On Wednesdays, I have the hardest class to teach. Every Tuesday night, I feel headache whenever I remember the class.
That class is...4-5 years old class. There are just two boys in the class.
Makoto: Good at speaking English, a handful, disobedient, and violent.
Takeru: So-so English speaker, weak, and always crying.
Fortunately, I had a follow-up training last week. Then, a trainer told me some strategies. Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to take this opportunities to report those...outcomes.
Strategy 1: (The trainer said)"Make mothers involved. Mothers are great to them.
Before the class, tell the mommies "Please praise them A LOT after the class!"
In the class, tell them "I know you are good at speaking English! Let's
study English A LOT today, and I will report how you does great to your mommies!" Then...if the boys behave badly, turn your expression sad and said, "Oh! I'm sorry I can't tell your moms that you are doing great...""
Outcome1: When I met them, I would talk to the mothers after I put my teaching materials in the classroom. But the boys followed me! So I didn't have time to speak with mothers... But it's good! They came to the classroom by themselves!!
Strategy 2: "Introduce the point system. Use the "smiley" magnets and tell them they are their points. if they do a good job, give them a point on the board. If they do something bad, take it away. Be careful to give the points back if they do a good job, and not to make a big difference between them."
Outcome 2: It works the violent one, Makoto... But the weak one, Takeru started to cry when I took his point away! And he run out of the classroom...
After he came back, the two boys kept saying, "Take Makoto(Takeru, I mean the other one)'s points away! He behaved bad!!"
It...worked??? It might bear another conflict between them!!
Strategy 3: "Makoto always refuses take out his flash cards? OK. Draw their favorite characters on a drawing paper. And let them spread their flash cards on the papers. If they see their favorite characters, they may take out their cards soon."
Outcome3: It seemed to work for Makoto... He took out his flash cards, but started to tear the Thomas pictures from the drawing paper! Takeru? He was still crying, and refused to take out cards.
These strategies didn't ...work??? Could be, but I felt relieved after the class because I was sure they enjoyed the class. Even though I was kicked and they "escaped" from the classroom several times, I learned "don't take it personally! They like you, but they just want to try "where is your limits."
I said no when they behaved bad, but I didn't get angry. After the class, I praised them in front of their mothers about the things they did good.
However, after all lessons were over, when I told the story to the head teacher, Toshi, I think I found the truth.
He said, "Oh! Takeru CRIED when his smiley was gone?? HOW CUTE he is!! I envy you cause you can teach such cute boys!! ...Ops, I'm sorry! Isn't my reaction what you expected??"
...Yeah, but it's OK... I thought "what a troublesome child Takeru is!!"
But Tashi's feeling is exactly what attracts children...
...It's a long way to be a popular teacher...
No comments:
Post a Comment