|
ESL Forum:
Techniques and methods
in Language Teaching
Games, activities
and teaching ideas
Grammar and
Linguistics
Teaching material
Concerning
worksheets
Concerning
powerpoints
Concerning online
exercises
Make suggestions,
report errors
Ask for help
Message board
|
ESL forum >
Message board > Frustration, teacher demotivation Part 2
Frustration, teacher demotivation Part 2
|
carinita
|
Frustration, teacher demotivation Part 2
|
|
What do you do when you don �t like a group of students (or a couple groups)? I have my problematic groups on Mondays and I start feeling bad on Sundays Plus I have to get up at 5am and I am not a morning person Sorry I �m not bringing good news to the site 
Chokosaki asked "What are some of the reasons you don�t like your students?"
The reasons are...
They are very demanding
Group 1 They tell me "Ha, your lessons are boring" "Why don �t we watch a movie?" "Why don �t we play game? �Why don �t we? Why don �t we?"
Group 2 They chat among themselves, and also chat, and chat, and chat and chat (often in a loud voice, they �re 13)
Group 3 This group is my favourite (of all groups of Mondays) They need dynamic activities I enjoy lessons but I have to be ready to move from one activity to another quickly
Group 4 By this time of the day I �m quite exhausted! These students show disrespect openly (16 years old) and are convinced that they we �ll learn without ANY of my guidance or help, when I have PROVES that they know little, veerrryyyy little
Thanks Chokosaki for your question
|
30 Aug 2011
|
|
|
|
lizsantiago
|
|
i had a group last year that i hated and i knew i was going to have them again this year. i felt miserable because of them so i knew i had to do something, i decided to try a strategy i read over the internet and let me tell you that this year i just cant wait to get to that group. it has worked wonders with them. maybe you can try it its called brain power teaching.. go to youtube or google it maybe it can help you too. |
30 Aug 2011
|
|
|
misseleonora
|
|
Oh Carinita . . . I wish I could help you. Liz, I�ve been having a look at you tube "brain power teaching", in fact I have a one-on-one class student who is getting really difficult . . . but I just can�t imagine myself saying: classs . . . yesss! claaaaoaaasss yeeeeoeees! lol I just can picture his face thinking " my teacher has gone nuts!" lol I will have a look at brain power teaching class 2. :) |
30 Aug 2011
|
|
|
sirhaj
|
Just be strong and believe in yourself, honestly, these students ain �t see nothing yet, show them who Carinita really is, she could be sweetest, nicest, most loveable person you ever know but if you rub her on the wrong way, she could be your worst nightmare, the one you fear most, the terrifying and powerful person that could put you into ash and dust, haunting you for the rest of your life.
Sirhajwan
p/s: I�m waiting for "part 3". Post it soon.
|
30 Aug 2011
|
|
|
flo84
|
|
Dear Carinita
I can imagine what it is like because I have already taught to classes like the ones you describe. Teaching is not always that easy and we are all aware of that. It has nothing to do with the skills or the personality of the teacher , it is just the group that behaves like that as a group while the kids can be very nice when you know them individually. So my advice is think about them not as a group but as individual students. Try to find out who the strong personality is (or are) and try to make this person or these people participate in your lesson so that others will follow. I hope this will help but you are the one who knows what you can do with your group. Trust yourself and don �t worry Carinita, talking about that shows that you are involved in your job and it doesn �t bring "bad news" on the forum. It is a good thing to talk about it.
Take care and let us know how your groups go.
Flo |
30 Aug 2011
|
|
|
PhilipR
|
|
Group 1 Why not listen to them? You could use short videos (with worksheet) if that motivates them. Let them come up with a list of topics, so they won �t be able to blame you if they don �t like the topics. Games can be used to reward students for effort (no work, no play of course).
Group 2 If they are chatting loudly, you should speak more quietly instead of trying to match their volume. You could also say nothing at all for half a minute and just watch them. Ask them what their problem is; tell them they are allowed to talk if they involve the whole class and try talking in English. Should this not work, speak to the biggest troublemakers after the lesson and (threaten to) involve the parents or principal if it continues.
Group 3 No need to change I guess.
Group 4 Try a similar approach as groups 1 and 2 combined. Tell them you don �t want to teach them anymore unless they change their attitude (and follow up on your word if possible - life is too short after all).
|
30 Aug 2011
|
|
|
misseleonora
|
|
PhillipR,
Now that I see you here, I feel I must thank you for your whole set of Board games.  I used them ALL THE TIME with my students, kids and adults. They have been very useful indeed! Carinita, Games are always a great tool, and I think that the more competitive the better, as kids love to compete and win. if you make teams they learn cooperation. Good luck, and keep us posted!
|
30 Aug 2011
|
|
|
carinita
|
|
Wow! Well thank you everyone for taking your time to write Something positive has to come out of the negative! I �ll keep you posted
sirhaj: ha ha ha you made me laugh |
30 Aug 2011
|
|
|
carinita
|
I like the "for the rest of you life" part  |
30 Aug 2011
|
|
|
class centre
|
Dear Carinita! I know what a naughty class is. When I used to work at a state school I had them several. But I got all of them to my side in the end. And that was only because I did my best to make my lessons interesting, involving all of them, making them forget to be naughty. They are still children and you can use it. I was not strict at all, if they were teen-agers I spoke very respectfully to them using Usted (I taught Spanish at that time) . I used the most naughty pupil to be my helper in class. I was careful to give ALL of them ( the slowest ones especially) very easy but a bit long work to do and promise them a satisfactory mark for good results. While the slowest ( and the naughtiest) ones were "busy" I could procede with my lesson.
Yes, it took some special efforts to meet my goal of conquering them. But it did not take too long!!
Cheer up! Be patient and don �t fight with them. Just talk. Ask them to share about their mistakes
and tell them about yours ( in the childhood). After thinking about it from this point of view you will invent hundreds of hooks to catch them.
Good luck, dear!
|
30 Aug 2011
|
|
|
carinita
|
|
Hi!
How am I going? This is certainly a tough year for me My father passed away a week ago That �s why I couldn �t let you know about the troublesome classes
Group 1 - I managed to use video and ir worked well I �ll include video more often in my lessons
Group 2 -I was on leave so I suppose it is good to start afresh
Group 3- No significative changes
Group 4- I quitted For many reasons Not just for THEM I teach in various schools At THAT school precisely, there �s a tutor who harasses me since last year It �s so difficult to get rid of bullies at work I �ve already talked with headteachers It �s complicated, and anyway, I don �t like the school as a workplace so I quitted
I �m pretty busy now Have a good day I �ll be glad to read your comments |
24 Sep 2011
|
|
|
