Korean Job Discussion Forums

[corvidae333]

I have to teach elementary school for 6 weeks (winter break) on my own without a Korean teacher's help. 3rd and 4th grade I know are going to be particularly stressful in this respect; I was wondering if anyone has any advice or tips on how to best deal with this. I've only been "teaching" for 2 1/2 months just doing what my co-teacher tells me, so I'm in quite a spot here. Any help is very very welcome!

THANK YOU!!!

[Countrygirl]

My favourite activity to do is the "name page". It's the easiest thing for discipline.

Have the students make a page with their name on it and have them decorate it. I always have a theme and they add the English words that they know according to the theme. It's really good because it helps me remember the students name...I just have to look at the wall and remember who drew what.

Now it's a sticker page. If they come to class on time, answer questions correctly (only hard questions), clean the classroom after class etc, they get a sticker. Naturally, bad behaviour loses a sticker. I have a "magic marker" and if I write down the students name (write slowly), then the students lose a sticker.

At the end of camp I give the student with the most stickers a prize. It's not expensive and mostly the kids just care about being the winner.

A second activity that I am doing now is to ask a question when I take attendance. For example I write down on the board "Q: What is your favourite subject?" "A: My favourite subject is....." The shy students are now starting to talk more because it's become routine. My students are so excited that they are making the questions themselves (of course, they get stickers) so my work is half done.

My only other advice is to search for links with lesson plan ideas and to make games that relate to what you are teaching. I do spelling tests (studying is done in class) with vocab from the lesson and use spellingcity.com to help them study.

I've also had great success with making posters and group work and making the groups present to the class. Students have to listen to the presentation and then ask questions.

Hope this helps.

[nomad-ish]

6 weeks?! have you already factored in your vacation time? that sounds like a really long time for camp. i've heard of winter camps being 1 week to 4 weeks, but never 6 weeks.

in your contract, doesn't it mention co-teaching or that you are an assistant teacher? you should bring this up with your main co-teacher and ask to have a korean teacher help you. while i have taught alone, it's always been middle school, and i can't imagine having to take care of elementary school students by myself (what happens if they hurt themselves in class on your watch?). which school board are you with-- GEPIK, SMOE, EPIK?

[corvidae333]

see, that's the thing: this apparently isn't quite an English camp. It's a "program" that my school does during the break. I have about 10 students a class, 4 classes a day, every weekday. The native teacher before me had to do it too.

I've talked to my co-teacher (she's the one who brought up what was expected of me during the break) and all she's telling me is that the teacher before me thought it was quite hard, that she'll get me into an English camp so that I can have a break from this program, and that I should use a week of my vacation time so I can cope better. It seems like she thinks I shouldn't have to do this program, but probably some higher-up thinks otherwise. She's gone to the trouble of getting another teacher to come in early to help me with the kids, but it'll only be for 2 classes a day.

Honestly, I don't know what to make of this, but it seems like I don't have a choice in the matter.

[nomad-ish]

it definitely does sound hard, especially with younger kids. maybe you should try to plan your vacation in the middle, so you have a nice break in between teaching? i'm not sure if your school will allow breaking up the program like this, but it would be a good idea to ask.

i suggest planning a couple group projects (like a poster project of some kind, a movie report, have them write english cartoons and put them into an online movie marker: http://www.dvolver.com/live/mm.html) and then have each group present for every project. also throw in a movie or two (korean subtitles would be best and then you can do an english jeopardy game about the movie afterwards). let me know if you need any other ideas or websites and i can get some for you.

good luck, this sounds like a long winter for you!

[GoodMike]

Firstly, i never teach WITH a korean teacher...that would drive me nuts. Secondly, those kids are at the perfect teaching age!!!

They are old enough that they arent always bouncing off the walls, but at the perfect age to enjoy all sorts of games and activities. Even if you call something a game, they will love it. There are lots of suggestions in the cookbook here at daves, and there are lots of other websites with loads of activities and projects for class.

[corvidae333]

let me be more specific: I'm not so much worried about the students being teachable, it's more a concern with the language barrier. My concern is that I won't be able to get much accomplished because any instructions I need to give or any explaining I need to do will be extremely difficult to relay to them, even with tons of gesturing etc.

Thanks for the suggestions; I think however some of the games will be a little hard for them. My 3rd graders are only just learning the alphabet.

[GoodMike]

dont worry about making a fool out of yourself to help explain things...it makes it stick with the kids for sure. Alphabet, lots of good stuff to do there! Letter bingo, sound bingo, simple word bingo, different variations on the word snake game (using letters, words sounds).

They catch on fast. If you have a computer you can use, lots of good vids on youtube as well.

[maingman]

corvidae

Your title post doesn't make sense to me

[jonbowman88]

Check your contract... if you work for a public school your contract probably states that you can't be in a classroom alone without a korean teacher there. 6 weeks is ridic. I think I would pull out that card. If they're gonna make u teacg 6 weeks make one of them join you. I think u'll be glad u did. Even if your contract doesn't state it (although it probably does) tell them you dont feel comfortable being alone.

[corvidae333]

thanks all for the advice. I will try to use it to the best of my ability

Maingman: what don't you understand?

[maingman]

corvidae

Your title post doesn't make sense to me

sorry- for that, ok therres more


Do you qualify for a university job?

How far does discipline go in these schools?

rock-scissors-paper OR rock-paper-scissors

Greeting cards now available!

What class should I take?

[Voyeur]

I couldn't stand having a co-teacher. This might actually be a good thing, not a bad one.

[nomad-ish]

[corvidae333]

unfortunately I've been informed that I have to do all the lesson planning. As for funding...I have a feeling that's a no.

But thanks for the ideas. And the empathy lol.