Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ya-ta Boy]

I worked my fingers to the bone for 20 years back home and produced some pretty darn good lessons, but never--not once--did I ever get applauded at the end of class. I know some of my lessons were good because some of the other teachers 'complained' that I was getting the students worked up in my class and were still debating the topic when they got to their next class.

Here, at the end of class, especially with a new group for a few weeks, students applaud a good lesson. It's pretty darn gratifying. I was embarrassed the first few times and have never figured out a polite response. I applaud them in return but am not really sure that's the best way to deal with the situation.

How do the rest of you handle it?

[spliff]

I suggest u buy a back scratcher.

[aka Dave]

This is acutally a weird thing (for me) that goes on. In my conversation classes, whenever students do an oral presentation, we all clap when they finish. Yeah, I know, bizarre for Americans. But the Koreans like it and I see nothing wrong with it. Postive feedback is always better than negative feedback, and Koreans often lack confidence in their English abilities.

As for applauding me, no. No way. They pull that i'm my rolling eyes, I'm not Korean. They just say thank you teacher, and that's bizarre enough .

[Kikomom]

Take a few bows and show your deep appreciation too. They likes ya!

Now if it's a steady, slow, coordinated clap that gets louder and louder... They're happy that class is over and you're being drumrolled ......... stage .

[Ya-ta Boy]

[Hanson]

[Draz]

Four months in and my students still cheer and clap when I walk into the classroom.

We also clap for anyone who stands up and reads in front of the class. (I remember doing this in foreign language class when I went to school in Canada too.) Never gotten it after a lesson though.

[poet13]

Yeah, the students clap and cheer. I just finished a teachers class on Monday. They applauded. I was embarrassed.
I did a camp for middle school boys last weekend. They applauded at the end. I hammed it up.
My 3rd year students cheer when I go into the classroom...I don't think it's because of me. I think it's just cause I'm not the other teacher.

[ED209]

No clapping in my class. It takes me ages to get them asleep.

[Kikomom]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

I don't know if I'd call it a habbit, except at the end of a demonstration class (i.e. a show) or some special event. With my kids it seems like more of a spontaneous reactin that happens sometimes when they realise we're going to do a fun game or they're going to get a reward.

It does sometimes make me feel like a bit of an asshole to make the class bow and say 'Thank-you sir' after a lesson that I know not everyone enjoyed and is particularly thankful for. But I guess to the students' neo-Confucian minds it still makes perfect sense.

[branchsnapper]

That can happen, but it doesn't normally tend to happen after a really well presented lesson on the present perfect with a cunningly designed worksheet. I guess it really depends on the occasion, and the people, and the showiness of the class.

I don't think it is worth getting worked up about, and I think that the tendency to prefer shows to involvement is a bad habit of Koreans, and one of the big factors in their poor language skills.

[bejarano-korea]

I got the round of applause today at the end of one of my second year
classes - I remembered this thread and was pretty chuffed to be honest!

I hope I can continue in the same vein - I doubt it but heres hoping!

[Kikomom]

Maybe there's a Korean version of Pattycake, or "If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands" that got them started?

Blame it on the moms.

[moosehead]

I got mixed up on the trains once on my way to work and the K english teacher had to start my class for me.

both he and I were both jaw-dropping shocked when I walked in 20 minutes late and the class started cheering and applauding because I'd arrived !!

I'll never forget that it was great!