[emile]

Hello Marie,

Ouch! Your story brings back memories for me, too.

What I've learned about Chinese students, though is that 'boring' is not as harsh to them as it is in English. When we say 'Your book is boring', that's like a huge insult to the author, but for the Chinese, it's just a way to say 'I don't like it that much'. Add this to the fact that they're kids and they don't have a good grasp of the language.

So when the student said your lesson is boring, it could mean many things. For example, it could mean 'Your lesson is frustrating to me because I don't understand it and you talk too fast'. Or, of course, it could really mean that it's boring, but somehow I doubt that since you put so much effort into making it fun for them.

Also, a class of sixty kids is too much, but that's probably beyond your control!

[michèle 2]

[quote=emile]Hello Marie,

Ouch! Your story brings back memories for me, too.

We all live in a world where everything goes very quickly and children get bored quickly. They are used to playing games on the computer all day long. I've noticed ( French children) that they don't want to write anymore!! Actually they don't want to do anything! I'm sure you will find something to get them interested in your lessons. There are so many activities in ESL sites and teaching a language makes creativity possible while other subjects don't.
Don't let this dishearted you!
Good luck!

[DaveESL]

I'd just like to add my support. Try not to worry too much, and just take it as a learning experience. We all have classes that go very badly. And when you're put in a bad situation (too many students, little institutional support, etc.) that makes it even harder.

I like the idea of involving the computers, but (as someone who is also teaching large groups in China) I doubt that students would really stay on task. And watching videos is fine, but I don't personally spend a lot of class time doing that.

I like what your trying to do as far as getting the students to let you know what they're interested in learning about. In my experience, Chinese students don't seem to be used to the idea of taking part in shaping their classes, though, so it might take a while. I'm currently in the midst of doing this with my classes (50 or so 18-19 year-olds) and I'm starting to make headway. I just try to make it very clear to them that they need to share some of the responsibility for deciding content, because I don't know what they're interested in unless they tell me.

Try to make them feel like part of the team. Acknowledge that sometimes some lessons may be boring, and try to get them to help come up with ways of learning that are more engaging to them. This runs the risk of them seeking cop-outs like watching movies, though. Anyways.

Good luck. You're doing fine, and the fact that you're reflecting on your teaching and trying to improve it puts you head and shoulders above the crowd.

Take care,
Dave

[marie777]

Thanks for all your support, it has made me feel much better.

Hue - I can not set them homework, the Chinese teachers do this. Your lesson plan has given me an idea.

Michele/Emile - Ouch is the perfect word, it was very ouch.

Dave - Thanks for your reply, I am going to keep on at them to make suggestions as I agree they are partly responsible, it should be a bit of a team effort.

I am very limited on resources, I thought I may print off some photos from my trip to Australia, maybe that might interest them, especially the Aborigines, Dingos and Jelly fish, but even to do that I am having to email a student to get her to print them for me as I have no colour printer. This one lesson may be a bit more teacher talking time but at least I can try and work out if this type of thing may interest them or not.

[Manuela]

WOW. 50-60 kids in the classroom!! I wonder how you do it. Really. One of my 8-year-old classes is made up of 16 students and I have to really struggle to keep them on track and not have them walk about the classroom and hit each other... And I really felt good about myself for having achieved this atmosphere of cooperation after teaching them for 21 weeks. ........I'm sure I couldn't have done it with 60 students.
I teach in a state school and I have to teach certain very old books. Even though I feel that the books are no good I make sure that I do the lessons in the book as well. I teach the grammar, vocabulary however I think it is best, and then I use the lesson in the book as consolidation. Besides the fact that I am paid to teach the books that the ministry of education has given the kids I have found that students and their parents start complaining and consider that nothing has been done in the classroom if some progress in the book has not been made. So I make sure that the lessons in the book are done as well. I find that students enjoy it when, after they have learnt the grammar and vocabulary , they open their books and understand everything that is there in the lesson. Makes them feel confident when they open the book and the book is a piece of cake for them because they have already learnt everything that a specific lesson is supposed to teach them.
After teaching for 25 years I have reached the conclusion that in order to be effective we don't really have to be entertaining every single lesson. Kids also like to work hard and have the teacher appreciate their efforts.They also like the teacher to be in charge and lead them towards a specific goal. I started out
trying to please my students but I think I really started being a good teacher when I stopped worrying so much about them having a good time but started worrying more about the amount of language they would learn during my lessons. That doesn't mean that they don't play games, (boardgames, cards, slam, snakes and ladders, all subscribed to the teaching objective, of course) but not during each class. I usually do such activities when I have classes towards the end of the school day when kids find it more difficult to concentrate and do some teacher centered teaching (I really think it is necessary to model pronunciation) and writing and reading during the classes that are earlier during the day. I teach each class 3 hours a week . Kids
feel it when they make progress and appreciate the teacher's efforts. I think it is important for them to learn to use language the way a native speaker would use it. Learn how to introduce themselves, offer and accept things, invite people to do things together, talk about their family, lifestyle, possessions, holidays, free time, likes, dislikes etc. And I find that revision, time and again, of the language taught so far eventually leads to fluency and a feeling of accomplishment. It is also good, I think, to pinpoint at the end of lessons what they have learnt during the lesson. When they feel they have made some progress being bored or not bored is no longer such an issue.
I can understand how upsetting the experience you describe must have been. I have been in such a position myself and maybe more than once. You'll be fine. You'll find your voice.
Meanwhile, "happy teaching". I'm quoting Mark, the webmaster of www.mes-english.com You might find some good teaching ideas on his site as well.

[marie777]

Manuela

I agree with everything you said, I was actually thinking the other day, what are they actually learning by me just trying to please them. China is not the easiest place to teach, the students are known for being shy and never putting up their hands, for sleeping in lessons and reading newspapers, high school students can be difficult. We as teachers are employed just for oral, at the schools in China. On a positive note one of my students came running up to me after class yesterday and he had written me two pages about the difference between England and China, I was well touched, he wants to be a writer, I told him that I think for him this is possible.

I learnt a lot in my tefl but trying to do everything at once, theres probaly a few minor but important points I need to keep on top of, and one of them is a log of every lesson and what worked and didn't work.

I also think what you said is a good idea, more games for the afternoon when they are tired.

As for "happy teaching", I haven't quite reached that point yet, I have moments, but one day I hope I will really enjoy.

Marie