Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Qinella]

I'm about to start giving homework to the kids at my hagwon. The KTs said they have homework books, but they never do the work. I looked at the homework books and they are almost entirely in English and look both confusing and pointless, so I'm devising my own homework routine that will be easy, quick and helpful. However, I'm worried about them not doing it.

The things I've thought of so far are giving a point for each student that does his/her homework, and when every student in the class has a certain number of points, I will do either a pizza day, or a party, or take them outside to play for a day, all depending on age group and class size.

If anyone can offer me some suggestions on incentive ideas, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks,
Qinella

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Group rewards are always a problem because some kids deserve it and others don't. Stickers are always a hit with elementary kids - just remember to get some that the boys like, too.

[plattwaz]

I had calendars on the wall in my classroom and the kids got a sticker when they turned in their homework. The fact that they were on the wall for all others to see made them proud of their full calendars, or embarrassed of their lack of stickers. They enjoyed showing it to their parents at the end of the month when they got to take it home full of stickers.

It won't work though, if your academy doesn't have a homework "program" -- a teacher just randomly deciding there will be homework might clash with what the academy's "program" is. For instance, I worked at one hagwan where the Korean teachers were the only ones to give homework, the foreign teachers were not allowed to. I worked at another school where ALL teachers had to give certain homework each class, and if it wasn't done, it was reported to the Supervisor who promptly called the parents.....

So basically, I think you have to think about your reasons for deciding you will give them homework before you go to the effort to create decent, helpful exercises for independent work, and then mark it all, and return it, before you go to the trouble.