Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ibeattheborg]

[oldtrafford]

An apology I shall give old boy!! I APOLOGISE!

[WadRUG'naDoo]

I think I got some posters confused as well. Hard to tell with how one or more are quoting in bold rather than using the quote function.

It's a terrible, terrible thing, it is.

[oldtrafford]

This is the fella:

Icewontolla

[ForeverWanderlust]

Man I just cant get over the lack of respect and how these lil kids act during a class.

They dont take any of the work seriously. They rush through it. Some kids wont even do any of the work.

They all talk amongst themselves in Korean during the entire class.

They pretty much dont listen to any direct command (if they do it will be briefly and in 3 seconds they will be back to doing something you just told them not to do)

All that makes it difficult to try and teach a lesson.

I guess I just got to learn how to not care. Go in there say what I need to say, pass out any handouts ect and if they listen fine if they dont fine.

Im just paranoid about getting fired or something. My manager observed me on my first week for a class and said I was using to big of words, I was talking to fast, and that I needed to focus more on the people not just the ones in the first row. Then there is cameras in every classroom. Just makes things stressful. lol

[some waygug-in]

You've discovered why so many teachers utilize games in their lessons.

The kids usually won't focus on a book or a regular lesson, but if you can figure out a way to use the same material (vocabulary and sentence structures) within the context of a game, they will show more interest.

Depending on what kind of game (puzzle) you come up with, you can get the class focused on your lesson.

If you haven't heard about it already, I highly recommend a book by

David Paul , "Teaching English to Children in Asia".

[Fat_Elvis]

I just started a new term with some new kids classes, and here's what I do for classroom management.

When the kids enter the room I greet them and allocate different tables to them - I've put coloured cardboard above the tables so I say 'green, red ..' etc table. When they are seated I check their homework. Then the teams choose a team name and a captain is allocated to each team. I do this at the start of every lesson - having a routine is important. I usually follow this with some active game revising the language we learnt in the previous class.

The teams can gain or lose points throughout the class - they gain points from good behaviour, answering questions correctly and winning games, and they lose points for bad behaviour such as shouting, speaking Korean etc. Warn them once that if they repeat the bad behaviour you'll minus a point, so they know it's their fault. The winning team gets to line up and leave the classroom first - no stickers or candy.

In the first class I go over classroom rules. Have some flashcards made of people fighting, putting up their hands, speaking Korean etc and elicit from the students what the rule is and if it's a 'Do' or 'Don't'. This means all the students know the rules in the classroom. I then play some active game to reinforce it. 'Jump the line' is a good one here - students form one line in the middle of the class room and they jump one direction for 'Do' and the other direction for 'Don't'. The slowest student has to sit down, and the last remaining student is the winner and gets points for their team.

As some waygug-in points out, games are crucial to keeping students interested, as is knowing when to use stirring or settling activities. And remember, there will always be a bit of an X factor when working with kids, and experience will eventually tell you what to do when things don't work. But don't give up hope and remember you are the one in control of the situation.

[chungbukdo]

[coetivy89]

If you have a co-teacher, you should really talk to her (or him--if male korean teachers exist, I haven't met one). In my experience, she sets the tone for discipline with the students (at least at my academy). If her idea of discipline is a meek "hajima" when students are bludgeoning each other with makeshift weapons, that's what you're going to have to deal with in your class. On the other hand, if she takes them outside and shouts at them every time they speak Korean in your class, they will be well-behaved.

Just my thoughts.

[eamo]

[some waygug-in]

And just what is the "right personality"?

One person's right is another person's worst nightmare.


I'm not trying to be snide either, I am curious as to what you think the

"right personality" would be.

[Ribena]

[some waygug-in]

My point exactly.

It depends on a lot of factors, where you work, who your students are,

what kind of materials you have (as in are you forced to follow some

mis-matched textbook, or can you bring in your own ideas)

Some of my students absolutely hated me, others loved me some just

tolerated me because I was there, and I had similar feelings towards them.

There are as many diverse possibilities as there are students and teachers.


I think the things you mention have less to do with personality than they have to do with experience/training. But who am I to say.

I have been told directly that ,"you need to change your personality".

Like that's even possible.

[Weigookin74]

[Weigookin74]

...never underestimate candy or totaling points or stickers at the end of the week for best prizes given out weekly. Speak to your co-teachers.