Negatives of Teaching Children

[Niko]

Teaching Children - why some teachers hate it!

If you teach abroad, you will soon hear from fellow English teachers that they cannot stand teaching children. Some teachers refuse to teach children for a variety of reasons.

Let's look at the negatives of teaching children.

• You will need to be physically fit and full of energy. Expect to move around a lot in the classroom, pick up children, run after children and so forth. If you are a 50 y/o teacher, do you think you can handle this aspect?
• Children will often pull a wonderful thing out of their noses and want to show it to their teacher.
• I have been in a class of 4 children of age 3 and 4. Suddenly, one of the children decided to urinate on the floor. Are you ready to handle this?
• You've completed a university degree and studied complex quantum physics. After this, you worked for a while before heading abroad to teach. Will you feel humiliated singing the ABC song to 4 year olds? Do you think you can better utilise your intellectual ability?
• Lack of deep meaningful talk. Due to the children's ages, and their lack of English ability, don't expect to have a deep and meaningful with your students.
• Lack of friendship. Teaching children students, you wont have the opportunity to build friends and see them outside the classroom.

The above are some of the main downfalls of teaching children students. If these points don't worry you, then you will surely be suited to teaching children.

[toshiba_matulac@yahoo.com]

First and foremost if one decided to teach children they themselves should know what to expect. True there are downfalls in teaching children as they are but there are also upturns to compensate this.

[Benz]

I first started out teaching adults. Then I got bored of teaching adults so wanted some variety and took on a few children classes. Now, I have totally replaced ALL my classes with children classes.

Teaching children is great! They have lots of energy and always come to class with a big smile for you. Of course, you need to maintain discipline in your class otherwise you wont enjoy it.

[Scotty]

Kids are the so full of energy and haven't yet developed the cultural 'common sense' and racist thinking from society yet. They don't care if there is a chinese, korean and a westerner in the class. All they care about is learning through enjoying.

You certainly can't debate as you can with adults, yet their energy and enthusiasm is great. You will see the nose boogers, temper tantrums and sulking etc, but if you enjoy it, it's more than worth it for when they improve and enjoy.

[Blueoceans]

Greetings from afar ! ....

I am looking to obtain an ESL teaching position in China, this coming Fall.
I guess I didn't really think about the big "Shock". of teaching younger kids.
After reading this article, I guess it would be something to seriously to think about before, volunteering to accept a position to teach younger kids.

Eventhough I am 50+, I still look, feel, act and think younger; this is something to consider !
I could probably put up with it, but as a new starting teacher of English in a foreign enviroment, is this something I really want to do !

This gives me something to consider, .... and I think, I should probably start out with young adults and older adults first. Eventhough, I do enjoy kids and I would like to teach them, I think it's probably something I shouldn't jump into at first.
Thanks for the informative & enlightening article.

George A.

[sutton]

Hi

I am a secondary teacher by trade but I have been teaching Japanese and Art to primary children for the last 5 years. It is tiring sometimes regardless of your age. I work with teachers in their early 20s and I am 47 y/o and we all get tired AT TIMES because that is the nature of the job. Working with other creatures requires energy. Sometimes I think that people forget to ask themselves this basic question.... Do I like children? If you don't...... then for their sake (and yours) reconsider your options.

You need to be able to have fun, be warm and caring..... they are little people remember. Don't be too hard on them (or yourself). Are we teaching people or are we teaching content?? hopefully a combination of both.

If taken seriously teaching is a vocation not a job. If it is for you.... it can be a wonderful way to spend your days. Hope i haven't raved on too much. Good Luck.

[Margy]

Well summed up. Teaching children does drain your energy at times. But then again, so does teaching adults that sit in the classroom like stunned mullet.

I find a need for balance. Teach some adorable children and at the same time keep some adult classes. Variety is the spice of life.

[Scotty]

Kids are great, especially before the educational system of Japan gets to them, and gives them the headaches of overstudy and overstress to get into that "Elite" University.

They deserve the chance to have fun, and are a positive little bunch when you want to be there teaching them (of course they can sense that)

If you don't want to be there, it's definately gonna be a tiring experience for the teacher.

When you see them improve, and they can communicate with you more and more, it makes it all worthwhile.

[girlygirl]

I hear what you are saying but I still think if you love what you are doing and truely want to be doing this and enjoy children , then you should go for it. I have been a substitute teacher for elementary schools for three years and waiting for a teaching spot to open up. I know it takes alot of energy but I can't wait.