I just started my first teaching job about a month ago. I speak fluent Chinese but I am not allowed to speak it or let on that I understand it at work, to maintain a full English environment. I don’t agree with this but it’s the boss’ rule. Some of the class are just out of control and I cannot get them to pay attention when I am trying to teach them. Eventually half the class might start repeating my sentences, but I’m tired of not being in control of my class. How can I bring discipline to the classroom without being able to communicate with the kids? These are elementary school students from grades 1 to 6, all which very little ability to communicate in English. The Taiwanese teachers are not much help. One is new and her classes are worse than mine in terms of discipline, the other just takes off whenever it’s my turn to teach and leaves me alone. Anyone had a similar situation or any ideas to help me?
Establish a clear rewards system. Lil punks gotta get paid like the rest of us. I used to think I was creating little automatons (and maybe I was…) but then I thought-crap, I wouldn’t go to to work unless I got paid…We’re all animals and the principles behind behaviorism work for most of us.
Stickers will work for the littlest ones, some sort of “money” (which can buy trinkets, candy, or possibly an extra point on the test) will work for the rest.
It’s sad but when you don’t have disciplinary support from management or parents (ie, someone who scares them) you gotta use bribery.
What NonTocareLeTete said… and also try having some fun with them and getting them to like you. This doesn’t mean being a clown and letting them go nuts Rather spend some time setting up cool activities and and then using them as motivations as well.
-yell at them
-give them extra homework
-get their parents numbers and call their parents or at least threaten to
-show your class that YOU are in control.
-post clear rules of behavior for the class and enforce those rules
-grow some balls…they are just kids
-make your class interesting
-reward those that are doing well and following your instructions
-praise the students often
-social classroom pressure
-take away break times
I noticed when I used to teach that if I was tough on the students the first few weeks of class they would behave the rest of the year. If you try to be their friend in the beginning they will think you are weak and easy and will try to get away with everything they can.
I prefer the story of Little Albert to Pavlov’s Dog. If we do our jobs correctly, Taiwanese children should hopefully be shit-scared and generalise that to situations outside of an EFL classroom.
Machiavelli wrote something about if you can’t be respected, then it is better to be feared than loved.
It’s a shame your school has that rule on using Chinese in the class. One of the good reasons for speaking Chinese in class is to help with this situation. The students would respect you more for having learnt the language, and they would listen more when you have to discipline them.
Planning well, making the class challenging, but not too challenging, all help of course. Communicate with the parents if possible, and certainly with the school management.
I use a star/stamp reward system. During class if a student does something good they get a star. For example if they get 100 on their spelling test they get a star. If they give a good answer to a question they get a star. If they write with no mistakes they get a star. If they disobey me they lose a star. If they don’t pay attention or zone out they lose a star. You get the point. Then give each student a stamp sheet. I award the stamps at the end of each class. If they have 3 stars for that day they get 3 stampss. At the end of the semester they count their stamps. The kid with the most stamps get to pick their prize first. (At the end of semester I would buy a bunch of stationary. Usually 2 or 3 big items per class like a pencil case/notebook, then a bunch of cheaper stuff like erasers/pens/pencils). Be sure to explain this to them, its important they know they are competing for a big prize. I had 5 class with an avg of 8 students and I spent a little over $1200NT total at the end of the semester, but it was totally worth the cost of having that control over my students. And in the end, they were so good I felt like they deserved a prize anyways.
That was the reward system, but first you need to get control of the classroom for that control system to work. You need to be strict till you have control of the classroom. This could take as little as a day or 2 if it is a really good class, or as long as a couple of weeks. DON’T BE AFRAID TO YELL AT THE BEGINNING! The kids will know you’re angry and follow commands. Once you’ve yelled once or twice you shouldn’t have to do it as much. Be very strict your first few weeks, it will make your life easier. My first month teaching I made the mistake of wanting the kids to like me and of course they walked all over me. Now I’m very strict with new classes and let up a little after a few weeks once we have a rapport and know each other. Remember you are there to be their teacher, not their friend. I hope these help you out.
Oh yea, I have a key word I say and when I say that word everyone has 5 seconds to get hands on desk and shut their mouths otherwise I minus ALL their stars for the day. This is very effective, especially on those days where they are extra hyper.
I disagree with Mark’s comment about using Chinese to control this situation. Although I do not teach young kids now, I have in the past and have always used the 100% English to my advantage in the classroom. Authority, respect, and learning do not require using Chinese in the classroom. I have never in all my years of teaching used Chinese with my students. They know that, respect that, and regardless of whether or not they know my Chinese level, will follow my rules. Besides, if the Taiwanese teachers cannot gain the kids’ respect and hold onto a classroom by using Chinese, then why do you think it will help you?
I suggest a clear and consistent classroom structure. Rewards for good behavior based on social status and attention. Punishment such as isolation in the corner, hallway, or the “principal’s office” for bad behavior. Reward kids who cooperate by noticing them and punish bad kids by ignoring them. Calling the parents is often a good way to correct severe cases. If your school is a for-profit business, this will be hard for you, but I suggest asking your school owner to call up the parents and ask them to come in and observe your class. For the most part, kids here will want to stay at the school with their friends and they will try to avoid getting kicked or taken out of the school.
And show the kids you care! Use their names. Give them something they can’t get elsewhere, an interesting teacher who they can respect AND have fun with.
Plan fun activities for them and take them away the instant that they start getting out of control. I had a class that was almost all 7 yr old boys and was getting out of control. At any time during an activity or even in the pre-activity learning I would have them write the vocab if they became out of control. They became tolerable but still weren’t perfectly behaved.
A well run language school will explain to the children what is required of them - in Chinese. Parents who are actively involved with their children will make clear to their children what their expectations are - in Chinese. If you don’t work in such a professional school, or your students don’t have parents who see this as being their job, then it can save a lot of time to explain the basic class rules in Chinese.
Once the students know what is expected of them, and that you can understand what they are saying, even if you don’t use Chinese in the classroom, the need to use Chinese (as a method of disciplining students) will be hardly ever be there.
Easy. Teach in English. Discipline in Chinese. Joke in Taiwanese. Then you aren’t breaking any rules. Don’t try to be friends with subordinates in Taiwan it just confuses them. They’ll feel happy and safe if you are fair but firm in everything you do.
So true. I have a military service guy who has to help me occasionally. The times when I give him any slack, he takes advantage. Also, when I first started working with him, I never gave him a job that I wasn’t willing to do myself, and I often did it with him. Now, I don’t give a shit. One day, I had him cutting out and laminating fake money for probably an hour. It must have been boring as hell (it was because I’d previously done it with him), but I didn’t care and I got less guff from him when I just told him to do it and walked off. Mind you, he still didn’t do it that well. He knows not to advise me on how to teach now, and he also knows that I’m really putting the thumb screws on him about distracting my kids in class, so he’s behaving himself much better these days.
There’s a military service guy at my school (a public junior high school) who studied business in America. He was sent to assist me, even though I don’t need an assistant. He’s actually more trouble than he’s worth because I have to tell him not to have a conversation with some of my kids in Chinese and I have to tell (and write on the board) that they’re not to ask him for translations. I keep trying to give him the hint without actually telling him he’s really fucking annoying and I’m actually surprised that I’ve exercised such restraint so far, but I do need to get rid of him.
Make him copy out lines with them. Ooh, you’re evil!
I do let him participate in activities if he can participate without screwing up the lesson. I don’t have a problem with that. The more the merrier in a sense. I don’t dislike him, it’s just that he’s a bit of a knucklehead. He’s also only 22, so I realise he’s not that mature. Actually, about a week after I started here, one day, his parents came down from Taipei. I’d had one lesson with him where he interrupted me while I was teaching to tell me I should do something different. At the time, if looks could kill, he’d have been dead and buried. I later explained to him what I was doing and why, and over subsequent weeks, he saw the fruits of my labours. Anyway, his parents came down to visit him, and he must have told his father about our first lesson. I think in some way, his father understood that this guy had really pissed me off and it could have turned into a difficult year for his son. He asked me to cut him a bit of slack because he’s young and he’d never had a job before until he came here. I am fine with that. I don’t dislike the guy, but occasionally, a minor smackdown will be good for him in the long run.
In contrast, there’s a military service guy at the elementary school where I teach once per week, but he doesn’t come into my classes (I have a Taiwanese co-teacher). He seems a lot more mature and easy-going and I actually like him.
I think the key to controlling the younger students is attention. They are naturally active and explorative. You have to keep moving on to the next activity every 5-10minutes. Give them lots of drawing tasks, and then games to get them moving physically. A well-designed game can be a good learning experience. Worksheets with lots of pictures on them and tasks like joining word and meaning /picture with lines, filling in missing letters or words etc are good too, practical rather than bookish. Stories also can engage their attention. Do interesting things. Make the rules clear and enforce them like a slow moving vice, that is start nice and get tougher in proportion to their understanding. Build up aconsensus during good times that they should follow the rules so when there’s a breakdown you can remind them. Explain the rules and enforce them gently but firmly. Lose your temper from time to time, but try not to do it every class if possible. Forgive them between classes and start with a blank slate with each new class.Plus the rewards system mentioned by others, which I never liked using but is effective. Strive to be happy. Lunch is coming soon!
