Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ya-ta Boy]

As far as I know, I don't have any 'tards, but there are several who are pushing that envelope, but I do have quite a few with mental problems. Out of 118 students, 4 have been identified (to me) as having some kind of significant mental disorder. One really nice kid spent this last week in a mental ward. He's manic-depressive (that's what I understand anyway). He only got in our school because his mom didn't tell the school about his problem. I really liked him and he spoke the best English. Another one is SO painfully shy that we don't ask him any questions. My co-teacher says he has a 'mental problem', but I don't know what it is. The other boys seem to look out for him. I've been told about 2 others but don't really understand.

There IS something to be said for mainstreaming kids with problems, but there is also a lot to be said for giving them special, individualized instruction. I'm not personally a fan of mainstreaming, because I have been in a classroom with 25 'regular' students with 'regular' needs. I know in a 55-minute class, by the time you have taken role, given a short lesson and the directions for the activity, that you have between 1 and 2 minutes left for each student if you need to work one-on-one. If there is a kid with special needs, who are you supposed to short-change so you can help him? No one ever answers that question.

Why do the socialization needs of one kid get priority over the needs of all other kids?

IMO, this is a case of PC gone wild.

[ontheway]

I have noticed this problem with students regressing when they enter middle school or sometimes in 6th grade. It has to do with the horrible teachers in the public schools followed by studying in the "eepshi" hogwans. The kids go to the "eepshis" to learn every subject, including English. The kids and their mothers are in a huge panic about grades by middle school or a little earlier. The problem is, some completely unqualified Korean is teaching them English. What the Korean is teaching is bad pronunciation, incorrect grammar, and translations that are equally erroneous. As they try to cram this crud in their heads, it crowds out the real English they've learned. In addition, the middle schools and high schools have such bad English teachers, programs and books that they make the "eepshi" hogwans look good. Even the standardized tests are riddled with errors. This problem is so serious, it even affects the Korean kids returning from studying abroad. They gradually have bad English pounded into their heads replacing the good English they've learned elsewhere.

We tell our students and mothers not to study with Korean English teachers at other schools (we have only native speakers), and we give them notes to show to their school teachers (if they dare) giving them the correct meanings and translations of words.

[Privateer]

Aside from puberty don't they get a huge increase in workload in middle school?

[crazylemongirl]

[Paji eh Wong]

[crazylemongirl]