Korean Job Discussion Forums

[spyro25]

I have three 2 hour long freshman uni classes on Monday and I want to ask the other uni teachers out there about how you usually start your first lessons. The student's don't get their books for another week so I need a kind of introduction lesson I can use for the first week. Do any of you have some good ideas for icebreakers? These student's levels are supposed to be very low so I need something that doesn't involve too much English ability. I am getting nametags for all students also to help with the names issue.

Also, what class rules do you usually implement? My idea was go through the rules on the first day and charge 500won for any infraction, with that money going on a night out at the end of term.

I've worked at a national university for over a year but this is the first graded freshman English program I have taken so I'm just looking for some pointers from the more experienced uni teachers out there about the way you go about your first lesson.

Thanks in advance!

[Mi Yum mi]

For the low kids. Tell them what you expect and what book they're going to use. Stick them in groupls of 3-5 and tell each groupyou want them to ask you 10 questions about yourself.

This is the important part...tell them nothing about yourself when you enter the class. They might or might not know your name. That's about it. Some of the questions will be rude and retarded, but play along and answer them. Then ask them questions back. Do this for about 30 mins then let them go. Nobody wants to go to class first week anyways.

[butlerian]

[spyro25]

there will be some kind of class president who does all the donkey work / organizing some stuff. How do I know who to pick and what kind of things can I do with them to make the running of the class easier?

As to threatening to adjust their grades, our uni (as with many others) wants 80% of the students to get a least a B+ if not an A. Fiddling with their grades for infractions of rules probably wont fly with management so I need some other method. I thought 500 (or maybe 100won) is small enough that students feel punished without breaking the bank for any infractions.

[Mi Yum mi]

Usually the kids already have a class leader. Just ask who it is and get his info. you give him your info. His job is to tell you when lasses are cancelled. If he/she doesn't do that I threaten to give them a worse grade. That's usually the way it works if the class is the same major. If it's an elective class, then you are on your own.

I'd also give them an assignment. They have to give you a index card (or whatever) with their personal info and a current photo. That'll save yo a lot of time when it comes to grading stuff. You can remember who is naughty and who is hot...er nice.

[ajuma]

First class, I hand out a paper with the class rules. One of my big ones is that their cellphones must be turned off ("manner-mode). I explain exactly how I will grade and what percent will be deducted for absences. I also have each student fill out a card with name, major (you may have to write this on the board since they might not know their major in English), cellphone number, student number and email address. I use these cards to take attendance, note who has been a bad student, and grades. Tell them what book to buy and what the penalty is if they DON'T bring a book (minus points, fine).

I also find out who the class leader is. I tell that student that they are responsible for ONE thing. If the whole class has to be absent for some reason (MT, field trip, sports day, whatever), they have to call me and let me know. If they don't, THEY get "F"!! (I don't really mean it, but the threat works!!)

If you want to do the introduction thing, good for you, but I don't bother. Korean profs don't!!

[OiGirl]

Do the students have the choice to drop your class? When I teach university, I teach HARD the first week and do all the introduction stuff the second week, after the add/drop period. It's a waste of time to spend time doing that stuff with students who will just drop out. Better in my experience to let them know just how much work is expected.

But if they don't have books yet, this may not be practical.

[bassexpander]

The first day, is generally a "hand out the syllabus and leave" situation at my school, because loads of students switch times/teachers between the first and second week. I feel like I should at least do something, so I play the "snowball game" with new students.

I have them take a piece of paper and write answers to 4 or 5 questions. Something like:

1. What's your name and hometown area.
2. Write a sentence or two about your family.
3. What's your favorite food?
4. What's your major?
5. If you could marry anyone (movie star, classmate, etc.) whom would you marry?

After about ten minutes, I split the class in half and tell them to stand at opposite sides of the room, crumple up their papers, and have a snowball fight -- one, two, three, go!

After a minute or so, I tell them to pick a snowball off of the floor (trade with someone if they accidentally get theirs). I then have them go around the room and find the person on their snowball. They then take turns going around the room reading their snowball to the class and introducing the person on it.

[stuey11]

First day is for usually general introductions

For the first 20 minutes I don't hand any paper/books/info out. I tell the students my name then pass a box of candy / chocolate around and have the students pick one from the box. If a student picks a red candy then they have to ask me about my hobbies, yellow candy family etc....and there are always follow up questions so we all get to know each other

next hand out name tags...have them write their name ( korean / english whatever they want) and draw a picture (helps me remember)

Next I'll hand out the syllabus/course requirements etc and lay down the class rules

then let them go....they NEVER have the books with on the first day anyway

[simpleminds]

Some good ideas here, I might use one or two this time round.

First week I get their details: name, student number, email, major, where they live, how long it takes to get to uni (average is two hours one way), what year are they in. They take a century to write their stuff down, so I ask each student some of the above. I give basic details; my name, email, office number, office location, what book they'll be using. I let them go after 40 minutes.

Second week I designate their seats (so I can monitor their participation easily and none can skulk at the back of the classroom), give out the syllabus, explain how they will be graded, and start the class proper.

[Mi Yum mi]

[ajuma]

Well, the only GOOD thing that I can say about it is that it was all in English!!

Heard you had to sing "I'm a Little Teapot!" Wish I would have been there to see that!!!

[spliff]

Dude, you're the professor ...shouldn't you know what to do already?

[spyro25]

thats a good one spliff - i will use that one from now on the next time one of my highers up wants some questions asked!

[ddeubel]

Why do so many teachers reach for the rule book the first day?

Isn't it proper (even forgetting that this is school) that you introduce, get to know each other and then CONSULT about the rules . Or at least give that pretense.

If a teacher has been teaching a number of years and still goes on with the first degree the first lesson, they have no style.....and Bukowski for one would second that style is what it is all about....

DD
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