Korean Job Discussion Forums

mumblebee · Joined: 26 Jun 2004 Location: Andong

I'm not sure if this question has been asked before, so apologies if it has been.

I often long for my own classroom...but at my school, it is the teachers who run around with a basket of stuff, and the students stay put. I know it is the only solution at my very crowded hogwan, but I wondered how common it is...

I imagine that having your own classroom would be less stressful, and would allow you to do some more interesting programing. I can't do any ongoing projects, or even put stuff on the walls, because it will just get wrecked by the students in another class, while they wait for the teacher to arrive. Also, I would like to offer things like a mini-library, or have some great reference books on offer for my kids, but it is impossible under the set up we have now. I really feel I need my own classroom!

Maybe I am wrong, however; maybe having my own classroom is not all that I think it would be. Such a situation could feel kind of isolating for teachers. I would like to hear about others' experiences.

In the meantime, I'll keep dreaming...

tomato · Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 7:43 pm Post subject:

Hello, Mumblebee!

I checked yes.
In my first job, I often remembered halfway through the class period that I needed an item, so I ran back to get it.
So ever since then, I specified in my resume that I wanted my own classroom.

peppermint · Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 9:36 pm Post subject:

At my public school, there's a classroom set aside for English lessons, and my co teacher and I get to decorate it etc, and I've got an "office" next door since there's no staffroom at my school.

It's a pretty great thing, though I find the students are pretty destructive on some of the materials, if they're left on shelves away from the teacher's desk

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

I don't have my own classroom. There are some drawbacks to it, as in any classroom I'm not sure what's working or not for my lesson. But the big bonus is that I'm not responsible for cleaning my classroom. My friend has her own classroom and the students really make a mess of the place.

JacktheCat · Joined: 08 May 2004

I've got my own combination English Zone\office at my "private" high shool. (and the keys to it)

It's bigger than the other rooms at my high school and better furnished and admin leaves me alone to do with it as I wish.

Pluses. It's my own, I can decorate as I wish and don't have to worry about other teachers moving things around or forgetting to erase the white board. Since it's also my office, all my shit is right there; no running outside to grap something I forgot.

Minuses. I am responsible for it, have to organise the kids into teams to clean it and if any thing is broken or stolen it comes back to me. And since it is also my office there, is no privacy.

All in all it's good setup I have to say.

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

The foriegn teachers each have a lab at my school. The students come to our room for class. The Korean teachers go from room to room, in other instances, teaching in the kids' homeroom. Sometimes we share these rooms with Korean teachers, but they don't often need them.

Our school bought long tables or half-moon table that can be placed together to form a discussion circle. The idea was a good one, however it isn't as practicle, unfortunately. The kids talk more when they face each other. Class is more difficult to control. Knowing what I know now, and if I could go back in time, I would have told them to put in normal seating that the kids are used to.

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

The foriegn teachers each have a lab at my school. The students come to our room for class. The Korean teachers go from room to room, in other instances, teaching in the kids' homeroom. Sometimes we share these rooms with Korean teachers, but they don't often need them.

Our school bought long tables or half-moon table that can be placed together to form small-group discussion circles. The idea was a good one, however it isn't as practical, unfortunately. The kids talk more when they face each other. Class is more difficult to control. Knowing what I know now, and if I could go back in time, I would have told them to put in normal seating that the kids are used to.

Dan The Chainsawman · Joined: 05 May 2005

I have my own classroom right next to the teachers office. Which works well for me when I get a smart assed kid tossing him out the door tends to draw the attention of my supervisor who noramally gives them an earful. Not always, but enough to make it a credible consquence for poor behaviors.

I really don't have to even clean my own classroom, but I like to do it anyway. The thought of my Korean coworkers cleaning up my room bothers me. I tend to leave it neat, and tidy. However, being that my desk is in my classroom, I rarely ever go into the teachers office. This tends to isolate me from my coworkers. Not that it matters they tend to stop talking when I am around anyway.

Last is the huge table in my room. This limits alot of the more active lessons I like to attempt. It does make a good table for running around acting like maniacs. Seriously what Korean kid could not possibly benifit from learning the goonies era truffle shuffle?