Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jdog2050]

So, I've noticed a phenomenon, more-so at my Anyang hagwon then in the places I've taught in Gangnam. I call it smart-kid burnout.

It's where, in a below average (but stable and nice) hagwon, you have a class break down in thirds. 1/3 passable english, 1/3 able to understand words, 1/3 don't know why they're there and say nothing.

Now, when you try to teach down, the top 1/3 becomes bored and agitated. If you try to teach up, the bottom 1/3 sponges off of the top 1/3.

So, at this hagwon, I'm kind of at an impasse. I've found that the kids who were class leaders before are becoming fairly unresponsive to virtually anything I present, even games.

It's kind of a new problem for me, so,

...what to do...

[jlb]

In storybook or whatever we're doing I will often ask individual questions to the students if the class is small enough. I will adapt the questions to the level of students. The geniuses get hard ones that go way beyond the book while the not so smart ones get very basic questions.

Writing assignments (for homework) or in class are a good way of letting kids work at their own level.

Also, I do some mini-speeches. Usually a topic in the storybook we've studied. Then the other kids ask the presenter a question. This gets everyone involved but for the speech, everyone can do it at whatever level they're at.

[maddog]

Oh, I love hagwon polictics - kids of vastly differing abilites placed in the same level because their mothers, or sometimes the director, say that's where they should be. Then, you've got people complaining that their kids are bored, or that their kids can't keep up. It gets right on my melons. I teach at the pace that's about 80% of what the best students can handle. I feel sorry for the weaker kids, but it's their mothers' fault, not mine.

[jdog2050]

[oneofthesarahs]

One really effective activity for classes like those is what I call "10 things." I give them a topic, such as: What are 10 interesting careers? or, more recently: 10 New Year's Resolutions. Not only do they have to list 10 things, but they also have to explain them in 3 sentences or more (but you could adjust the number of sentences to skill level). Then I award prizes-usually a piece of candy or a pencil-for various categories: most unique answer, best overall grammar, most diverse list, best list overall, etc. Having different awards allows all of the levels of kids to potentially win a prize, because some of the worst students are invariably going to come up with some insane "most unique answer." Occasionally I'll have them present their lists to the class, and then I let the class vote on "best presentation." It's always an anonymous vote, so it usually ends as more than just a popularity contest.

[Dan The Chainsawman]

I hold one hostage. If the rest don't comply and act interested then I toss the hostage out the window. I move onto the next one till I run out of hostages or they comply with my demands.