Korean Job Discussion Forums

LL Moonmanhead · Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Location: yo momma

Hi all,

All the parents of my kindergarten class are coming to sit in a observe a class of mine next week. I've been told i can do just about anything, i have a couple of ideas, but i'm sure someone on here has some even better ones!!!!

It's a class of seven, seven year old children with quite a good understanding of English.

Any help would be most appreciated.

casey's moon · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: Daejeon

I don't get it -- why don't you just teach them as you normally do? I think that's what the parents want to see -- they want to see their kids interracting with you, singing songs, reading a story, playing an educational game. I don't think you're expected to put on a show or anything.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

I had this one month after I started. Dress smart, rehearse the material you're going to use at the class so that the kids look clever. Plan one but only one game that the kids really love. Do lots of listen and repeat drills. Do one song they know and like. Have a few picture cards the kids have never seen before to pull out of your hat if they get bored. Make it a little but not too challenging for them.

In all likelihood the kids will be perfect because they want to impress the parents, and the gullible parents will think the kids always pay attention to you and you must be an outstanding teacher. If the parents could only see what a waste of time my kindie class is most of the time they'd keep them at home and use an English tape recording.

zappadelta · Joined: 31 Aug 2004

I have one bit of maybe obvious advice. During your lesson, make sure you call on each student at least one time.

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

Aye and good positive reinforcement FOR EACH ONE wouldn't hurt (as i'm sure you do it each day anyways Wink

)

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

DirtySanchez · Joined: 26 Mar 2004 Location: Neither here nor there

Talk to the parents.
at the start of the lesson, when you're warming up with "how are you?" or "what did you do/eat today?", ask the parents the same question. guaranteed most of the them can't speak a word of english, so they'll be terrified. they also might feel a bit ashamed that their toddlers know more english than they do. regardless, it'll show that the kids have been learning. best thing is, they'll be so terrified that they'll never come back! I had parents sit in on two seperate occasions. one was because the mother just wanted free lessons. she would do most of the talking and her kid would just freeze up. the other was several mothers sitting at the back of the class "evaluating". i hate it because the kids change when their parents are there. they can't speak freely.

camelina · Joined: 13 Mar 2005 Location: wishing i was there

All great tips above.

I taught kindergarden for 2 years at the same all kindergarden school. We had these things every semester, so I've done 4 of them. They always chose me as their 'showcase' and i even had to teach the classes that weren't "mine" on these days.

Remember the rules of kindergarden. Take their age multiply it by two, and that's how many minutes a teacher should spend on each activity.

For example.... 40 minute class/ 6 year olds,: that's 12 minutes tops on each activity. Take it down to 10 and plan 4 activities.

Activity number 1:
For one class I did colors. I had flashcards for 8 colors. Went through just the basics:pink, purple, yellow, green, white, black, orange etc....

Then did a sentence structure like "what color is it?" "it's ______"

Or "what color do you like?" "I like ___"

*Parents LOVE to hear their children say a sentence.

Activity number 2: Song

I did the wee sing games song "colors"

"blue blue is the color i see if you are wearing blue then show it to me, stand up, turn around, show me your blue and then sit down"

THis song went through all the colors, the children sing and stand up and do the little dance if they are wearing that color.
Explain the song to the parents and they can do it too!

Activity number 3: Game

I just played the song, the children passed around flash cards, stop the song, whoever had the flashcard stood up and said "i like _____"
Ask some parents to join in too!

By this time, you are tired , the kids have had fun, the parents are impressed....

Activity number 4: worksheet

Make up a fun work sheet (no coloring) and have the children do the worksheet with their parents, give it back to you, circle it and give them a sticker!

VOILA!

Good luck Very Happy

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

The kids may be cool and behave well with parents there.

casey's moon · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: Daejeon

Carmelina, that's a lovely lesson. The thing is (and possibly you do) we should be teaching like there is someone watching us every time we teach. Of course we're going to dress a bit better, and be extra careful that every student gets an equal chance to participate if the parents are in the room, but other than that, it should be pretty much the same drill as any other day of teaching, IMHO.

Ken8589 · Joined: 10 Mar 2003

So what do you usually do?
I think people here can give you better advice if you tell them what a typical day in your class is like.

camelina · Joined: 13 Mar 2005 Location: wishing i was there

Now I only teach one beginner level class, just twice a week. But that's the plan i follow.

always always always, plan 4 activities for younger classes. That's the best advice I can ever give. It keeps them from getting bored and you from pulling out your hair when they are bored and restless.

There is nothing worse than the hogwan foreign teachers that think its too much to ask that they actually teach... or put in a little extra.