Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sheba]

I have this class that hates me! And yes, quite frankly Im surprised! They are the smartest class in our hagwon, first grade middle school, and they used to be my favourite class because we could actually communicate reasonably well, they had good attitudes and worked well.

Anyway, the problems started when a girl enrolled at my hagwon and joined this class, as it turns out, she was the 2nd smartest in the whole hagwon. She had a lot of complaints about our hagwon, the korean teacher and myself, and ended up staying about 9 months. in that time, the class deteriorated and one by one each of the students started also complaining about the hagwon, and teachers - and especially me. All the teachers hate this class for that reason. I personally never heard any complaints, only noticed the attitude and level of respect dropping dramatically once they started Middle School back in March. I figured they were just trying to adjust to the change of schools. (though this didnt happen with any of my other 1st grand middle school classes)

I have recently re-signed with my school and had a 4 week vacation. Upon return, I find out that every student in that class has made personal complaints against me, each complaint different. Their bad attitude has doubled, and they are just downright rude. Usually they'd bombard me with demands on buying them food, playing games, not studying etc... but now, Id say hello, no response. How are you? No response. Its really hot outside today, do you want the aircon on? They look at me, look at eachother, and look away. I try to talk to them out of class and they just walk away. They wont even answer their names when I call the roll. Theyve gone from bad to worse...... Every day they pretend to forget their books, refuse to follow my instructions and just sit there. I dont understand what happened while I was away!

Last week I gave them a rev up, which seemed to improve their behaviour in class for that day, but I dont want to have to yell at the students every day. Our school has a reward system and I have my own as well which every class loves (including them). Ive threatened to take it away, but it just makes them hate me more. At the end of the day, if we play games we usually have fun, but the very next class its back to being solemn and bitter.

As I mentioned, the teachers hate them as does the supervisor..... However, they pay 50% more money to have my class twice a week instead of once, so the boss is kinda siding with them. not to mention the kids complained straight to the boss rather than their teacher...!

Their complaints:
I treat them like kids (I didnt think so but there you have it)
I dont have enough of a sense of humour (Its hard to do this when I am either greeted with hounding and demands, or silence and bad attitude)
They dont like the book (fair enough, we've been using the same one for 14 months and still not finished)
Im a bad teacher (they didnt eloborate on this one)
My class is boring (we play games, I give them puzzles, I try to mix it up...)
My class is too easy (I had no idea because I was told not to give tests, no one answers my questions and they copy answers from other students)
There isnt enough free talking (I have tried this, there ends up being 1 or 2 students talking and the rest of the class talk in Korean, play games etc)

I have nothing like this with any of my other classes. Sure there are students who dont like me, but not an entire class!

Any Advice???

[JennyJJ]

Boy, that's a tough one. It will take time and patience for sure, but, you can do it !

I would, in general:
Maintain an air of relaxation, don't go into the classroom with a feeling of dread or feeling uptight.
Maintain a sense of authority and use discipline but shout only when it's absolutely necessary. Pick and choose your battles.
Find out what really interests your students and encourage them to talk about it, if that means less time on the student book but more time actually conversing then you'll eventually need to find a balance.
Bring humor into the classroom. Very important. Find out what your students find to be funny and go with it.
Find ways to surprise them. Vary your rewards. Change your routine. Do something unexpected to gain their attention..
In short find ways of closing the gap and don't be afraid to be innovative.

I know these are very general guidelines, but these changes must come from you and from the heart.

Good luck !
J

[poet13]

In your post, you say that your classes play games and do puzzles. Maybe it's time to stop the rewards. Your reward system sounds like it is not in sync with their behaviour.
-As for students demanding that you buy them food. I would demand right back that they buy ME food. Use the same tone they do. See what they have to say about that.
-Silence during roll call? Mark them absent and tell them they were absent. If they complain to your superior, or even to their parents, then you have an opportunity to publicly address their rudeness.
-You treat them like kids. Well, go ahead. If they want to act like little kids, treat them and address them as little kids. If they have an issue with that, tell them that you will stop when they stop.
-Class is too easy/14 months in the same book. Don't know what to say. Sounds kind of incongrous. (sp?)
-Copying answers? When my kids do that, I just mark it wrong (even if its right) and write COPIED under it in their book. A lot of the parents look at their books, and I have had a parent ask what that means (through the korean teacher). They were very unhappy that their child was in effect, cheating.
-Silence when asked a question. Repeat the question. repeat the question. Repeat the question.....over and over and over. Dont raise your voice, or change your tone. Just repeat.

I sound like a hard(butt), I know, but you are not in control of your class; they are. When you have control back, you should be able to start implementing a reward system again.

I work on three strikes. 3 strikes, no game. That simple. Rude. 1 strike. Not paying attention. 1 strike. playing with their cell phone or whatever during class. 1 strike. My students, from 6 to 16, love their games.

Whatever system you use, be fair and consistent. Match the punishment to the offense.

I know my response here is incomplete, but the important part is getting control of your classroom back.

[alabamaman]

[SweetBear]

I'd tend to agree more with what Jenny said.
Either way, as has been mentioned, I think you need to regain control of the classroom. Can you ditch that book or make it more bearable for them?
sb

[poet13]

I agree in general that JennyJJ's advice is fine... after the OP has regained control of the classroom.
I cant agree with, "Bring humor into the classroom. Very important. Find out what your students find to be funny and go with it." Being a comedian isn't being a teacher. I think humor in the classroom is very important, but not as a discipline management tool.
I would add that I think it's important that a teacher NOT bring yesterday's troubles into today's class. If the students think the teacher is coming into the classroom gunning for them, they will start each class on the defensive.

As long as the students are in control, the OP will be a doormat.

OP, you have a hard road in front of you. Let us know what happens.

[sheba]

Thanks for your advice.

Heres what Ive decided to do.........

Talk to the Korean teachers about punishment - if they forget their books/refuse to work/bad attitude etc then maybe I can kick them out and give them extra work that they can do in the teachers room. Previously I was not allowed to kick them out because their parents pay more money than others. What is a really boring acitvity that kids hate that I can give them?

Give them a set of rules to follow, (and hopefully a punishment if they break them).

Take away all priveledges until their attitude and behaviour improves.

I figure they hate my class anyway, so I could turn it into boot camp for a few weeks, and then reintroduce games etc when it starts getting better.

What I'm worried about is that these kids will quit if I take such extremes. Not a problem for me, but it wont make my boss very happy. I have extra classes coming up in the Summer vacation which I am getting paid extra for even though technically, I will still be working less hours than what I should be. My boss has been great to me in the past and I want to help him out not cause more probs!

[teachingld2004]

Have them teach the class. give one of them each day their "15 minutes of fame". Have them come up the lessons themselves, based on the topic you are teaching. (or trying) to teach. Take their seat and you become a student.

Hand out a survey:
Name_____ Date______
What would you like to study___________________
Why_______________________
What do you think the class is easy_______________
(have them give you exact examples)
What can you do to make it better________________
What they will do to respect you, themselvses, and each other_________

What ever. You know what kind of questions to put on your survey.

Have them make up class rules.

Have them decide on "punishments"

Type it, have them all sign it, and also have their parents sign it. Give a copy to your director, Korean teacher, who ever...Post it on the wall.

I don't know your students, this is just a general idea. Buy a bottle of coke, or orange juice, some cups, and if you feel like it a bag of chips. Tell them what you want them to do, fill lut the survey, make rules,etc.

Bring yourself in a book, a cup of coffee, and you sit. Thats it. Oh yea, write this as a real lesson plan, and date it. The you can show who ever what you wanted to do, If the students do not do it, thenjust throw up your hands, hand in the towel, and let it be.

Seriously, try and give them ownership of the class. Since their parents are paying for them to take your class an extra day, tell them you are sending home written evaluations of their progress every week.

Hasve them bring in a notebook, they are only 500 won. At the end of each class have them for the last 5 minutes write down what they did in class................and you sign it andmake comments. Have their parents sign it.

Good luck.

ANd P.S. I am tired. I am job hunting, and not in the best mood. I am just trying to give advice here. I am not checking my message for spelling, typing, or grammar mistakes. Lets just help each other without
correcting eachothers posts. Thanks guys.

[Hotpants]

It's a really hard one. I know what it's like when kids get stuck into a particular attitude. Was it perhaps that this new girl you had started some shaping some idea with the 'gang' that your class was simply just not cool anymore? Once one member of the group gets thinking like that, it will infect the whole group dynamic. You need to redefine what you are doing with them. Is there anyway that you could turn your next class into a meeting with them and address the list of complaints they apparently made? Together, you could draw up a list of things that they would like to do in class. Then, make a compromise with them about integrating what you want to do with what they want to do. Can't do any harm? I also agree about keeping calm with the students and not thinking in terms of punishment or reward. You want to regain their trust and respect in you as their teacher.

[jacl]

Show them videos.

[jajdude]

Sounds like you have been made the scapegoat for kids who don't really want to be there. I don't blame the kids who don't want to be there but have to go anyway. I find it amazing how often a kid will make some complaint to his mom, and mom will call the school, and the school will tell the foreign teacher that the problem is all his/hers. This astounds me because it happens a lot.

Then again, it is in keeping with blaming others for one's troubles, a common thing here.

Too often a kid can make up any complaint and the mother doesn't know any better and the academy doesn't care about the truth: the boss just wants the kids and parents to be happy so the money keeps coming.

Easy solution: blame the foreign teacher.
==============================================
This may not be accurate in your case as you said your boss is good. I'm just saying I think this has happened to many foreign teachers.

[jacl]

First and foremost, you have to remember that you're a teacher. Whether the class is fun or the book is boring is not your problem. You're there to relay information and teach the best way you know how. If students are complaining about that, they can go take a flying fuk at a rolling donut.

Sometimes the book is crap. At a hagwon, you're not really paid to do prep. Too many classes per day. Just put the book aside and mix it up with conversation. I make all my students accountable in that they each have a turn. If you're already trying this and it's not working, there's really not much else you can do. Middle school can be wishy washy and defiant. It can also be not too bad sometimes. I find, on the most part, that they are rude. Yeah, you can earn their respect, but why should you have to? You're the teacher.

And what's this "Game!" in a whiny voice. Fk that. All those games are stupid. I'll show them music videos for 5 or 10 minutes at the end of class sometimes.

Middle school is weird, but you can end up with a not so bad class sometimes. They think that they're there just to fk the dog. If you tone the teaching down a bit and react to their moods, etc. then things run smoothly except for the fact that you're always wondering about a certain who who's breathing down your neck. I think, for the most part, we all just want to educate and complying to the students' wants only makes us feel like clowns. We can't accept this and demand respect. They are kids though, and it's good to show them some sort of fun once in a while, but when we only see them 3 hours/wk or less, you have to wonder what mommy and daddy are paying for.

When all they do is show up with the text book and nothing else, it's just ridiculous. If you have conversations, make them write *beep* down and date it. Get them to use a writing book for your class. Easier said than done though. By the time you get in a good groove with these students, it seems it's test time or vacation time, and then the class changes.

Yes, bosses are quite ignorant to teachers' suggestions and about curriculums. This is up to you, I guess. You have to accept the ignorance see the good qualities in some bosses. A good boss wouldn't have told you all about the complaints about your classes. They get these complaints all the time, but you don't need to hear them. Sometimes students don't match the teacher or they just don't want to behave/learn and eventually they're gone. Depends on your location, but some bosses just accept that another bunch of students will roll in later. This is especially true with middle school.

Middle school students with an almost non-existant level of English or a non-existant desire to learn it or speak to the teacher in it, don't really benefit much from having a foreign English teacher. These students, it seems, are too used to English classes where they discuss the grammar and it's usage in Korean. It all has to do with them passing a certain English efficiency exam. Screw that.

[Dan The Chainsawman]

Personally the way I see if from my own experience from 2 of my middle school classes that started great, but went quickly downhill is that you should simply just not care.

Tell your boss that if they refuse to learn, then you refuse to teach them.

Make sure the parents find out their are being shitty students.

I think at this point you could dance in a tutu for them and they would not care in the slightest. You see what really is at play here is these kids now realize they have a method of gaining attention.

Yeah that's right... they now have power.

By complaining constantly they can gain the attention of those around them. For the most part their parents ignore them, and the schools don't give a shit about them all that much. So now they can go after someone and even the score. They are like coke addicts snorting lines of powder just for the rush of it.

You aren't the problem.

The problem in effect is the entire country of Korea who treats most of their children like fashion accessories.

I would seriously consider telling your boss that they should boot the entire class out of the hogwan. If that does not work then I would tell your boss that you don't feel right about teaching these students as you believe sooner of later they will lie about you to get you in trouble. Then the very next have a student appreciation day. Tell the students they are getting this treat because they come to school with good attitudes, and work hard.

For the love of god do not get the class split up and sent to different classes. What will happen then is a repeat of the one girl joining your class and poisoning them with her negative attitude.

Cut that class out like a cancerous tumor and flush it down the crapper.

[Woland]

[poet13]

Jack wrote..."Show them videos." add....."of burning middle schoolers impaled on pitchforks."

Ok, seriously though. I had two little girls, about 11 or 12, who kind of ran the class. They were a "gang" of two, and my classes were miserable...until I set them against each other. One acted out, the other got punished. Very quickly they started policing each other. They are two of my best students now. They know who is the boss, but they also know that I am fair, and usually a ton of fun.