Hi, I am an upper-intermediate teacher at a private language school. I have just lost the bulk of my class to an IELTS preparation clas. Next week I am left with four students who either are not ready to do IELTS or don't want to. I have just been informed that I will be receiving a problem student from another upper-intermediate class.
Apparently this student is totally disinterested in class work set and brings in his own work to study or is absent. He has done the IELTs exam and achieved 5.0 so thinks he is beyond this level. Added to this, he appears to relish confrontation and has had several run-ins with the other teacher as well as at another of our school campuses from which he transferred.
Unfortunately our school disciplinary systems are unprepared/unable to deal with this problem so its down to me. Of my other students; one is an under-achiever due to self-esteem issues and I am slowly building up his confidence with encouragement etc, another is a timewaster but not particularly disruptive and another is developing his English skills painfully slowly.
This leaves me with one motivated and focused student. Does anyone have any ideas on how to make this class work? I don't want to simply ignore the problem, nor do I want my other students held back because of it. Any help much appreciated.
Problem students
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Make the class as entertaining as possible. Having such a small group is to your advantage. Play background music and have the kids bring in their own. Dissect the lyrics if you want to work on some English skills related to it.
Play short videos (your own clips from TV sitcoms, movies, whatever, or just rent some) and teach from them.
You're going to have to make it a fun class, not a serious one.
As for the problem child, do your best to include him in activities, but if all he wants to do is study on his own, and the school has no way to punish him (a situation similar to mine), then let him. Let the administration decide how to grade him. I do.
Play short videos (your own clips from TV sitcoms, movies, whatever, or just rent some) and teach from them.
You're going to have to make it a fun class, not a serious one.
As for the problem child, do your best to include him in activities, but if all he wants to do is study on his own, and the school has no way to punish him (a situation similar to mine), then let him. Let the administration decide how to grade him. I do.
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LarryLatham
- Posts: 1195
- Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2003 6:33 pm
- Location: Aguanga, California (near San Diego)
Alex,
With due respect to Glenski, whose many posts in these forums I frequently read with high regard because they generally show him to be a thoroughly experienced and professional teacher worthy of my respect, I'm afraid I couldn't disagree more with him in this instance. It seems to me here that he is suggesting you become an entertainer.
Nothing could be worse. Not that I would debase entertainers in general, as they have an important function in our society, but I do not believe we teachers can fulfill our obligations as educators if we abdicate that role to become jovial baby-sitters. This certainly does not mean that I believe fun has no place in the classroom. On the contrary, our activities there might as well be as enjoyable as possible. But we must never forget the seriousness of our baseline purpose. We must never engage in entertainment for the sake of passing time pleasantly. What fun we have in the classroom must, in my view, always be centered around improving our students' understanding or skill in use of English. They must be aimed at making learning an enjoyable enterprise.
Perhaps I misinterpret Glenski's statements above, and if so, I apologize to him. But you might consider that the problem student you have coming to your class might be a problem because he perceives that his classes are weak in content, and not worth his effort. You say he considers himself "advanced." If so, then he has applied himself somewhere in order to get there. If that's the case, then he will perhaps have the skills to engage with you in a private conversation to determine what his views are. (I assume, here, that he is not a child). You may find them revealing. You may discover what you both can do to improve the situation. In any event, I believe you'd be farther ahead to approach the arrival of this student in this way rather than to assume you must entertain him. However you choose to handle this though, I wish you good fortune.
Larry Latham
With due respect to Glenski, whose many posts in these forums I frequently read with high regard because they generally show him to be a thoroughly experienced and professional teacher worthy of my respect, I'm afraid I couldn't disagree more with him in this instance. It seems to me here that he is suggesting you become an entertainer.
Nothing could be worse. Not that I would debase entertainers in general, as they have an important function in our society, but I do not believe we teachers can fulfill our obligations as educators if we abdicate that role to become jovial baby-sitters. This certainly does not mean that I believe fun has no place in the classroom. On the contrary, our activities there might as well be as enjoyable as possible. But we must never forget the seriousness of our baseline purpose. We must never engage in entertainment for the sake of passing time pleasantly. What fun we have in the classroom must, in my view, always be centered around improving our students' understanding or skill in use of English. They must be aimed at making learning an enjoyable enterprise.
Perhaps I misinterpret Glenski's statements above, and if so, I apologize to him. But you might consider that the problem student you have coming to your class might be a problem because he perceives that his classes are weak in content, and not worth his effort. You say he considers himself "advanced." If so, then he has applied himself somewhere in order to get there. If that's the case, then he will perhaps have the skills to engage with you in a private conversation to determine what his views are. (I assume, here, that he is not a child). You may find them revealing. You may discover what you both can do to improve the situation. In any event, I believe you'd be farther ahead to approach the arrival of this student in this way rather than to assume you must entertain him. However you choose to handle this though, I wish you good fortune.
Larry Latham
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italianstallion39
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:00 pm
Alex,
An important point to remember is that every student has worth and the possibility to be great. Even if you have heard the student will be trouble, approach him with no expectations of such. This clean slate mentality allows you to perhaps get the student on-board before any problems arise. Also, for problem students, collaboration could be useful. These students are often very bright and haven't been sufficiently challenged. While you may not be able to fully challenge him/her in a mix-level course, you can affirm his/her expertise by having the student help teach the other students. This could be pairing the student up with students who need help and so on. Confrontation makes a zero-sum game and often the so-called "problem" student has more respect from peers and will take others with him/her.
An important point to remember is that every student has worth and the possibility to be great. Even if you have heard the student will be trouble, approach him with no expectations of such. This clean slate mentality allows you to perhaps get the student on-board before any problems arise. Also, for problem students, collaboration could be useful. These students are often very bright and haven't been sufficiently challenged. While you may not be able to fully challenge him/her in a mix-level course, you can affirm his/her expertise by having the student help teach the other students. This could be pairing the student up with students who need help and so on. Confrontation makes a zero-sum game and often the so-called "problem" student has more respect from peers and will take others with him/her.