Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lepid gecko]

I try to make sure that each student gets equal attention from me in the class, by making eye contact etc..(classes are no bigger than 12), but sometimes if a student volunteers more than anyone else, and is actively participating, I find myself asking more questions and interacting more with those students. Yesterday one of the students complained that I was favouring certain students in the class (he said it differently but that's what he meant) and I realise he may have been right, for that lesson at least.
I try to balance everything out, but if a student sits silently looking at the wall, then I'm less inclined to interact, mostly because I'm dead tired of co-ercing students to talk.
What do you think about this, or are you aware of things like this?

[maxxx_power]

I pay more attention to the kiddies that ask questions and want to learn. The ones that just check out and fumble with their mp3 players or doodle get shit for attention.

If they don't want to learn then *beep* 'em, you take out what you put in.

It may also be that those kids saying you don't pay enough attention to them are the type that crave it constantly. Play favorites, why not? Some kids deserve it more.

[lush72]

[crazylemongirl]

When I first started working at my current gig I tried to keep the entire class on task. However in classes of 40 students I now aim to make sure that the kids who are never on task aren't disrupting the ones that are sometimes on task.

[prosodic]

I remember one semester when I taught two Shakespeare classes (stateside, not Korea). My student evaluations were very interesting that particular semester. In one class, I got a few comments that I favored the girls. In the other class, I got a few comments that I favored the boys. Reflecting back on it, I realized that I was actually favoring the bright kids (by kids I mean 19-21 year old university students). And it's not entirely true that I was favoring anybody. Rather, I encouraged intelligent and well thought-out comments and redirected the discussion after a particularly off-target comment. I don't think I have anything to feel guilty about for that.

That said, ESL is different. It's not about whether or not a discussion is heading in the right direction. It's about making sure that everybody has time to practice.

Still, Maxx_Power makes a good point that reflects a very old debate. A teacher has limited time and energy. There are occasions when you have to make choices about how to best utilize that time and energy. In some classes, it gets down to three choices. One, try to attend to the average level of the class, which can result in the top students getting bored while you teach to the lowest common denominator. Two, devote your attention to the students who do the most with what you offer, which means that the middle third and the slow students get lost. Three, try to bring the slowest students up to the level of everybody else, which can end up making the best students feel like they're not getting anything from the class.

Occasionally, you have the good fortune to be in a situation where the top students are willing to help out and coach the slower ones. In this situation, everyone wins. The slow students learn from their classmates. The top students develop a better understanding of concepts from having to figure out how to explain them to somebody else.

When I have to choose, I admit that I devote my attention to the students who do the most with what I have to offer. For me, it's about getting the most bang for the buck. Still, I always extend invitations to everybody (hint hint, nudge wink to the slower students) to approach me during office hours or breaks.

**edit for one typo**

[jajdude]

I think that is all perfectly normal there gecko. We all react more to the talkative and more extroverted people.

Right?

Someone who talks more, we listen.

Someone quiet, we don't engage as much.

Just normal, be you a teacher or anything else.

[lepid gecko]

[jajdude]

Ah, getting the quiet ones to respond..not easy. They like to be quiet and not be talked to. I mostly let 'em be while dealing with the noisemakers.

[mog]

I have one class where a kid is coached by the others. There are three in that particular class. One thing to add, however. You must pay attention to make sure that the coach is coaching correctly.

[Ya-ta Boy]

One easy method to get around accusations of favoritism is to write each student's name on a slip of paper. At the beginning of class, shuffle the slips and then go through the names in rotation. It also has the additional benefit of eliminating the use of "Hey, you!" as the name of each kid in class.