My first year teaching in Korea, I felt as if I didn't have the authority, the right, or even the experience to walk into a new school and lay down the law.
Well after a year of near chaos, I wised up and put my foot down.
At the beginning of this year, EVERY class - from the youngest to the oldest - was told my rules and that they were expected to be followed. That there were no expections, that there were consequences and that I was here to teach and them to learn.
Throughout the first semester there was mostly order and control in my classroom; some rules did end up being broken and punishments had to be enforced (kids were sent to jail - a chairless-desk-of-shame at the back of the classroom), but the harm seemed minimal. However, as the end of the semester approached order was in danger of slipping away.
And I wasn't having any of that!! Second term was not going to be my undoing.
I used the first week and a half of second semester to reinstate the rules and let my students know that the law still stands.
Here's a look at my classroom rules and how I explained them:
- Try to do your best
It's OK if you're good at English. It's OK if you're so-so at English. It's even OK if you're bad at English. All I want you to do is try. Just try. Try to do your best
- Be brave
I know English may be scary for you. I know you might be scared or embarassed to speak in front of your friends. Don't be! We are here to learn. So be brave!
- Listen
Korean is your first language. English is your second. You need to listen extra carefully so that you can understand and learn.
- Ask questions
Questions are good! Questions help you learn! You need to ask questions if: you don't understand, you need help, you want to know the spelling of a word, or you want to know the Korean-English meaning of the word. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Questions are very, very, very, very, very..... good!
- Come to class prepared
You need to be ready to learn. Bring your pencil case, bring your notebook, bring you workbook, and most importantly bring your brain!
- Do all your homework and worksheets
When teachers give you work to do, do all of it! Not half, not just a little, do all of it! It will help you learn!
- Keep all of your handouts in your notebook
Glue all your handouts in your notebook.
- This is a classroom, NOT the playground
What is 'classroom' in Korean? ... What is 'playground' in Korean? ... Where is the playground? ... Where is the classroom? ... This is a classroom. There is no: running, jumping, climbing, screaming, yelling, shouting, throwing - wild behavior of any kind. You can do that outside. This is the classroom.
- No fighting
No punching, hitting, kicking, pinching, flicking, twisting, pulling hair - NO violence. It is not OK. It is not playing. I don't like it. Don't do it.
- Leave your desk clean and in a straight row
I am not your mother. I have no babies. I will not clean up after you. You need to clean up after yourself. You are big kids. You know better.
- Push your chair in
The rules are holding strong so far. I've had to send two 3rd graders to jail, have had a talk about completing homework and have reminded my students (more than once) that they need to try, but over all they seem to know who is the boss. ^^
*Pictures were drawn by my 3rd and 4th graders. My 5th graders were given a quiz on which they had to write 7 rules and draw a picture of one. My 6th graders had to write 7 rules and explain why they were important in 5 sentences.
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