Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Derrek]

Ugh.. I lost my cool today. It happens maybe 2 times per semester.

Today, they pushed me a little too far, and I sort of exploded. I'm embarrased, to say the least. I don't like getting angry in front of my students. I often fake anger, but the students know my "fake" anger face/speech, and usually fall into line quickly with a cute smile. We move on, and everything is usually fine.

Today, however, was different. The 1-6 class has a group of 3 to 4 "problem" girls that ALWAYS cause troubles. They've been in and out of trouble so many times by so many teachers, I'm surprised they are allowed to attend class at all.

Well, when I get really pissed, I sort of explode -- slamming my hand down on the table, and yelling whatever it was I tried to say (usually one word), but was ignored earlier. Only when I yell, it's sort of an embarrasing problem.

It's loud. And this time, I yelled it in Korean: STAND UP!!! (EEERROONNNAAAAHH!!!!). Two girls were being naughty, and I had already told them twice to stand up, but they wouldn't.

After I yelled, my students jump out of their seats in shock. Fine. But the problem is that my yell also causes the teachers in the teachers' office to jump. Also, the students in the class next door, and I'm told this time the teacher, also jumped. I think I sort of pissed off the other teachers in the office because I gave them a heart-attack.

Ugh, I hate getting angry.

They were dead-silent for the rest of the hour, though.

Do you ever lose your cool?

[JacktheCat]

I'm the same way Derrek.

It's reaallly hard to make me angry, but when I do get angry, it's thunderstorm, call down the fury of the gods angry.

I've learned to just walk out of the classroom\office, take a few big deep breaths and meditate for a bit to calm down, and then walk back into the situation with a clear head.

Getting angry with a student or your boss is counter productive and a loss loss all around.

[eamo]

It's so funny how saying,

"hey everybody! Sit down please!",

can be completely ignored but one, good sharp,

"Yah!"

.... will make them jump six inches.

Don't like to use it too often though. They'll just start ignoring that too.

[JacktheCat]

I think we are all a little short fused these days with the summer heat and humidity.

And our high school students are running on less than 4 hours sleep studying up for their finals next week.

[Dan]

I just become a totally different person when I'm angry, so my kids learned to tell when I was pissed, and they were terrified. I never physically hurt a child, but they were so traumatized by the change in my personality that they learned to behave once they saw the warning signs.

I hope in some way, this made their life and my life much easier.

[mindmetoo]

Yeah I really scare the hell out of them when I yell. Sometimes I invoke what my mother always calls her "French Canadian temper". She's this sweet lady but then if you push her past a certain line, out it comes.

Usually I'm happy, nice, choco-pies-in-the-desk teacher... but if a lil turd really pushes it I can unleash. I had one idiot kid yesterday dump a whole tupperware tub of pog/dakji on the desk (we sit around at a common table). After telling him twice to put it away, that you don't pull out a frukin' game at the start of class, I just swept all the pog pieces onto the floor.

"Are we in English class or stupid class?"

[eamo]

[Dan]

[Knappstar]

I am one of those people that can turn on an evil eye really quick, and my kids usually respond really well to it. Also, I try to always make classes fun, but my kids know if they screw up, there are going to be consequences, and they usually accept them. You spoke Korean? 10 coupons. You hit a classmate? 30 coupons. What REALLY gets me, though, is when I catch them red handed, and then they vehemently deny it, and start to get all flustered when I enforce the consequences. You do the crime, you do the time. They can cry til they're blue in the face...if I catch you screwing up, you're gonna pay.

[mindmetoo]

[Badmojo]

It rarely happens to me anymore, but it's taken time.

It was an eye-opening experience moving from university students to hagwon students. I was probably pissed off half the time my first month, then realized that it got me nowhere. That's what some of these punks want to see. For the first time I thought my TESOL course let me down. Why didn't you say anything about strategies for children?

What makes you angry? Behavioural problems won't do it to me anymore. It just doesn't faze me. I might warn them a few times, and if they persist, I just kick them out of class. No worries, no problems, no rise in blood temperature. Derrek, I just would have kicked the girls out.

What gets me sometimes though, is lack of effort. Students who project malaise, or don't want to be there. Or maybe if they're too tired. I got a high school student last night too tired or lazy to work. And it upset me. I'm still a little bit angry today. Don't come if you're not going to or you can't work. I hate the whole idea of an 8:45 PM class sometimes.

[just because]

Hate to be a grammar pain in the butt....

[buymybook]

[JongnoGuru]

[crazylemongirl]

My student know they are in trouble when I'm deadly silent and glare at them. It's a good contrast as my classes and I are very noisy so they know that quiet means they are in trouble.