Paige Russell
- 2008-07-15
Where are you teaching at? It gets a lot easier--my 1st month was terrible. Now its cake---give it a few months and it gets a lot better. When they act up count out loud---and make an example of one or two of them. Have a thinking chair, or put them in the corner...lol. That works for me. They are still just kids so they will act up constantly. Peace brother
Ben
- 2008-07-15
Thanks Paige...I appreciate any and all comments you all have. I must say it takes some guts to do this...I hate to admit I figured teaching English would be cake...I mean how hard could it be? HA HA HA :) I respect any and all of you that are all over the world working hard.
I feel like a total loser, but I have been feeling like if I make it through the day, that is a victory...pretty sad, but the truth regardless.
Thank you for replying...I appreciate your suggestions!
Ben :)
Paige Russell
- 2008-07-15
Hey Dude,
I felt the same way my first month. I have been here four months now and I am loving it. She had great advice, just give it a bit of time and dont let yourself stress over it. Make a lot of worksheets that helps me get them calmed down. They love games and stuff. Try first-school.com and kidzone.com. Coloring even!!! Peace out and GL.-Paige
Ben
- 2008-07-11
I agree...the Koreans I have met have been very gracious...and as I said before I think that is the ONE plus to me being here. I have met a few people from Skype and they have been so nice...showing me around, going out to eat, etc. That is the thing I do like and one of the reasons I feel so guilty for not really liking being here.
Maybe it just takes time...but I just feel like I am NOT a teacher, I am NOT cut out to babysit for a year, and if I would have known it would be so stressful, I probably would not have signed up to do this. I think just the idea of coming here and doing this sounded fun. I pretty much just look forward to after work and the weekends...
I appreciate the chance to even post how I feel...I don't mean to be a negative baby about stuff...and I know there are a lot of great things that come from being abroad and teaching English, so I am not totally negative about this. I miss my state a LOT and I just keep thinking about all the fun I am missing with my friends back home...maybe I should stop thinking about home so much. Maybe I am not prepared enough for class...but I feel like I have NO IDEA what to really teach the kids. We have books and stuff...but like I said before I am in a beginner class and some of the kids seem like they should be a little higher up, and then some of them don't even know their A,B,Cs...so there is that to try and figure out too. Some of the kids seem bored by the lessons and I don't know if I just suck as a teacher, I don't know if they are bored because they already know it, or I don't know if they are bored because they have just had a long day/week and they are ready to go play with their friends...I can totally understand why they would.
I guess that is one huge source of frustration for me...I have no clue what I am doing and as I said before, all the other teachers (even though they are all really cool) have been here for a long time, and most of them teach is totally different circumstances than I do, so it is hard to really offer any good ideas.
Thanks so much for the few replies I have received and I just hope I can actually fulfill my contract, but I really have my doubts! :(
Ben
ANET
- 2008-07-10
Give yourself a chance to adapt to your new environment.
Once you have, then accept invitations from English speaking Koreans. Just tell them what you need. You will find they bend over backwards to accommodate English speaking foreigners. They will happily blow away language barriers and cultural problems for you.
And yes, ESL teaching in East Asia, at times is like babysitting. Students may lord over you the fact that they have been around hakwons a lot longer than you have, but it's still your show. They may take a while to accept new teachers. After 8 or 10 months they will get attached to you and will be better behaved.
I knew one Korean teacher who brought a big plastic water gun to class, never used it, only had to threaten to use it.
What may still work is the old "Three check marks on the board and the student is out of the class" trick.
Cheers.
Ben
- 2008-07-10
Thanks for the advice...that was very kind.
I feel like a total chump serious...like 80% of the time I really wish I hadn't even done this...and then there are a few moments a day I am glad I am here. I have been treated very well and everyone here has been so nice, I guess that's why I feel like a total jerk feeling this way. I even checked out expedia.com how much tickets would be back to the US...but then I keep thinking "did I really give it a chance if I am here two weeks?? Come on dude!" I go back and forth and I just feel horrible that I even commited to do this...I hate breaking promises and I know that they are counting on me...but for the time I am teaching I feel stressed and really I just hate babysitting and that is what I feel like I am doing.
I hope others have felt this way...thanks for taking the time to answer me!
Ben :)
Hey everyone! I have been in Korea just over a week and feel totally overwhelmed by teaching beginners English! I guess I have to be honest and admit that I had no idea it would be so hard, I mean I am having trouble keeping a lesson interesting for an hour and a half that seems like it could be covered in 5 minutes.
I feel VERY frustrated and I feel so inadequate...I feel like just saying "ok, this isn't for me" and rolling out, but I would totally feel like a chump if I came here for a week! I just feel stressed out all day, and at night all I can think about is how much I don't want to go teach.
Has anyone else felt this way? I actually have a really cool boss and he is very supportive, so it's not like I am in a bad situation as far as that goes...I just feel like I am in WAY OVER my head. I also feel like an idiot because almost all of the teachers here have been here for 2-3 years, and here I have been here a week and feel like quitting, so I don't want to go cry to them and tell them how hard of a time I am having.
Please offer any suggestions on how to not feel so stressed, and anything that has helped you make this a good experience, because I am NOT having a good time! :(
Thanks...