Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dog_disco]

...I've been here six weeks. My major problem is keeping order. I had one kid tell me today that when I talk nobody listens and everyone plays.

I try and be nice. I write names on the board. I threaten sending in the boss. Korea talking, no work gets done. Nothing seems to work. Do I need to totally go ballistic on these kids? Send them in the hall?

Finally, have things gone too far to win their respect?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Snowkr]

You have to be a hardass.
The kids need to learn that they need to respect foreign teachers too. That kind of behavior doesn't go unpunished in my hogwon, thanks to my boss.

If I were you, I'd kick them out and have their parents contacted if they refused to behave in class. If your school doesn't back you up on the discipline, perhaps you can tell them to find another BABYSITTER. You're here to teach.

[tomato]

Hello, Dog Disco!

I have been here for 6 years.
Take a look at my thread on disciplinary techniques
and decide if I'm 52 times as smart as you are:

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/korea/viewtopic.php?t=58386&highlight=disciplinary+techniques

[heydelores]

What age group do you have, Dog Disco? Different techniques work for different ages and different settings. Does your school have any kind of discipline code already in place?

[cruisemonkey]

You have to establish dominance from square 1.

I don't have discipline problems because from literally the first 30 seconds of meeting new students, I tell them what I expect... and I never waiver from 'the rules'.

[alabamaman]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

Welcome to hogwan. After you've been to hell and back you'll discover that your institution, and not you, is 90% responsible for how your students behave.

[jstrain]

You need to make a plan (rules), no more than 5. Teach the rules and post them. Learn the students Korean names. Have a seating chart.

Example 1
1 Don't talk when I am talking.
2 Don't talk while others are speaking
3 Keep your hands to yourself
4 Be respectful

Example 2
1 Be kind
2 Be courteous
3 Don't bug others

Use these rules as a lesson. You also should have a list of consequences and maybe rewards.

Example
1 warning
2 name on the board
3 5 - 15 minute time out (hall or with the secretary)
4 conference with director

Example
10 minutes game
Ice cream or snack
...

Half the fun is making up you own plan but consistency in the key.
Hope this helps!

[dulouz]

[dog_disco]

The ones that give me the most grief are a bit older (12, 13). I understand they can't be totally quiet or on task all the time.

I would like them to stop talking on top of each other.

Am I getting it worse because I am a guy teacher, or does that not figure into it?

Thanks for the advice.
[/quote]

[Dysupes]

For my discipline problems, I worked out a simple formula: be a nazi. I know it sounds harsh but I'm extremely strict on my kids and within a month or two of coming to my class they learn that they will behave or leave the class. I've been at the same school for 2 and a half yars and I will stay longer probably and my Korean co-workers don't challenge me at all when it comes to kids being kicked out of my class because they know I don't let the bull sh it fly... My co-worker told me when he observed my classes "Man, you're so tough on them, you're such an a ss" and yet within a few months he tried to start acting the same way because he realized that out of all the classes at our school mine are the most well-behaved. Why? Because I'm strict on them and I expect them to be attentive and do their best. It's simple and fair and though some kids will say they don't like me, most choose me as the teacher they want because they know I'm fair and reward good behavior with stickers and prizes. As has been said before, consistency is the key. If you are consistent, the kids will love you and respect you. Some of our kids are a little scared of me (because they've never been taught by me) and I like that reaction because, to me, it shows that they've heard that I'm not likely to put up with bullsh it and that I'm someone who needs to be respected and I've found that I achieve a level of respect that isn't quite equal to the Korean teachers but is certainly more than the other foreign teachers at our school... I enjoy being the "old guy."

[kat2]

I'm super strict in my classes too. I don't reward kids with candy or prizes either. I just expect common curtesy. I know they aren't disciplined by anyone else in their life, but in my class they are. After no more than a month with a new class, I have very few discipline problems. The kids know when they can have fun (which is also really important for a good educational experience) and when its time to behave. Kids need boundaries. They operate really well in those boundaries. Just make sure yours are well definied. My rules in the classroom are:
1. Stay in your seat
2. No touching other students (this covers, fighting, pestering, hitting, etc)
3. No Korean
4. If the teacher is talking, you aren't
5. Look at the teacher.
five simple rules.

If they talk too much, tell them they can talk as much as they want in English, jsut no Korean. If they are bored with the lesson, put them in groups and have them invent a game to practice the target language. If they have trouble staying in their seat, invite kids up to the front to answer questions in pairs or something. Be firm and fair and hopefully things will improve for you.

[ilovebdt]

I agree. At the beginning you have to be tough with them.

I only teach each 1st and 2nd Grade class once a week and in those 50 minutes I want to get them using as much English as possible, so the first semester I was quite a hard ass.

However, once I saw that they knew I wasn't going to take any crap from them I eased up and now I have a great rapport with all my students.

I still don't take any crap and if anyone steps out of line they know there will be consequences.

ilovebdt

[inspector gadget]

When I worked at a hogwon it was three simple rules

no korean
one person talks
have fun

if you got three strikes in a class your out no questions asked ( in one year I through two kids out 5 times each then the director expelled them, never to return again)

The entire first week I was threre was based entirely on the rules, never had much of a problem and the kids had a blast and learnt alot.

I am now at a girls middle school and its tougher to control the classes but I really only have one problem class out of nine.

rules are different

limited korean

one person talks

respect the teacher and other students

clear the desk of everything except your pencil / eraser and english bookand nothing else


The last one I had to create and enforce after a month on the job and let me tell you it works like a charm. I was amazed at the sh*t these girls had an there desks, stack of books, alarm clocks, toothbrush/paste, cup, staplers, scissors, post it notes, a pencil case with 65 writing utensils etc....
All of these items were usually the source of distraction that led to bad behavour

When they do misbehave I agree you must be a hard ass for the first bit and then you can lighten up as time goes on. I disagree with giving them candy cause they were good. The expectation is that they are there to learn and behave appropriatly. Your not teaching them anything if throw candies at them for behaving, if you do you are rewarding them for something that should be universal and mandatory already.

Look on the board there are literally dozens of threads about discipline ideas.

[dcrayne]

first day i walked into class with a bamboo stick the owner uses to scare the students, slammed it on the desk and told them i have no problems using this on a student. never had another problem after that.