Korean Job Discussion Forums

[zappadelta]

I was hoping some of you high school teachers (JacktheCat, Derrek, Fidel)
could comment on this. I am working in a public elementary school, which, for the most part, I love. But, I am slowly getting tired of this attitude that if the lesson isn't fun, exciting, ����ְ�, whatever you want to call it, then it's no good. I am already looking forward to next year and was wondering if it's the same in your high school. I put a lot of time into my lesson planning and about 90% of the time they are fun, but it's a lot of pressure to make it fun. I remember back to my school days and it was never fun. The language classes were pretty much drilling and repetition. By the way Jack, your school looks really nice from those pics.

[JacktheCat]

It all depends on the school really, but I think in generally there is more pressure to have "real" lessons at the high school level and less pressure for "fun" lessons".

My high school has a reputation as a tough school and they have actually come out and said "make your lessons hard and don't goof around with the students, don't be their friend, be their teacher".

[JacktheCat]

[Derrek]

If you can find an all-girls' school, then discipline-wise, it's the way to go.

Jack is right, but I have learned that making the lessons "fun" and interesting earn you points toward being a "good teacher."

I suppose that would be true anywhere.

I truly loved teaching two ages in my time here: Kindy (when supervised and aided by Korean teachers), and teaching high school girls.

Everything else in between was a battle. Teaching adults was boring.

[zappadelta]

Yea, don't get me wrong. Drilling and repetition is not what I'm looking to do either. Just a happy medium where some lessons are fun and some are for real learning. Jack, your school sounds kind of like the place I want to work, as far as what is expected out of you as a teacher.

[fidel]

My school has never said anything to me regarding how I should teach my class and rightly so. I wouldn't expect them to tell the Korean teachers how to do their jobs. In fact, in 1.5 years at my current school I've never had a Korean teacher observe my class, I think the students do an evaluation once a year but I've never seen the results nor had any comments. My latest contract is for 2 years so I must be doing something right.

I don't care whether the class is interesting or not as long as they get the learning points. That said, I crack a lot of jokes during class for laughs and that generally keeps all of us sane.

[Rteacher]

I teach at a technical high school in Gyeonggi province (GEPIC) and I think it is stated in my contract that one of my duties as a teacher is to "make English learning fun" for students. I realized early on here that if my presentation was even a little boring about a third of the class would nod out - only to beaten on their heads with wooden (or aluminum) clubs by the Korean co-teachers. So, to keep the violence to a minimum I try to keep my teaching style either fun - or LOUD and "in your face."

[crazylemongirl]

Just chiming in as a middle school teacher, my school has never really said that I had to make my lessons fun nor interesting except for the camps.

That being said I think that if you want to hold the attention of as many of your 40 plus kids as possible then your lessons really do need to be interesting or classroom management becomes an issue.

My first grade students like my classes because they get to yell, scream and make a lot of noise. Which in general is frowned upon in middle school.

My third grade students like jokes, and interesting pictures. They seem so pleased to see me, as I only see them once every other week so my lessons are always a treat.

My second graders are in general a bunch of punks. However they were my sweet, cute, first graders who like to shout and scream last year plus they are like that for most of the teachers anyway so I don't take it personally.

[Mr. Pink]

Are you in Korea to be a clown or entertainer?

Some of my students think my lessons aren't fun. Guess what? Sometimes learning English is boring.

I refuse to act like a clown or entertainer. I try my best to get the students to speak English and participate. If the process isn't "fun" - I don't really care as long as they are improving in their conversation and they get a chance to speak English in class.

I think making a few jokes now and then is good. I don't remember any of my high school teachers making an ass of themselves and having to be a clown.

I have never had a Korean teacher watch my class. They don't tell me what to do, I tell them what I am going to do. I am pretty sure after asking them about some of their other classes, that after say, a physics class, they are happy to see me.

I teach at a private high school, so the quality of students here are probably much better than public school students.