Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ticktocktocktick]

How do you deal with teenagers who have a general attitude problem? I'm havng problems with a few 2nd and 3rd grade middle school classes. I just want them to shut their kimchi holes for two minutes while I give out instructions. In some classes, it's a job to get them to look at the front.

Case in point. Today I had a third grade class, intermedite level (classes are set by ability at our school, common sense stuff ). A few kids in this class are known to be problem kids. They're the same kids you see outside the PE office having the soles of their feet beaten for whatever it is they get up to in other classes. My c/t has been out sick for a few days, and isn't back for at least a week. She is an excellent c/t, and she has major difficulties with these particular kids too.

Today's lesson was about baseball. We have been studying some baseball related stuff in our turgid textbook for the past 2 weeks. Normally, I have no choice but to teach directly from the book, to the test. Today, however, I'd wangled some time to teach something fun, but related. It involved a lot of videos, mostly amusing ones, and the Twilight baseball scene.

The kids wouldn't settle down and be quiet enough for me to give instructions. So I had them stand up quietly with raised arms for 5 mins, in unison. They were told that if they could be quiet and behave for 5 mins, we would go back to the fun vids and worksheet. This, it seems, was a wholly unreasonable demand. I think they managed about 45 seconds inbetween cries of 'oh sheeeeeet' and ddongchimming each other.

In the end, I switched off the TV, and instructed them to study what will be on their midterms, in silence. This couldn't be managed either, and has left me to question whether I should even try with this lot, or just give up on them.

Between my c/t and I, we have tried boy/girl seating, push ups, loss of break time, calling parents (a lot don't seem to care/believe us), trying to limit the turgid stuff we have to teach (higher ups have told us we can't change the book) and one of the PE teacher's finest sticks. We're not inclined to give out candy, as kids last year became too dependant on it. Plus the kids throw the wrappers everywhere, which the VP isn't keen on. I'm thinking about a points chart, but I honestly don't think it'll have much effect on the hardcore gobshites.

I'm at the point where I hate half my second and third graders, and love the other half. My first graders are great.

So, do you have any suggestions that don't involve beating them into submission or giving up completely?

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Sorry for the rant, had to be done.

[Fishead soup]

If your co-teacher is off sick than someone else should be sitting in for her. Even someone who is not part of the English department until she is better. You should send that boy to the head of Phy's Ed. These are usually in charge of school discipline. Tell him to go to the office after class. Kyo Moshil in Korean. If he doesn't go willingly and starts laughting at you, drag him. Don't wait for a small minority of students to take control of the classroom. If you don't step up now things will really get out of control. You really have two options.

Option 1: Refuse to enter the classroom alone. Stand outside the door.
If they keep insisting you have to teach alone contact someone in the POE Immediatly.

Option 2: If you decide to take on the job alone you're gonna have to be a real hardass. You might have to physically drag a student to the office.

I'm really glad I don't have to resort to either of these hope your co-teacher gets better soon. They should be providing someone to cover lots of schools also have interns too assist NETS.

[supernick]

I hate to say it but there is really nothing you can do except to ignore them. They are not worthy of any attention whether good or bad.

[Fishead soup]

[oldfatfarang]

[Fishead soup]

[ticktocktocktick]

These kids are disrupting the flow of the class, and I can feel my confidence slipping away when I teach them. I have been advised not to to manhandle the kids as Fishhead soup suggests, and I don't fancy getting myself into hot water with this. Also, I'm fairly split on physical punishment. Although I think that often the Koreans take it too far, if it was implemented again in the western world, we wouldn't have as much teenage delinquency.

I have tried being a hardass and it doesn't work with this particular class. Most other classes will behave after 2 mintues of being a hardass. I'm committed to helping this school improve. I mostly like my job, and I'd like to do my best. I also don't want to burn any bridges. I am thinking about moving out of teaching kids next year, but maybe not out of Korea.

As for getting a c/t for every class, with the majority of classes, it's fine without one.

[ticktocktocktick]

Oh, and I taught without a c/t all last year, with none of these major problems. The lack of a c/t is temporary, these problems were almost as bad with her with me, with these select few classes. (4 of 24 are terrible)

Playing movies isn't really an option, as midterms are in 10 days. They might be awful to teach, but the scores are important for high school entrance, and I do feel like I have to help with this somehow.

[Fishead soup]

It really sounds like you are making the best out of a bad situation. Just put in your time and request a transfer next year. Good luck.

[ticktocktocktick]

Thanks for the replies. If anyone has yet to offer a suggestion on how to teach Korean teenagers who have been beaten too much to care, let me know

TFI Friday!

[thunderbird]

just dont teach teenagers, problem solved.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[Easter Clark]

You're an *Assistant* teacher so why are you even bothering with discipline? They obviously don't respect you so nothing you do will work. If it were me I'd go to class with my laptop and surf the web. When your CT gets back she can deal with the discipline while you *assist.*

Been down that road before and not going back!

[lukas]

Kick them out of the classroom, or make a note of who are the problem students and talk to the homeroom teacher. If that doesn't work, and I was in your shoes, I would sit quietly at the front of the class until the class was quiet.

There's no point in getting angry over this, and you shouldn't be teaching 40 kids alone. I don't know why Korean School Faculty can't get this through their heads. I sort of have an idea, they're overworked and can't be bothered. It would be funny to see how a native Korean teacher would handle teaching Korean alone to a class of native English speakers. They would get eaten alive.

The same thing happened to me during winter camp when all the teachers were on vacation, but I still have to come to school and teach. The best advice I can give to you is to keep your cool no matter what. Just sit silently at the front of the class until they're quiet. This situation is out of your hands due to the language barrier.

[davai!]

Peer pressure is your friend.

I would always put up a time on the board, about 7-8 minutes before the end of class. Labeled it, "free time." Any student disrupts class, take a minute away and say, "Thank you, (student)! more time for the lesson..." -or write their name down next to the new time. The other students will turn on that student in a New York minute.


It is really helpful , as you've just recruited 20 kids to do the job for you. You end up yelling a lot less.

Good luck!