Korean Job Discussion Forums

[salboski]

I've really tried to get used to it, I just cant. It really wears on me because they are really intense. And, I just found out that the adult classes are getting doulbed from 3 per week to 6 per week. How do you guys deal with adults?

[Travelous Maximus]

soju = positive reinforcement.

[Ya-ta Boy]

Everyone has different preferences. For me, teaching adults is heaven. I'd be a serial murderer if I had to teach kids.

I know what you mean about adults being intense. It can be intimidating. They like to know why we are doing a particular activity, so I explain what we are practicing with each activity. I have one student who doesn't like fluency activities because they are 'just small talk', but he is a minority of one. For him, I remind him of the kind of expressions and/or grammar he can practice with each discussion question.

[pkang0202]

At first my class was split up by age groups. I quickly learned that there were people who REALLY wanted to learn, and there were those who jsut wanted to get the requirements finished.

I told the vice principal that, and he told me to rearrange the classes into those you wanted to learn, and those you just wanted to attend.

Now it works out perfectly. To those that want to learn, I bring materials and teach. For those that just want to attend, I just bring in a movie and have everyone watch...err...sleep.

[tomato]

Hello, salboski!

In reply to your question, yes, I do.
If there is any way for a teacher to alter his or her age preferences, I haven't found it.
I have lost count of how many times I got fired because I couldn't teach middle school or higher.
And on each of those jobs, I did my dangdest.

I hope that the other contributors to this thread are more help to you than I am.

[mrsquirrel]

I hate teaching adults.

I much prefer teens.

They are harder work but more satisfying to see results from them.

[Hollywoodaction]

Here's the advice my mom, a retired college professor, gave me about teaching adults: Don't stress. Whatever you do, you'll never be able to make everybody happy all the time.

[butlerian]

[buster brown]

I'm in the same camp as Ya-ta. When I see the questioning looks of "Why the h*** are we doing this???", I tell them what it's useful for...even with warm-up activities. It's worked with the vast majority of adults from beginner to advanced classes.

When there's a serial complainer in the crowd, I just try to give them a little more attention when I'm visiting with pairs...maybe ask them a little harder or more personal questions. I've even been known to correct their speech a little more frequently/harshly than others just so that they recognize they're not quite as advanced as they think they are. The students who question or criticize my methods and materials tend to picture their English ability as higher than everyone else's in the class, thus they need something more difficult. The little extra attention/correction usually pacifies them enough to keep them in line. If it doesn't, then they'll just quit coming to class. Problem solved.

[Junior]

[Hater Depot]

The only problem I find with adults is that many are too eager to move up to, for example, the intermediate level class when they really need a lot more time in the beginner level. I've had a few whine and get huffy when told they are not ready to level up. Many of them either dropped out or went up anyway -- it's their money after all, the school isn't going to back you up.

All in all, I love teaching adults.

[salboski]

I'm not really looking for help on the subject. I just wanted someone to complain with.

They were terrible yesterday. One of them complained about the lesson (from the book THEY chose) One of them came in reeking of Soju and I had two new students who barely knew any English in my advanced class. Most of the time they are just unresponsive to me and it makes the time pass very slowly.

[butlerian]

[riley]

The last adult class I had was mixed up in levels and had a book chosen by the teaching company that was full of mistakes and piss-poor quality. There were days where I was pulling teeth just to get someone to talk and say a simple sentence. The student would be just too god-damn afraid to talk in front of others. Other students would be bored to tears. I hated it.

[postfundie]