Korean Job Discussion Forums

nomad-ish · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:14 pm Post subject: demo/open class

ok, this is something of a rant... my co-teacher is driving me absolutely nuts with this. i have (obviously) worked with her to plan this lesson, and she keeps changing things (for the worse) and adding in SO MANY inane, dumb things. there is such a thing as having TOO many visual aids in one little lesson.

what exactly is the purpose of an open class? and i don't want to hear "the sharing of ideas in the ESL classroom". i want to know what's in it for her. is it a raise? or could a bad lesson cost her her job?

i would really like to know this as it might help me to be more understanding of what she's doing right now....
thanks

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

Nothing

Don't worry about it.

Sit back let her do all the work, don't worry.

If it goes bad it goes bad. Doesn't matter.

Really.

nomad-ish · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:21 pm Post subject:

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

Seriously, don't worry about it.

Don't even stress yourself.

crazy_arcade · Joined: 05 Nov 2006

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

Mate, don't stress it. This is just a show for the DOE and the school. You're just an actor playing a part (Native Speaker/Assistant/English Teacher) The role you play is up to your school. But if you're not in complete control of the lesson plan - I'd let the K teacher have the star role - just be an 'assistant'.

For our school demo I was literally that. I wore my suit and tie, shined my shoes - and walked around the room encouraging students and smiling at the DOE and Principal. I also had the really responsible job of marking the groups scores on the W/B. Funny, but nobody mentioned (or cared) that I'd made all the lesson plans (and delivered them) for the last 7 months. So everyone was happy. My co-teacher got her promotion points, the school looked good (whizbang powerpoint lesson - and the NSET didn't embarrass the school by wearing bad fashion) - and I got paid for doing nothing (again).

Don't stress. Good luck.

nomad-ish · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:53 pm Post subject:

nomad-ish · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 11:00 pm Post subject:

thanks mr.squirrel and farang, it's good to know that it's just about a promotion/raise, it makes me feel a lot better!

i thought her job was on the line, because she's been very jumpy about this lesson from the beginning (which was before the summer when we started planning it! Laughing

)

ulmaeri · Joined: 26 Sep 2007

I think there is also the subject of face....
If the lesson is really terrible, then she looks bad and that reflects some on the school. So it is also a matter of pride that they can have a good model lesson. Nevermind that it normally bears no relations to a normal class.

But consider yourself lucky that the teacher is taking part in the planning of the lesson. This semester, mine cited the fact that she is busy with 3rd yr students and their application to high school to excuse herself from helping me plan.