Korean Job Discussion Forums

[GrasshopperKR]

I write the kids names on the board. When they do something good like participate, they get an apple drawn next to it. At the end of the week they can cash in their apples for prizes like stickers, works like a charm.

[StavvioD]

I use a three strike system (like baseball). When a kid has three strikes, he rolls a dice three times and then I multiply the numbers (i.e. 5x4x3 = 60) and that's how many lines the kid writes after class. I've been doing this for almost 2 years in my after-school program classes and it only ever takes one kid per class to get punished (and moan/cry/try to get out of it!) for all to respect the rules. Tough love! x

[ayahyaha]

[Steelrails]

[motiontodismiss]

I guess if your kids care about their grades (which I imagine they don't since they're 8-12) you could hurt them where it hurts....deduct points for bad behavior, extra credit for good behavior. I had a teacher in the 8th grade that gave out a pass that exempts one from doing their homework if they did something particularly well and/or participated in class, good for 0.4 points on your grade on the final. He was fairly generous with them so one semester I had 6 points' worth of extra credit on the final (which I really didn't need lol)

If they don't, have yellow cards for infractions, red cards for serious infractions, and green cards for doing something meritorious, and link those to points (-5 for red, -3 for yellow, +3 for green or whatever) At the end of the month, add them up and the top 5 kids get a price and the bottom 5 get to do something embarrassing but not traumatizing in front of the class (like writing lines) or hurt them in the wallet (make them pay for the top 5 kids' prizes) or give them the joy of having to do extra homework for the next month. Won't do it? Extra red cards.

Just an idea.

Whatever you do though, if I learned anything from watching Supernanny you have to be fair, calm, and consistent. And explain each time why you're giving them a red card or whatever.

[ayahyaha]

[ayahyaha]

[Troglodyte]

I found that I get better results by giving them the chance to earn something that they want.

I often do a variation of something like this. The class as a whole starts off with a certain number of points. The points are usually equal to minutes that they can use at the end of class for an activity that they enjoy (usually a game - but sometimes I put a restriction on how many times they can choose hangman). There are a set of rules and penalties and bonuses. If they break a rule, they know that they will loose a certain amount of points (minutes usually). If they do a specific task then the have a chance to earn more points/minutes. Some of the bonus tasks can be regular things that they know in advance about, such as having homework completed (NOT doing homework can result in losing a minute). Some are on the spot opportunities for a bonus. e.g. ask some questions about vocab from last class and each correct question earns a point. Some could be pointless like - "Go to the staff room get the CD player and i'll give you an extra 2 minutes."

Regardless of how many points should be lost, I always try to give them some chances to earn enough points to get them at least a few minutes of game time at the end of class. Sometimes I don't give them the easy points so they get no game time. So they know that it's not a guarantee. Although since they often do get game time (even if it's only a couple minutes), it let's them know that it's definitely an option on the table. It's not just a carrot forever hanging just out of reach.

In a way it also works as a form of punishment. They know that game time at the end is a definitely possibility. They also know that they can lose that time. Although the points are gained and lost by individuals, it's the class as a whole who use them. When they gain or lose a point, everyone in the class knows who was responsible for it.

Some times I tell them that they can save up the points to use at a future class. In that case I write them down somewhere for next class. Sometimes if it wouldn't really fit into the class schedule to have game time that day (particularly if they just happened to earn a lot of points for some reason) then I tell them that we have to postpone the game time for the next class but that I'll give them a few more minutes in exchange for the postponement, but not always. Sometimes they know that they can't have more than a certain amount of game time in one day, so any extra minutes are automatically transferred to next class.

I know some teachers who give the kids candy as an alternative reward. I don't do that for a couple of reasons. Number one reason: sugar rush. I also don't like to condition them to think that they'll only do certain things (which they should consider their responsibility) if they are getting compensated for it. If they get in that mindset then when you come to class without a bag of candies (or if one of them isn't in the mood for a candy today) then they have no motivation to act as they are supposed to. Plus, giving out candies is usually done on an individual level - the kid who did his homework gets the candy. The one who didn't get's no candy. So the kid who didn't do his homework only inconvenienced himself. The other kids don't care. But if he lost them a minute of game time... they let him know that they're displeased. And then it's HIS fault that they didn't get the game, not the teacher's fault.

Anyway, that's my method.

[ayahyaha]

Troglodyte: This is a great system. I'm taking notes.

[takwndogirl]

I've worked with students who have emotional behavioral disorders, in Korea, and currently in a low-income school where 12 languages are spoken. I've found (and the data shows) that the most successful behavior management programs need to have both an enforcer for ideal behavior and a way to reduce non-ideal behavior. There have been a number of great ideas that have been given by other posters and some that I'd recommend you never use.

First, you have to find what is going wrong. Look at yourself and your own behavior. Then, look at yourself and your own behavior (the redundancy is intentional). Accept that you can't actually force kids to do what you want, but you can create situations where the majority of students will want to do as you say. Making an example of kids is actually not highly effective, since it won't encourage students to WANT to do what you say. If you find that the students don't do what you ask them to do, there is a good chance that they don't know what you are supposed to do. Make sure they know (Eg have them tell the person next to them aka "turn and talk" this gives them a chance to produce English verbally and it gives you a chance to eavesdrop and make sure they know what's going on.) Odds are that there will be one student in particular who doesn't follow directions, give that student the class job of being the "rule repeater": You give directions, he repeats them to the class. Be creative...

Often behavior issues arise because student behavior expectations need to be more clearly communicated. If your classroom has run amok, then you probably haven't set your classroom expectations which should be something simple like 1) Make good decisions 2) Be safe 3) Solve problems. If you start by having these expectations clearly pantomimed and depending upon the students English proficiency, explained, then they will at least know what your behavioral expectations are. Display your expectations prominently. Go over your expectations frequently, maybe even everyday. When misbehavior occurs, relate it back to the three expectations (Eg "Johnny don't tip your chair back, that's not safe" as you gesture to the sign that says "Be Safe." OR, "Johnny, please don't interrupt me while I'm talking to Sally. Our classroom expectation is that we solve problems. How can you solve your problem? Can you ask another student what our directions were?")

You may say,"Why would they want to follow these expectations?" Find a reinforcer for positive behavior. Reinforcers only work if they are something that the kids want or do not want.The reinforcer for positive behavior can be as simple as you and me points. Every time the kids follow directions immediately, transition between activities quietly, verbally participate, ect the students get a point. Every time students aren't following directions, ect. you get a point.

Have the students work for something everyday or every week: Playing Uno at the end of the day, cleaning the classroom (if they like it), Doing a read-aloud story, stickers, ddukboggi party (It costs you 5,000won and if you set it up right gives you a chance to teach Western table social norms), or nothing. You don't actually have to give them anything, sometimes the competitiveness of earning points is enough (especially up to 2nd 3rd grade). Generally you won't use many consequences if you choose your positive reinforcer correctly. You have to figure out what the kids like and don't like.

If you do need a negative consequence, which shouldn't be your first response, then try one of those actions that you first listed (time out, additional homework for the class, loss of break time, call home during break). The younger the child the more immediate the positive consequence or consequence needs to occur.

By the way, calling home doesn't mean that you fail; it just means that the student needs a consequence that is meaningful to them. However, if mom and dad don't support you with making their child follow directions/ do homework. You can mention how their English learning suffers when they don't follow directions or how the child feels embarrassed when they don't do well on their English classwork. When I was in Korea, these were accurate portrayals of two of my students and it motivated their parents to help me.

Don't forget to develop your teacher stink-eye aka THE LOOK.

The above items are all things that will work for the whole class. (These same basic principles work well with PreK-8th grade. They probably work with high school, I just haven't taught high school) As far as the troublesome behaviors: disruptive behaviors, non-compliance, aggression. The appropriate responses to these will vary by the child and what they like/ don't like. Often the kids who are making fun of you get the reward of their peers laughing. Maybe that student would like to lead class activities if he/she does doesn't do the disruptive behavior (I've found that it can be hard to notice positive behaviors in the kids that disrupt).
Also, keep in mind that if a student's undesirable behavior doesn't reduce when you go talk to them or with the positive reinforcer, then you talking to them or the positive reinforcer isn't working. Maybe they like having you talk to them. Maybe they yell at you when you try to help them because they feel that your attentions make them look dumb. It all depends on the individual. If you want to know more about behavior management for challenging behavior, there is a lot of literature about it out there (Maag, The first days of school, ect). Generally, speaking, you won't encounter too much truly challenging behavior if you set up your classroom norms to ensure that the students know what is expected of them and positively reinforce their behavior.

[Troglodyte]

[Weigookin74]

[ayahyaha]

@takwndogirl: That was a great summation to this thread, I think. I didn't intend it to be a discussion about how to manage behavior in the classroom, but it ended up that way and I'm glad it's out there for future reference.

@Troglodyte: Thanks for the response. I think my biggest hurdle with this curriculum is that it's almost entirely games-based, so games aren't any great reward. I have been really searching for whatever else the kids would consider a treat. I'll try to have a discussion about it and see what they come up with.

To everyone, thanks for the feedback. As I mentioned before, I don't have much trouble in my classes and was really just looking for some more ideas for a "fun" sort of disciplinary system. I didn't get very many solid ideas, but I did get a chance to reflect on what I had been doing, and as a teacher that's always a good thing.

[s.tickbeat]

I give the kids points for good behavior and participation, and I minus points for minor infractions. Three points gets them a ticket, on which they can write anyone's name (presumably their own). The ticket goes into the ballot box, and every month I pull out five for some prizes.

For serious infractions, they get an X. An X is permanent, for the year. Three x's and a student gets a homework sheet, with this as the heading:


Date:

Write a journal. Tell me why your behavior was bad, and how you can avoid it in the future. It must be more than ____ words long.

__________________ 수업 시간에 나쁘게 행동했다. 그들은이 여분의 숙제를 완료해야합니다.


Then parents have to sign at the end. I also call home that same day to confirm it's been signed. I've only had to hand out one for the kids to get it.

[BackRow]

Anyone who has managed to implement a discipline system that works in a hagwon setting gets a lot of credit. Other than letting a korean teacher know and maybe them calling the parents, nothing seems to work. The kids know they're virtually untouchable here in regards to what they can do around the foreigner. Best to focus on the normal students and keep your job as been said.