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A Ton of Documents

 
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Unreal



Joined: 01 Jul 2004
Location: Jeollabuk-do

PostPosted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:32 pm    Post subject: A Ton of Documents Reply with quote

I was asked to teach some Korean English teachers conversation classes for one week during the summer and get paid extra for it. I thought it sounded better than sitting around the empty school all day so I accepted. Only yesterday was I told that I will in fact be teaching around 50 people a composition and writing class and I have to write 37.5 pages of documentation to supplement my 15 class hours of teaching. This documentation is due in one week (next Wed). My Korean supervisor also has to do similar work and told me to "just find some stuff on the Internet. It doesn't really have to be what you're teaching." This seems like a typical public school beaurocratic process (not to mention pointless) and not something that I can negotiate my way out of.

Has anyone else had to provide massive amounts of documentation and how did you do it? I have no time to come up with 37.5 pages of original (or at least non-copyrite-violating) materials especially the week before final exams.
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Juregen



Joined: 30 May 2006

PostPosted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you tell us the subject we could al write one page and send it to you Smile
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schwa



Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap

PostPosted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 1:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do something similar each summer. I have to come up with 2.5 pages of text for each 50 minutes of "conversation" class. This year a mere 40 pages, but I've done up to 70 on short notice in years past. Ludicrous, but they pay me man won a page.

I sweated bullets the first time trying to write great original stuff. Not necessary. Your supervisor's advice is correct -- there are lots of ways to pad out the pages. You'll also likely find you're expected to type it in a rather large font in Hangeul WP, where pages fill up quicker than you'd expect. You can use creative spacing between lessons & any time theres a list make it vertical & skinny. Nobody cares. If you can scan in some visuals, great -- they eat space nicely.

Dont fret about copyright. I attribute sources but I've never asked any publisher for permission. The "textbook" will be a very limited run & no one will even know it exists once the course is finished. I'm just finishing up this year's materials & I'm several pages short. I'll hunt around on the net for a vaguely related article about the right length, add it to my lesson plans as an "appendix" & assign it as reading homework.

The important thing is to have an idea in your own head of what exactly youre going to teach & in some approximate order. That will be your course. If you skip some pages as you go along, no one's going to get upset.

I'm not saying dont try to make a nice job of it, but dont stress over fine points. Make yourself a strong pot of coffee & just start typing, copying, & pasting. Its a nice feeling when its done.
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Unreal



Joined: 01 Jul 2004
Location: Jeollabuk-do

PostPosted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 7:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

schwa wrote:
I do something similar each summer. I have to come up with 2.5 pages of text for each 50 minutes of "conversation" class.


This sounds like exactly what I'm doing except for a writing class. The terms of payment are very vague but if I'm going to get man won a page on top of teaching then I have no problem with it. My supervisor seems unsure of the payment and didn't give me an exact figure, so I haven't exactly been motivated to start on it yet. I have a couple of good articles which I think would be very useful which already amounts to 11 pages.

The articles are about freewriting and tips for writing good college entrance essays so these are topics I'm thinking about as well as some very common errors Korean students make such as the use (or non-use) of articles and the use of the passive voice. I'm teaching Korean English teachers so I expect a fairly high level of English ability but even among them I'm surprised at how often they forget to use articles and how fond they are of the passive voice. If anyone else has ideas on common errors or useful topics, I'd love to hear from you.
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schwa



Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap

PostPosted: Fri Jun 23, 2006 2:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Unreal wrote:
I'm teaching Korean English teachers so I expect a fairly high level of English ability ...

I'm teaching K-E teachers too. Be careful of your expectations.

Their speaking, listening, & reading skills will vary from pretty good down to pre-intermediate. Their writing skills will be uniformly wretched.

You'll find them biddable -- anything you set them to do they will give it their best shot. But dont hold your hopes too high. They will expect some challenging material but be sure to mix in lighter more enjoyable stuff too. They will complain to your supervisor if the class is perceived as "too hard."

I'd suggest you veer away from purely a writing focus in your course sometimes -- let them unstress conversationally.

Just like hagwon kids, they're really not happy to be sacrificing vacation time for obligatory workshops. If they are younger teachers, they will really appreciate activities that allow them to mingle (flirt) & be funny. If its mixed ages you'll have everything from attention hogs (keeners, usually women) to older promotion-track guys who dont care & just want to snooze off their soju lunches.

Oops, this is sounding a bit cynical. In fact I really enjoy these classes -- they're all sincere & interesting people in their own ways. The trick is in gearing your material so that everyone can contribute. Better class members will be kind & tolerant toward the obviously deficient & you'll need to do the same.

I strive to send every class member home at the end of my courses feeling at least a bit encouraged.
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