[marie777]

Hi

I thought I would introduce myself. I am new to this forum and new to teaching.

I am teaching in a small city called Chaozhou in China. I have found it very difficult with limited experience and limited resources and so many students, at least 60 in my class, and at times have become a little disheartened and discouraged, but on the other side of the coin, everyday I wake up and think WOW I am in China, teaching, what an experience, how lucky I am. I also love my students, I teach 8-11 year olds and 17 year olds. The 17 year olds can be very funny.

They don't see Westerners here, so I have got used to being stared at on a daily basis, the students told me early on it is surprise and nothing for me to worry about.

I wouldn't change this opportunity for the world, sometimes I would like things to be a little easier, but what is life without a challenge, for me in a years time I can look back and see what I have achieved.

[livinginkorea]

Hi Marie,

Welcome to the site and I'm sure that you can get lots of ideas and help here from many teachers in the same situation as you. When I started here (in Korea) I was in a very country place too and didn't know how to teach or what exactly to do about everything. It took some time naturally to get used to it all but I loved the new experiences and still after 3 years I am still here but in a city this time around

Are you teaching at a private academy or public school? I'm thinking that you are at a private school because of the ages you wrote down. How long have you been teaching now?

Welcome again!

[marie777]

Hello

It's good to hear other people were in the same boat as me. Reading your post gives me hope that I will improve and learn how to teach.

I teach at three state schools and one Foreign Language Centre. At first I don't think my teaching was that good, I did not know how to teach so many and I taught too much from the book, but now I have found a couple of games and things have dramatically improved. I just need to find lots more games for such large classes.

I have only been teaching for one month.

Can you speak the language? I am guessing you must be quite good after three years. I have learnt the odd few words but hopefully when I get a bit more settled and on my feet I will learn some Chinese. They have their own dialect here where I am.

Marie

[livinginkorea]

I feel a lot more experienced now and that comes in time. I have studied a lot about teaching too and reading forums like these help a lot for giving me ideas to try in class.

I don't speak much Korean. Only when ordering food or giving out to a student but usually everybody replies to me in English so the need for me to learn Korean has really fallen. It depends where you live though. When I started I was in the countryside and since not many people spoke English there I started to study Korean a lot but then when I moved to my present location (city population of around 1.1 million) I found that even the local shopkeeper speaks to me in English so I have no motivation to learn it.

I'm sure that you will get on fine eventhough it's only been one month. That's the hardest month you will ever teach and now it's finished!

[mesmark]

Welcome to the forums Marie!

[jenniferp]

Hi Marie
I'm sure that you will do well and once the initial "OMG how can I do this?" has subsided that you will find yourself becoming a good teacher. We've all been through that at some stage or another, and that you are thinking about how to be a good teacher bodes well for you and your students.
I totally agree with you about seeking the challenge. For me it was about facing my fears (as I'm not a natural extrovert) and the thought of facing classes of kids and adults expecting English was incredibly daunting but I did it and now I wonder what I ever worried about. So, good for you!

Good luck with it all and let us know how it goes.

[marie777]

Thanks Jennifer I will let you know how it goes. You seemed to have travelled to many places, you have some very nice photos. I hope to do the same if I get the chance.

Marie

[sangar]

Hello,

to make your class intersting you have to connect all stodents to your teaching section,
that you have to have an eye on everyone in the class bcus everybody in the class is here to learne English this way is more Experinced way to teach English Example:
First you Enter to the class AFTER HI ,HELLO
ask them for haveing good NEWS OR BAD NEWS ASKE LIKE 5 students atleast you have to ask them about yestardays lesson at least ten students have know it.
anythign that you are teaching to day tell them to close thier books and listen to you. you have to make some Example of the lesson that you are going to teach then ask the students to make Example like you ask atleast 10 students after that tell them to open the books and start your lesson then they know what they get from your Examples?
next time ask other students to make Examples about it.
have a note on you that you have to work 20% and the students must work 80%

this was my advise to you

Thanks
Sangar Amin
From Kabul Afghanistan