Do you think you've made a difference at your school?

[Bump]

I'm just wondering if most teachers here feel like you've actually made some sort of difference at your school (guess I'm primarily speaking to public school teachers). There are times when I feel as though I've not been of much use (due to having a pretty solid coteacher who is extremely fluent in English and could probably run the classes alone).  However, with some of my afterschool classes for 1st and 2nd grade elementary, I do feel like I've been pretty useful.  Just wondering if you guys feel like you've been more useful than not.  I think I'm thinking about it because it's pretty obvious public school NETs will be gone in a few years. 

[Jozigirl]

Yep, I've definitely made a difference at my school.  Most of my students are a lot more confident in speaking English, participation during lessons has increased a lot, I wrote 2/3 of the textbook we used in the second semester and I'll be revising the entire book for next year, most of my students now have positive attitudes towards English (of course, I still have a handful who just don't care), and students in the grades I don't teach have been putting in requests with the school that they'll be in one of my classes next year.  I have no doubts that I'm respected by the majority of students at my school (whether I teach them or not) and many kids come to visit me just to chat.  Also, for the first time ever at my school apparently, there are lesson plans ready for an entire year's worth of lessons which has led to a couple of teachers requesting me as their co-teacher for 2012    Many of my colleagues also now have a much better view of female foreign teachers since I'm the first one to actually finish my contract.

Of course, the flip side of all of this is that the other two NETs at my school pretty much hate me and barely talk to me.   I may have made a huge difference at my school this year, but it's been pretty lonely and unbearable at times. 

[flasyb]

Nah. I only see my high school students once a week and that's only if classes don't get cancelled, which they regularly do. Sometimes I go two weeks without seeing my students and since they are in school up to 14 hours a day, they rarely remember what we do from week to week. They don't care about my class because they're too busy concentrating on the classes that they have exams in. Learning English isn't a priority at my school. Getting students to pass exams is the main priority. If Korea actually wants students to learn English, they need to change how they test it. You can bring any number of ESL teachers into Korea but until you bring in nationalised goals of what supposed conversational English teachers like me are supposed to teach and test the students accordingly, the English level will remain low. You can send them all home too but that won't help either. Anyone who has spend time in a Korean high school knows what the real barriers to students learning English are.

[lindsaydp1]

Nah,  not really in terms of English ability. I think I've been effective more in terms of making them comfortable around waegookins, teaching them more about Western culture in general than actual English. As posted above, they don't care about my class academically (some do, the higher level ones especially) but for the most part I think I've made them more comfortable with foreigners. They'll greet me confidently now, even on the streets if I'm with friends, whereas before they wouldn't even look at me when I first arrived. So I guess it's all relative. Some learned some things from me, but most forgot it the minuet they walked to their next mind-numbing class after 4 hours sleep. Oh well, at least they know about Modern Family, Glee and Big Bang Theory now 

[Paul]

I'd like to think overall I have, but of course some days I have my doubts.

I know in many classes I have. Apparently one of the schools gets a lot of positive feedback from parents and I know of a few students I have assisted are now speaking when they simply wouldn't before. A fair few students come to mind who now can pronounce final consonants and have learnt the need for full, complete sentences, and with some of the worksheets I prepare students have approached me to ask me for more to do in their own time. Some of my 4th graders last year were concerned when I was late with providing them with unit summary notes. Apparently they were appreciated. I know many of my 4th graders this year in particular look forward to our classes. Students talk to me in the hall, and often approach me during lunch or at my desk after school (for them) to have a chat. I've taught with Korean teachers who are not dedicated English teachers for some of my time here so I'm at least confident I've made a difference there.

On the flip side, I have (soon to have had) one class where honestly the most positive influence I had was when I gave up trying to teach and let the newbie contract co-teacher close her eyes and hit play on the CD: at that point she stopped with the physical violence. Honestly, that class would've been better if I'd just done a runner.

The question is, does the former scenario make up for the latter?

[#basedcowboyshirt]

I have to respectfully disagree with flasyb's views.

I teach at a privately owned high-school that is VERY conservative, that doesn't allow me to have any input on the speaking and writing tests (which require students to remember a passage from the textbook and repeat it verbatim), and also doesn't allow junior teachers (myself included) to have use of the printer for handouts, etc.

Despite all this, I have made monumental differences in the way my students see English. Just like flasyb, I see my students once every week or two, and despite them all being exhausted all the time, they really remember the things from the lesson before. They'll come up to me in the hall and practice whatever phrase I taught them earlier that month. They'll come and speak to me at length (albeit usually in very, very broken English) and I can see that they are losing their fear of speaking.

Despite the English education environment and attitude in Korea, despite being at a draconean and ultra-conservative school that actively tries to crush any creativity or individuality out of the students, and despite the fact that for my first contract I didn't even have access to a computer or handouts in the classrooms, I have revolutionized the way my students view English. With the right attitude, knowledge, and perserverence, anyone can do the same thing. I'm not special. I had no prior teaching experience. My students are very low level, for the most part, as are most of the teachers at my school (3 out of 7 of my coteachers can barely follow middle-school level lessons off Waygook).

As I said before, anyone can make a difference in their school, and everyone should be making a difference.

#cook that #based teaching #swag

[woman-king]

I think in terms of their overall perception of Western foreigners is where I've made the biggest difference.  I agree the system here is not really designed to most effectively use native speakers to actually improve the English ability of students, but we're also here simply as a way to expose students to Westerners and Western culture and get comfortable in cross-cultural interaction.

The previous NET was apparently very unfriendly, standoffish and not well-like at my school.  I'm not even the most outgoing person but I've been told that I'm friendlier and more approachable to the students and teachers, and I'm glad I'm representing the U.S. and my culture in general in a more positive way.  I live in a small city-town about 40 minutes outside of Seoul and see many of my students around town frequently.  I don't do planned hang-outs with them exactly, but they see me buying my groceries, getting coffee in the morning, riding the bus, etc.  I think I've done a bit to demystify "Migookins" to them and let them know that we're just other humans who happen to look a bit different. 

I also think my co-teachers appreciate someone who seems to enjoy their job and Korea and is happy to answer questions to improve their own speaking ability.  We don't do formal teacher lessons but we get together fairly often and they always have questions about English and of course just have to practice English whenever they hang out with me.

I also feel like I've built up some good relationships with my more advanced students who take time to visit me after class and ask extra questions and who join my after-school classes and summer/winter camps.  They have all told me they appreciate having a Native speaker around to demonstrate correct pronunciation and explain idioms to them, among other things, and I think that in general many of my smartest students appreciate having someone with a different perspetive on the world to talk to.   

[Andyroo]

and also doesn't allow junior teachers (myself included) to have use of the printer for handouts, etc.

Wow, that just strikes me as really really weird.

[#basedcowboyshirt]

and also doesn't allow junior teachers (myself included) to have use of the printer for handouts, etc.

Wow, that just strikes me as really really weird.

Privately owned. Money is everything here. Paper and toner cost money. This is also why none of the classes have computers in them.

[Jrong]

One of the kids used to come in wearing fatigues, never smiled, and was treated like an outcast (I thought "Columbine" every time I saw him). He sat in the back of the class drawing pictures of people dying horrible deaths (cutting off limbs, shooting people with bazookas, heads blowing up, rivers of blood, that kind of thing). I started paying lots of attention to him and taking time to speak with him whenever I could. He stopped drawing awful pix in class, he is now the most attentive student in class, his English has improved dramatically, and he smiles all of the time...

[Damien]

I teach at a vocational high school for girls. I doubt I've helped even 5-10% of my students with their English. I have helped in many other ways. After school attendance has gone up, fights have gone down, and optional English classes/programs have tripled/quadrupled. Attitudes seem to be doing better too. I feel more like a school counselor than a English teacher.

[flasyb]

I have to respectfully disagree with flasyb's views.

I teach at a privately owned high-school that is VERY conservative, that doesn't allow me to have any input on the speaking and writing tests (which require students to remember a passage from the textbook and repeat it verbatim), and also doesn't allow junior teachers (myself included) to have use of the printer for handouts, etc.

Despite all this, I have made monumental differences in the way my students see English. Just like flasyb, I see my students once every week or two, and despite them all being exhausted all the time, they really remember the things from the lesson before. They'll come up to me in the hall and practice whatever phrase I taught them earlier that month. They'll come and speak to me at length (albeit usually in very, very broken English) and I can see that they are losing their fear of speaking.

Despite the English education environment and attitude in Korea, despite being at a draconean and ultra-conservative school that actively tries to crush any creativity or individuality out of the students, and despite the fact that for my first contract I didn't even have access to a computer or handouts in the classrooms, I have revolutionized the way my students view English. With the right attitude, knowledge, and perserverence, anyone can do the same thing. I'm not special. I had no prior teaching experience. My students are very low level, for the most part, as are most of the teachers at my school (3 out of 7 of my coteachers can barely follow middle-school level lessons off Waygook).

As I said before, anyone can make a difference in their school, and everyone should be making a difference.

#cook that #based teaching #swag

Whilst I don't know the full details of your school, I suspect that a privately owned high school means that it is run in part by fees paid by parents. Parents who are able (and willing) to pay higher fees generally have better jobs and in addition to the monetary investment take more of an active interest in their children's educations (even parents who aren't paying additional fees but have gone out of their way to secure their children a place at a private school probably care more than most about their children's educations). Student/parent motivation, definitely plays a role.

To put it another way, in 15 months at my school, not a single parent, teacher, administrator or coordinator has turned up to watch one of my open classes. Nobody gives s*** what/how I teach. It's gotten me down. I think that much is clear.

I could be wrong, but I think comparing a private high school in a city somewhere to the only high school in a small rural town is, as my favourite former presidential candidate said, "apples and oranges."

Anyway, I need to stop this. I have at least 6 months left on my contract. I shouldn't stop trying to make a difference just because nobody cares and I just feel like the token waygook at the school. Basedcowboyshirt, how would you usually structure a lesson, in terms of content, and what would your standard lesson look like? Some of my students really are quite good and very interested in English and they deserve better. I shouldn't stop trying to improve because the majority, unless we're playing a game, prefer to sleep, put on make-up or do whatever it is they do on their cellphones. Maybe I should start with a new sentence/word/idiomatic phrase per week and build up from there....

[cansom]

One of the kids used to come in wearing fatigues, never smiled, and was treated like an outcast (I thought "Columbine" every time I saw him). He sat in the back of the class drawing pictures of people dying horrible deaths (cutting off limbs, shooting people with bazookas, heads blowing up, rivers of blood, that kind of thing). I started paying lots of attention to him and taking time to speak with him whenever I could. He stopped drawing awful pix in class, he is now the most attentive student in class, his English has improved dramatically, and he smiles all of the time...

That's great to hear!! Paying attention to the students instead of writing them off (like most co-teachers expect/want us to do) does really work at engaging them and instilling confidence in them! Good for you

[auster]

I teach in an all-boys public middle school. In my beginner level classes of 8-12 students I feel I have made a difference (very structured, repeating the terms and vocab in different contexts using flashcards and always ending with a review game). In my 2nd grade advanced classes of 28-30 students, again I have made some difference (usually 10-15 students are motivated and willing to improve), by figuring out over 2 semesters what interests them. Elsewhere my mixed level 2nd grade classes are largely a waste of time - 3 different levels who are either bored or confused (about 8 out of 35 participate in every class). I don't lead my 1st and 2nd grade intermediate level classes, they usually go off textbook materials and are hit and miss. The improvements are largely in terms of confidence in speaking, stressing the need to use sentences and some of the mechanics of language. In large mixed-level classes, we're better off not being there.

[Jrong]

One of the kids used to come in wearing fatigues, never smiled, and was treated like an outcast (I thought "Columbine" every time I saw him). He sat in the back of the class drawing pictures of people dying horrible deaths (cutting off limbs, shooting people with bazookas, heads blowing up, rivers of blood, that kind of thing). I started paying lots of attention to him and taking time to speak with him whenever I could. He stopped drawing awful pix in class, he is now the most attentive student in class, his English has improved dramatically, and he smiles all of the time...

That's great to hear!! Paying attention to the students instead of writing them off (like most co-teachers expect/want us to do) does really work at engaging them and instilling confidence in them! Good for you

Ha ha! Trust me, my motives were purely selfish. I'm mostly at peace with the idea of dying but given the choice, I'd rather not have a bullet in my head just yet...

[Driver 8]

I'd like to think so.  I've  noticed progress with about half of them,  probably.  The other half are either so low or so unmotivated,  it's really hard to tell, and  I would say with those students, probably not much.    The only way to know for sure is to be there the next time my students encounter a foreigner or have to speak English, and see if they remember or are able to apply any of the things I taught them.  What I  wouldn't  give to be a fly on the wall during those moments.  I've been told by my coteacher and administrators,  and some students  that they think I am a "very good teacher" though.  They basically begged me to to stay here  when renewal time came around, so the powers that be think I made a difference.  I probably have a higher standard than they do  though, and I have experienced my share of failures as well as successes during my time here.  I'm glad this thread was started.  I've been thinking about this a lot lately.  Making a difference is what I strive for as a teacher.

[OogaBooga]

I think I may have actually turned many of my students off of English and foreigners forever.
Apparently there have been problems with cultural differences (or so my Korean coteachers tell me) and many of my students think I am crazy. They can't quite articulate why I am crazy though.
Is it because of all the music videos I play in class? David Bowie? Lightning Bolt? MGMT? Public Enemy? Klaus Nomi?
Is it because of that time I wore a skeleton costume and brought a Jack-O-Lantern to school because it was Halloween?
Is it because I've taken classes on impromptu field trips to the noraebang and made them sing Rob Zombie songs with me?
Is it because I skip the lessons and make the kids read comic books instead?
Is it because I brought my laptop to school and had students talk (via Google+ hangouts) with friends of mine in the U.S.A? My black friends? My gay and transgender friends?*

Whatever. They're just jealous because they can never be as awesome as I am.

Some of the kids do like me though. Some of these kids even want to go to America now. Those are the kids that make me proud.

*Oh wait. I haven't done that last one yet. But I should. These kids need to learn to interact with a variety of different people.

[dbtm]

^^^^^^^I can't tell if this is a real post....

[hilarity ensues]

I think I may have actually turned many of my students off of English and foreigners forever.
Apparently there have been problems with cultural differences (or so my Korean coteachers tell me) and many of my students think I am crazy. They can't quite articulate why I am crazy though.
Is it because of all the music videos I play in class? David Bowie? Lightning Bolt? MGMT? Public Enemy? Klaus Nomi?
Is it because of that time I wore a skeleton costume and brought a Jack-O-Lantern to school because it was Halloween?
Is it because I've taken classes on impromptu field trips to the noraebang and made them sing Rob Zombie songs with me?
Is it because I skip the lessons and make the kids read comic books instead?
Is it because I brought my laptop to school and had students talk (via Google+ hangouts) with friends of mine in the U.S.A? My black friends? My gay and transgender friends?*

Whatever. They're just jealous because they can never be as awesome as I am.

Some of the kids do like me though. Some of these kids even want to go to America now. Those are the kids that make me proud.

*Oh wait. I haven't done that last one yet. But I should. These kids need to learn to interact with a variety of different people.

This is amazing.
I hope it's real.

[Seoulian]

I don't know if I have improved my student's English ability because the assessment tools are so poor or non-existent. This fact grates at my nerves sometimes. On an emotional/social/global level, I'm not sure. Maybe? The kids seem to like me...