Korean Job Discussion Forums

jurassic82 · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Location: Somewhere!!!!

I writing in regards to how to properly discipline kids in class. I just started my job a month ago and for the most part my students are little angels and do what they are told but I have that one class that I'm sure every teacher who has taught in Korea knows as the rudest and reckless class that makes you forget why you love teaching in the first place. This for me is my lower level speaking class made up of 6 to 8 year olds. The girls in the class are great students but the three boys are just reckless and hardley ever do what they are told. Recently they have been even more reckless and violent. I told them to leave the girls alone but as soon as I turn my head they ignore me and run around the classroom screaming and terrorizing the other students. I'll tell you what happened today I turned my head to write something on the board when all of a sudden I hear this sharp cry. They girl was holding her hand and I discover this little boy who had been in trouble before stabbed her in the hand. It wasn't serious but the girl was in shock. I had to get the principle to come and get her. All the kids told what happened and the boy was yelled at. When the kids came back into the classroom it was silent and I scolded the boys and told them how they can't be rough with the girls like they can with other boys. I made them apologise and I made them say that they wouldn't hit or fight with girls outloud to the class. I don't know if this will do anything. I could really use someones advice on this situation. What should I do with bad kids like this? What is the best way to maintain discipline without looking like the wicked witch from east? Any and all advice is appreciated. Evil or Very Mad

bellum99 · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: don't need to know

Reward system

ilovebdt · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Location: Nr Seoul

When I taught elementary age children I would do this.

The first time they were naughty I wrote their name on the board and every time they continued to be naughty they would get a mark next to their name. When they got three marks next to their name they either left the classroom or they stood in the corner with their hands over their head.

Another one is to add on an extra minute of class time everytime someone is naughty. Keep a note of the extra time in a square. Draw a square on the board and write "1" inside it. Then make a big Show of erasing the number each time and increasing the numbers everytime someone is naughty.

ilovebdt

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

If it's at a hogwan just keep turfing them from the classroom and hope their parents pull them out. If it's at a public school drag them immediately to their homeroom teacher (dam-eam sunsaengnim).

Damn you make me happy I don't teach little Korean kids.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

kimchi_pizza · Posted: Fri Aug 25, 2006 1:11 am Post subject:

Candy?!? NEVER give candy out as part of your reward system. I found that most children that misbehave is because they are already strung out on too much sugar or caffine.

Cut the sugar supply and see a world of change. That goes for chocolate, tea, and even coffee (Can't believe how these kids drink coffee at such an early age), fruit drinks (not fruit juice), etc.

Being boys and knowing how fond they are of soccer. Laminate a few yellow and red cards and wear a whistle around your neck. They misbehave, blow your whistle and place a yellow card on their desk. Next "foul" they get a red card then booted outta class and report to the boss. Just like soccer. Keep it light-hearted and they'll respond even better.

BTW, yelling rarely if ever has any effect. Just use your imagination to come up with a reward system that works for you and the students.

Me? I write stars by their name on the board. 5 stars and they get a teacher dollar. 5 dollars they can join the end of session pizza party or buy smaller things like pencils, erasers, choco pies, and caramels. That's worked for me for the last several years. My dollars are so cool that they like just receiving the dollars and rarely buy anything except to join the pizza party. I just make sure that I give and take away stars based on rules set out during the very first class. [/i]

Hotpants · Joined: 27 Jan 2006

Sorry to hijack the original poster, but I have a variation on the question that I haven't seen addressed:

After a stressful class this semester which has now thankfully finished, I wonder what anyone would suggest for ADULTS who fight in class? I had plenty of verbal exchanges, 2 students walked out and quit, and the remaining students nearly had fisticuffs every lesson.

The root cause of the tension was a woman who dominated the class too much to the extent that she would harrass other students to speak if they so much as hesitated at questions, and the male students in particular found this too overwhelming. I had a talk to her and she said she realised the other men didn't like her, but that she didn't care because she was also a paying student like them...Oh no...

redlightorchestra · Joined: 16 Jan 2006

I had a kid who couldn't sit down or keep his hands to himself. Even for all the rewards and punishment in the world.
I physically held his hands on the table for about a week. I often had to pick him up and put him back in the chair. I gradually started letting his hands go, as soon as he hit someone, I would hold him again. He eventually could sit most of a class without hitting. And when he did I would take him out of the class and sit him in a chair outside for about a minute. He eventually could make it the whole class, and most of the day without hitting. If he did I would hold him in at break time. It took about 4 months to get him to stop hitting, now he is one of my best students.
Some learn classroom expectations fast, some are a bit slow, but some are downright resistant.

alabamaman · Joined: 25 Apr 2006

What is the best way to maintain discipline without looking like the wicked witch from east? Any and all advice is appreciated.

If I were in your situation, I would sit the violent student up front in the classroom. Furthermore, I would move their desks away from other students so they couldn't physically harm anyone.

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

shoeboy · Joined: 23 Apr 2006

Whoever thinks punishment don't work needs to have their head examined. They can't cause trouble if they're standing in the corner facing the wall. And they don't have much fun there so they don't do whatever they did wrong again. I'm sure they love the attention they are getting standing there doing nothing for 45 minutes, not playing games, not singing songs, etc.
And why the hell should we reward someone for doing what they are supposed to be doing?

laogaiguk · Joined: 06 Dec 2005 Location: somewhere in Korea

flotsam · Joined: 28 Mar 2006

Candy? Throw candy?

Are they students or seals?

Who the hell would throw candy to students in their home countries?

And a big: Rolling Eyes

in red for that.

If you don't like punishment, here's a wacky idea that, well, I don't know, sometimes seems to work for me even though it's pretty far-fetched:

Talk to them sincerely about their behavior(get a translator if you need one) and show them that you are an adult role model who cares.

I know, I know: that's just crazy talk, flotsam.