Korean Job Discussion Forums

[xCustomx]

Today at my middle school I called a group of four students extremely lazy in front of the whole class because they were unable to write a grand total of three sentences using the present perfect. I gave them 12 minutes to do so and walked by their group at least two times offering help.

I nearly called another student retarded, but I bit my tongue. I was teaching a lesson about riddles, and even though I told the students three times to not say their answer out loud, this kid kept ignoring me. The Korean teacher even asked the kid to refrain from shouting out the answers in order to give everyone enough time to think of the answer.

Anyways, do you openly criticize your students in class? It's probably not effective, but are there any cases where it's OK?

[fustiancorduroy]

I offer constructive criticism, such as "I really think you could develop this argument better by citing a few examples from the reading. For instance...." I've learned that most people don't like being told their work is bad. So now I usually suggest how it can be "made even better!"

[xCustomx]

I used to do that when I was in a hagwon, where most of my students actually did their work. What's most important to me in all of my classes is that students actually try their best. As long as they have a good attitude and are trying then I'll help them. It's the kids who tell me they understand my directions, refuse my help, and then tell me they didn't complete any work at all that bugs me.

[VirginIslander]

How many kids are in that class?

[southern boy]

I find that openly critising your students help to cool yourself down when you have the intention of improving or helping them in order to refrain yourself from any hatred or the motivation to further help them.

[icicle]

I would probably take the approach of praising / giving positive feedback / attention to the students who are doing the right thing ... And using them to give good role models of what you think ... Rather than focusing on the students who aren't or can't do what you want/expect ... In doing that you are giving attention/focus to what you don't want ... and for some students any attention ... even negative attention is welcome or desirable ... and they will go on doing what you don't want ... to get the attention ... Also culturally putting the students in the position where they lose face with the rest of the class is probably not a good thing to do ...

I have seen more classes turned around from good behaviour work being praised/rewarded than I have from lots of negative feedback (even constructive) and focus on what you don't want ...

[sargx]

I call them disabled, Indian, African, or pregnant. I feel this is constructive.

[WoBW]

As a general rule, I don't criticize my students. However, there have been times when I've been in a bad mood or tired that I have told students that their performance is pathetic, they're driving me crazy and they're the worst class I've ever had.

I also told a class once that I hated teaching them. Funnily enough they were much better after that.

I know...my bad. Not good.

[JJJ]

I've said "You've got to be kidding/joking" when my 3rd grade middle school kids don't know how to respond to elementary school questions. Sometimes I ask what grade they are in and then say "Are you sure?" if they can't do the simplest task.

THEN, I try to help them or get another student to help and then try to say, something like "Good job" or "I knew you could do it". So, sometimes, yes I have criticized them but it comes from a moment of shock basically. I will try to bite my tongue a little more in the future. It's gonna be difficult though.

[KYC]

I do it in a way that makes them feel embarrassed yet motivated....

"I know you're extremely bright because I've seen you do better than this. So I know for a fact you can do better if you just put more effort in it"

works most of the time. Some kids still don't care.


Too many times have had I had to bite my tongue to refrain from calling certain kids stupid...

[Cerriowen]

When someone is being intentionally stupid... trying to draw attention to themselves... I roll my eyes, sigh and say "Pabo-ya!" (stupid you)

Usually they all say "WA!" and then laugh.

But only when I'm not really angry.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

When it comes to doing any original writing, even the simplist things, some of them are pretty clueless just because they *never* do it outside an FT's class. Many students feel more comfortable waiting until a teacher reviews the answers and will then try hard to write down 'the right answers' (not realising that with original writing there could be thousands of right answers).

When it comes to obvious stuff that anyone could do with a bit of effort I find 'Come on! You've done nothing!' works better than 'You're lazy'. Who knows what kind of connections their little Confucian K-heads are actually making, but as a rule it always seems better to focus on actions rather than character when criticising.

[mrsquirrel]

I sometimes speak to them like they are dogs.

Mainly when they do things like crush each others work sheets or fall off their desks.

Who's a clever boy, did you manage to crush your friends worksheet. Aren't you clever. Can you do anymore tricks?

[ytuque]

I am having some success just asking them, "how old are you?" I find that I need to vent when they are being idiots, but I don't want to say something like, "are you f-ing retarded?"

I think it is healthy to respond, but you should respond in an acceptable manner.

[crusher_of_heads]

I have one particular student who is good natured, but every once in a while he will do nothing hoping to get away with it. He does 20 pushups and gets a comment like "you know better than that".


In Canada, the kids needed to be told they were stupid-too bad you can't really do that.