Korean Job Discussion Forums

[essexboy]

I have been here 4 months now, and i am getting fairly comfortable working in the classroom. I had never taught before, and the whole thing was completely new.
I now want to be a really good teacher though, and develop interesting ways to get my kids interested. Basically, we have inadequate books, which i feel might work to my advantage, as i can bring in ideas of my own.
This is where my problem begins; i am having a mental block; i know my boss would let me do about what i like, but what works for you guys?

[yospeck]

Google and search engines are always a good start. There's lesson plans EVERYWHERE.

Plus, as ever (and I'm new here myself but already figuring out how this forum community works) your post is too vague. Would help to know what age group you are teaching before people throw lesson plans at you. You prepared to spend your own money? How much time/effort do you want to put into your lesson plans?

There's the quick fixes, then there's bigger projects (which can be more fun). Either way its nice to see you are keen to become a good teacher for your kids.

Kudos!

[gang ah jee]

Don't touch the students and try not to say f*ck more than once per lesson. That's all you need to know.

[ChopChaeJoe]

Once you really decide to become a good teacher, you can't fail. You have to have patience and you have to set realistic standards. Make the students persorm to your expectatations, but also be prepared to change your expectations. Show your students that you care about their education and they will respect you. Sorta....

[yospeck]

And remember to buy their love with rewards.

[riley]

Look in bookstores for a good book about grammar definitions and terms. That was the first book I bought when I came here to Korea and it helped me a lot. Sorry, I don't know the name of mine, (it's at work)

[Barefootbelle]

We came up with a couple of good games that require little or no prep.

January Game
You write a word on the board. (We demo with January because it's got very few words in it.) Tell the kids to spell as many words as they can using the letters from the original word. (Run, ran, jar, any, a, an.) Give them 5 minutes. The crazier the word you start with, the more fun the kids have.

Fling (for beginners)
Throw alphabet cards around the room and let the kids pick them up and put them back in order.

Spelling Races
Have 2 kids come up to the board. Give them a word. Who ever finishes spelling it correctly wins. The other students can yell help, but can't show them anything.

Categories
Teacher names a category and each student takes a turn naming an item from that category until someone is stumped. The last person to name something wins.

Last Word
This is good for review. Each student has to name a fact about the story or person the teacher names. I usually wrote the answers on the board in complete sentances. If someone says something that is contested we either look it up or vote. If the fact is voted down or turns out wrong, or the player can't come up with anything, that player is out. The kids can get very cut throat toward the end.

There's lost of other great games and activities out there if you look. I found a book once called "Homework Help" that had great activities in it. Also, use your sense of humor. My advanced kids are improving fast because I correct them with teasing. (Your hobby is "read a book?" Just one book? Over and over?

Good luck.

[Sina qua non]

[blaseblasphemener]

Think of what you would hate a teacher doing to you, and don't do it to them.

Remember that interest is #1 in having a student learn something. If they turn their brains off, they may appear to be in the room, but really, they are not.

So, start your lessons off with pictures, games, challenges, anything to get them interested in the topic. This could take 5 minutes, maybe more. But, you will save yourself a ton of time as the rest of the lesson will be far more productive, since their brains will be activated.

And remember, just because you're in Korea, you don't have to become a d ick like the Korean system of education appears to want many teachers and role models to be. Have fun, and give the kids some leeway, they are overworked as it is.

Good Luck to you

[SirFink]

[Zark]