Joy English (English Website) - Dear Ms. Lee High




Answers to your questions about class management and other Joy concerns by the renowned teacher, Ms. Lee High.

	Dear Ms. Lee High, It always amazes me just how little effort some people put into their job. We are dealing with education here, what chance do the students really have?
Taipei

Dear Surprised,
Unfortunately, some people are just like this while others choose to be this way. Some people treat their jobs like stepping stones, waiting to move on.
Here is a question we should all be asking ourselves. If this were my business (school), would I employ somebody like me? Honestly!

Ms. Lee High

Dear Ms. Lee High,

A teacher at my school talks about people behind their back, including the manager. It is getting to a point where people are avoiding this person, choosing to arrive to school later than they once did, stay in their classrooms during break time, and leave at the school quickly when they’ve finished classes for the day. I am beginning to miss the interaction with the other teachers. How should this situation be handled?

Lonely in Taichung

Dear Lonely,

I get the impression that none of the teachers have confronted this person already. If no one is prepared to do it, and your manager hasn’t already noticed, you may need to whisper quietly into your manager’s ear, sooner rather than later.
It seems many people are being affected by this situation (the students indirectly included) and it can only get worse if it isn’t addressed. Your manager is the one to speak to this person.

Ms. Lee High

Dear Ms. Lee High,

I always read your column as you offer good ideas and suggestions to so many teaching problems. Now, I have a question for you.
How much time during class is acceptable to be spending on discipline and teaching social skills? Sometimes I feel I spend too much time in these areas and sometimes I feel I spend too little. What’s the answer?

Confused in Taipei County

Dear Confused,

This is a question that still confuses me to this day. Spend too much time dealing with these issues during class time and you don’t cover the teaching material adequately enough. Spend too little time in these areas and you have to keep dealing with the same issues (sometimes an ever-growing monster) over and over again. Do you let the situation or the thinking about it do your head in? Hmm!
Let me first confirm why we should be dealing with these issues during class time. As the students are studying English as a foreign language, they should be exposed to some of the customs and rules of conduct that go along with the language as well. Kids need to learn social skills; it’s a part of life. The higher the level of your class, the more you’ll be able to explain it to them in English. Besides, learning social skills in English is extra listening/speaking practice for them anyway.
To the question of “How much time during class is acceptable to be spending on discipline and teaching social skills?” It’s not a matter of how much time, but how the teacher deals with the situation and how the students react. If you’re spending too much time, then it may be the way you’re handling it-too lenient. You may need to review at your punishments and rewards. Too little time, then you’ll be bashing your head against the wall soon enough.
These issues need to be dealt with from the beginning.

Ms. Lee High