Korean Job Discussion Forums

[reactionary]

I have a 2 week regular winter camp, and 1 week "bonus" camp.

I have a choice: parents or "depressed" students (this apparently means low level who can't speak at all)

Who knows how many parents would sign up, but they are predicting 3-4 "depressed" students, who I'd see for 3 hours a day.

I'm leaning towards the parents class, but that could be disastrous. What poison would you pick?

[cruisemonkey]

I'd take the depressed students and heavily medicate.

[Old Gil]

adults want to be there, kids don't. take the parents.

[I'm no Picasso]

I did a camp for both this past summer, in addition to my regular camps.

The parents were great and the kids were great too. The trouble with both these groups is that they're hard to warm up, so you have to push pretty hard to make them comfortable in the beginning. Once you get past the initial awkwardness with both (when the adults become comfortable with each other and when the students realize you're not going to skin them alive for not speaking English), then it should be alright.

You can do more with the parents, because they will be higher level, but it can be more stressful because you may have to meet some vastly different levels at once.

With the kids, it may be hard work to find enough activities that they are reasonably able to do that won't get too repetitive and boring. If you speak a bit of Korean, this is a good time to bust it out. Even if it's completely unrelated to class, the kids will look 100% relieved once you can say something -- anything -- that they can understand. And they will relax a lot.

[Perceptioncheck]

"Depressed" students; I love it! Sounds like my entire school on Monday mornings.

I'd take the kids any day. The parents are more likely to have different levels of competency, which is a pain in the *** to plan for. I find parents a pain in the *** generally speaking, actually.

Kids are easy. At a camp, you can just play games and do crafts with them, regardless of how depressed they are. I don't really see parents getting into making a volcano or playing market or whatever else you do with the littluns'.

Anyway, good luck. Hope you make the right choice for you!

[reactionary]

i just fear being stuck with 3 mute kids for 3 hours. a class full of gum smacking parents at least i could make into some kind of gong show.

[ChilgokBlackHole]

I'd take the parents any day, and bill it as teaching the same program as I'm teaching the kids. It gives the parents the basics, and a common frame of reference when talking to their kids about homework, etc. I think it would give them a little insight. Kinda like the open houses we used to have back home, only longer.

[nomad-ish]

easy, the parents are more likely to bring you food

usually i'd choose the students, but only 3 or 4 low level and probably unmotivated students, i don't think so. take the parents. they probably want more survival english or conversation type lessons anyways, you won't have to worry about a ton of games.

[cruisemonkey]

[ippy]

The subject of food brings up a much more valuable thing: networks. You may hate everyone there, but they may know someone who knows someone who does something you LOVE to do