Korean Job Discussion Forums

[MattAwesome]

I dont if it's me, but it seems like 6th graders are a lot of monsters. it's not every class, but a few.

All of my others classes/grades are fine. so please dont critique on a lack of classroom management. while maybe true, controlling them is quite a task.

i am resorting to giving them extra homework and less time talking.
what kinf of writing assignments can i make. assign?
I will be replacing games and assigning extra homework until they improve.

also, if you overcame this challenge, how did you do it?

[thegadfly]

In my experience, 6th grade is the onset of puberty for some/many of the kids, in addition to being their "last" year as a kid -- middle school stress is not to be ignored. The hormones coupled with the looming worries about their future can cause 6th graders to be less...rational? than other grades. Again, this is just my own beliefs about this, but I treat my grade 6 "monsters" (your word) as a product of their hormones and changing social environment -- and so I would NOT suggest punishment homework (if you already DO have some classroom management skills, as you say).

In general, my baseline assumption is that if students are not engaged and active in a lesson, then they will act out -- and so I need to be sure all students are active and engaged (or at least attentive and on-task). If students are NOT, it is usually because they are bored (lesson is too easy) or they are lost (lesson is too hard).

Kids have shorter attention spans than adults, generally, and with hormones playing hell, they can be even worse -- so I would plan a "mini-lesson" at least every ten minutes of class -- so in a 50 minute class, I would plan 7-8 different things to do/ways to approach the material -- always have a few spare activities for when things flop. If you don't use something one day, save it for the next day.

I would suggest dropping games for games' sake entirely -- no "reward" games. Games that serve an educational purpose are fine, of course. Games that drill skills or practice concepts are great -- "time wasters" should be tossed out. No "one-card" or other such games.

You can have a "fast-paced" class, even if you are doing simple things with the class...if your students have been lost, then you want to make the lessons easy enough that everyone can succeed -- feed them the "easy pitches" for a week or two, to get them used to volunteering and participating, then start cranking it back up to your target level...when you start losing the class again, dial it back, and work where they are at. If they were bored, do the same thing, only dial it up until the participation falls off, then come back off of that point a bit.

In my opinion, punishment only works if the students: A) clearly know what they are doing is wrong B) clearly know what the proper behavior in that situation should be C) are physically and mentally capable of performing that behavior as required and D) are choosing not to do so for some reason. If the situation doesn't meet those 4 criteria, I do not punish -- I correct, guide, model appropriate behavior, explain, or set more appropriate expectations.

Hope this helps -- cheers!

[jonbowman88]

If you have a couple of crappy classes 10 out of 10 times its because they have a crappy homeroom teacher who lets them do whatever they want.

Lay the smack down, you have to make them understand that you are not their homeroom teacher, and their crap isn't going to be tolerated. The last 10 mins of my class are spent playing a game, if the class gets 3 strikes I make them write sentences repeadedly until i say stop in absolute silence. it seems to work good luck

[seonsengnimble]

Homework should not be given as punishment. This reinforces the idea that learning English and working towards improving their abilities is not something that can be fun or beneficial for them.

This type of punishment reminds me of a couple of friends I had as a kid whose parents would either make them read novels or have them read as a punishment. For some reason, they never read for fun.

[pkang0202]

when I taught elementary school, the 6th graders were horrible, and the school allowed it to happen.

When I complained the admin basically said, "Just let them be. Next year they'll be someone else's problem."

[ippy]

Half way through the school year those cute former 5th graders become little 6th grade buggers. Dont worry man, it happens to every single person who has to teach elementary. Some might get lucky one year and think that theyre special, but they aint, they all turn into satans little midgets eventually. Just take utter and complete satisfaction in knowing that your little monsters will be walking into my middle school crapping themselves some time around march next year.

relativity is definitely one of the funniest things about this job: In japan third graders in Junior high were a bit of a pain too, and i was always amazed that people who taught in high school would talk about these cute shy little enthusiastic angels they love teaching - "they must be talking about a completely different set of kids", id think, but sure enough it was my little monsters. Theyre just growing up. Its just the way it is.

[TheChingu]

I try not to treat them like kids, especially the boys. The girls may still like to sing songs and stuff but the boys hate it and "act cool" by making fun of it or disrupting class.

I usually try to embarrass them in front of the class, not humiliate. But if they are acting out, I have them come to the front of the class and stand there or sing aloud or answer a question they werent paying attention to or something, it usually works.

I've also made my co teacher talk to their homeroom teacher and pull them back into my class for some old fashioned Korean reprimanding.

[The Gipkik]

There are a ton of threads on the problems of sixth graders. Search and ye shall behold.

[balzor]

[tomato]

At least you're one point better than I am.
On my last job, I had a class of sixth grade monsters AND a class of fifth grade monsters.
That's probably the reason I don't have the job anymore.

[Countrygirl]

Always when it gets this close to vacation time I threaten each class that they'll lose the privilege of seeing an English movie after the final test if they don't behave. Instead we will study step and jump...s & j listen and repeat, s & j role play, s & j test.

The class loses their movie time if the class gets a certain number of 'X's on their class sheet. The class earns an 'X' on their class sheet if they get 3 'X's during that class. I'll do a count down "I need everyone to be quiet...1,2.3,4,5!" If one person speaks (always someone says "6") then 'X'. This is when the students start to police themselves.

It works well enough for a few weeks, but everyone is getting antsy in the heat and with the promise of summer vacation. An increased level of misbehavior is to be expected.

[Senior]

[carleverson]

[tomato]

Carl Verson's rsponse may seem like a mere play on words, but he does have a point.
The OP obviously meant "less time talking Korean,"
but we should probably devote more time to redirecting that talking to English,
and not merely suppressing it.

Not that I'm in any position to mount the high horse.
I spend a lot of time scolding the students for speaking Korean,
when perhaps I should find out what they're saying and teach them to say it in English.

[MattAwesome]

I have 8 6th grade classes. I know 2 of them are pretty bad. 1 class im certain the homeroom teacher is a waste of payroll.

Thank you for reminding me it may be a case of "senioritis" and puberty. I do see the boys in need of some attention.

Is there a way to "win" a few of the bad kids without giving them attention until they correct their behavior. Think dog whisperer. I also dont want to embarrass or ostracize a good student by making him look like a teacher's pet kind of thing.

Before I assigned the bad classes their homework I explained why they got it, what happens when they dont do it, and that the other classes didnt get it. I dont see them for another week, so let's see what happened.

I did mean less time speaking in korean. I give the class a simple speaking exercise whether it be in a group or pairs, they just dont stay on task. Then I walk over and get them on task and (big surprise) they have no idea what to do. I explain it once in english and do a class practice. Explain it in korean, practice again.

I am going to cut the fun activities and give them worksheets I found. They arent going to learn anything until their behavior allows them to do so. Think (extreme example) dangerous minds, or kindergarten cop.