classroom dynamics
TRANSCRIPT
Classroom Dynamics
Teach and Learn in Korea (TaLK)
Shinjeju Foreign Language Education Center
Who am I?My name is
Roger Rolando Reyes
My Korean name is김영수 ( 金英秀 )
I studied Regional and Com-parative Studies at the School of Foreign Service of George-
town University.
I teach English conversation, cultural geography, and cin-
ema appreciation in Daejeong Middle School and Andeok
Middle School.
ObjectivesWe will discuss what to expect on our
first day of class.
We will also talk about school life and how to prepare for an open class.
Lastly, we will have a question and an-swer session.
Before We BeginBefore we begin, let’s TaLK.
Questions to discuss:
① How is the Korean classroom different from the classroom in your country? How is it the same?
② What can you expect from your students and co-workers?
③ What could be some challenges moving forward? How can you tackle those challenges?
④ Will your culture play a part in the way you manage your classroom? How can you use this to your advantage?
First Day of SchoolOn the first day, there will usually be a staff meeting where all new teachers will be intro-
duced.
You will be asked to introduce yourself. If you want to make a good impression, introduce
yourself in Korean. It’s not necessary, though.
A good impression goes a long way.
First Day of SchoolThe first day of school comes in many different ways,
shapes, and forms.
Do you remember one of the first days of a new school year? What was your expectation as a student?
From impromptu assemblies to haywire schedules, ex-pect the unexpected.
Remember the cardinal rule:Always be prepared.
First Day of School안녕하십니까 ?
Annyeong-hashimnikka.Hello.
저는 ( 나라 ) 에서 온 ( 이름 ) 입니다 .Jeoneun (country) aeseo on (name) ibnida.
I am (name) from (country).
앞으로 잘 부탁 드립니다 .Apeuro jal butak deurimnida.Please treat me favorably.
First Day of SchoolThree lines can make a huge impression. Why?
First and foremost, no one expects you to know any Korean.
Secondly, you represent a nation, its culture, its language, and its values. Hence, you are a cultural ambassador. By
being open, you show that you are receptive to the new community that you belong to.
As such, it is your responsibility to make a good first impres-sion and to understand the culture of your new home.
Again: a good impression will go a long way.
First Day of School
After the meeting is over, my recommendation would be to talk to your co-teacher (CT).
Seeing as you are coming in the middle of the se-mester, the school calendar, student roster, and class timetable may already be in place.
If not, you will learn that the #KoreanSurprise is very real. It helps to come prepared for anything.
Useful Words
Locations Things
영어교과실 English room 시간표 class schedule
급식실( 식당 ) cafeteria 학생
명렬표 student roster
체육관 gym 학생자리표 student seat-
ing chart
2016 학년도학교교육계획
2016School Calen-
dar
First Day of School
ScenarioYou arrive early to school the next day and
are told that you have no classes.
It is 08:55 AM and you are suddenly told by a CT that you actually have six classes today.
What can you do? What could you do? How do you tackle this issue?
School Life
School LifeAn elementary school teacher usually teaches forty (40) minutes in
one classroom. Sometimes, this can feel like too little time. Other times, it can feel like an eternity.
If you are teaching with a book, you usually teach the whole period un-less your CT has a specific role for you. Consult with your co-teacher
and find what is expected in your partnership.
Some co-teachers teach and have you as an assistant, while others expect equal teaching time or co-teaching where you can teach to-
gether. In some cases, you are the only teacher while your co-teacher monitors and handles discipline.
Please note that different schools have different situations. How you use the time allotted, though, is totally up to you.
School LifeGrade 1 and Grade 2
These students have little to no English speaking ability. They are very high-en-ergy and need to be in constant motion. For these students, focus on kines-thetic learning via music and dance and their basic phonics and alphabet.
Grade 3 and Grade 4These students are starting to learn very basic words and may make simple
sentences if they are shown how to. These students are usually very sweet and motivated to learn. You can usually use handouts and give them small
and simple group projects to do.
Grade 5 and Grade 6These students have already been exposed to English for some time. You will
have students ranging from excellent and at-level English ability to very poor English comprehension. Behavior may also pose an issue. Work with these
students by creating a lesson plan with multiple learning activities.
School LifeFor teachers who have a free curriculum:
My personal advice is to plan ahead of time. A lot of the time, stress comes from the fact that we are under pressure, self-induced or due to extraneous circum-
stances.
You can see a class anywhere from twenty (20) times in a week to forty (40) times in a week. In this situation, you should make a skeleton plan where you
can divide a semester into topics.
Plan at least one week ahead of schedule. There is a small chance your co-teacher may expect you to make a semester or year-long unit plan. Again,
meet with your co-teacher and find what is expected for benchmarks and be honest about your thoughts and concerns.
Use the topics to make anywhere from two to four mini-lessons and you will see that everything will become much easier.
School LifeSupplementary Class
Surprise! You have been told a day in advance that you will be teaching a class you already taught
again.
With a partner, design a forty-minute lesson plan on any topic of your choice for Grade 4.
Remember: Grade 4 is still building a vocabulary.
Use the lesson plan template provided.
School LifeAs a middle school teacher, I have learned that the
forty-five minutes that I have in the classroom can ultimately prove useless at times.
Whether it’s behavior or problems with communication, effectively engage a student within a limited timeframe may prove to be
difficult.
In this situation, experiential teaching can be your biggest ally.
School LifeTalk to your students outside of class.
If you are able to build a connection with your students, you can slowly but surely create the necessary dialogue useful for your classroom later on. Use your own club time, if ap-
plicable, to engage them.
Make learning fun.Competition has the ability to change an unproductive classroom into an engaged and proactive environment.
Meet with your co-teacher and find if there is room to bring your own system into the class, or build on theirs if they
have one in place.
School LifeWebsites:
Boggle’s Worldwww.bogglesworldesl.com
Discovery Education’s Puzzlemakerhttp://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com
Englishwsheets.comwww.englishwsheets.com
iSLCollectivehttps://en.islcollective.com
Waygook.orgwww.waygook.org
School LifeYou have a new home and the old rules don’t apply.
When you move to a foreign country, there are so many issues that it truly is hard to keep track. However, when you go to work, focus on your job during
the time allotted do your best and everything will be fine.
Many of us come from the West, where we are used to doing things a certain way, from work to our personal life. South Korea is a developed nation and
that is where the comparison ends.
They should also find someone who they can rely on to express their frustrations in a platonic way. Whether it’s a mentor teacher or a close friend who is willing
to lend an ear or shoulder.
Don’t take anything personally.Whether it is a student who disrespects you, a CT that may be far from pleasant
to work with, or an adjustment issue, don’t take anything personally. Detach yourself from the issue and stay calm. Everything will be alright.
School LifeTake some time to reflect.
If things go crazy, take some time to reflect on what you can do to improve and learn from the problem.
Be it in the classroom or in life, take it easy and re-flect on the challenges ahead.
While tackling issues head on may seem necessary at times, remember to think carefully.
Worker smarter, not harder.
ConclusionWhile I usually teach middle school, I had had
the opportunity to teach at all levels.
One of the main takeaways I had had is that you should stay positive and be creative.
New teachers should remember what it was like to be a student. How would they like to be taught in class?
For those of that are first-time teachers:Don’t worry!
We all make mistakes. No classroom is perfect.
Focus on doing your best and everything will fall into place.
Take pictures and make memories!
Questions and Answers