Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ddeubel]

I just blogged about TEFL - non stick teaching. 25 ways to recognize a good teacher. http://bit.ly/azr1qQ

Also a link to a cool post about the 25 ways to recognize a crap teacher.

Thought it would be useful to many new teachers especially.

Any ways you recognize a "good" teacher?

DD
http://eflclassroom.com

[tomato]

I can't find the link to the list of ways to be a crap teacher, so I'll make a list myself.

■ Don't spend any time making games or planning lessons.

You're not getting paid for that time, so don't do it.

■ Don't bother learning about the language and culture of Korea.

You're here to teach English, not learn Korean.

■ Complain about the kids.

Remember when you were a child, and you were perfect in every way?
Why can't your students be like that?

■ Don't even enjoy the kids.

If you enjoy the kids, and you mention it here on Dave's ESL Cafe, the other contributors will think you're a you-know-what.

■ Teach straight out of the textbook.

The author of the textbook has done all your work for you, so there is nothing else you need to do.

■ Don't listen to anything your students have to say.

You're older than they are, so you're smarter than they are.
So there's nothing you can learn from them.

■ Don't listen to students' feedback.

If they complain, it's only because they're too lazy to do any work.

■ Don't do anything fun.

If you do anything fun, and you mention it here on Dave's ESL Cafe, the other contributors will call you an "edutainer."

■ Don't show any signs of dedication.

If you do, the other foreign teachers will think you're from Squaresville.

■ Spend all your leisure time with other wegukins.

If you spend any time with Koreans, the other foreign teachers will think you're a phony liberal.

That's only 10.
I'm afraid you got me beat by a long shot.

[edwardcatflap]

In other words a 'crap teacher' = is anyone who doesn't do exactly what I do.

My definition of a good teacher would include someone who has a bit of humility, is open to crtiticism and willing to learn from their peers.

[Unposter]

Ddeubel,

Great post! Yes, it can be a tall order but those are 25 great points!

And, I don't want to deflect from your post but another thing I really liked about it was that it wasn't a territorial my degree is better than your degree post; it was just 25 things good teachers do. We could use more of that!

Tomato - While I agree with the sentiment, it is Korea and all, I would nit-pick about some of your points. For example, you shouldn't have all foreign friends. Maybe, it should be expressed better. I understand your point that a good teacher in Korea probably should be able to open enough to Korean culture to make friends with people here but and I think it is a big but - your friends are who your friends are and I would not force something on someone for whom it does not come naturally and, of course, who your friends are has vertually nothing to do with teaching.

It might be better expressed: You shouldn't have such a negative attitude about Korea or Korean culture that it prejudices you against your students.

[ddeubel]

Unposter,

Thanks for the thumbs up and I hope to get some time and make it into a little presentation with visuals - good reminder and teacher training presentation.

I think Tomato was being a bit "tongue in cheek" but as with all satire, there is a bit or more than a bit of truth to it. I thought the list very creative and each point a great starting point for some conversation. It would be a good list to use for discussion during a coteaching workshop in Korea. Hashing things out with Korean colleagues.

I have some great lists that I should have uploaded as articles to that blog post. If I get some time, I'll go do so.

Cheers,

DD
http://eflclassroom.com

[jrwhite82]

I love it. You hit the nail on the head.

Tomato hilarious post. One thing I want to say about your having fun point. Is that I think shooting for "interesting" is better than "fun". A lot of new teachers want to be the "fun" teacher but it's better to be the "interesting" teacher for management sake.

[calicoe]

You know, I read your list the other day, and I loved it. And I really appreciated and identified with the post. I could feel myself nodding to most if not all things on the list, or at least acknowledge that the list is also an ideal for me.

However, I post here today not because I feel optimistic about your list, but because I feel totally knocked down, again. I come here with the spirit and values of that list fresh in my head and my spirit, but somehow it always degenerates into things that feel like they are out of my control.

Am I a perfect teacher everyday? No, but I do try to uphold the spirit of this list every day, but it can be hard when you are teaching a minimum load of 18 hours or more.

Do I have a perfect lesson plan every day? No, because of the reasons above, and sometimes I do teach from the book, but with my own emphasis on the lesson.

As I said, I am not going to pretend to be perfect, in everything, every time. But, the spirit of this list is always with me.

But sometimes, like today and this week, I just feel beaten down. I try to honestly teach them things that will help them: on their upcoming exams, in their next course, in life .... I cannot possibly play "games" with them everyday and feel that I have really taught them something.

Even at the university level, there are discipline problems, especially with freshman. Am I supposed to just let this slide and ignore it, and lose respect and the rest of the class, or say something about it and then have a million attitudes?

I just don't know, but today, I feel horrible. I feel that I do work hard as a teacher, and try hard, and do all of the things on this list, but for some reason unknown to me, students turn on me right after midterms, and it is like an infection that spreads.

I mean, I do have to grade students, but I am not harsh about it, and I give them plenty of hope and plenty of chances. And yet, I am now getting the passive-aggressive non-interest, and even dead-pan faces and rude good-byes from some of them.

What IS this about? What gives?

[Illysook]

Here's another one for Tomato's list.

Try to get along with your co-teacher

He or she is the one who advocates for you. So when there's a big test and you won't have any classes, treating and training your co-teacher well can mean an extra day off. So, make sure your nose stays as brown as possible.

Of course I get along with mine with a combination of spoiling her rotten and making sure that no one has any complaints about me. Some lesson plans are good, some are spotty. Sometimes I have a good powerpoint and a lousy worksheet. Sometimes both are good and I'll make a game to play that's related to them. Give me another year or two and I'll have it all together with lesson plans to fall back on while I use my planning periods to work on my own things, take naps, or perhaps becoming a better teacher. Who knows?

[ddeubel]

jr - bang on with the comment about "student interest". I think ideally there should be effective learning and fun and the key is to keep it interesting and of something they are interested in. I tried to make that point when talking about getting students to "think". Too often we don't challenge them and tweens/teens especially need this ...

calicoe - lovely thoughts. Have you thought about blogging and sharing your teaching self that way? Or maybe you already do? I agree, it is about the day to day, not perfection and we do the best we can depending on a lot of variables...

Illysook -- that's an art isn't it? Getting along with your coteacher(s). But key for sure.

I hope to have a presentation up soon for this blog post. Others might enjoy a presentation of last semesters graduation speech I gave where I teach. Called, Teaching is ....

DD
http://eflclassroom.com

[Draz]

[Unposter]

Awesome post Draz!

Never forget that your students are human beings, too!

[Fishead soup]

A good teacher can get a Pairwork, substitution drill, or information gap activity going. Go to the toilet and when he/she gets back students will still be ontask and speaking English.

[Ramen]

A good teacher carries a "big (love) stick."

[calicoe]