Hello,
So I’m going to be living in Taiwan for a while (Taiwanese wife wants to be close to her family), so I needed to get a job. Today was my first day at a Buxiban and it went awful. It was me just telling the kids to be quiet and sit down for 2 hours. Is this normal? The kids would focus for 5 minutes before getting out of their seats and running around. Not really sure what to do, maybe a more experienced teacher can help a noob out? Thanks.
How old are the kids?
9 years old
I some cases you are hired to be an entertainer…not a serious teacher. Often parents force children to ‘learn’ English because it is fashionable. Asian children, particularly boys, can do no wrong. A regular position in public, or occasionally, in a private school, can be better. You are in a tough spot.
Are you paid no matter what?
Does the school not have experienced teachers that you could observe?
2 Likes
Do you want to actually teach?
For 9 year olds, variety and movement are the keys. You plan short activities (start with 5 minutes and gradually extend – often the figure cited is one minute for each year of age) and then put a kinesthetic “brain break” in between them. Just something brief that gets the kids moving. Extra points if it reviews something in English they have heard or seen already, but don’t try to teach new language during a brain break. (It’s fine to teach new language through movement-oriented activities that you plan for that, just let the breaks be breaks).
However this may not be what the buxiban has in mind…
3 Likes
The first time I taught a class was the same and I thought I had lost the children forever and they’d always walk over me. I then went out of my way to get observations and feedback, get seasoned teachers to review my lesson plans, etc., and within a couple of months I was able to control all of my classes and by the end of my one-year contract I was actually pretty good. But the first couple of months were Hell. I think it’s normal, but you need to put in the effort (requesting feedback, putting hours into lesson planning, etc.) if you want to get better.
2 Likes
Yes
Hmmm, yeah hopefully it will be fine once I get more practice and the kids get to know me better
I was in your shoes last year, decided I wouldn’t let the work kill me and I let the kids be. Eventually another teacher would come in the classroom, do most of the shouting and calm the kids down.
What @ironlady mentioned would be the exact advice I would give my ET preservice teachers. Maybe a couple of additional points:
- keep the classroom language positive (“listen to me” is better than “be quiet”)
- is your connect comprehensible? It not, actions, pictures, realistic, and having volunteers translate can reduce students’ affective filter which prevents them from focusing or behaving positively
- do you have a clearly posted list of class rules? A reward system? (although I suggest overemphasis on points and treats, so as to avoid dependence on these tactics and a study towards extrinsic motivation)
- learn basic Chinese as soon as possible, not necessarily for procedural purposes, but to let kids know your are aware of what’s going on
- as a foreigner your are expected to be a clown, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use an animated personality to capture students attention without being unprofessional. At the same time, using variations such as whispers can capture attention. Silence can often let kids realize something is happening. One common activity is to make the “shush” gesture and reward kids who imitate the action and are silent quickly, while letting the noisier ones who aren’t paying attention be caught out (a bit negative, I know). Also keep your teacher smile as much as possible and save a stern face or blaming fit extreme cases
- control their seating arrangements once you’ve better understood their chemistry and interactions
- mix up interaction types. Classes are not lectures, there should be pair work, group work, independent work, group competitions, etc.
- think of Gardner’s multiple intelligences and try to offer opportunities for students who are diverse in background and leaving styles
- chosing a “little teacher” as your assistant can help, as well as getting the most influential kids on “your side” ASAP
- is your class interesting, well-prepared, and engaging. If so, don’t be too hard on yourself, becoming professional takes practice and, sometimes, the assistance of someone who can positively redirect students’ behaviors
I’m sure there are many more and better points than these, but they are off the top of my head and have worked for me in the past.
2 Likes
Good advice, I’m going to try some of this tomorrow
1 Like
A book that would most probably help is Fred Jones: Tools for Teaching
I recommend this in my workshops all the time. It works on elementary kids, it works on middle and high school, heck, it even works on husbands. LOL
3 Likes
Probably not with a Pole Dancer ?
@WolfB Do you have any updates or further questions. There are a lot of experienced people on here who can give you teaching advice or support in any other area of your daily life.
I do have an update!
So I brought in some treats (cheap ones from 7/11) and told them that the 3 best and most quiet students will get a treat at the end. It was like a totally different class, they were super well behaved. I think they were just really excited for their first day and I just need more classroom practice. Thanks for all the tips on here guys.
1 Like
Glad to hear the good news! Remember not to rely on treats (I’ve done so I’m the past and it becomes harder to get them to do anything if there is no potential for reward).
Enjoy your classes!
1 Like