Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mick]

I'm doing winter camp just now and there a few students in particular who keep coming to the classsroom too early each morning (25-30 mins). I keep telling them to come at 9:00 tomorrow because that's when class starts but they still appear at the same time the next day. Does anyone else have students who do this? It's like the parents want rid of them 30 mins early each day.

[mehamrick]

Maybe they take the bus?

[mick]

Nah. They all live around the school. None of the students have to take a bus. I guess I should be glad they're coming early and not late but I like to sit, relax for 10 mins and have a cup of coffee before the mayhem starts.

[OiGirl]

Lock the door?

Invite them to sit and relax with you over a cup of coffee?

[mick]

Haha. Yeah I'd lock the door if I could but can't do it it from the inside. Could always drag my desk over and barricade myself in until 9.

[Young FRANKenstein]

You don't have an office to hide in until class starts?

[matthews_world]

Live with it.

They're latch key kids. Nothin' to do besides go to hagwon during school vacation.

[Young FRANKenstein]

Throw in a video for them to watch and pass the time (and keep out of trouble).

[nobbyken]

Try youtube AFV clips or Mr Bean (stage6 downloads) to give some enjoyment.

[georgewallas]

I agree, these are latch key kids. My school has a secretaries island double as a teacher's "lounge", and again, I agree it's a nuisance to have the kids around.

As far as getting them out of your hair - a lot of the solutions amount to using a variant of the idiot box as a babysitter. It may be wiser to consider this;
Go to puzzlemaker.com. Depending on the students age and level, print out anything from a maze, to a cross word [that's if you can type fast, and you "think" a review may help] or a word search. It's free, and very fast.

I have my more advanced classes I jot a word from the reading on the board and let them look up the translation in a dictionary, most like it [to a limit] because it gives them a learning tool as well as reassures them that a)If they don't know, there's no shame in it, b)There's a way they can figure it out themselves.

Alternatively, if you don't want to work before work, and they're not over 10, give them paper and colors. That usually works, and certainly keeps them put and quiet [if there are enough colors].

[NightSky]

drives me crazy. (I don't teach at a public school or hagwon), but have youngsters wandering into my classroom forty minutes before class, setting up shop with all their crap. Koreans = early or late, but never on time.

[crusher_of_heads]

Play them Tell Me and stop being a scrooge! They are latch key kids like a previous poster said.

[Atavistic]

I ignore them. I HATE how the kids do this at my public school, and if I pop something on the screen, it makes my computer useless.

[nomad-ish]

luckily during my summer camps at my school i was able to hide out in the office before class, so the kids would just wait in the hall and talk or play outside. not so for this break unfortunately

if your kids don't seem to just want to hang out and talk with each other for the 30min before class, i would just put on an English movie with subs. the kids can watch it and u can relax with yr coffee. someone else mentioned puzzles, that's a good idea too

[yingwenlaoshi]

They must be talking, right? Well tell them that if they want to speak Korean that they must do so outside of your classroom.

Works like a charm.