Korean Job Discussion Forums

Gosp · Joined: 13 May 2004 Location: 85% There.

Just wondering how people felt the night before teaching their first English class. Did your school give you enough time to study the materials used in class or did they just drop you right into the mix? How did you sleep the night before��nervous or comfortable��and how did you feel right before you stepped in front of the students? How did you break the ice with them? Did your first class fly by or did it drag because of long, akward pauses? I'm a few weeks away from going into the classroom but curious nonetheless about how different people dealt with their first teaching experiences in South Korea��or anywhere else for that matter. Book recommendations on teaching ESL are more than welcome. Thanks in advance for any comments.

peppermint · Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:34 pm Post subject:

The first day was a nightmare. I got thrown into corporate classes, of a mixed level first thing, and because the idiot director got lost, I was late on top of it all.

On the bright side, there was nowhere to go but up Laughing

VanIslander · Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:36 pm Post subject:

Didn't expect any extra time to ease into it.

I came to teach and did so on day one. Jumped right into it.

Was scared as heck of the students for the first couple of months. Liked them ever since.

Hint: Be tough at first and become nicer over time. Their fear of you will keep many of them in line. A silent pause and a stare can do much more than getting angry or raising your voice.

ladyandthetramp · Joined: 21 Nov 2003

Not one bit.

The first few weeks were a nightmare. If you teach kids, they behave ten times worse than you can imagine. If you already know how to control them (which, without experience, you don't) you can manage much more easily. My second job went much more smoothly, and I expect my next one to go even better.

Not to mention most places don't give you any training on HOW to teach.

You'll pick it up as you go along, and take advice from others. There's a thread on this board right now about controlling difficult students, start out with that:
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=47

Michelle · Joined: 18 May 2003

jazblanc77 · Joined: 22 Feb 2004

In your first period with every class, sacrifice (discipline as an example to the others), one student so that they can see that you mean business. Try to figure out who the ring leader/show off is. After you do that, expalain to them your code of conduct so that they understand your expectations of them.

Agreeing with some previous posters. Start out strict and become soft with them over time.

McNasty · Joined: 04 Jul 2003

When I first arrived in the ROK I was assigned to kindy duty. OMG! What a shock to the system! I felt like a lion trainer in the cage for the first time. Thanks to the stellar training program provided by the school, I had absolutely no idea which end was up. The training bit, the material honked, and the kids were little terrors. I have to hand it to the kids, they broke me and turned me into a nervous wreck for a couple of weeks.

My first day of kindy, I still have nightmares!! Shocked

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

My first day was great.

Taught my first class, and the students ran to the owner's office to tell him I was wonderful. By the 3rd period of this, the director's wife sat in and was all smiles as I taught.

By the 4th period, she had two of the Korean teachers sit in, as well as a few parents who were considering the school. They were all thrilled, and applauded me.

That night, one of the korean female teachers went home with me and wouldn't leave.

That's about the time I woke up from my dream, and descended into my first day of hell.

Sangjonja · Joined: 03 Mar 2003

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

My official line is you rather rapidly go from wondering how you can open the children's minds to the wonder and beauty of the world around them to wondering how to get them to all just shut the fsck up in about 8 minutes flat.

Homer · Guest

Landed on a Saturday. Started on the Tuesday (Monday was a holiday that week).

It went fine. Normal nerves when starting out but after those it went along like I had been doing this for a while.

Gotta say I was a teacher back home before coming here..... Wink

Miryum · Joined: 09 May 2004

I cringe when I think of my first class - it was a disaster!

I arrived in Korea on a Thursday evening & the school's owner asked if I'd mind teaching classes the following morning (would you mind=you must!) I reluctantly agreed & asked about teaching materials & what kind of topics they usually cover (advanced adult conversation classes). I got a vague reply -'teacher's topic'.

I entered my 7am class the following morning, bleary eyed & exhausted. But, I had my TEFL cert under my belt & felt quietly confident Rolling Eyes

. Ha, that confidence took a nice battering in the first class. I tried to do some pairwork - this was greeted with looks of horror & an awkward silence, which was broken by a 50 year old Korean naval officer ranting at me in Korean It was terrible!

...But now I really enjoy my classes & the students have totally opened up. The first day can be particularly tough, but it does get better.

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003