Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jadepea]

Hey all.

So, I finished my third day of teaching English in Korea today. I teach kindergartners in the mornings, and elementary and middle schoolers in the afternoons. I'm really enjoying the elementary and middle school classes, but...

I cried in front of one of my kindergarten classes today. They do not listen to me, some of them ignore me, some flat out tell me "no" when I ask them to do something. They didn't all participate in hangman, Simon says or musical chairs. Half of them are paying attention to me (somewhat), while the other half are off running or fighting or whatever. They don't seem to respect me or like me very much, and the language barrier makes it very difficult for me to establish rules (or at least that's how I feel).

So yeah, today, 10 minutes before the end of class, I involuntarily stopped trying to get them to listen, and started crying. Right at that moment, the director of my school came in, spoke to them in Korean for 5 minutes, during which time they all got completely silent and still in their chairs, while I stood there, struggling to hold back more tears.

I know that my focus for this class now is on classroom management, before even on teaching English. I have some ideas on how to improve their behavior - positive/negative sticker charts is the one I'm investing most of my hope into. I still feel daunted by this, as their English is dodgy and I don't know how to effectively get the point across with the language barrier.

My director was helpful and didn't seem upset with me for breaking down like that, but I still feel so embarrassed and weak, and honestly I don't know how I'm going to teach that class for a whole year, although I'm trying not to think of that right now and take it day by day (or minute by minute, during class time).

I'm mostly sharing this because I want to know if anyone had awful experiences in their first weeks of teaching, and if so, did it get better? I mean, it has to get better, right? I tried Googling and searching for experiences like mine, and found nearly nothing, and I'm just worried. Any insight or suggestions would help. Thanks.

[rollo]

Welcome to teaching in a hagwon. These will not be your last tears. Relax do your best.

[ThePoet]

Yes, don't give up hope.

My very worst teaching experience was in a temporary teaching contract in a junior high school in Alberta, Canada. I was given a contract in a school where the previous teacher came into the class in September saying "I hate teaching in Junior high and I hate you kids" (He had been a high school teacher but was declared redundant in his position so they moved him to an open jr. h.s. position). Well that meant war, and the kids got him to leave on stress leave in November. Then he came back in January and then he left on stress leave again in February. they got two substitutes in and both subs were offered the temporary teaching gig and after a week they both refused.

Enter this Poet guy in his first year of substitute teaching after graduating. Of course they interviewed me, offered me a temp contract, and dangled a carrot in front of my nose that there might be something more permanent the following year (They lied, they were desparate - I understand). I get to my first class the next day and it was like being amongst feral cats and wild dogs. None of them listened to me, none of them sat down, none of them wanted to learn. I used every tactic I could. I went home every day with no voice from all the yelling I had done, I just wanted to curl up in bed and sleep after the school day was over.

Two things I had in my favor and turned the tables for me: Once I learned their names, I was able to discuss with other teachers the best way to handle specific individuals. Secondly, I found out that I was going to be their teacher until the end of the school year and that I actually had some power over their grades - Once I let the students know this they actually started being a bit attentive to my lessons, because I never repeated what I was saying. If they were being out of control, they would not get notes. I think a third thing was that in the spring parent-teacher interviews I was able to itemize and give specifics to problems I was having with each child. It took almost 3 months, but they were finally behaving and listening to me at the end of the school year.

Once you know them, and they know you and you can specifically say their name instead of point or say "hey you" it gets better. You should take a few minutes at the end of the day writing out specific things that you observed a child do that was bad. It doesn't matter that a "bunch of them" were doing it as well. point out one or two key individuals each time. You might actually get better results if you do it towards the end of class. Make a big display of the fact you are writing thier name down (in Korean) and what they did that was bad. Tell them that you might be getting the principal or their parents involved once you have two or three specific things written down. That might scare them enough to start being good.

Poet

[archaeologist5]

[Lucas]

[jadepea]

Thank you Poet, that was helpful and comforting. I keep reminding myself that I'm still new, they don't know me, I still forget their names. I have to give it a couple months at least.

Archaeologist, yeah, discipline is my priority now. I haven't laughed or joked with them in class, and I have been firm in scolding them and telling them "no" when they try to hit, and not smiling at them blindly, which I will continue, but it hasn't seemed to do much. I'm really hoping the sticker rewards system will help, and that once they get used to me, they will understand that they can't be little hellions all the time.

Lucas, I don't know. That was right before the crying. I was at a total loss.

[modernseoul]

[Lucas]

How long are your lessons?

If they are 40 plus minutes this is too much for Kindergarteners (esp the youngest ones).

Do you just teach one lesson per day, or back to back lessons?

What you need to do is activities that require NO explanation - just DO it and have them follow you.

For example when learning vocab use flash cards - sit on the floor with them (not desks), have them sit in a semi-circle round you or in lines. Give them a white board each. Show them a flash card, say the vocab and have them repeat it. They can then draw the picture on their white boards.

Do this for 10-15 mins at the start of every lesson. Such young kids need routine. After 2-3 times they should know exactly where they should sit. Let one of the oldest most trusted kids give out the pens, another the white boards ect - then a second activity can be more fun like a song and dance - BUT this is 10 times more difficult to control when they are moving about.

I'd say stickers are an okay idea, but it will invariably lead to arguments unless they all get them and this takes time. Leave yourself time at the end of the lesson to reward them.

I used to show them an animation (max 5 mins) at the end of lessons (with the schools and parents’ permission).

They loved this - This cut out half of behavior problems, coz they WANT to watch it. Also whilst they are watching it, i had time to give out stickers and rewards/ speak to their main teacher (I always taught kinder alone)

The key to teaching young kids is thinking at least 5 steps ahead!

Before you do any activities with them take a bit of paper and write down what you will do - step by step. Think about 'what if's' and how you'll deal with them.

Then at the end of the lesson look at this paper and see how right/wrong you were about where the problems arose.

Do not do competitive things with them until you have (near) 100% control of the class.

They all need to be busy, so things like ppt games are BAD too!

[Rockhard]

Well, my advice is this. First, realize that you are being placed in a rather difficult situation. Hagwons are not real education institutions to begin with, your boss is not an education expert, and you are not a real teacher. Of course it's not going to work well. It's a system designed to fail. So if you fail, relax, most people would.

I've been here for 8 years and taught 1st graders a lot. Employers love me because I'm great with 1st graders. They are my well-trained army. How did I get to that point?-by completely ignoring my boss and the cirriculum. My employers know nothing about education and their material sucks. I do things my way and imitate how I was taught when I attended school in Canada. It works.

Here are some tips

1) Avoid most negative feedback. I never yell at my kids or give out hard punishments. The most I'll do is make them sit alone for a day. Negative feedback ruins the mood. Instead, reward good students, daily, doesn't matter what it is. The bad girls will follow the good girls and the bad boys will become isolated and eventually come around.

2) Every task should be a job with a reward of somekind at the end of it.

3) Create your own material or find good stuff

4) Learn to speak basic Korean. I speak Korean in 30% of my class. It's just more efficient to explain some things in Korean. And its very helpful to know what they are saying.

[earthquakez]

[Milwaukiedave]

I've been here 10 years now (my 11th year started on Jan 2nd). I too was thrown into a room with kids and expected to "teach" my first day (I always describe it as being thrown to the lions). Looking back it was damn scary. The thing is it does get better. Honestly if we were betting back then whether I'd make it a year or even two I would have put all my money against myself.

Rockhard had some very solid advice. I would suggest trying what she said (and if you need more advice PM her).

You could do a language exchange with a Korean and also make a friend. This can come in handy in situations where you are stuck and need help. Knowing that you aren't alone always helps. I'm embarrassed to say my Korean proficiency is bad. Learn it while things are still fresh and new and you have the motivation.

Also there are groups over on meetup.com here in Korea that get together and do things. Meeting other foreign teachers whom you can run things by if you are having difficulties (especially someone who has been here awhile) would be good.

Finally, if you can improve your skills and qualifications. You may be able to get a better job down the road.

[Stan Rogers]

Maybe you should quit.

Teaching is not for everyone.

[Milwaukiedave]

[Allthechildrenareinsane]

[Speck7]

People think it's so easy to teach, they have no teaching background and they walk into the classroom unprepared and unequipped to deal with unruly kids. This is what Korea gets for trying to hire inexperienced people.

Go back to your home country OP and do whatever it is you originally got your degree in. Teaching's not for you.