Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Metsuke]

I'd like to hear from anyone willing to share their thoughts... just what does make a good ESL/EFL teacher in Korea?

What are the qualities that would differentiate a person as a good teacher and make you say... wow... I have alot to learn and that person is a good example of what its all about.

I'd be interested to hear any and all opinions.

[zappadelta]

1. You have to be ugly
2.

[canuckistan]

Patience, taking a real interest in your students, and taking the time to develop lesson plans/find quality ESL learning materials that are suited for them.
When they can see you care about their learning, they tend to be less of a headache in the classroom management dep't.

[Zenpickle]

Think back about the teachers you had that made the biggest impact on your life.

Emulate them.

[JacktheCat]

There is a big difference in what we think in the west makes a good teacher and what Koreans consider to be a good teacher.

It was discussed here:

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=33145

Be very careful emulating western good teacher qualities as many of those Koreans consider to be bad teacher traits.

[I_Am_Wrong]

http://humanities.byu.edu/elc/teacher/bestteacher

[VanIslander]

Can entertain and educate simultaneously

getting students to eagerly talk, write, read and listen.

[Badmojo]

I go with Van Islander.

I asked this question to my Chinese students in my end of year evaluation. What do you think the point of the oral class should be?

One student, "You should make your students want to speak English. That is the skill that you should focus on."

In Korea, I think you have got to maximize speech as much as possible. Yes, there are other skills, but they can read at home. They can write at home. If the teacher is making his/her class speak as much as possible - and I don't mean chanting, reading, repeating - but creating the speech on their own, then I'd say that the teacher is good and is doing their job.

At the same time, if the teacher is making this same process enjoyable for the students, and they're having pistol classes together, then I'd say they're a great teacher.

Unfortunately, as has been pointed out on other threads, and in particular just by Jack the Cat in some recent post, that takes a lot of energy in work and in preperation. You just can't sustain it at 25+ hours. You can't do it 8 classes a day. You can't do it seeing the class twice a week. You can't do it with 15 plus students. You can't do it shuffling kids in and out each month. You can't do it with some of these ridiculous textbooks. You can't do it in 90% of Korean schools.

So there's Badmojo drawing his line in the sand. I won't work in a public school, with their 20 + students, and classes you see once or twice a week. I won't join the death march that most Korean hagwon positions are. I won't work in Korea anymore.

[the eye]

1. don't just follow a text book
2. have a good archive of activities and games to backup lesson plans.
3. be culturally sensitive, and aware of societal taboos.
4. show an interest in things that interest your students, follow up on events in their lives,
5. have a childish sense of humor and lots of patience.
6. have well understood guidelines for disclipline.
7. be well groomed, well dressed (ie. no 5o'clock shadow, no holes in the socks)

[Reflections]

You have to be hansome

[Yu_Bum_suk]

If you could kick one kid out so that the other 9 pay attention you can actually attempt some of the above. I did that once, even though I don't think I was supposed to, and it worked like a charm.

By the way, what's the easiest way to say - phonetically please - 'I might call your mother'?

[SuperFly]

You mustu be funny.

[Grotto]

getting your school/hogwan to listent o you and implement your ideas!

[Ilsanman]

[the eye]

that threat isn't going to accomplish anything if it's obvious one can't speak korean.