Korean Job Discussion Forums

[half_pint]

The other day a little boy, he's about 8 years old, fell asleep in one of my classes (I don't think it's because I'm boring, the other kids were all participating and having fun, he was just really, really tired - you know that feeling where you just can't keep your eyes open - that was him). I kept waking him up to do his work, and answer questions, but then I played a game for the last fifteen minutes of the class and let him sleep. In another class. I have a student who travels pretty far to get to our school and doesn't have time to eat, so I let the kids take turns bringing food and they eat in class. I don't pile on the homework as much as my boss would like - especially with the really young kids.

I know that I am not really used to the lives kids lead in Korea - they just rush from school to school all day and barely have time to eat and sleep. Is it wrong for me to go easy on them? I know that they come to my school to learn, and it is my job to teach them and not baby them, but I don't want them to hate learning English, and I would rather give them a small amount of homework that they will think about and actually retain than piles of homework that they will rush through and forget...

Any thoughts?

[william beckerson]

Well, the kids may like you for it. The mums and the boss are the ones you have to please though. In hagwons, kids are a distant consideration compared to keeping the cash flowing. Basically, unless you lose kids, dont worry about it

[Circus Monkey]

When I used to teach kids, sometimes I would let the whole class sleep for a while. They loved me!

CM

[Crazy Oz]

When I got here a few years ago, I was surprised that the other teachers (Korean) would let the kids eat etc in class, as I believed that this would detract from the "learning environment". Since then I don't take it too serious when a kid wants to eat or have a snooze. I have found it much easier to instruct the kids when they are not hungry or tired, as they are more settled. The "mums" are the ones to watch out for! But having ran a few intensive courses, where to kids are at the hogwan for most of the day, I got the mums to send along a picnic for their kids, so that they could continue to "study" while enjoying some kimbap or whatever. This went over well.
Play it by ear. If you get bounced by the boss, or the "mums" complain, then work arounds abound.
You will find that the Korean teachers use the snack inducements regularly. Just don't set up a table for munging out at every class.


Still crazy, still here.

[bucheon bum]

personally, I let a kid sleep. 9 times out of 10 he simply is dead-tired and not trying to ignore class. I'm sure you can judge when a person really is tired or just acting.

As for eating, i can't allow it- hogwon instructions.

[Zyzyfer]

I usually strike bargains with the kids. If they tell me a story that sounds worth of some pity sleep/studyless time, I'm willing to work around it...but I always throw in the added point that I fully expect them to go telling their parents about the free time, and refuse to do it. This makes them promise not to tell anyone that they got a little bit of free time, and we both end up happy.

I don't do that much though...only with students who tell me the dreaded full day of hakwon story.

As for the "no eating" rule, I fully ignore that one. I only give kids a hassle if it disrupts the class; For instance, they eat some spicy, salty food and share with everyone, causing the entire class to make not one, not two, but no less than ten trips to the water machine.

[VanIslander]

If a child looks sleepy I have the droopy head do something like erase the board or open a window. I get paid to teach because their mothers and fathers, some of whom are far from rich, pay a lot of money for their kids to learn English. Sleeping is not in the curriculum and they know to show up prepared to learn.

If a child just wants to sleep or talk I offer them the door and say maybe it's okay with their parents if they don't study today. Nobody ever walks through the door and the student shapes up (every time).

I have been known to buy food and drinks, even hopping downstairs to the store below during class, because a child is hungry. No child should be hungry and I do my best to address it.

[sadsac]

Eating, I'm ok with. Sleeping, no. I try to keep them active so that they don't nod off. Sometimes it seems unfair, but they are there to learn, it's not a motel.

[rapier]

No eating or sleeping in my classes- because it easilly gets out of control. No chatting on cellphones either.

Actually, tell a lie... If I have a really bad kid, I will sometimes let them sleep because they're less trouble that way. It can actually add to the efficiency of the class.

[vdowd]

Just want to share a bit of my experience. I think you can tell the fakers from the real ones in need of sleep. Last year I had one little girl who constantly fell asleep. Needless to say she did not do well on the montly oral tests but when she was awake she tried hard. At first, I would wake her up to participate - sometimes she was sleeping so heavily, that was impossible even with games and noise around her. Even the other students couldn't wake her.

After a few months of teaching, I took a good look at her - the teachers said she was 7 years old but I have had children taller than her who were 3. I decided to give her a break and if she needed to sleep, let her do so.

However, I suggested to her parents that she was just too young to have the stamina yet - she was bright and would be able to do this soon. They agreed to put her back and have her repeat. She always seemed 4 beats behind.

This year she is a little older and is the star pupil in my class. No sleeping - a real live wire but always working hard to do better. She enjoys learning English.

I think that if I had not spoken up, I would have turned her into the stupid one in the class - never able to obtain the success she deserved. Now she is at the right stage to learn quickly and in one year has started to surpass the children in the class that she left behind last year.

[Dawn]

The really little guys (preschool/kindergarten) get to sleep if they're not feeling good or really tired. Korean teachers and director alike permit this, plus I'm with the same group of kids for about four hours every day, so a 20- or 30-minute nap once in a blue moon isn't going to do irreperable harm to their language abilities.

With the older kids, class rules largely discourage sleeping. They're not allowed to put their heads down on the table, lean back in their chairs, etc. I do toss the rules aside and let them rest, however, if they seem to be legitimately sick. Have had a sum total of three kids take me up on the offer since the beginning of the school year, and in all three cases, parents had no problem with it. (Korean teachers call home if a child is acting sick in class). Have never had a kid beyond second grade want to rest in class, though I have sent a couple of older ones home after they threw up. (Them: "Teacher, I'm OK. I will study." Me: "No, you're not. I just saw your lunch, and I don't want to see any more of it. Good-bye.")

Food is generally a non-issue, as our schedule includes a 10-minute snack/restroom break midway through each 90-minute class, and the school furnishes food for everybody. They will be getting a few extra treats over the next few days, as we're gearing up for our annual school presentation, and I want to break up the "practice, practice, practice" routine a bit.

[crazylemongirl]

I work in a public school and do not let my kids sleep, no matter how much I want a few of them to (because they are exhausted). If they are sick they shouldn't be at school so I will send them to the school nurse. Ultimatly I think that the schools needs to start sending home sick kids as all it does it gets other sick, and the moms need to stop sending their kids to cram schools until 11pm so that they don't fall asleep in my classes!

I conduct a special after school class and as there are only a few students (12), so I often bring along some snacks (fruits, sandwiches etc.) which we eat during our free talking sessions at the beginning of class. It's a good way to get to know your students and the pay off is that they are a lot more alert during the session. But there is no way I would do it in my regular classes of 40 kids or if I had more than one after school class. So this one class gets spoilt but as they are paying me extra to do it and are a great bunch of kids, I really don't mind coughing up some food for them.

[Eazy_E]

I don't see how you can allow food in class, even when you know how hungry the kids are. It's a distraction for everyone and they figure that if you're soft on that, then they can push you in other ways too.

I do allow my kids to rest/sleep or slack off, as long as we get through the standard two pages per day. I feel for the little buggers and to be honest I'm pretty drained myself towards the end of the day. The Korean education system is insane and I know I'm just a cog in the wheel, but I allow the kids a little breathing time in class.

[Corporal]

[crazylemongirl]