Korean Job Discussion Forums

[axmill]

Hey everyone!!!

So, I work at a public Middle school and we start up on Monday. One of my teachers warned me that the kids will be crazy for the whole month of March (especially the first graders). Do you have any advice on classroom management?

One of the teachers suggested that I stop smiling at the kids and to implement a strict set of rules (at least for the first month).

Any advice??? Is what she's saying true?

Thanks for the advice.

[D.D.]

There is always one year of little monsters but usually it is not the first graders.

Just introduce yourself the first class and show your family and some pics of stuff if you have facebook that is an easy way to show pics. Just leave out the ones of you pissed drunk at orientation.

I spend the first month teaching listening until I get the feeling that I am understood by them.

The 1st grades are usually quite nice. Last year in our school the 2nd graders were really bad and the third graders were cool as well.

The 3rd graders won't have any classes with me this year as they were so bad in 2nd grade. We are going to make some after school classes for the good ones.


I feel it is important to help them to write simple sentences. You would be surprised how little they learn in their classes with the Korean teachers.

There will be a big gap between the kids that attend hogwans and they other students.

Have fun and don't give your co-teachers anything to gossip about. They will try to find out stuff about you so they can make up lot's of stories.

I made the mistake of telling them last year that my gf was only 23. They had fun with that for months.

[Cracker006]

What to do the first week:

Family pics - Pics of your home town - Pics of your pets back home - Pics of you visiting places

Discipline:

Tell your coteacher that they are responsible for discipline, not you. If the kids get crazy... stop talking. Don't get upset. Stand silently and look politely expectant at your coteacher. He/she will yell at the kids. They'll stop for a few (seconds? maybe minutes) then when they start talking/acting up again, rinse and repeat. You're there to talk, and to teach... the coteacher is there to discipline and enforce. You're going to spend most of your time training your coteacher, rather than the students.

[toonchoon]

write the few most important rules on the board, write their names on the board, and write a big "X" as they act up. 3 "X" and they're out in the hall with their hands in the air.

no pictures, no stories, and make sure you are well prepared to teach them and keep them busy for 40 mins.

bring in the pics, and other info to class when the time is due. it'll be more of a treat to them to hear about you, after a few months of cramming.

worked for me.