Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jlw1127]

Hey everyone,

I'm curious as to teaching elementary and middle school students. Are they difficult? What works best ? Do you need to discipline alot? ANy advice would be great. Thanks everyone

[Grotto]

Grades 3, 4 and 5 are usually a joy to work with.

Grade 6 becomes somewhat more difficult but is still pretty good.

Grades 7, 8 and 9 should be abolished and the little shytes should be put to work in the rice paddies with overseers with whips lashing them regularily. Those that learn to work and obey can be let back into a classroom...those that dont either stay or come back to school in grade 10(if they want to).

Dealing with middle school kids requires a large dose of valium...preferably for them

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Very little Korean kids are usually horrid creatures and if my sins put me in one of the inner circles of hell I'll be stuck teaching them for the rest of eternity.

Middle schoolers are great (at a real school or serious academy - not at a typical hogwan). They're very enthusiastic, I don't find them that hard to control (my largest classes are 34), and they leave you feeling very rewarded when you get through to them. But they are a *lot* of work and you need a lot of confidence, patience, initiative, and determination.

[mack the knife]

If you've got skills, any kid can be great.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[noguri]

What are the skills a teacher needs for getting through to a six year old as opposed to the skills for getting through to a 14 year old?

I only have experience teaching adults, and like the OP, I'm wondering what skills I would need to handle kids' classes.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[riley]

To explain the difference, lets put it this way. Do you like active classes with kids who want to do everything? Or do you want a class that you can actually talk about an interesting idea?
Younger kids have a shorter attention span and are a lot more vocal and active, so they can't talk about complex things but will want to do everything and anything.
Older kids are generally shyer and have larger attention spans. They can talk about more complex issues and can say some surprisingly interesting things. They can also be very quiet in class. That is both good and bad.

[UncleAlex]

Provide lessons and material that captures the kids' interest and amuses
them. There will be a less chance that you'll encounter serious behavioral
problems among the general classroom population. Of course, one always
runs into the odd incorrigible class or student regardless of how amusing
and interesting the lessons are. In general, I have enjoyed teaching most
of my elementary and middle school students both in hagwons and in the
mainstream public sector.

"I'm not the only one, staring at the sun."