Korean Job Discussion Forums

Korea4me · Joined: 09 Jun 2005

I'm presently teaching in an elemtary school in their after school program. I am responsible for ~ 70 students. They are divided into 5 classes and levels. Every 8 weeks is a start of a new semester. I know some people are also teaching in elemtary school after programs and I am wondering what you do about these issues;

1- The parents want to see that their students have graduated and gone up a level for example from "A class" to "B class". The level has gone up but the class hasn't changed just the level of the book has. When they add new students for example "A class" is the beginner level the new students are not even beginner level they are like starter level so it doesn't mesh with the old group. They need to create a new class but they don't want to do that because they can't fit it into the time schedule. However, now I have 6 different level students and then they tell me just crunch the old kids together. But there is a reason why there are 5 different levels already??? What do you do? I know usually they add another teacher but the school doesn't want to do that.

2- Do any of you have to teach open classes when all the parents come and watch you teach the classes? If you have, what do you do? They want me to teach it like a circus. Any suggestions?

Any sugesstions or advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

stumptown · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2005 8:21 pm Post subject:

What company are you working for? BE VERY CAREFUL. PM me and we can talk.

margaret · Joined: 14 Oct 2003

I also teach elementary students after school. They are sorted by grade and by level but there's a lot of overlap. I mean the high and low level are far apart so they also tend to stick new students in who don't exactly match. Luckily I have small classes. All my classes have students who know more and less English. I try to adapt by working more with the slower ones and giving the faster ones something fun to do when they finish. Sometimes I get irritated that the students are placed by grade level at all instead of purely by level of English, but then I figure the kids want to have fun with their friends.
Margaret

I_Am_Wrong · Joined: 14 Sep 2004 Location: whatever

I teach two after school classes after regular classes and had to do open classes for the parents. I just did a little extra preparation and taught a pretty normal lesson. A couple of my parents thought my lesson for the beginners was too teacher orientated (and I agree), but overall the reviews were great and the school is very happy. I wouldn't sweat it too much....most of them won't be able to understand you anyways.

denverdeath · Joined: 21 May 2005 Location: Boo-sahn

Korea4me,

Why not just keep leveling them up to keep the parents happy? Structure it so you have 1A-1E, 2A-2E, etc. for every two months or something. Have the school do some sort of placement test, or you do one yourself. Place all the "starters" in 1A except for the exceptional students. A couple of your classes may be a bit bigger than others, yet you can probably manipulate things a bit to make things more manageable. Fail those that join late during the semester or aren't keeping pace with the others and have them repeat the same level the next time it comes around. You can also prepare some kind of completion certificate for each level to make it look "official". Just suggestions. I understand your problem. The other posters' thoughts about the "open" class are good.