What not to do

This morning, Melissa, the other new teacher, and I went to a conference at Sogang University. S.U.  provides the curriculum for the SLP schools. They design everything, including all the teacher's editions at our school, so not much preparation is required on our part.

At the university this morning, one of the curriculum developers gave a one hour presentation on teaching writing. Mostly all he did was play games with us, to show us what to do with students. Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought the way to learn to write was by writing, reading, and revising progressively more complex material. 

I understand students need a relief, and for the younger age groups games are probably a necessity. But once students can write a few sentences, I wonder how much these games really teach them. 

The games included "musical pencil" and "running dictation". In no circumstance I can think of will students encounter these situations. Why not just spend more time with them reading stories appropriate to their age level and having them write more?

Of course, once my students start begging me to play a game I might think differently. But for now I'm not convinced of the value of these games. They may be fun, but I don't believe they teach anything too valuable. It felt too much like a shortcut to me -- a shortcut that ended up getting you lost and forcing you  back to the place you started.

The instructor was also terribly ingratiating. He tried too hard to get us to like him, cracking jokes and trying to seem at ease to show us what a cool guy he was. It had the opposite effect.

I have little teaching experience aside from one year as a paid tutor in college, so maybe it's presumptuous of me to think the games are fun but useless when it comes to learning (once students reach a certain age level). I'll come back to the thought in a year, and who knows, maybe then it will be different.

Meanwhile, Melissa and I have been spending 8-10 hours a day doing lesson plans in a tiny room.  We've been cooped up in there so long we've swapped plenty of life stories. We joked it's like being like cell mates. Pretty soon we'll be counting our cigarettes and talking about past scores. I was framed, I tell you.

As for my adjustment to Seoul, I've been having a blast. Once I start teaching, I will update with a description of my daily routine.