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ESL forum > Ask for help > I really need help.    

I really need help.



D@N! P
Brazil

I really need help.
 

Hello, you guys. How are you?

 

Peps, I have problems with my adults students. I have to 2 adult�s classes on Saturday. I have problems with my first group. Last class was terrible. I tell them the grades and they weren�t good. So, some of my students (6 from16 to be exactly) start complaining about the grades. They told me I was a terrible teacher and that my explanations were terrible and that they couldn�t understand a thing. That it was obvious I couldn�t teach them, because I�m young and incompetent. When I notice I was almost arguing with them.  My point was why they didn�t tell it before. Why only when the grades come it was said. My coordinator didn�t have any complain about myself since that day.

 

But, my second group on Saturday made a teacher�s day party. They really like me as teacher. They want me to teach them again next semester. And their grades were awesome.

What makes me think I can�t be the terrible teacher the first group says.

 

As I�m a new teacher in the course and also young, I�m 21, I really don�t know what to do. I really don�t know how to face them next class or how to deal well with this situation.

 

Please, I need pieces of advice. HELP ME.

I couldn�t sleep last night. The only thing I could thought was about it.

Thanks in advanced.

 

XOXO

 

19 Oct 2009      





alien boy
Japan

Hi D@N! P

Rather than getting too upset about the first class you should use this experience as a challenge - a way to examine your own approach to teaching and your methods.

I think many, if not all, teachers experience something like this especially as a new teacher. In that regard you �re definitely not alone!

The first thing I would do in your situation is compare the empirical results from the 2 classes. Where was the second class achieving better results than the first class? Were the results the same in some areas? Did the first class achieve the same results as the second class in any areas? By comparing the empirical results you can see if there are areas in your teaching that have been effective for your students, irrespective of your perceived relationships with them.

You should also examine the differences in your lesson presentation between the two classes. Even if they are doing the same course there will be differences in the way students in each class learn. Do the students in the second class get more involved in classroom activities & exercises? Why? What seem to be the best learning methods for these students? What are the most difficult or the worst? Ask the same questions about the first class.

Remember also that many children & adults look to blame anyone else that they can before taking responsibility for their own action & behaviour - so don �t take their comments too much to heart. Like I stated earlier, use it as a learning experience!

There are some things that you cannot directly alter or influence... but as a teacher you can have a lot more influence if you think about how & why you do things in the classroom or teaching environment.  The teacher IS the most important single factor in the classroom... but by examining both your own motivation (e.g. am I teaching this way because it suits my multiple intelligence inclinations & is easier/safer for me?) as well as your students � (e.g. rote learning & memorization is boring for this class so what can I do to make it more interesting, create more involvement with the students & achieve good results FOR THEM). Remember too that the students aren �t responsible for the class direction & structure - YOU ARE! So maybe next semester you should do a critical self appraisal after each class is finished. This self appraisal is (for me) the most important part of a lesson plan.

Just a few ideas for you.
Cheers,
AB

19 Oct 2009     



dayssb
Brazil

Hi, D@n!
When I first started teaching I was only 18 and I had students who were in their 50s. As I Knew some of them would not believe that a "child" could be able to teach them, I used to study more and more and to prepare different and interesting classes. It would take me more time preparing the classses than teaching them. I could feel that some of them liked me while some didn`t but you know what, after some time, you start becoming more confident and they also start trusting that if you`re there it`s because you studied hard, passed through many tests to be there. Today, I have a student (from the first group I taught) that is and English teacher and also coordenates an English school. My advice? Just be prepared, try to find different ways of teaching the same subject, if they don`t understand it some way, you`ll  already be prepared to teach it in another way and... well... times flies... I was 18 yesterday and now I`m almost in my 30s... the best thing is that each passing day, we, teachers, also learn and learn and learn.
Be confident, be patient and never forget being gentle even if they`re not.
Good luck!!!

19 Oct 2009     



Nereis
Argentina

Don �t worry about this!! Show them you can improve your teaching skills giving the best of you!!
Good luck and have a great week!
 

19 Oct 2009     



melise
France

Hi !
check your PM.Smile

19 Oct 2009     



alien boy
Japan

Hi again,

you may find the following website interesting:

The Five C�s: Objectives For Foregin Language Instruction


This is a really interesting & useful guide on learning strategies for foerign language instruction in secondary school. Even if you cannot directly apply the exercises to your students they can help you examine your own approach to how you teach.

Work hard, be prepared, acquire & apply knowledge but most importantly... persevere!

Regards,
AB

19 Oct 2009