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JiWoo
Joined: 19 Feb 2006
Location: America
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 Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 9:49 pm Post subject: High Schools students vs Middle School students |
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I'm sure this has been discussed before but the search engine isn't working right now and I'm really curious about this b/c I'm going to have decide between a public high school and a middle school soon.
I initially was looking for a high school b/c I figured the students would be more mature and interactive in class. But the more I learn the more I wonder if they won't be more reclusive and troublesome. I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience or expertise on this to speak generally. I know that each case is different but I was just hoping for some general advice.
Thanks |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 10:05 pm Post subject: Re: High Schools students vs Middle School students |
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| JiWoo wrote: |
I'm sure this has been discussed before but the search engine isn't working right now and I'm really curious about this b/c I'm going to have decide between a public high school and a middle school soon.
I initially was looking for a high school b/c I figured the students would be more mature and interactive in class. But the more I learn the more I wonder if they won't be more reclusive and troublesome. I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience or expertise on this to speak generally. I know that each case is different but I was just hoping for some general advice.
Thanks |
Having been in Korea six years and having taught both (middle school four years) and high school (three) and having talked to other people who have done so, it seems to be a general conclusion that,
Generally middle schoolers are a more troublesome bunch
Then again it also depends on the teacher (if you are soft, they will walk all over you) and the school. |
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crazylemongirl
Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Location: almost there...
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| Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 10:14 pm Post subject: |
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| I haven't taught high school, but I love teaching middle school. They still have a bit of curiosity and interest of being kids but are becoming junior adults. As they get older they do tend to get more surly. |
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jaderedux
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: Lurking outside Seoul
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| Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 10:36 pm Post subject: |
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Give me Middle School any day. They are still sort of cute and you can still strike the fear in their hearts.
The H.School students tend to be surly, tired and English is frequently the last thing on their minds. One of the Korean English teachers was so glad to escape teaching H.S. as especially in the last year they are only focused on that entrance test or that S.A.T. or whatever. Practice test after practice test. Ick.
They have little inate curiousity. They are stressed and not much joy in learning. They are holding out until University so they can go crazy and have some fun. Till then it is grindstone 24/7.
BTW I don't blame them. I would surly too if I were in school unill 9 or 10 o'clock which is the case in my little part of Korea. I have been here 5 years at this school and my boys who come back to see me seem so stressed and tired. Some are at school till 10:30. To me that's nuts.
Give me my over-active goofy Middle Schoolers any day.
Jade |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 12:08 am Post subject: |
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I love my middle schoolers, even bratty little Hyo-Eun with her five-second attention span, but my academic high school students are an absolute joy to teach. Vocational high school students can be a chore sometimes, but they're OK as long as you take it slow and realise that most of them really don't need English and any learning is a victory.
With high school it makes a HUGE difference what one's teaching - academic, vocational, or industrial. |
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zappalives
Joined: 15 May 2006
Location: Gyeongju
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| Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 6:18 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| With high school it makes a HUGE difference what one's teaching - academic, vocational, or industrial. |
How so? Pontificate, please! |
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Francis-Pax
Joined: 20 Nov 2005
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| Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 10:10 am Post subject: |
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| jaderedux wrote: |
Give me Middle School any day. They are still sort of cute and you can still strike the fear in their hearts.
The H.School students tend to be surly, tired and English is frequently the last thing on their minds. One of the Korean English teachers was so glad to escape teaching H.S. as especially in the last year they are only focused on that entrance test or that S.A.T. or whatever. Practice test after practice test. Ick.
They have little inate curiousity. They are stressed and not much joy in learning. They are holding out until University so they can go crazy and have some fun. Till then it is grindstone 24/7.
BTW I don't blame them. I would surly too if I were in school unill 9 or 10 o'clock which is the case in my little part of Korea. I have been here 5 years at this school and my boys who come back to see me seem so stressed and tired. Some are at school till 10:30. To me that's nuts.
Give me my over-active goofy Middle Schoolers any day.
Jade |
I think that there are many HS student very serious about English, since many of the top universities are switching their lectures to English. |
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Yu_Bum_suk
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
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| Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 4:38 pm Post subject: |
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| zappalives wrote: |
| Quote: |
| With high school it makes a HUGE difference what one's teaching - academic, vocational, or industrial. |
How so? Pontificate, please! |
Academic High School: (mostly what I do)
Advantages: The students vary, but are generally quite good. Every class has at least a few students who are almost fluent. It's possible to conduct entire classes using English as the language of instruction and co-teachers aren't necessary. One can build very good relationships with students with whom one can have frequent conversations. The students know doing well in English will help them get into a good university and most of them want to improve.
Disadvantages: There's less holiday time because the students don't really get winter and summer breaks, just winter and summer break classes. The students are often dog tired and some of them just can't handle the demanding schedule. A few have given up on English and are hoping to get into uni on the basis of their other subjects' marks or have resigned to going into a diploma / certificate programme somewhere and aren't that interested in school anymore.
Vocational / Industrial / Technical High School: (which I do a bit of - my school has a smaller vocational programme)
Advantages: There are a few vocational high school programmes that are more elite, sought after, and have good students, but most high schools programmes that are labelled as one of the above have students who range from all right to hopeless. The biggest advantage at most schools that go by one of the above titles is the time off - many shut down completely for six to seven weeks during winter and summer break. In my experience most of the students are still very nice and would rather do something with me than what they usually get from their Korean teachers.
Disadvantages: In most classes, if one wants to do anything beyond listen-and-repeat, look words up in the dictionary, listen to songs, and watch videos, one is reliant upon using co-teachers to translate. Most students will try a bit, but with a few it's like pulling teeth. My friend works at the lowest level industrial high school in our district and from what he's told me it sounds like very little learning gets done in any of the academic subjects at his school, especially English. |
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