Korean Job Discussion Forums

dulouz · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Location: Uranus

I smack kids and I twist their arms too. I was talked to about throwing the markers after I broke a kids glasses. I tried hard and it worked for along while. Then one day, the owner took the Korean teacher out of the class so she could clean. About 3 minutes later the class went to hell. The kids started throwing the slippers around and then they started hitting me and throwing the slippers at me so I threw one back. Copped the little snot bag right in the face too. Waa! Waa! Waa! Hey, I said "No" as loud as I could a dozen times. What a crappy sorry excuse of a job. The next time "I'll have to let you go out of safety for the kids". Whatever.

My internal conflict is "This is crap" vs "I will not be outsmarted by children". How much do I like this Korea thing?

anae · Joined: 13 May 2003 Location: cowtown

Resign. You are a danger to children.

Arthur Fonzerelli · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Location: Suwon

bro...teaching at a kiddy hogwon isn't for you...some can hack others can't...

move on to a different job.....

LiquidSunshine · Joined: 31 Mar 2003

dude you've got to chill. they're little kids. there are so many better ways to control your classroom. if you are so easily frustrated by a bunch of little kids maybe you should quit and do something you're more in tune with. it's not a bark at what you said, it's just an observation. if you want to stick out for teh duration of your contract perhaps you should do some research on the net...

dulouz · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Location: Uranus

Yea, I'd like to finish the contract just to say I could do it. Education is funny but sad profession. Why would an adult turn over their livelyhood to children? Why would a sane person do that? Even now I'm taking advice from some one that works for The Chicago Public Schools. That should be a red light enough. I think its sad what I've done but I keep laughing about it.

Bubbliee · Joined: 03 Jul 2003 Location: Kelowna, BC Canada

You should come work for my school. I and the other foreign teachers have been talked to a few times because we don't disipline the students enough! I have been told that I must start hitting them. Sounds like you might fit in.

katydid · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Location: Here kitty kitty kitty...

I can understand to an extent that sometimes you feel out of control at a kiddie hagwan, but these kids are so much smaller than you and you have to take that into consideration when you work at a hagwan.
If they are pushing you to the edge, then count for as long as it takes to calm yourself down, send them outside, make them stay and clap erasers after class...do something other than hit the kids with a "I'm bigger and better than you" attitude.
If you can talk to any other foreign teachers at your school about how to restore order in class, and how to discipline kids, then by all means do it.
Even if they drive you nuts, you have to try to maintain some kind of control.

sakamuras · Joined: 21 Jun 2003

welcome to korea.

Len8 · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Location: Kyungju

I hate to say this, but if you swear at them in Korean they'll sometimes be quiet. they pretty much know what is a no no in their own language. Just call them "michi nomes". That might not only shut them up, it might also make them cry.

In this "Job discussion forum" the thread about games to use in the classroom has some good ideas. Even "simon says---" is good. I tried that one in that thread about the chicken ,hamburger,french fries--- and it worked pretty well.

I think I know what you mean when you say you want to see the year out, and have the satisfaction that you were able to teach and controll the kids. Maybe you are into education, and you want to lick the problem in the but. Can be done. Hang in there, and check the web for resources. use handouts if you have to, or even give them word searches. You'd be surprised at how well that works. if you don't have any, I think you can downlioad them off the net.

hadeshorn · Joined: 30 Jul 2003

*beep* these little shits up.

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

Its inexperience. I was similar but not that bad on a couple of occasions. After a while you learnt to control your anger. What you need is a system whereby the discipline is up to the Korean teachers. Get their support so you can send the naughty ones to them, they're far better at it than foreigners. I sympathise. but there are some proper steps you can take- try rewarding good behavior with candy etc. Just keep sending the bad ones to to the boss until it becomes enough of a headache for him to tackle the issue properly.

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

To revert to my whole original old, ancient hypothesis: Disciplinary problems like this is because the system is not supporting teachers or providing a firm and clear base for kids.
The answer is simple: bring back the cane. Once there is a clear detterent for bad behavior, it will stop, and everyone can happily settle into learning.
Its not abuse. just a short sharp shock to keep kids in line. And it rarely needs to be used. When i was at school, there was usually a spate of necessary canings at the start of each term. After that, everyone understood and settled into a good learning environment.
"Spare the rod, and hurt the child". no punishments now means little johnny could end up in jail later on in life, when he finally realises there are penalties for behaving badly.

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

Ever try kicking them out of class? Or having them stand in class holding the biggest dictionary/book you can find above their heads?

Both methods were used in my day as an elementary school child...let's say the book thing was pretty rough and few people were bad more than once.

mithridates · Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2003 1:09 am Post subject:

The best way I can remember disciplining a kid was one time when a 7 or so year old boy was acting up in class. I would tell him over and over again to sit down, to stop chatting in Korean to the others, to do some work, etc. to no effect. So I took him outside and gave him a talking to. I talk to them in Korean outside because that's much more effective most times.
This time I went on the assumption that his ears were bad and couldn't hear me. I asked him if he had been to a doctor, whether his mom had ever said anything about his hearing. He said no. So I told him I'd check for him. I bent down and whispered in his right ear quite softly, "Can you hear this?" yes. And in the left ear: "Can you hear this?" Yes.
"Then don't pretend you can't hear me."

That worked pretty well, though took a little time to carry out.

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

I happened upon a good method today for a class thats been getting slowly worse: 3 strikes and you're out. I write their names on the board if they're pi**ing me off. Each time they bahave badly I put a check beside it. 3 checks, and they get a red X- which means i report them to the korean teacher who will give them extra homework.
Works like a charm. The whole visual thing, of them nearing the danger zone of extra homework, and they start behaving.
But you have to have a supportive Korean teacher who will dish out homework to them.