How high are expectations for tutoring jr high schoolers?

I’m supposed to be teaching two kids (11 and 13) and I’m meeting them next week. Their parents want them to improve their English because they plan on sending them to high school or college in the States. Therefore, I would imagine, they must be pretty serious about the quality of their English education.

I’m only just beginning in the field of private tutoring, and these would be my first students of that age group, so in all honestly, I have very little idea of what I’m doing (at the moment). I’m planning on doing a TON of research on this age group, but in the meantime…

–Do you think it would be acceptable to admit that I don’t really know what I’m doing, but I am doing research to get up to speed as quickly as possible? I’ve implied that to the parents of my other students, and they seem to be okay with it, however this is probably because they’re very young (3 and 6 years old). I tend to think that the parents of older students will want someone who definitely knows what they’re doing, and for this reason I tend to want to just wing it and hope that I learn very quickly. Is this what most people do when they get their start?

–Also, I fear that teaching this age group will be relatively unpleasant, because of the high expectations and pressure from the students and parents. Pressure to learn=no fun. It certainly doesn’t seem like they will want to learn purely for the joy of learning, right? Or is it not so bad? Any thoughts?

I’m guessing that unless you are lucky they can’t speak for shit and read and write even worse. Listening skills are really hit and miss. What I do for my 2 privates are as follows:

  1. They listen to a song everyday 3-5 times with the lyrics handy, then we talk about the song in class time along with what next week’s song is.
  2. Write a 150 word paragraph about something, get your grammar guide and a red pen ready.
  3. Reading, because they will suck at it.

If you can speak Chinese, this is really helpful.

I suggest put no pressure, kids don’t like it and it’s in no way too effective. You can probably try to find what they’re interested in and use any related material, like articles, video or songs. You can also ask them what they don’t understand in school lessons.

And right, do you speak Chinese, it does help a lot.

Thanks!

Actually, I’ve been learning Chinese at Shida for 6 months, but I probably don’t have to tell you that the basic level of 6 months of Chinese will probably be of little use in this situation.

I guess I’m not sure how serious to get with this age group. I substituted a few times at a buxiban for 11 year olds, and I tried to be fun and playful with them (because the subject matter they had me teach is super boring!) but the class took this as a weakness I suppose, and walked all over me. They were horrible! Hiding under their desks, mocking me when I spoke!

Just as a side note: this experience scared me away from the whole buxiban path. But I’ve since talked to some other teachers who said this is an unusual experience: just arrived in Taipei, they just threw me into a classroom with no preparation (never subbed or taught before), teaching a class of twenty 11 year olds by myself.

So anyway, this is one of the reasons I feel I need to be hardcore and strict, otherwise they won’t take me seriously…?

I’m probably going to get blasted for this but here are my thoughts.

[quote]Just as a side note: this experience scared me away from the whole buxiban path. But I’ve since talked to some other teachers who said this is an unusual experience: just arrived in Taipei, they just threw me into a classroom with no preparation (never subbed or taught before), teaching a class of twenty 11 year olds by myself.
So anyway, this is one of the reasons I feel I need to be hardcore and strict, otherwise they won’t take me seriously…?
[/quote]If you’re going to be a teacher, then fucking act like one. That means no pussy footing around, you set standards and make the students understand they will be enforced, If you can’t enforce them get another job where you can or get out of teaching. I’m at a job where I can finally enforce some standards and it makes a word of difference in my view of teaching and on Taiwan. You can have fun and play games, but it either has to do with what you are teaching or to burn time to make your money.

At around 5th-6th grade, students get wind of how shit it all is and how they are supremely fucked for the most part. They are going to take that out on you. There’s no inquiry or discussion in any of their classes because with 30-50 students the teacher is not able to handle it nor would be trained to lead it. They basically know to shut up and grunt when asked a question. They barely are cognizant of their own culture so will have a difficult enough time dealing with you and your cultural values.

A lot is going to depend on the parents as they are your only back up. If they see it as play time, then you should too. If they don’t then they will help you enforce standards. This is what you need to find out.

I wouldn’t tell the parents that you don’t know what you are doing, if I were you. This will only undermine you.

I agree with Okami about being a real teacher, but I think it is also necessary to compensate for the dullness of the local school system. My approach with jr high schoolers is to try and find their areas of interest. I often do readings and picture descriptions based on their interests, or on new things they will likely find interesting like the new F22 Raptor, illusionists, people who swim with sharks or interact closely with wild bears, the 2004 tsunami, whatever might stimulate their color-starved brains.

The students here often also need basic fluency practice. Many of them could be compared to a clumsy and insecure carpenter with a load of lumber and belt jammed with tools, but who doesn’t know how to just build something with what he’s got. He’s always fumbling in his tool belt, or remeasuring wood again and again, or asking someone else to actually do it for him or tell him what to do.
So, I recommend lots of activities based on description (adjectives, adverbs, similies) argument (logic words such as “so thus since as”) instruction (how to words, and process vocabulary such as “first, then, next, finally,” as well conditionals to deal with contingencies (1st and 2nd being most useful).

Get the kids to use what they know and not just learn more in the vain hope that suddenly one day it will all become easy.

The reading should lead the writing. At the age they’re at, the first goal should be a good paragraph. You can build anything from that.

Don’t worry too much about the parent’s expectations. Make the kids happy and teach them a lot of stuff, and you’ll be fine.

BTW, make sure you don’t get locked into the same price with their friends if they recommend you to others. 800 NT / hr is a good rate. Try not to get stuck below that is my advice.

Hope this helps.

I’m with Okami and Big John. Also, if their levels are good enough, you can get the Junior SSAT handbook and try to work through it, or base some of their lessons on lessons in it.

In my experience, a school in the states is going to evaluate them and put them in the appropriate classes anyway. They will probably be expected to take the SSAT test to see what their levels are.

[quote=“Okami”]I’m probably going to get blasted for this but here are my thoughts.

[quote]Just as a side note: this experience scared me away from the whole buxiban path. But I’ve since talked to some other teachers who said this is an unusual experience: just arrived in Taipei, they just threw me into a classroom with no preparation (never subbed or taught before), teaching a class of twenty 11 year olds by myself.
So anyway, this is one of the reasons I feel I need to be hardcore and strict, otherwise they won’t take me seriously…?
[/quote]If you’re going to be a teacher, then fucking act like one. That means no pussy footing around, you set standards and make the students understand they will be enforced, If you can’t enforce them get another job where you can or get out of teaching. I’m at a job where I can finally enforce some standards and it makes a word of difference in my view of teaching and on Taiwan. You can have fun and play games, but it either has to do with what you are teaching or to burn time to make your money.

At around 5th-6th grade, students get wind of how shit it all is and how they are supremely fucked for the most part. They are going to take that out on you. There’s no inquiry or discussion in any of their classes because with 30-50 students the teacher is not able to handle it nor would be trained to lead it. They basically know to shut up and grunt when asked a question. They barely are cognizant of their own culture so will have a difficult enough time dealing with you and your cultural values.

A lot is going to depend on the parents as they are your only back up. If they see it as play time, then you should too. If they don’t then they will help you enforce standards. This is what you need to find out.[/quote]
I agree with Okami.

If you’re going to be a teacher, act like one. First off, name the teachers you had from the 6th grade until high school. ie Mr. Miller, Ms. Johnson, Mr. Popodopolous, Mrs. Hinckley, Miss Smith, etc. Then as k your students to name their current group of teachers: Chen Laoshi, Wu Laoshi, Huang Laoshi, etc. Now what do your students call you? Becky? Do you see the anomaly? Use a title that students will respect. Sure, you’re going to have to earn most of it, but I’m sometimes appalled by the familiarity that unknown students assume with me. (“Hey, man!”) My own students know to call me “Mr.”

Next, what do you expect of your students? Language as a communicative tool must be actively learned, but students here will do everything they can to get away with passive learning. I’ve got a few rules for my students:

  1. Always answer every question. English is preferred of course, but Mandarin, Taiwanese, Hakka, and aboriginal dialects are acceptable, as is French, German, Japanese, or any other language. Answering “I don’t know” or “I don’t understand” is also acceptable. Silence is unacceptable as is grunting, which is a favorite mode of response among Taiwanese adolescents.
  2. Speak loudly and clearly. It doesn’t matter what language they’re speaking, whatever they say must be audible to the entire class.
  3. Don’t use one-word answers. This usually requires a few practice runs: Me: Do you like your friends? “Yes.” Me: Yes, I do. Me: Do you like homework? “No.” Me: No, I don’t. They get the hang of it after a while.
  4. Be on time.
  5. Bring the things you need to class. (books, pencil cases, etc.)
  6. Don’t be late.

Actually, the last three rules are fei hua rules but I throw them in to give the students some familiarity. Rules 1, 2, and 3, take a while to put into practice.

You might want to insist on students using some standard questions to make inquiries:

  1. I’m sorry, I don’t know.
  2. I’m sorry, I don’t understand.
  3. Mr. Kotter, what is (a) __________? (singular/uncountable noun)
  4. Mr. Kotter, what are ________s? (plural noun)
  5. Mr. Kotter what does __________ mean? (Used to enquire about pretty much anything else)

Once you have some attainable standards that students have to adhere to, you can get on with the business of teaching. The context is important, though. There are WAY too many teachers out there that try to coast on friendliness, familiarity, and “free talk”.

[quote=“leisha001”]I’m supposed to be teaching two kids (11 and 13) and I’m meeting them next week. Their parents want them to improve their English because they plan on sending them to high school or college in the States. Therefore, I would imagine, they must be pretty serious about the quality of their English education.
[/quote]

They might, but also realize they might not have a clue as to what that is. They (the parents) may have been put more into the GEPT testing mindset or the public school English class mindset and think that passing those things and doing well = good English.

I would present the parents with what you have planned out to and get a feel for their reaction to it. The last thing you want is to be explaining how to conjugate verbs 5 different in 5 different tenses to a student who has a 50 word vocabulary and doesn’t even know how to use that. I’ve been there before and there is nothing you can do except either keep going and collect the money or give up and move on.

Thanks Puppet, actually, this is a very good plan. You’re right–I really don’t want to be explaining verb conjugation if the student has no clue how to use it. Frustration on both ends!!