Korean Job Discussion Forums

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

I've posted about this particular class before, a set of 14yr olds at the end of the day, half of whom do not want to, and will not learn or pay attention.
Nothing works: I've tried bringing in the Korean teacher to yell at them now and again, but that only works for a limited time before they're goofing off again. The main problem is that 3 main offendors are so disinterested in learning and determined to talk all through the lesson...
I stand them against the wall, make them do push ups, or hold books over their heads, etc, but they are less and less fazrd, and much more interested in chatting away. The korean teacher has rung the parents as well but ultimately to no effect.. its a lost cause, and the school is of course reluctant to suspend or throw out any bad kids... Giving up is just about the only option now. the kids know they rule, and nothing's going to happen, whatever they do..
The more wound up I get, the more they enjoy it..
Any suggestions?? i'm working in the typical innefective Korean system that does not force students to behave, if they don't want to...

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Obviously everyone here teaches perfectly well behaved kids, and has no disciplinary problems whatsoever. Must just be me.

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

no, but I have no advice. I decided not get angry or upset with them and just let them be surly teenagers. that and every so often I give them a fake kiss when they annoy me that usually brings them into line.

clg

Juggertha · Joined: 27 May 2003 Location: Anyang, Korea

funny, cuz i use the kissing thing too. they work pretty hard not to be kissed by me.

Rapier.. that new girl avatar is a cutie!

dominic · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Location: Seoul

well...I sort of have my students listening to me in class. Im very strict in my class, even with the older 15 year old kids. Ive been at this school for 7 months so the kids know what makes me mad and if i am mad they get kicked out. my worst kid decided to swear at me in korean one day and i kicked him out, he did it again the next class and i kicked him out again, and he hasnt been bad since. im very tough on my kids...i want them to learn and the kids who dont want to learn i ask them if they want to go home and bye to them, then they shut up. Of course i bring a big metal pipe to class so i guess i scare them into learning, it's working even if they are scared...never used it of course but they dont know that i wont.

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

kiwiboy_nz_99 · Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Location: ...Enlightenment...

I hear you CLG but rapiers three boys sound like they've gone beyond that pale. I would sit them in the corner, three different corners, facing the corner, from the start of the next class, before they do anything, and I'd keep them there the whole class. Then I'd ask them if they want to sit with the others, and if they do I'd tell them the rules. As soon as they break the rules they go back for the rest of the class and all of the next one. I can't see any other way.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Classroom control is a hard thing to learn. What complicates it is that what works with one group one day may not work with another group.

There are books out there to read. Many have some helpful suggestions.

One thing you might try: Find something the class likes, for example, a movie. Then make the class 'earn' the right to watch it. This is a suggestion and you can feel free to ignore it or modify it.

Set a clear plastic jar on your desk. Take out a pile of tokens. Inform the students that for every 10 minutes of focused work and acceptable behavior, you will put a token in the jar. When the jar contains 25 tokens they can see the movie. When anyone screws up during a 10 minute period, calmly remove one token. No need to make a scene.

The major benefit of this kind of approach is that it pits the decent kids against the jerks. Peer pressure is incredibly powerful with any group of kids, but even more so here in Korea.

This approach has worked for many teachers in many different classrooms, but is not a guaranteed solution to your problem.

Good luck.

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

kicking kids out alone is ineffective. You should give them some work to do in the hallway. Writing lines or something. I am not above embarrassing kids in front of their peers.

I don't want to blame you for your own problems, but if you are too nice in the beginning, it causes these problems. I find it effective to be hitler teacher for a while then lighten up.

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Video camera. Threaten to show the tape to the parents.

Crois · Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2004 5:50 am Post subject:

just say to them that they are if they are girls that they are going to end up as a coffee girl or something similar if they are boys. Usually scares them.

Thomas · Joined: 25 Mar 2003

kangnamdragon · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea

khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

i think that most teacher trainers would NEVEr admit that there are situations or students who are uncontrollable.

Thomas gave a good list.
I like the idea of videotaping kids (you couldn't do that back home...without parental consent...).

I dunno, sometimes i lower my expectations for some classes or kids. Maybe not the healthiest thing to do but, i'd rather lower that a few notches and have a class that progresses, than be a totalitarian with a bunch of dollards. Lower the expectations.

One of the HARDEST things about teaching ESL in korea (and all over for any subjext really), is that as teachers, we have to try and get students interested in the topics by doing interesting things..doing things that make sense...that are fun but informative.
Do that with books and your students could very well go bananas