Korean Job Discussion Forums

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

To be fair, the guy would have to be in an American/Canadian school and

then trying to teach Japanese to a room full of kids. (with him knowing almost no English).

If that were the situation the comparison might be legit, as it is

it's just not valid.

Times30 · Joined: 27 Mar 2010

He's really an amazing teacher. I mean sure it seems weird to be emotionally splooging everywhere in a western classroom, but I think the kids have a great sense of unity and happiness that comes with sharing their thoughts and feelings.

I mean one of the plagues of our society is that we can't express ourselves without fear of resentment. Especially children.

Here it seems they are free to express themselves and love. I think it's a great environment to raise children who learn to be more emotionally more mature and understanding towards others.

I also noticed how he didn't chastise the boy for cyring. He said something like "oh the story reminded you of your own grandmother. That's excellent but it's time to eat".

He was encouraging the boy to feel empathy and thus making him a more secure and healthy person.

Imagine if ALL classrooms and teachers were like this. How healthy and a happy would this world be? I think we should all strive to be like him, even if we are just ESL monkeys, we can start to make a change.

Died By Bear · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2013 4:42 am Post subject:

I admit the thread title is a little provoking...hehe

jkrishnamurtidotorg · Joined: 04 Oct 2012

I'm glad you shared this.

The students obviously respect the teacher. You can see that they are reasonably excited to see him and are not conflicted with being in the classroom. They look to him not only as one who prepares them for adapting to 'society' (modern sense of teacher - disbursing, correcting subject-related practical information), but also as a sort of life-guide. I really would like to embody an essence close to what I've seen from the teacher in this video. If there was more meaning in the classroom on an empathetic and more personal level, students might feel more at home in the classroom, and so could the teacher.

I understand that this is but one excerpt of a whole year of teaching. Sure, much of what is unseen can be left to the imagination. I also understand that this is a video in and of itself, that perhaps ESL teachers conducting their classrooms in this manner might not be received well by 'such-and'such' persons (students, KT's, directors, parents, etc). But it is inspirational nonetheless, and I would like to try and bring that inspiration into my own mind and see what flourishes through my own flavor as a teacher.

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Quack Addict · Joined: 31 Mar 2008 Location: Seoul

Norn Iron · Joined: 06 Feb 2013

I would have my own reservations about doing this kind of thing, grief counselling, in the classroom.

But the thing I always think about when I see these videos of 'super-teachers' is that it's always a 10 minute or so snapshot of what they do. What are they doing the rest of the time? I presume they have a course to teach. There will be tests no doubt. Tests which the results of, like it or not, will be crucial for the future of the child.

I see my primary duty as a teacher to teach the material I've been asked to by the school.

The other stuff, the 'let's do something different and off-the-wall' stuff, it can be done as long as it doesn't distract from the primary duty. Teach the material.

It was true what someone in The Simpsons said when they were parodying Dead Poets Society and the character Mr. Keating, "that guy has ruined teaching for us all!"

Did Mr. Keating jump on the desk and have the students rip up their books in EVERY class?