do that for attention. If they are running up and hitting you, put your arm out stiffly in front of you and they will bounce off you and fall down, thereby harming themselves. They will soon stop. If they are being loud, let them. Just stand at the front of the class and stare at them. They will soon stop.

If they are real little kids, give them pictures to color, related to English. Give them any activity that will keep their minds off of you. That is the secret to controlling kids...especially if you don't speak the language.

And laugh at them. They will soon think you are the greatest guy in the world. Learn a couple goofy phrases in Korean and keep repeating them. They'll think you're a star.

If you work with the kids and not against them, you will learn to control the class.

[Zed]

[buddy bradley]

[Kyrei]

[dulouz]

TY for the replies. Yea, I'll be here for the contract which isn't much time. Its OK if teaching isn't my thing. We don't teach at hokwans, we do something else. We make sure we keep the money coming. If that involves teaching, so be it. Then we teach.

There is a lot of talk about teaching methods here and everywhere, but discipline is as imortant if not more so and the materials are far more informal. I would not mind being a baby sitter, I could do my own thing for an hour but there is a pretense for teaching for we cater to that. I'm a discussion teacher, I am suppsed to make them talk. In the workbooks there are exercises. Filling out the forms isn't discusion so we didn't do that. However, filling out the forms looks like work has been done, so we do that. It seems to fool everyone well enough and thats what we do.

These kids cheat alot, don't they? The smart kid will fill out one line of the exercise and then the chain starts and that answer goes around the room.

Public humiliation works works well. Writing things on the board is a form of that. Staring works well but they talk a few seconds later. Even as I tell to be quiet they keep talking. You have to have the kids quiet because th owner comes by and says you can't control the kids and the good kids go home and say its noisy in the class. I've got some middle school boys who I'm going to fit with with repiratory masks tonite. The message being being "close this".

I asked the owner if I should stay after the contract. They could easily get someone younger, prettier and with nicer boobies. She said yes. Damn. I get the idea concerning references that if you quit and you are popular, you are a bastard and you get a bad reference. If you are not popular, you get a bad reference. Thats a deal, huh?

[Mr. Pink]

[dulouz]

Thanks Mr. P. I appreciate the input.

[peemil]

Let's just face facts. I get sick to death of people attempting to vouch for Korean children. They are turds. Full stop. Never in all my travels in any country have I encountered such out of control, hyperactive, little brats than in Korea.

To the OP. You can't reason with them. They don't speak English! They don't want to speak English. Hitting them sometimes is the only weapon you have.

I am not saying here before everyone jumps on me... "Go and beat the crap out of them..." No. Not at all. They are children still. But Korean kids have no idea of boundaries or limits. Can you imagine yourself acting as they do when you were in school. No.

It has nothing to do with culture... Their parents spoil them rotten. They are messed up little brats. Go ahead. Stand in front of the class and stare at them as on poster suggested. Not going to do a lot of good. Don't go to the Korean teachers. It lowers YOU yes YOU in their eyes. If everytime little Johnny wants to be a brat you run off to the Director and complain. What does that say? Quick clip around the ears that'll fix him up.

Christ. Korean teachers and parents do a hell of a lot worse with them. My classroom is as controlled as I let it be... And I don't need any one to help me out. The good kids and the bad kids respect that.

[shawner88]

At my last hagwon (what a hellhole) I used to send the worst ones to my boss who would make them cry and then put them on the floor in a push-up position and whack them on the butt with a giant stick. After awhile he gave me a stick and said I had to start using it (all the korean teachers used one). Even with the stick it was awful. I used to feel so bad. I remember hitting one little girl on the hand and her face just broke my heart. I didn't even know it but it was her last day at the school, by coincidence. I felt so bad about that. I work out in a country school outside of seoul now and the kids are much much better than the city kids. I have never had to discipline my students beyond taking a "talent sticker" from their folder. It all depends on the school and location.

[Zed]