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The 2nd training week of being an English teacher of kids

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Previously

After the 1st week

If you are interested in what happened and what I learnt in my first week, you can click The 1st training week of being an English teacher of kids. Basically, in the first week I was following a teacher to get into her courses to see how she controlled the class and taught students. 

 

2nd week of training

The difference

In this week, I still get into the classes and watch behind. The difference is I know the students better. I know who likes to make noise, who gets distracted easily. Also, through correcting their homework and tests, I know who falls behind and who is excellent in learning English.

 

Surprisingly

Beyond my expectation, these kids are welcoming me in such a short time. There was a class that the teacher wanted the kids to ask each other “what’s your name” and “how old are you”, surprisingly, some students came to me and asked me the questions. (They only knew 1 to 10 then, so of course I said “I am 8”)

 

Meet kids’ problems

The other thing that shocks me is there is one student who is emotional. One day he wasn’t picked up by the teacher during the game, he then lied on the floor and started crying. What’s more, one day the teacher saw him looking out from the window instead of focusing on her, she then asked him to read the sentences. He said it wrong and some classmates started to laugh at him which made him feel so humiliated, so he knocked on the table many times heavily and cursed those who laughed at him. Well, I really learn a lesson from it and of course I will tell you how the teacher dealt with it later.    

 

What I learn

1. Explain the game rule clearly

As a student, you probably don’t want your teacher to repeat reading an article again and again. To break this boring loop, a game is essential. When you hold a game, make sure everyone is focusing on you. Then you have to tell them the rule step by step clearly so that they will understand how to play and get into it deeper.   

 

2. Tempo and Rhyme
Chant & Rhythm

Kids are sensitive to the tempo, so when we teach them, we can try to involve chants or songs into the course. In addition, it is much easier to remember the sentences if you put rhyme inside, to make it a simple rap.

 

For example:

There is a crow, it wears a bow.

It sees me and flies to the mall.    

 

3. Punishment mechanism

To better maintain the course, sometimes you need to think ways to control the situation. One good way is set a punishment mechanism.

 

For example:

1. Too noisy, no game.

2. Minus the point if someone doesn’t follow the rule.

3. Read the sentence alone.

4. Stand up

 

4. Downplay

Remember the first situation I mentioned above? Instead of talking with him directly, the teacher in the story used “ignore him” to deal with that. Sometimes this kind of students do this  to get more attention from the teacher, and if you take it seriously, next time when it comes to the same situation, he will do it again. The best way is ignore him first, once he calms down, then it will be the right time to talk with him.    

 

5. Solve from the root cause

Now, you might wonder how the teacher dealt with the second situation, not paying attention, don’t know how to answer the question and get laughed by peers? First, she told him peacefully that the reason she picked him up was because he looked outside. She told him that we were going to play a game and if you didn’t pay attention, you wouldn’t know how to play and get the point.

 

6. Grab the learning opportunity

You are not only an English teacher, but also an educator. After the story above, the teacher told the other kids that laughing at the boy was not right. Everyone was poor at something, there was no need to laugh at others. 

 

 

Teaching Resources

Inspiration
Since I stepped into teaching field, I’ve paid much attention on teaching resources. Here I am going to share some good materials which inspire me, and which I hope, will inspire you as well.  

1. Freedom writer

Freedom Writers - Wikipedia

I found this movie unconsciously when I watched TV. It is talking about a crusading teacher, Erin Gruwell, who believes she can stop racial hatred via influence young kids’ minds. She then applies to work in a forcibly integrated school where students are split into different camps: white, black, Latinos and Cambodians. Through asking students to read the literature which related to their living environment and keep the diary, these kids gradually understand that the world is not just full of violence, drugs, discrimination and war. They can fight for their future as well.

 

I can’t forget one scene when the teacher asks who has experience to get into the prison or have friends die, most students raise their hands. After watching the movie, I was so astonishing that education is so important and powerful. I also get the book to read after watching the movie. If you are enthusiastic in teaching, don’t miss this good movie(or book). 

 

2. Mike’s Home ESL

This is a Youtube channel for someone who wants to be an  English teacher of children. You will learn a lot of games designation, warm-up ways and songs from Mike, who is the runner of this channel. Enjoy!

Mike's Home - Another PPT game to review the vocabulary... | Facebook

 

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Kevin Amethyst

Kevin Amethyst

Hi, I am Kevin. I am an English teacher of kids and I am fond of learning different languages. Now I am capable of speaking 5 languages. Welcome to my blog and here I will keep writing useful learning-language articles. Enjoy!!!