Korean Job Discussion Forums

[cj1976]

I have a problem with one of my co-teachers. It's nothing personal, but he is absolutely worthless as co-teacher and I hate working with him.
The problem is that is he is too old and set in his ways to deal with today's youth. Because corporal punishment is banned, he is clueless on how to deal with kids. When we work 'together', he basically shouts at the kids at the start of the lesson to get them to be quiet, then he goes and sits down and does absolutely nothing else for the remainder of the class.
With some classes, I don't mind because the kids actually listen to me and discipline is not an issue. There are however, some lower-level classes that are impossible to teach. The kids don't listen, talk to each other etc and he doesn't even lift a finger.
Any decent teacher should be concerned about their students' progress in the class, but he simply doesn't care. It's obvious that the students aren't paying attention, and he really should be trying to make sure they are learning.
I feel there is no point in teaching these classes, and that I am just wasting my time there.
Anyway, I want to deal with this problem but the last time I confronted him, we ended up having a huge argument in front of the kids. To make matters worse, he is the head of the English dept.
How can I handle this without ruffling his feathers too badly?

[thegadfly]

Teach the classes yourself, as if he weren't there?

It isn't impossible -- just more difficult. Lots of folks do it. Some people even prefer it. I believe the practice is called "teaching."

[Fishead soup]

I know of several good solutions to this problem.

Tell him he can bring his administrative work into your classroom and do it during the class. He's like this becouse he can catch up with his paperwork. Plus he's still in the room so he can deal with some unforseen cicumstance a fight,

You enter the class for twenty minutes. Teach the students a language game or a powerpoint or whatever you do then let him take over and teach grammar. Teach grammar .

Break the class into two separate groups you teach one small grounp of fifteen to twenty students. He does the same. I know there are many schools that do this exclusively. The people I have talked to about this like it.

[West Coast Tatterdemalion]

And yet another post about the uselessness of co-teachers. Yet another reason why I will never work at a public school in Korea.

[cj1976]

[cj1976]

I like the idea of breaking up the class. That's something I discussed with another co-teacher. However, they still have to be in the same room. I suggested that he take the really bad kids in one room, and I take the better kids into another, but that's not permitted.
We're not even allowed to send the kids into the hallway. Another teacher did that last week and got into hot water after a parent complained.
The co-t in question seems to think that our class is an opportunity for him to relax and do nothing. That surely isn't right.

[thegadfly]

[vonnegutjr]

If your co-t has no control over the class when he's alone, then he won't when you are together. I think this may be one of those classes most ESL teachers have had that are just terrible. Just to grin, yell and deal with it I think may be the best way. You may be able to relieve your stress after work in a variety of both healthy and unhealthy ways but until then, I think the weight is on your shoulders to try different ways of disciplining the students or making class really exciting. Use lessons that have already been made from dave's, waygook, eflclassroom and more. Use videos. Assigned seating and ignore the co-t.

[mj roach]

co-teacher probably sits at the back
so.... seat the 'bad' kids... at the back
seat 'better' kids in front and teach them

[Swampfox10mm]

Set up a camera in the back of the room (where he can see it) and tell him you need to record for research. Do this every day. Either he'll start to work, or you can use the video as proof that he's worthless later.

[sallymonster]

I also have a useless co-teacher. I teach all of my regular classes with him. He does show up for class, but he doesn't do much, except that one time in one of my worst classes when he suddenly went all apes**t on the class and dragged the two worst students down to the teachers' office.

I usually just teach my classes myself and handle the classroom management myself. If the kids are really bad I talk to their homeroom teacher with another English teacher translating. This isn't as easy as it sounds, though; I teach middle school. I'm constantly exhausted and my voice is shot by the end of the day. 7 1/2 more weeks 'till I'm outta PS!

But hey, at least my co-teacher doesn't try to change the lesson mid-class or criticize my teaching in front of the students, like my former co-teachers did.

The best co-teachers are the ones who are patient, supportive, take charge of most discipline, don't tell you you're not entertaining enough when the students misbehave , and most importantly, offer feedback AFTER class. I've had one co-teacher like this, someone who came in part-time from another school. Unfortunately, she doesn't work at our school anymore.

[Malislamusrex]

well for the lower level classes.

Bingo.
word searches. (I do this one a month with my weakest classes, poor guys just can't do anything else)
hang man.
videos etc.

The teacher expects you to teach the class in many schools, I have only been in my school for 1 and a bit years and I outrank 2 of my co teachers....... The only time they get involved with the class is when students have mis behaved I have the 'tactic' of sending the students to stand against the wall.... this means hit them.

[Fishead soup]

Get him to give lots of word tests. For example the kind of grammar translation stuff most Korean teachers use. This stuff really kills time and makes the students more focused. Let him give a word test for the first ten minutes.

Get him to give speaking tests. Kids take these things seriously especially if he's writing stuff down it really doesn't matter if he actually intends on using this stuff for the kids final grades.

Get him to call on students to translate what you have said into Korean this means all the students understand what they have to do. They have no excuse not to do it.

[fromtheuk]

OP - The co-teacher at my last school in SK was awful. She'd sit at her desk staring at her computer screen for the whole lesson. I am pretty sure she'd do it to make life difficult for me.

You're officially an assistant so it is not your responsibility to take care of everything. Your co-teacher probably cannot stand the fact you exist, it's nothing personal. They probably resent your rent-free apartment, paid vacation etc.

I did a runner at my last public school in SK. The reasons for that included a better job offer abroad and the fact I despised my co-teacher.

I don't know what to advise. In short, I am sure your co-teacher is almost entirely to blame for their deliberate inaction.

Empathy in long supply from fromtheuk!

[Fishead soup]