Korean Job Discussion Forums

Radius · Joined: 20 Dec 2009

I have this one class where 2 students in this case, dont want to work, and if i get mad at them for not working, they turn the table around on me as if its my fault, and pout and say they hate me and Im mean. One girl texts her mom during class and talks about me. wth is this? all i want them to do is WORK. its not play time! What do you do for these types of kids. Korean teachers have tried talking to them too to no avail. Me making them work equates me as the Devil. What do i do, bc obviously im not getting any local support here from the staff. I can t switch classes, so what can i do since im going to be stuck with them, or (please God!) they drop out---but then i look like the bad teacher for having 2 kids drop out of my class. Im going nuts. advice please.

oskinny1 · Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Location: Right behind you!

Record (write down) everything that happens every class. Record the class with a video camera if you have one. Take the phones, only give them back to the students. Don't get angry at them, tell them to do the work. If they refuse tell them again. If they refuse again send them out of the classroom. When they complain to you ignore them, send them out and don't let them back in until they completed the work.
Record everything that you say and what they say. Every class.

thoreau · Joined: 21 Jun 2009

Sounds like a classic power struggle.

I say ignore them and teach to the rest of the class.

andrewchon · Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 3:12 am Post subject:

I had one boy who was ( and very likely still is ) obstinate to the n-th degree. His home-room teacher called it 옹고집. He wasn't uncooperative all the time, but somethings he wouldn't budge on, no matter how many of people told him that he was being stupid. One of his fixation was that I shouldn't teach him English because I didn't sound like the Konglish he was taught at his hagwon. Only times he participated was when he could speak his Konglish: finishee,light, reft, Fliday, ret's go two da jew, etc. Other times he'd be chatting away in Korean to other students. It was his way of saying "You can't teach me! You don't speak proper English like Koreans do." If the school was big, then I could've just banished him to self-study, alas my PS was small. I just had to live with it and put it down as a childishness of a 12 year old.

shostahoosier · Joined: 14 Apr 2009

My school is really tiny too.

Anyway...my first semester (fall) here I was a little too nice because I was replacing a teacher midway through the semester.

On the first day of this year I gave them guidelines of what I expected. Two of my big ones were NO KOREAN and YOU MUST PARTICIPATE.

I asked if they understood and they all said yes.

So now when they speak Korean (a little is ok) or when they pout, I make them go to the vice-principal's office where they have to write LOTS of sentences in English. And I dont hesitate to do it again the next day. So far they've all gotten the point.

Sometimes they cry and ask me not to make them go...but tears dont move me (it did hurt at first because I love my students!)...I can only be as nice as they let me be.

Of course this wont work at every school, especially if you're co-workers dont support you...but I say do something if its really eating at you. They dont need to like you or even be good students...but I think they need to respect that you're their teacher.

Whatever you do...dont blow up...

Steve_Rogers2008 · Joined: 22 Mar 2010

send them to the amin office, and if youre lucky, they'll make the lil' punks do pushups..... Wink

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

Some kids are just spoiled. Period. If you are in a hagwon, the parents are paying for you to teach them - but there's also a baby sitting expectation, too. It's up to you - as their teacher - how you treat these roles. Personally, I don't like (or let) kids disrespect me. Letting this slide only encourages other kids to act up.

I once had a problem with 3 elementary girls in a hagwon. THey started by being cheeky, and their behavior disintegrated into saying "No" and not reading etc. I wasn't too sure what to do about this - but... when one of them told me to F.... O...... - they gave me the perfect opportunity to eject them from the class - forever. The school made them apologise, they wrote me letters - but I refused to let them back into my class - ever. The hagwon tried to sneak them back into class a few times - and each time I just refused to teach until they left the room. Those kids eventually left the hagwon - and everyone - including me - learnt that students have to behave as students - matter who is teaching them - or no matter where they are.

My lesson - be firm, polite and kind - but don't let kids tell you how to teach.

Good luck

PS: I had to literally drag a violent PS high school student from class yesterday. Second warning for her. I've told the school that if this girl beats up another student in my class again - she's banned from my class forever.

Fishead soup · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Location: Korea

In Korea an apology is just asking permission to screw around again.

ThingsComeAround · Joined: 07 Nov 2008

Wow.
I'm in shock, OP, that you let the opinions of children determine how you run your class.

If the children look at you as "the Devil", so what?
Do you lose sleep?

I'm not saying you should be wicked toward them. But you should be firm and fair. If some bratty child has a phone in class, tell them to put it away. If they don't take it. Period. Let the mom come in and explain why it is acceptable for her daughter to text during YOUR CLASS. And let a Korean co-worker translate word-for-word what is being said.

Don't make the kids hate you. They can respect you and the rules you put before them. They won't if you eat the crap of a few bad apples Confused

caylia · Joined: 03 Mar 2010