Korean Job Discussion Forums

suzhou2010 · Joined: 09 Feb 2005

When I say "raising awareness" I also mean raising my own awareness . . I will be careful not to express my own beliefs and actually much of why I want to bring these kind of topics into the classroom is because I am not sure of my own beliefs, and the students english is so good I feel I can learn alot from them . .. . . The students in the class are almost fluent and usually one or two (out of 10) are fluent . . . So any ideas about how to facilitate discussions or debates with high level students is appreciated . . I would also like to do "hands on" activities as the class meets for 2 hours everyday so if we just use books, paper, and talking it might become boring quickly . I definitely plan on cooking together . . ANd I will definitely print some news/info from the internet for discussion and maybe even arrange some type of cleanup/picnic as suggested . . Thanks for the ideas so far . . .

peppermint · Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2005 4:50 pm Post subject:

USA today is a good source of articles- but also advice colums, maybe video clips etc.

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

When I taught adults, I always brought up social issues or topics of controversy. But I always did so politely, never argued, and never gave my opinion until after everyone else.

When students reach an advanced level there is no reason not to discuss social issues with them. In fact you would be doing them a disservice not to--when they talk to other English speakers the subjects are almost bound to come up. They key is to do it the right way and never impose your own views.

john · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

john wrote:
you just don��t understand language, culture and power.

Beaver wrote:
It's called register, fathead, and of course I teach it.

Thanks Beaver. You have highlighted your ignorance. Dude, you just don't get it. Register is power and culture. Are you going to say something bad about my mom now?

joe_doufu · Joined: 09 May 2005 Location: Elsewhere

Role play is a possibility. Cut out pictures of wacky looking people from National Geographic... let's say, a scientist, a cowboy, and an Amazonian tribesman. Each student or team is assigned one of the "characters" and they must debate the most recent controversy from the WTO, or whatever.

I agree that at no time should YOUR politics enter the classroom. In fact, with friends in Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, USA, Korea, Japan, and elsewhere, I generally don't even bring my political views to ASIA at all!

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

john,

(expletives deleted)

The topic was about a teacher training his students to be social activists. This is quite different from what you are talking about. You either did not read and comprehend, or you wanted to demonstrate your education. One of those is a common mistake. The other is just pompous.

SuperHero · Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Location: Superhero Hideout

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

julian_w · Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2005 6:52 am Post subject:

the_beaver proclaimed:

gmat · Joined: 29 Jan 2003

Julian: very long post.....

Don't you have some whales to save or something Wink

J/K

julian_w · Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2005 8:33 am Post subject: Whaling Away

Haa ha, yeah.

Actually I should be finishing packing right now, cos I'm leaving Aotearoa Sunday morning and aim to be in Ulsan by Wednesday at the latest;
so yous won't have to put up with my 'rants' for the next wee-while, anyway ...

* * * * *

'Save the whales - eat hoh-d'huk!'
http://www.sbs.auckland.ac.nz/research/popgenevol/baker/

the_beaver · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

joe_doufu · Joined: 09 May 2005 Location: Elsewhere

OP and Julian, put yourself in your students' shoes. Or their parents' shoes if they're young. You pay somebody to teach you a language, because you need to know that language to get the job you want, or something. You've paid the deposit, committed to the tuition, and suddenly this jerk professor is trying to convince you that your religion or your diet or your political party is wrong. Or worse, this guy is trying to convince your kids to question the values and beliefs you've raised them with.

OK, there may be instances where the students' beliefs are really wrong. But it's not your place to take their money and time, and waste it on your personal mission.

Also note: if you are 21, and they are 40, or they outnumber you 10 to 1, and/or they are successful in life while you are a struggling angstful young man... you might consider the possibility that YOU are the one who's wrong.

Never mind, I think that last leap of faith is going too far.
Just remember: it's not your place to take their money and time, and waste it on your personal mission.

ajuma · Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Location: Anywere but Seoul!!

I got my middle school students thinking about NOT littering. The topic was the environment. Virtually ALL middle and high school students spend a fair amount of time cleaning up around their schools. I put it to them this way: If you don't throw trash on the ground, you won't have to pick it up! Less clean-up time = more play time, right? You would have thought that I just invented choco-pies! Hopefully, they'll pass it on to their peers... Rolling Eyes

mithridates · Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 11:42 am Post subject:

I'm of the opinion that it's okay to 'preach' about an issue as long as it's not connected to any group of any kind. I can tell my students or anyone whatever I feel about an issue because the thought is all my own and I can take responsibility for it, but to use my eloquence to convince a student of a cause and then send them off to a group to do the rest is dangerous. For all I know I could have understood them wrong, made them out to be better than they are, or I could just be one of those people who can convince anyone of anything.
In short, tell people your 100% original ideas, and don't pretend that the dogma of any particular group is something you thought up yourself.