You’ll learn the basics of what you should be getting up to in the classroom on your TEFL course (http://www.onlinetefl.com/tefl-course/), but what about what you shouldn’t be doing? As well as the obvious things like not smoking crack behind the chalkboard and not punching six-year-olds in the face, here are seven things that it’s best not to do…
Torture your students
This isn’t Guantanamo Bay – be nice and if you can’t be nice, at least don’t do anything that would make Amnesty International get involved! I know one TEFL teacher who used to single out one of his students (usually around the 8-10 mark), make them sit of a swivel chair in the centre of the room, spin them round, then ask them questions. As well as being massively weird, it’s just a bit unproductive – what are all your other students doing while you’re picking on the poor kid in the chair?
Hey, teacher, leave them kids alone!
Stoop to their level
We know it can be hard when your students are being childish, difficult and noisy. But the solution doesn’t lie in YOU becoming childish, difficult and noisy. Try to at least act like a teacher, even if your inner 6 year old wants to scream, stomp their feet and storm out.
Answer their questions
“Why are you not married?” “Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend?” “What does this [rude] word mean?”
These are all questions that are best NOT to answer, as 1) they open the giggle-floodgates and 2) expose you to many, many supplementary questions. Best use some of Emma’s handy question-dodging tactics: http://www.tefl-chalkboard.com/emmafoers/posts/1463-7-things-you-won-t-learn-on-your-tefl-course
Look bored
I’ll let you in on a secret – while teaching abroad is pretty cool, it can also be mind-numbingly boring – doing the same activity with ten different classes is not the kind of thing you’ll be writing home about. Buut, look bored at your peril. As dogs can smell fear, English learners can smell boredom – once they get just a whiff of you drifting off, you’ll have lost their concentration AND respect.
Talk too much
You can speak English. In fact, you got the job precisely because you can speak English. At no point is your English prowess in doubt! So, there’s no need to practise it – speak as little as possible in the classroom to give your students room to perfect THEIR English, as they’re the ones who need the practice.
Disrespect local customs
Did you know that writing a South Korean person’s name in red is a big no-no? Observe this from Chalkboard-er, Duggand:
“On writing the kids names on the board with a red marker, to my surprise, Candy my best student, erupted into convulsions! I exaggerate not! According to my other students I had wished death and bad luck upon her!”
Every country has different quirks and customs. Ask some of the local teachers at your school what they are and ignore them at your peril!
Lose your temper
Forget all the other don’ts, they’re maybe something to aspire to, or try next week. But ignore this one at your absolute peril. Losing your rag is the cardinal sin in the classroom – it will turn your students against you, trash their confidence and make you seem weak.
So, what do you think? What’s on your list of no-nos in the classroom?
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It was only last week i walked into a classroom and found on the secondary blackboard at the back of class had mnay of the students chalk drawings of various male and female body parts and a naked lady that took up half the board - all labeled in japanese. And because they knew i didnt know japanese they decided to share some of there newly learnt words...in this case i ignored those students and continued with the class whilst the JTL (japanese language teacher) erased the boards.
Every week its always the same few who act up in the one class... occasionally i do find it funny but if i laugh it will make it worst so i usually give myself a reason to write on the bord and smirk a little whilst they cant see me...but the best method is to give them that stern look of disaproval...they will stop and it will give you 5 mins to teach before they act up...Even today i was trying to teach giving directions which is something that would have taken maybe 40mins but i only just managed to get half way through the lesson plan when the bell rang because of the few kids that like to act up.
As for the local customs there are many in japan...the main one is dont wear a black suit with a a white shirt and then a whist or black tie - wearing it with a white tie means your going to a wedding and a black tie means funeral - best to wear a coloured tie.
Dont use a mobile phone on public transport unless you have to and then move to the end of the cart and talk quietly, have the phone on silent as well - texting is ok.
MP3 players are OK but the person next to you should not be able to hear the music.
When saying someones name add 'san' to the end...there are others you can add but this is the one to use if in doubt.
Remember to bow - the deeper you bow the more respect you are giving - always great the teachers and students
This is just a few but there are loads
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