Korean Job Discussion Forums

[somethingawful]

I always told my classes (when they got unruly) that they were much worse than the classes I taught in Japan and China (never been to Japan), and that I'm sure their parents would be ashamed if they saw this.

Also telling the ringleaders that you and a Korean teacher are going to call their parents and tell them what they are like in class is also a good way to get them to shut up. For extra fear tell them your are going to demand that their dad leave work to deal with this. That usually does the trick, and sometimes you will have "mr tough guy" show up at your office at lunch with tears in his eyes, begging you not to call his dad.

My final straw was usually asking someone who is being a pain if they want to move to China and pick up garbage. I'd tell them a friend used to have a student who acted up in class and did poorly, and he couldn't get a job in Korea so he picks up garbage in Beijing now.

These are last resorts when your class knows the admin won't lift a finger to help you in class and your "teacher act" doesn't scare them any more.

[Julius]

[soupsandwich]

[Carbon]

Send the idiots back to their homeroom. If the K teachers asks, tell him that you cannot conduct classes with these people being disruptive.

Back in the day I didn't punish, I just got rid of the deadwood. Send them to their homeroom, the hall in front of the teachers office....anywhere in the school where they are highly visible to other teachers and students.

In the first vid, the K teacher both fears the kid but also seems to enjoys that kind of attention. Fire her and give that kid a Bongo truck just to speed up the inevitable.

[Fishead soup]

Getting classes that are properly streamlined makes a big difference. These mixed ability classes are for the birds. Teaching in the English zone means that the students actually take the lessons seriously. If your school views you as a dancing monkey the students follow suite. If need be phone the POE and get your school to straighten out it's act. Lots of foreign teachers are actually set up to fail by Xenophobic head teachers that don' give a shit

[sallymonster]

[iggyb]

Some schools in the US won't let you send students into the hall any more. They say students should be taught "bell to bell" - but they also think about "liability" --- liability liability liability liability......It is something you hear all the time.

For example, a teacher left the classroom in the state where I live, and a student killed himself, and the teacher was held responsible by the school board.

So, teachers aren't supposed to leave their rooms during class now either.

It's very different from when I was a student.

[Fishead soup]

[Fishead soup]

Making a contract with your students in both Korean and English would be a good start. Making them take it home and have their parents sign it would also be great.

Allocate perfered activity time when kids are disruptive take their game pop song time away.

When they get really bad make them all stand holding their chairs above their heads.

[ThingsComeAround]

I have situations where this is the norm.

My primary co-teacher eats shit on a daily basis.

The youth don't respect her, so she constantly has to try to 'win' their respect to be silent for 40 minutes of class. She does this by talking and boring them to death.

Enter me, a 6 ft meanie that isn't interested if little Min-suk or Hoo-een can't speak English, I expect them to stay silent (even putting their heads down is fine, but she won't let them ) for the three or four that want to learn in a quiet class. Sometimes I move up to the kids and use the scary voice, scary eyes, and that is enough. Sometimes a stare from afar is enough. Sometimes I take them out to the hall or take whatever toy they have. Problem is, I feel, my primary co-teacher.

Then again one may blame the homeroom teachers for not disciplining in the students. Or blame the parents. Or the child is just a hell-spawn. Too many factors at play.

[jvalmer]

In the past the K-teacher had control just because he/she was a teacher, and most students probably had 5 other siblings at home and wasn't really that special in their parent's eyes. However, it seems in many schools, especially in the Seoul area the pendulum has swung way too far into the student's side, and many being an only child, or one of two, are spoiled way to much.

Sure use some elements of the educational system in countries like Canada and the US as benchmarks. But for heavens sake, do not take our coddled environment, and lack of discipline, has a good example.

Ironically, in North America it seems parents are clamoring for a return to more standardized testing (something I grew up in) and more ways to see measured scores (every 10-15 years people like switching educational methods). While the the talking-heads in Korea want to so a more 'creative' form of education with less standardized testing.

[iggyb]

But the US has never had 1 test that determined your whole future which the entire educational system was designed to cater to ---- and Korea has had that for hundreds and hundreds of years....

[nstick13]

I told the students they were being disrespectful and I didn't have to put up with them talking all the time, and then walked out. There were only 10 minutes left in class, and the co-teacher translated pretty well what I said, and two boys came to my office and apologized right before the bell rang. These are 2nd Grade HS students.

I've started to be more lenient with them, though. The curriculum the school chose is ALL listening, and not only is it boring, for all but the top 3rd of the class it's too difficult. Since I'm forced into this, I'd rather the troublemakers sleep than make noise and distract those who get something out of it. 헐. My Korean co-teachers seem to agree, and I've noticed similar in their classes without me (also dreadfully boring listening classes).

[Julius]

[soupsandwich]