Korean Job Discussion Forums

[FUBAR]

I taught at an all girls middle school for a year and didn't really see the need to hit a student. There was a Korea co-teacher in my class most of time to take care of that. Those teachers didn't hit the students either. They just raised their voice or a dirty look was enough.

On the occasion that the co-teacher was not present, I found it fairly easy to control the class. If things got out of hand, the students would have to come see me at lunch time or after school to run laps. It didn't matter if it was 30 degrees, raining, or sub zero. They knew that if they crossed the line, they were doing laps. A few times of hitting the track put most of them in line.

[Demophobe]

What a tired, old, silly subject. Would you hit a kid in your own country? Do they hit kids in schools there?

Probably not....so why would you do it here? When in Rome....? Well, if they butchered baby seals with hatchets in Rome, would you do it? No...because of morals and ethics....personal beliefs.

It's not our domain to hit the children here. One day you will have children and then we shall see how you feel about foreign teachers hitting your child. No one will touch my child, and I'm sure you will feel the same. How many strangers have you met that you trust enough to get physical with your child?

Flame away.....there isn't a need to hit kids here. There is always a better way....not easier, but better.

[riverboy]

Probably not....so why would you do it here? When in Rome....? Well, if they butchered baby seals with hatchets in Rome, would you do it? No...because of morals and ethics....personal beliefs

Well, I would butcher Baby Seals if I were in Newfoundland. But that is not the subject here now is it?

I have yet to ht a child but I am not above it either. In Canada, I told one little ignorant *beep* that I was okay with the fact that I could not hit him as he was a minor, because he was going to turn nineteen oneday and I was a patient guy. Man did his attitude ever change.

Secondly, I think that there are a few warrented cases of hitting a kid. The cases where I got physical with children was when they outright refused to leave my class. I gave them plenty of opportunity to leave. I just grab the wrist and pull. I am sure it hurts. One kids gave me the finger, he will never do it again after dangling six inches off the ground for about a minute. I have yet to loose sleep over it an each time, my boss commended me on it

[ladyandthetramp]

After watching Korean politicians fighting each other on the House floor, I have no desire to promote violence in this country. This fact alone made it too clear that violence is too widespread and accepted here. I prefer just to kick kids out of class if they are too disruptive.

[Len8]

I'm usually patient, but anyway this one 6th grade elementry school student(male) started to pull the hair on my leg. He was sitting on the floor close to me. (Of course if it was a girl, there wouldn't have been a problem). I was pissed and should have kept my cool,
but I slowly started to lose it.
Towards the end of the class he comes close to me, and starts to poke me. He is doing it I think to show everyone how cool he is, but by then of course of I've lost it. I belt him hard around his body. Really hard. he is strong for his age, so I really wacked him. He ended up in tears, went out of the class, and came back right away.

I felt bad for having done what I did, and see this as a blemish on my record as an English teacher, but i just felt that it was something I had to do. I confided in one female teacher, and of course the bitch said "OHHHH you nappun saram. Do you hit your own kids" Geeze.

Now it's not something I have a habit of doing, and I have been teaching elementry school students for a long time. Last time I hit a student was 5 years ago, and I really regreted it, so I don't consider what i did as something to make me wanna change my job. Everyone flares up at times, and i don't think it's anything we ought to bash our heads against the f--ing wall for.

[riverboy]

I still prefer kicking them out.

[PEIGUY]

i often find if you have a book in your hand just whap it on there desk that usually scares them all to heck. or a quick but light tap on the head with the book will get there attention i dont consider that one hitting them because it's just saying play time is over.. i would never raise my hand to hit a kid..

[riverboy]

forget hitting students. Lets start a poll about hitting directors. I think that that is what we eally need to do

[manlyboy]

My parents used to smack the crap out of me! Lookin back on it, I'm glad they did, and now I'm looking forward to smacking the crap out of my own kids!
I've never hit a student, but I have picked up one or two devil-children and physically removed them from the room when they refused to go (not smart of me, I know). Glad I don't teach at a technical high school though, because some of those boys look a bit too big for that.

[Grotto]

If you do absolutely feel the need to strike a student get three or four other students to hold them....then break out your rubber hose from your gestapo days...a couple of phone books to hide the bruising and you are set

Now that is out of the way. Why would you want to hit a child? I will admit I have struck them with a notebook but always a sliding hit with no power behind it. I will also admit there have been times I have been tempted to 'lay the smack down' but have always refrained. As I have 'matured?' I find I dont get angry as much and things that used to push my buttons I now deal with in a much calmer way. If you have a kid so bad you cant stand it KICK HIM OUT and dont let him back in the class. Tell your director that they can put him someone elses class but you wont let him back into class without his parents coming by for a chat first.

At the last school I was at they had cameras in all the classes which I thought was great. I had one student that was rude, ill-behaved, and a trouble maker. After several weeks of trying everything I could I took to taping the class with him in it. After another two weeks of taping I did some editing and put together a 30 minute tape that I affectionately referred to as 'The worst of James' Next class I played the tape for the class to see. Most of the kids were shocked at his rudeness and behaviour once they say it distilled down into a video. I told him that if he ever misbehaved again I would show it to his parents. Worked like a charm. But it was way too much work.

[kermo]

[riverboy]

Here is an example of my discipline and the reason I do not hit students. Today, I had to little arseholes being loud, unruly, dissrecptful ect. The first kid I threw out, the second one I made an example of him. I had him hold my 600 page english/korean dictionary out in front of him for about fifteen minutes. I would have prefered to magically turn myself into a fourteen year old and knuckle the living bejeezlus out of him, but I was reasonabally satisfied with the results and he was very thankful when I let him sit down.

[Badmojo]

You don't hit students. I don't think it accomplishes anything. I'll never forget the day I had half of my class coming in crying because their math teacher hit them fifteen times with a stick for doing poorly on a test. I was disgusted that day. You know, the thoughts went through my head... what is wrong with these people?

Look, you can do things in one of two ways, whether you're a school owner, boss, or teacher. You can use the carrot or you can use the stick. And from personal experience, the carrot usually works much better.

An example. At the start of every class, I would do "Keep talking" for three or four minutes. I'd give them some subject or some grammar point to hit then walk around and monitor their conversations. At the beginning, I'd walk around with a pen and a pad of paper. If they weren't talking or not giving an effort or fooling around, I'd write their name down and they'd have to do lines. "Not working! 75!". Then I switched it up. I went to the carrot. I'd walk around with a sheet of stickers. Anyone who was talking a lot and doing a good job would be given a sticker. And it was a much better approach. They spoke more. They worked harder.

Don't hit students. Use the carrot, not the stick.

[migo]

[Real Reality]

"When in Rome,..."

for the apologists