Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bcoral99]

I just wanted some opinion. I am bored and I am at a middle public school. I was just wondering if anyone really cares if the kids learn English. I mean the kids who yell and scream in class, the ones who sleep and don't listen to you at all.

Do you guys really care? I try my best to make it somewhat interesting. I have to go through the textbook material cause it is gonna be on the exam but yet even when i give them a game or whatever they seem to not care.

I want the kids to learn but it just seems that most kids just do not want to. Any thoughts?

I'm just bored right now thats why i am writing this.

[Misera]

[climber159]

Of course many of them don't care! They're kids. They'd rather be out having fun with their friends. They didn't request to learn another language. How many times have you been forced to do something that you love to do?

Interact with your students before and after class, in the halls, outside. It doesn't have to be for very long. Just say hi. Joke with them. Don't give up on them though. Doing so will make everyone's time in school all the more miserable. I can remember some of the teachers I had in school who had given up. It's so obvious to the students; it's just asking to be steamrolled.

[Joe666]

I feel the exact same way and in the same situation. It's a battle almost every class. What's your co-teacher(s) doing while in class. If you don't have one in the classroom, it's a lose-lose situation. A good co-teacher will discipline to the max. All mine do and it makes a considerable difference. Most students still seem to not care about their English education.

After school classes with no Korean teacher present, a total lose-lose situation. The kids know you have no power and take full advantage of it.

Sometimes I feel like giving up and giving my notice and leaving this country. I don't because this is a challenge I believe most will never forget. Staying in your situation can only make you better.

[polonius]

Teachers can play such a huge roll whether the students achieve in class. When I was in grade 10, I had so much respect for my math teacher, and I wanted to do well for him. The following year, the teacher didn't care about his job, and it was quite evident. I went from 99% to 60%.

If the teacher doesn't care, then the students certainly won't. Not every student will want to achieve, but some will. If the teacher gives up, then they will possibly lose the chance of encouraging those students who do want success.

See if you can relate the materials to the students. Many of our textbooks in the past had a huge amount of American content. The students didn't care. When I took the theme that was proposed in the books and made it relevant to them, they were actively participating.

What subjects are you teaching?

[bcoral99]

ok, i never said i didnt care i just proposed the question to everyone. although i am getting to that point after only 3 months. of course its half and half whether a class is active or not. it really depends on my co teacher. some are really good and get the class involved while others for some odd reason expect me to discipline and do everything while they dont do much.

i don't blame them cause some have been told by the principal that they just want me to teach and let them just sit back which is total BS, cause its suppose to be co teaching.

and the kids attitude is what is really bad. i know Korean and the things they say and do are horrible. and sometimes just randomly they will say FU!! for some reason unknown to me. some get punished it depends on the co-teacher.

I try to make it interesting with games but there is only so much i can do. i try to get the positive out of each class. if i can get at least a few kids to participate each class then i think i can get something out of the class.

[cubanlord]

[Robot_Teacher]

Standards are very low. Not only in education, but in most other areas of living too. What do you expect out of a small less developed country?

I care, but I'm not the one in charge and it's not my home country. I think they should be eating more fruit and teach listening skills and values like creative thinking out of the box, but they don't, becuase that's too tall of a order to expect in such a developing country. Students attempt to memorize English by routine patterns due to that being the Korean way. Sorta like trying to remember how to solve an equation which does work in math. I catch them when I flip around questions surrounding the day, weather, and such where they'll force the wrong answer on me and fail to listen.

Just go with the flow. You're not paid to care, but to teach. Caring is Korean teachers and parents job and how they want to run their country and schools is their business. This is why you're only told about things that apply to YOU and never explained to about what's going on and the internal workings of any sort. The kids are wound up by the faulty Korean system and culture so they take advantage of English class time to let off some steam. Every country system and culture has it's ups and downs.

[halfmanhalfbiscuit]

[Ramen]

I did...

[creeper1]

[quote="Robot_Teacher"]Standards are very low. Not only in education, but in most other areas of living too. What do you expect out of a small less developed country?

I care, but I'm not the one in charge and it's not my home country. I think they should be eating more fruit.

Just go with the flow. You're not paid to care, but to teach. quote]

You are hardly going to be a good teacher if you do not care! You can not have one with out the other.

Robot teacher, lose the superiority attitude. I have to laugh at the suggestion you would have them eat more fruit. Yeah that's what people do in the big developed country you obviously come from. Probably one of the reasons why everyone from the USA is stick thin and attractive.

You are in a developed country. I am not goint to expand on this as it should be obvious.

I wonder just how intelligent or a great thinker you are. Can you "think outside the box"? Why is it that all the critics of learning methods here are not good learners themselves? Have you learned KOrean? Are you spending your time wisely?

With 74 pages of contributions to Dave's ESL, I think the answer to the above questions is negative.

[afsjesse]

I care about my students and I really want them to achieve. But the books, methods and lack of participation really make it an impossible environment to gain anything from the class. My coteachers don't participate even after I asked them to. The students in my small town are mostly poor families and don't give a hoot about English. They sleep, put on make-up, talk to each other and show no regard for me or anyone else.

For punishment I only send the students in the hall and make them do push-ups. I'm not a fan of coroporal punishment and forbid it in my classroom.

But even after all of the complaints above, there are always those two student in the front row that make my day and push me forward to do my best. That's what I think we should all look forward to.

[Robot_Teacher]

I'm having the exact same teaching experience as afsjesse.

[quote="creeper1"]

[Goku]

[bcoral99]

try not to take offense robot teacher but u seem like u shoudnt be here anymore. based on ur other posts, seem a bit negative about korea. i know i shouldnt be here either which is why im gonna be done after this year.
although, i wouldnt say korea is that bad. statistically korean kids do get better grades in math and science than western kids.

obviously the english education system here is flawed but in the other areas the korean kids acutally excel more so than western kids. i only know this because my brother has done comparison studies between western and the korean education system. so i wouldnt really put the education system down like that.

all places have their pros and cons so just try to have an open mind. i see way to many people have a eurocentric view when they come here which is why they have such a crappy attitude. Just be open and smile its not like many of us are gonna be here forever.