Korean Job Discussion Forums

[gillod]

I've had this afterschool class 5 days a week since the start of the semester and it started badly and has gotten worse. These kids are a nightmare- They just refuse to do anything I give to them. I slaved over these workbooks that I created, formatted and bound over the weekend. They tore them in half. If I hand them a worksheet, they just SCREAM in Korean and throw it in the trash or write all over it.

I figured I wasn't being engaging enough, so I went down to the stationary place and dropped some bucks on watercolor and construction paper and whatever else. I'm still finding paint stuck to the walls.

They steal all my stuff! If I don't lock it up in a cabinet, it dissapears. I have no more magents. My tape is gone. They took my friggin' hole punch.

I asked to drop the class. These kids don't even know the alphabet and they refuse to even pretend to be paying attention. I'm more than happy to teach them the alphabet, but once the teacher drops them off they just start tearing around the room. The teacher dissapears somewhere and I'm left holding the bag. What I was told was that the VP really wanted to be able to say that she has this afterschool program for English learning and that if I wanted to drop the class I could, but I'd probably have to find another job.

Outside of this class, everything is great. I have kids who try pretty hard and are actually doing really well. But at the end of every day is this one hour of pure misery. I've already made it clear that I will not teach 1st & 2nd grade ever again. But for now, I'm stuck.

What do you do with your 1st & 2nd grade kids? I literally can't communicate with them. And any visual project- like simple origami or cut 'n paste stuff- they refuse to do. They like to sing songs, but I have them for 60 minutes. That only goes so far. They'll watch Spongebob, but now that we've seen every episode 10 times, even that's worn off.


Ideas/prayers?

[MalFSU1]

I totally feel your pain!!!! I teach at a country school every week and after lunch on Thursdays I have a class that sounds just like yours! I asked the 2nd grade teacher to please stay and she pretty much refuses. I don't care what people are gonna say to you on here ....it's not your fault, sometimes the deck is just ridiculously stacked against us!

Thankfully I only have to deal with them once a week, so I can't even imagine your situation. Have you tried www.barryfunenglish.com. I have found it to be a godsend(especially if you are not provided a textbook ). It's like $14 a year for subscription but there are good interactive games and flashcards covering all types of vocabulary) Also sing lots of songs even if you have to do them over and over. Some suggestions 5 Little Monkeys, Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, Toonbo Alphabet song(youtube) I've even done the chicken dance

As far as discipline, I'm still figuring that out. I have made them put their backpacks in the back of the room, which has helped a little(seem to understand it's not go home time, but learn English time). It also helps to have a routine, children like structure. My classes go like this ....Opening song, then exercises(touch your toes, touch your toes, clap your hands, close your eyes, sit down) then we write the alphabet or short words all together(it seems they do better following me as I write on the board then just giving them a worksheet and having them do it by themselves) Then we sing another song, I then introduce some flashcards for the days lesson until they can repeat back what is on the cards, then lastly I try to play a game with them on barryfun website) Then finished!

I wish you the best of luck! Stay sane

[gillod]

One of my bigger issues is that their regular classroom is right next door, so in the middle of a lesson or whatever they'll just GET UP, like 4 or 5 of them, and make a mad dash for the door. I can maybe stop 1 or two, but that's still 3 running off to god knows where.

I'll try flash cards. In the past they just refused to speak, I'd have these cards and try to sit with them and they'd just act like I wasn't even in the room. Even if I yell at them- which I hate doing, but they seriously drive me to it- they just act like they dont know what I'm saying and keep running around.

Ugh.

[jonpurdy]

I rather dislike teaching 1-2 graders as well due to attention-span and discipline but I agreed to do it as a favour. My kids are also not nearly as bad as yours. But some advice:

1. Get a co-teacher. I can handle 3-6 grade doing the occasional solo lesson. It's a bit more difficult but I can discipline them. 1-2 grade is unlike the higher grades at all and the same discipline methods don't work. There's an inherent lack of respect that you don't have with older kids. I wouldn't teach 1-2 grade without one. If my co- couldn't make it to class for one day I'd just give the kids something to colour and watch SpongeBob. (I've tried to teach solo before and it was ridiculous.)

2. Do a long warm-up of 10-15 minutes (or more if you need). Do something engaging to the kids that's easy for everyone to do and fun. This will knock off some of their energy and prepare them for studying.

3. Keep them engaged as best you can. Be loud and make wild and extreme motions. Focus on the class as a whole while at the same time giving individual students attention. Look directly at the kids that seem uninterested or likely to stray.

4. Get a co-teacher. I repeat this because a lot of the discipline problems you're having could be mitigated with someone to help you. Your life will be much easier.

5. Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

[NYC_Gal]

1. Get a coteacher. Demand a coteacher. Your contract says you will be assisting a Korean teacher, so why would they give you this group without one?

2. If 1 fails, show them Mr. Bean.

[AsiaESLbound]

Good advice JohPurdy. I too had an issue at the beginning of my young after school class, but it's sorted out and going well now. Yes, it's best to get a Korean teacher to sort them out , even for 5 minutes, as I can tell Koreans often forget to brief 1st timer English students in order to mentally prepare them for the new experience and what behavior is expected during your time with them. I can tell students are sent in with little explanation where they just assume you will teach them English. They are going nutz, because they don't know what to think and have all these funny feelings of confusion, shyness, and embarrassment, so they need a talking from your co-teacher for them to better understand what they are doing and why.

Establish a routine of introductions. (I.e. How are you? What day is it? How is the weather?) Do lots of singing activities. If you have it, put the multimedia system to use. They are not ready to write yet other than practicing writing ABC's such as with funfonix.com material or copies out of a phonics book. Teach them phonics and do lots of singing activities is my best advice. Listen and repeat works well. What is it? It's a car. It's a car. It's a car. Repetition, action, and routine works. Like practicing how to play a song.

[gillod]

It's an afterschool class, which is why I don't have a co- and no one else wants to waste their prep/GMarket time bailing me out.

Barryfunenglish looks great, I'm gonna try some stuff from there today.

[lukas]

[Fishead soup]

EFL Classroom 2.0 ning.

Baam What's the Wordle Jeopardy

[Fox]

I actually find that my first and second grade after school class goes reasonably well. I don't have a co-teacher, but the comparatively small class size (about 10 students) helps a lot. Each lesson is an hour long, and I do activities with them until I feel like they're starting to get restless, then I make them do a writing or drawing activity, which generally keeps them calm for the rest of the class.

It sounds like more of a problem with your students than with anything you're diong. Some kids are just impossible, especially when there's a language barrier. It's difficult to effectively discipline when you can't communicate.