Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sillyboy]

Since we're about to kick off another year oh *higher* learning here in Korea, I'm wondering what all you super teachers out there do on the first day of school. I work at a uni. and usually do attendance, and then hand out a matching exercise about myself. General questions like :"How old are you?" Where do you live? What univ. did you go to? What's your favorite........?" With answers that they have to match on the other side of the page. I give one paper to each pair of stds. so that they have to work together and not just sit there quietly. This gives them an idea about me, that I've had a life before stepping into the classroom. Then I can expand on this by getting them to ask each other the same questions, or if time/circumstances don't allow that, then I go into the syllabus and explain it and ask if there are and questions. That usually takes the better part of an hour.

Anybody else got any suggestions or comments?

Sillyboy/Seoul

[elmer]

I followed the time honored and loved tradition of giving out the syllabus, explaining any rules, taking questions, and saying good-bye, see you next time. No more than 10-15 minutes. The students are always happy about this, as I remember being when I was in uni...

[Magog]

Tell your boss to piss off and leave you alone or you'll find another job!
Dont take any crap from their puney little opinions

[lawyertood]

You actually have students show up the first week? Actually I do the same(explain grading and rules) as elmer when students show up. Forget about attendance because most first year students aren't really sure where they are supposed to be. I usually have to repeat everything week two unless, of course, they are off on an MT.

When I do have students sometimes I have them do a speaking exercise. I usually have students interview a partner (name, hometown, favorite food, favorite singer, free time activities, etc...) as a pair activity and then introduce the person to the class.

[rasta man]

our freshmen don't even register for classes until Tuesday so we will not even see any students until Thurs and Fri. If any do show up Mon or Tues I'll show them the book and say "see ya Thurs or Fri". Thurs and Fri I'll just go over policies with them for say 30 minutes then let them run. I won't start any serious work until next week then they will be off for MT the week after that.

ain't teaching at a uni fun?

[BTM]

Say hi, joke around a bit, let them go after about 10 minutes, to big cheers.

Admin stuff week 2, start teaching week 3. I love my job.

[gypsyfish]

Here's an article I wrote for the Internet TESL Journal (written when I worked in a hagwon). I still use the ideas at my university, but with a few minor changes.

Hope it helps.

http://iteslj.org/Lessons/Schroeder-FirstDay.html

[Ody1966]

thanks gypsyfish.
that link was helpful.
now i'm curious about those minor changes

[Rand Al Thor]

For speaking classes I draw 4-5 simple pictures about my life. Stickman kind of drawings (I"m no rembrandt)

photocopy and distribute to students

students then guess what the pictures mean to me. I have one tricky one... I put a picture of a book, students usually guess that it means I like reading (true) but it actually means that I enjoy studying & learning & that I am currently enrolled in graduate school.

After this students then draw pictures representing thier life and then switch papers with a partner and ask questions.

This activity is good for 30-35 minutes and the remaining part of class I go over the syllabus and other bs

for reading and writing classes

I go over the syllabus quickly
then brainstorm on the board things that you want to know about a person when first meeting them.

hobby
bf/gf
major
job (if any)
family
age/birthday/favorite food etc... I tell them not to use as it is boring

I then suggest/insist they ask about an interesting experience they had in thier life while illustrating with something from my personal life.

Students then interview a classmate in preperation to write 1-2 paragraphs about interviewee. This is homework.

I then use this homework as a diagnostic tool to find out the major weaknesses of students and lead up to the next days activity which is learning the editing symbols I use while correcting essays.

[gypsyfish]

Hi ODY.

Because my university classes are larger than when I was at the hagwan, I usually divide them into a couple of groups, instead of working with one group. With the timeline exercise, instead of taping the timelines to the wall, I give everyone a different one and tell them to find the person whose timeline they have.

As I mentioned in the article, I think the first day of classes is really important. I usually let the students go a little early, but, I think, too early sets a bad precedent and the first day is a good time to start evaluating your students.

The first part of the class is usually taken up with a lot of TTT, while I explain the syllabus, and I don't want them to get used to me doing all the talking. This is another reason I try to do some student centered activity.

[harlowethrombey]

Hmmm. . . for the first day of school I simply get out my spiked lovestick (an aluminum bat with several railroad spikes driven through it) and lay it on the desk. Then I cross my arms and stare at those 14 year olds for 10 minutes without speaking.