Korean Job Discussion Forums

[paperbag princess]

man, i've been here for long enough now, that' i'm used to most things korean, but the "teacher-teacher" is driving me up the wall. or this: "teacher, i'm finished. teacher, i'm finished. teacher. teacher. i'm finished" especially when i'm working with another kid, or worse, when i'm explaining something to most of the class. they don't seem to understand that this is by far the most irratating thing they do. it's rude and annoying. why do they do it?

[pecan]

Why do not you teach them to raise their hands?

If you would like a certain behavior from your students, take the time to teach it, model it, and enforce it!

Not quite sure what is so complicated. Don't you already teach them other things, like how to speak English?

Nut

[Demophobe]

[Zyzyfer]

[rapier]

You need to reward good behavior and punish bad: my school has no punishment, but it does have a reward system. Kids compete for coupons, which they can then trade in for pencils, erasers etc, at the front desk.
Simply start each class by giving each kid 20 points beside their names on the whiteboard. Everytime they shout out or do something annoying, minus a point. The winner with the most points at the end gets a coupon. Simple, and works well with younger kids.
Suggest it to your school, you can easily photocopy a sheet of coupons and laminate them. Helps a lot in curbing minor irritations from them.

[kiwiboy_nz_99]

So we have Austin back on the board in the form of Pecan? Oh wonderful, good times to follow!

On a related note to the hand thing, but not quite the same. I have this bizarre experience with adults a lot.

Me: Hands up if you like horror movies ( no hands )

Me: Hands up if you don't like horror movies ( no hands )

Me: Big rant about how with a yes/no question I should have one hundred percent of the hands after I've asked the two questions. Time and again, they seem to think it's ok to completely ignore me. It's about not wanting to to draw attention to yourself in even the slightest way, even if it means ignoring the teachers requests completely. This is university level. Truly tragic and quite frustrating.

At the beginning of every semester now I do big putting your hand up training session!

[Homer]

To the OP...it is frustrating indeed!

However under Pecan's rant there is some good advice.

You can teach them to raise their hands when they want to ask or say something.

It works in my class. It takes time and effort but it is possible.

Best of luck.

[HamuHamu]

IT CAN BE DONE! It took me 5 loooong months of "training" and now 6/7 of my kindie students ALWAYS raise their hand and wait until they are asked before they speak. The other one is a bit of a "rules are for everyone but me" kid and is half-way there: he sticks his hand up AS he is shouting and interrupting

Most of them will now turn to another student who shouts out and say "Sarah, don't interrupt unless it's an emergency!" or "Chris, don't talk when someone else is talking!" What does wanjeongnim (spelling?) say? "You should not make your students hold back their English but let them say whatever they want to say whenever they want to say it...." That's probably as good answer as any to the "Why" it happens.

Today I had a classic one that made me realize how much it has become engrained in their heads - washing our hands inthe bathroom, one girl dries her hands and is standing beside me. No one in the bathroom but her and I, and totally silent.

She stood beside me and stuck her hand up in the air and waited until I said "Yes?"

As for the why - my thought is that it is just not part of their culture - adults fully interrupt each other too, I find. It's not something that is important to Koreans the way it is important to us. As a result, when people like wonjeong-nim have told me NOT to do that, I tell them that because most of my students and their parents travel to America quite often, and plan for their kids to study abroad, that it's important for the kids to learn some "customs" and "culture" that comes with speaking English as well - covering your hand when you cough, saying excuse me when you burp, chewing with your mouth closed, etc etc.

I don't care if they do it in Korean, I'm not here to change their cultural or social habits, but to help them with all things related to English. Just as I "bow" when I say "Annyong haseyo."

But the point is, with some work, it can be taught! I just ignored anyone who spoke when someone else talked, or gave them "the stare," or said things liek "ohh look....Sally has her hand up! Yes Sally, what would YOU like to say?"

[Thomas]

[Apple Scruff]

Kids are stupid.

[sadsac]

It can be done, but it takes patience and time. Most of my students know to raise their hand and tell me they are finished. Once only, any more and they know I will ignore them until I have addressed all the other questions or marked every book but theirs. They soon learn. It is just a matter of you the teacher enforcing appropriate behavior and punishing inappropriate behavior.

[adventureman]

[pecan]

I know a guy by the last name of Austin, but we are not one in the same.

Anyway, the advice I mentioned stands.

If you want a desired behavior from your students, you should teach it.

I am not sure what is so condescending about that advice. It is pretty clear.

To expect students to do something without ever being taught it is a bit ignorant.

Nut

[crazylemongirl]

I think maybe part of it here is that there isn't really a culture of rasiing hands rather the victim menality of the teacher asking someone. In class I play a game called volunteer or victim. I ask for some volunteers (who may get candy at times) if no one volunteers I get the kid who last volunteered to pick a victim. They like victim because they pretend to shoot eachother.

Also every few weeks I throw out a 'candy question' It might be a riddle or a piece of general knowledge. I don't hear people who don't raise their hands.

[adventureman]