Korean Job Discussion Forums

[IncognitoHFX]

I need to vent about something. If anyone can identify, that's cool. Just don't make fun of me over it because I need that about as much as I need to wipe my ass with waxpaper.

Anyway, I'm having an astonishingly difficult time with my job. It's nobody's fault but mine. I feel embarrassed, ashamed and almost like I should give up.

I've been struggling with one thing since I came here and it's ideas. I don't know where to start with these kids. I don't know what to teach them, I don't know how to teach them, and I have trouble discerning what they do know from what they don't know.

Normally I can "fake it" and get by. I do try really hard to teach them English well, and I really do try to teach the right thing -- but most of the time it just bombs. My lesson plans suck. I can't make it informative and fun at the same time, or even just interesting (or even consistent for that matter). However, normally I can do it so confidently that it masks the fact that I'm confused as all hell and unsure about what to do.

Since after my vacation and I had time to reflect, I've dedicated myself to this problem. I spend a lot of time just trying to think of ideas for the class and pondering the question of "how do I teach these kids?" On Friday, I spent a great deal of time scouring the internet and thinking of lesson plan ideas. I want to have a solid curriculum, or a plan for the next couple of months. Or even something I can use for the next class. As I said, my only real problem is lesson planning. My classroom presence is fine, I can control the students well and I "fit in" at my school. My singular problem is the subject matter.

Anyway, on Friday I spent all my free time at work trying to put together a lesson plan. I was dissatisfied with it so I tossed it. On the weekend, I purchased several teacher's books at a large book store, brought them home, read them looking for ideas then spent six hours before school (no, I didn't sleep) fighting with myself trying to come up with ideas. I would've done it earlier, but I work best under pressure and my massive teaching brain fart makes it difficult to come up with anything at all when I'm not under pressure.

I wasn't satisfied, but I went along with what I had planned anyway because I couldn't think of anything else to do. I came in to school an hour early on no sleep, with all my plans, handouts and PPTs waiting in my email inbox for me to perfect before my first class started.

When I arrived, however, the school's internet was down. First thing in the morning, as well, we had an assembly which absorbed all of the prep time I had planned.

So, with hardly any prep time or materials, I drafted a 20-minute lesson plan, on no sleep, and walked into class feeling like sh*t. I taught the worst class of my life. The students (lowest level) even picked up on it and went to sleep. The new principal walked by, at which point I started spouting out "grammatically correct English nonsense" in a confident manner until he was gone, and I pretty much spent the rest of the class reviewing stuff they already knew (my previous lessons) and playing a game that we've already played before.

At the end of class, I caught up with my co-teacher and apologized for it, explaining everything. I haven't seen this much disdain from anyone before. She looked at me with this "I don't think you belong in a classroom" face, which she has been giving me from day one but with added emphasis, like "today you've actually lived up to my former preconceptions".

All in all, I feel like ass. No sleep. Worst class ever.

It was like being fed to the wolves or being in quick sand with no rope in sight.

Is anyone having these sorts of general problems, or have you had an completely crappy day like this before? I just really needed to get this off my chest to people who might understand.

[Mr. Susan]

Sucks that they're such hard-asses on weed on Korea. Weed would fix your problem. Stop over-analysing your teaching. The kids probably think you're 'da bomb' because you have brown skin, or blue eyes, or a tattoo, or that you can juggle.

Kids can't tell which teachers are better at preparing material from other teachers. (That sentence sounded terrible grammatically..... grammatically is probably spelt wrong too LOL)

Don't worry about things so much, just sit tight and collect that paycheck

[fromtheuk]

I relate to what your saying. In my first few months of school I used to feel lots of pressure trying to make a decent lesson plan for after school class.

I also used to worry about how long I could fake it and get by. Trust me, if you keep trying you eventually get better and feel semi-competent. I now have no anxiety about these issues. But at one time, it was a major worry.

[karri]

Yes I've been there.

Last year at the hogwon they threw me into the classes and let me teach for almost a year. Then at the 11 month mark I got a "review" and was basicaly told that i had no business inthe class room. I came back at him (my director was a canadian guy) and said it wasn't fair because he hasn't really trained me and anytime i asked for help he told me i should know how to do it. In response he acctualy helped me an dI'm a much better teacher for it.

My best advice is to go to an esl book store (all the big stores have a esl section) and choose some textbooks for the kids. When your looking at them make sure you choose one that works in a way that makes sense to you. Then start at page one and base your lessons around the worksheets in the book. Most textbooks have levels so you can use the same series for all your grade levels. Also most series have a textbook and a student workbook...the workbook is generally easier to photocopy.

My basic lesson plan is...

5-10 min review from last class (repeating or question and answer or game)
5-10 min introducing the new idea
20 min classwork
5 min review/check for understanding
10-15 min related game.

Hope it helps!

[Ya-ta Boy]

[Ya-ta Boy]

PS: EVERYONE has had lessons bomb. It's a terrifying, and humbling, experience.

[Fishead soup]

This isn't rocket science

Listen- repeat Listen-repeat listen repeat listen repeat listen repeat listen repeat listen repeat listen repeat listen repeat
Listen-repeat
Co-teacher translates
Listen-repeat
Listen-repeat
Co teacher translates
Repeat above process
Re-sign contact and repeat above process.
Go to Thailand for the winter break
Then repeat above process.

[crescent]

[EricaSmile84]

OP: I know how you feel. Maybe you can get advice from your co-teachers. I'm assuming your class doesn't follow a textbook (I guess we could say that the textbook "saved" me from being in your situation). Just try to stay on one schedule-- you can find a lot of stuff on websites but if you depend on only that you might find that your lessons will be too random from day to day.

Good luck and I hope you can stick it out till your contract is up.

[ardis]

[Easter Clark]

[crusher_of_heads]

Have a backup-you can be prepared, have good ideas and still the odd time fall flat on your face-no shame in changing gears when the need is there.

[wings]

If you are in a public school, which it sounds like from your post, then planning lessons should be fairly simple once you get the hang of it.

Yes it's great to plan your own curriculum and make lots of fun activities, but you also have to remember that these kids are going to be tested on EXACTLY what is in the school curriculum, so if you avoid the videos the kids are not going to do well on their exams.

If you are stuck for ideas you can follow the book and CD pretty much to the letter and just add a few other activities here and there; there are a lot of activities to go along with the book that other teachers have posted on esnips.

I teach grades 3-6 elementary and I have a lot of activities prepared, so if you need any ideas feel free to send me a PM.

[bogey666]

[alinkorea]

You need to take some kind of TEFL course. You should have the basic hang of teaching well covered by now though