RANTING/VENTING MEGATHREAD 3.0

I've invested in a lot of board games that I've paid out of my own pocket

I would like to do this, but I could never prevent the kids from wrecking them. I bought a deck of cards for one vacation class and tried my best to get them not to fold, spindle or mutilate them to no avail. I'm not risking that with a $40 board game. Elementary kids almost subconsciously destroy things.

I've invested in a lot of board games that I've paid out of my own pocket

I would like to do this, but I could never prevent the kids from wrecking them. I bought a deck of cards for one vacation class and tried my best to get them not to fold, spindle or mutilate them to no avail. I'm not risking that with a $40 board game. Elementary kids almost subconsciously destroy things.

Yeah, I work primarily with older students, so I've got the advantage there. I'm also lucky that I've purchased a lot of my games from leaving foreigners, so I didn't pay out of the ass for most of what I've got.

But yeah, I'd only use laminated homemade games with the tykes, unless I were assigned to a small rural school with something like only 4-5 kids. Jenga is the exception, those are pretty durable. I would just have to make sure I have the same number of blocks by the end of the activity, which wasn't too hard for me in the past (in fact, it's easier for me to keep track of my blocks with younger students than it is for older students -- I don't let anyone move on to the next activity or leave the room until all blocks are accounted for). My main focus with a 0 budget for the younger students would be more on active games, anyway, designed to keep them out of their seats or using their hands a lot. So, scavenger hunts, simon says, red light/green light, classroom pac-man, capture the flag would still be an option (just with an emphasis on the more polite rules), pin the body part on the body, drawing games, and etc. I'd just add a simple English spin on all of those games, and that would be that.

I've invested in a lot of board games that I've paid out of my own pocket

I would like to do this, but I could never prevent the kids from wrecking them. I bought a deck of cards for one vacation class and tried my best to get them not to fold, spindle or mutilate them to no avail. I'm not risking that with a $40 board game. Elementary kids almost subconsciously destroy things.

Ah. I've got middle school and I have invested a lot of time making some games like UNO and PIT using the school printers and lamination machines.  At least i have access to colored printing and laminate sheets though.  I know not everyone does.  Time consuming but fun to theme the cards something more interesting like Super Mario or Pokemon.

If you have paper though, origami can be a fun craft as can making snowflakes (3D or flat).  I'm gonna have my kids make frogs and then have competitions like whose can jump the farthest. 

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu***********kkkkkkkkkkk

My camp started today. Camp 1, School 1. It is now 1:15pm and the classes are being moved forward for the 3rd time today. What was to have begun at 9, is now beginning at 1:50pm.

I am not in the mood for this today. I am beyond pissed at my significant other and I have a might awful migraine and now all this is just rolling down.... I don't know if i want to cry or throw a chair across a room, of course i will do neither.

Ima just gonna sit here and smile all nicely and then go home and get wasted.

  Please make 2 games for Monday for the Grade 3 class.

  Ok. (Jesus, 2?)

  (Proceeds to talk for 30 mins of a 40 min class)

Started camp and did a scavenger hunt. Spent a lot of effort hiding the items in 16 locations all around the school. I also made clues for each of the 4 teams. Started the game and found my CT following the students telling them EXACTLY where each thing was hidden!

My school has started to take the piss. They told me about a week ago that they didn't have the budget to renew me and ever since nothing has gone right.

The principal has decided that I'm no longer allowed to turn on lights, aircon or the fan to save power and my co-teacher , who agreed to write a letter of reference for me, has run off on an out of country business trip for the next 3 weeks.

To make this worse my afterschool classes were finished for the semester last Thursday but apparently that just means they send the kids to come hang out in the English room when they would be in my class. I have all of second grade in here being their usual "touch / move literally everything while screaming constantly" selves. 

Only 32 days left till unemployment and I'm genuinely not sure if I'm scared that I won't find a job or just happy to not have to come here again.

When in doubt, be happy. (Just find a different thread to do it on. )

If it's a teaching job in Korea you'll be looking for, don't worry; it'll come~

As expected, today was pointless. The kids don't even want to play games.

My school has started to take the piss. They told me about a week ago that they didn't have the budget to renew me and ever since nothing has gone right.

The principal has decided that I'm no longer allowed to turn on lights, aircon or the fan to save power and my co-teacher , who agreed to write a letter of reference for me, has run off on an out of country business trip for the next 3 weeks.

To make this worse my afterschool classes were finished for the semester last Thursday but apparently that just means they send the kids to come hang out in the English room when they would be in my class. I have all of second grade in here being their usual "touch / move literally everything while screaming constantly" selves. 

Only 32 days left till unemployment and I'm genuinely not sure if I'm scared that I won't find a job or just happy to not have to come here again.

Sorry to hear this.
Are you with EPIK?  I know the province I'm in is not replacing teachers who are leaving and are spreading the rest of us among the schools.

Please make 2 games for Monday for the Grade 3 class.

  Ok. (Jesus, 2?)

  (Proceeds to talk for 30 mins of a 40 min class)

That happens a lot with my elem. coT. Sometimes there's five minutes left and then she'll announce to the students that it's game time. Dafuq am I to do for 5 minutes??

Me: there's only 5 minutes left...

  oh five minutes?? FREE TIME! (Hurries off to the computer)

Oh... Oh. So I am actually just babysitting a kindergarten class for 80 minutes day and a Gr1 and 2 class for 80 minutes...... Why on earth did I have to make detailed lesson plans and why was I told Grds 3-5? Thank god for youtube, bananagrams and human alphabet saving the day.  Why am I always so taken aback when this shit happens... I seriously should know better by now!!!

I can't stop laughing at myself all prepped and ready for these fabulous phonics lessons..... arms filled with posters and cards and games (moving from one class to another) I look like a right tool.

Started camp and did a scavenger hunt. Spent a lot of effort hiding the items in 16 locations all around the school. I also made clues for each of the 4 teams. Started the game and found my CT following the students telling them EXACTLY where each thing was hidden!

Hoo boy that is one of my biggest coteacher pet peeves. Mine does this too. We were playing bananagrams and I'd give them the clue for the words I wanted them to create, and as soon as I finish talking my coteacher starts telling them what the answers are. I don't understand why it's necessary. The kids can figure it out just fine by themselves!

A new English teacher has come in and I feel very, very guilty for being English right now because my presence is stressing her out.
[This isn't ranting, this is just a sad contemplation of my future made sadder by not having finished my camp worksbook, yet]

Started camp and did a scavenger hunt. Spent a lot of effort hiding the items in 16 locations all around the school. I also made clues for each of the 4 teams. Started the game and found my CT following the students telling them EXACTLY where each thing was hidden!

This sort of thing drives me up the wall. What compels some teachers to do this, lol?

One of my coTs does this for every class. The laziest, most unmotivated students don't mind it, but a lot of the students get visibly irritated with her because she doesn't give them a chance to think things through at all.

I know the province I'm in is not replacing teachers who are leaving and are spreading the rest of us among the schools.

Which province is this?

Started camp and did a scavenger hunt. Spent a lot of effort hiding the items in 16 locations all around the school. I also made clues for each of the 4 teams. Started the game and found my CT following the students telling them EXACTLY where each thing was hidden!

This sort of thing drives me up the wall. What compels some teachers to do this, lol?

One of my coTs does this for every class. The laziest, most unmotivated students don't mind it, but a lot of the students get visibly irritated with her because she doesn't give them a chance to think things through at all.

It was especially infuriating as I went through a lot of effort in order to make the scavenger hunt fair and balanced. Each team was comprised of a combination of strong and weaker students, the 16 hidding spots were divided into 4 sets (set 1 being easy to find and set 4 being harder to find). Each team had 1 hint from each set so they'd have 1 easy, 2 standard and one challenging clue to go on. I also put mechanisms in place to make sure teams couldn't 'steal' the treasures others had clues for... It was fair, balanced and fun.

Thanks to her, a 20-30min scavenger hunt lasted just over 5min.

Started camp and did a scavenger hunt. Spent a lot of effort hiding the items in 16 locations all around the school. I also made clues for each of the 4 teams. Started the game and found my CT following the students telling them EXACTLY where each thing was hidden!

This sort of thing drives me up the wall. What compels some teachers to do this, lol?

One of my coTs does this for every class. The laziest, most unmotivated students don't mind it, but a lot of the students get visibly irritated with her because she doesn't give them a chance to think things through at all.

It was especially infuriating as I went through a lot of effort in order to make the scavenger hunt fair and balanced. Each team was comprised of a combination of strong and weaker students, the 16 hidding spots were divided into 4 sets (set 1 being easy to find and set 4 being harder to find). Each team had 1 hint from each set so they'd have 1 easy, 2 standard and one challenging clue to go on. I also put mechanisms in place to make sure teams couldn't 'steal' the treasures others had clues for... It was fair, balanced and fun.

Thanks to her, a 20-30min scavenger hunt lasted just over 5min.

I'd have lost it.  I am really glad I don't teach camp with a particular coT who likes spoonfeeding the students.  She'll even translate "who," "what," and "where" for them FFS

I'd have lost it.  I am really glad I don't teach camp with a particular coT who likes spoonfeeding the students.  She'll even translate "who," "what," and "where" for them FFS

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

ESTABLISHING SHOT -- Grade 6 class

  Student 11?

  십일번

I'd have lost it.  I am really glad I don't teach camp with a particular coT who likes spoonfeeding the students.  She'll even translate "who," "what," and "where" for them FFS

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

ESTABLISHING SHOT -- Grade 6 class

  Student 11?

  십일번

Yep.  That particular coT will also translate "1, 2, 3" and the like.  THE KIDS CAN ALL COUNT TO 10. 

So I'm preparing some jigsaw puzzles for a relay race activity and I'm regretting picking the 25 piece over a smaller one because cutting out all the pieces is annoying.  Whinge~