Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jonski]

Hi there,

I have tried searching the forums using the search function but everytime it just crashes. I have on multiple computers so Im guessing there is something up with the site?

Ok - I have been in Korea for about 3 weeks now and the job is going pretty well. However, my boss just told me that I will be teaching 1st graders next month on my own. ( I was taking a class with a Korean teacher). Im pretty anxious about this to say the least as their English is very basic, they never understand anything I tell them and constantly look to the Korean teacher for translation. I have told my boss this but he tells me we have to make it work or hes going to go bankrupt!

Whats made things worse is that he told me as soon as I got here that I was in no circumstances allowed to touch the kids for obvious reasons. He explained to me that Korean parents are wary of foreign teachers around their young ones and that to be on the safe side we should avoid all contact. Now I agree completely with that he says but my co-teacher that takes the class with the 1st graders plays lots of games that involve chasing/tickling the kids. I have told her that I am not comfortable playing these games as it directly conflicts with that the boss has told me and she never actually gives me anything back to work with. I am left thinking how the hell am I going to keep these kids entertained. They are so young and they CANNOT be expected to sit down and learn for 45 minutes like older students. I need games/ music to keep the morale and focus going. I have relentlessly searched the internet and have found loads and loads of material. I have created a 3 page word document with lots of different games but I am struggiling on how to incorporate them into my lessons. The boss is pretty strict that the books must be followed completely and it leaves little room for expansion. With sing a long songs- this is the same story as I cannot find stuff which is related.

Ahh Im stressing now! Does anyone have any ideas on fun games to play with the kids? I am the only male ( and foreign) teacher so it makes things a little more tricky. I have witnessed the other 2 teachers and they simply chase the kids around and tickle them when they catch up with them. They dont need any other games as this keeps the kids entertained.

Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance.

[OculisOrbis]

Congratulations. You're number 53.

[northway]

You'll likely do better without a Korean teacher in the classroom. Don't worry, they'll pick it up real fast. I teach kindergarten and though my co-teacher is almost always there, I barred her from speaking to the kids in Korean after about two weeks. They proceeded to learn classroom English very quickly out of necessity.

[jonski]

Thank you for the responses.

I am sorry that I have become the 53rd annoying question asker but like I said in the beginning of the post the search function on this website does not work for me. It crashes when I search for anything.

I agree completely with you in that I will be far better in teaching on my own in the long run as I will learn lots of relevant skills. However the transition from having almost no input into the lesson to total control will be a complete shock. My current input at the moment is reading the short stories and having them echo back to me so I can check their pronunciation. This usually lasts for around 10 minutes or so and the Korean teacher then conducts the rest of the lesson at her own will. Usually relaying most of the instructions in Korean and occasionally adding an English phrase here and there. Of course the kids comply, they understand!

I have tried to get involved in the lesson but have been shot down by the teacher. I have even tried talking with her outside of the lesson and I suggested a few games, she said be my guest.... Then when I tried to incorporate them the kids of course didn't understand and she let me die on my arse! It was a good few minutes before she attempted to help me explain the rules of the game. The game was a total flop, the kids weren't really feeling it and they missed the point completely. The game was a lines game in which I asked the children questions and if they got it right they could sit out. The idea was to answer quickly and if they hesitate they go to the back of the queue and wait for their turn again. Of course you would expect them all to go to the back of the queue a good few times before they got to sit down and this is the point of the game. They will eventually learn to say " my name is......." quickly and the game would of then served its purpose.

Anyway, I'm ranting now...... The fact of the matter is - my boss doesn't want me 'tagging or grabbing' the kids (I am shocked you have had kids on your lap in this day and age and even more shocked at the kissing comment!). My boss has made that quite clear so regardless of how laid back your boss might be, it doesn't change the fact that I cannot play these chasing games with the kids. (After all - the game is no fun without the threat of getting tickled). So I'm limited to games that do not involve contact, the classroom is also fairly small and the bulk of the space is taken up with desks and chairs.

Of course my boss doesn't want me to keep them sat reading a book for 45 minutes, I was using as an example. He just wants me to follow the textbook and has given me a schedule for each lesson. What else can I do? the textbooks don't cover commands like jump, hop etc. Drawing things on the board will get boring pretty quickly and I'm frightened to bring in songs as they don't fit with the textbook.

(writing on a laptop is horrible - hard to articulate properly)

[northway]

Your school is the rarity in preventing physical contact, and that would definitely make the job easier. My kids are all over me all day, as is the case at every other kindergarten I've ever heard of.

[minos]

He probaly more so means don't pat them on the head or hit them.


Patting kids on the head here is NOT good like back home. One international school even had a big sign specifically saying this in the teacher's lounge.

[northway]

[Weigookin74]

[I-am-me]

I have had kids on my lap, i have tickled them, I have hugged them, I always pat their heads.....Its really the boss there that is a jerk. Find another school.

[jonski]

I cant really do that. I don't have any financial safenet to fall back on.

[minos]