Korean Job Discussion Forums

[JacktheCat]

Which kind of class do you prefer: quiet classes or wild ones.

Quiet classes are sooo boring. They just lie there with their heads on the desk, saying "yes, teacher" "no, teacher."

I much perfer the wild ones. Sure they can be hard to get under control at first. (sometimes I feel more like a circus animal trainer than a teacher here in Korea). But once you have them firmly under your thumb, they are the best classes. Full of energy and vive. Rearing to learn.

[ryleeys]

Quiet ones. My classroom is a school, no matter what the rest of the hagwon industry says. And you are meant to be quiet in school. I have had some problems recently with students mumbling when I tell them to repeat after me or refusing to answer at all. Well, it's just a matter of breaking their will and if they're not going to repeat the word after me twenty times to learn it, then they can write it twenty times. If that doesn't work, they can write it 40 times.

[Zyzyfer]

I like a balanced one, of course. While wild classes are more energetic, whether or not this is a good trait is entirely dependant on whether the energy is positive or negative. Positive energy makes a class extremely fun to work with, whereas negative energy just gives you a bunch of gangsters.

And I'll agree that quiet classes are boring. However, there are certain instances where I want students to actually listen to what I'm saying, instead of rambling about wrestling and soccer.

I try to instill a sense of balance within my classes...once they've sorted that out, everything's great.

[SweetBear]

[Saxiif]

The really quiet classes can be awful (for some reason my quiet classes are ALWAYS middle school girls) I feel so akward just doing a monologue with no interaction as the students stare down and doodle. Of course I don't like shouting myself hoarse (sp?) either, but at least that way I feel like I'm doing something. Of course my favorite classes are the ones that are noisy but talk to me in English instead of to each other in Korean, nothing is better than the classes that I can have real discussions with, kids probably learn more English talking to me about the movie they just saw then sitting quietly and day dream while I blather on about grammer.

[schwa]

Noisy!

I teach 40 middleschool girls per class & I deliberately stir them up till I get a nice hubbub level -- makes them speak up! They largely stay on task & most of the chatter, gratifyingly, is english-centered. I make every lesson some kind of game & they get into trying.

Sometimes over-the-top noisy but then I play them like a conductor & they respect my admonitions to keep it down. But if squeals & laughter arent emanating from my classroom, then my lesson plan sux.

[Apple Scruff]

I prefer any class where the kids don't have a dozen different kinds of toys in their possession. I'd like to ask the parents how they expect their kids to learn anything in class when they're constantly allowed to bring irritating forms of entertainment with them every day.

[captain kirk]

If the quiet class is the advanced smart ones who are subtle and brainy then that's an enjoyable foray together. Talking about this and that, well able to.
If it's the regular 11 year olds in a 'wild class' then wha hoo! With the wild ones you know they're having fun and not plotting to drop the class behind their placidity. And meanwhile everyone knows this is it, the moment to have a good time in.

[Alias]

Quiet class. Not even close for me.

The wild classes that I have do not have any interest in doing work. They are just screaming in Korean and throwing things around the classroom.

[katydid]

I don't like a too quiet class, and my favorite students have always been the bit of a smart-ass type. You know they are intelligent but they like to mix things up and keep things interesting.