What happens if you and your ESL students don't get along? Here's why the teacher/student relationship matters.
- ESL Teachers vs. Normal School Teachers
- 3 Reasons Why Students Liking the ESL Teacher Matters
- How to Get Students to Like You, the Teacher
- Final Thoughts
ESL Teachers vs. Normal School Teachers
We all had a teacher, or two, during our formative years that no one seemed to like, but they still continued to teach at the same school, and have stories and exaggerated tales being told of them throughout the generations of students.
It doesn't matter how much a student dislikes the teachers; for the most part, as long as the school thinks the teacher is out there following the curriculum, they remain in their position. And, since general schooling is mandatory, the students will keep coming over the years.
This is the main difference between normal school teachers and ESL teachers. Going to ESL classes is generally not part of a set curriculum, therefore, both the students (and parents of said students) have more control over who they ultimately choose as a teacher.
3 Reasons Why Students Liking the ESL Teacher Matters
1. You Get More Work
When students like their ESL teacher, they let people know. Not only do they tend to request further lessons with the same teacher, but their friends and acquaintances start requesting lessons as well.
If you're in a tight community in another country, you just might find that your normal classroom lessons (depending on your teaching setup) become packed with students, and your private tutoring schedule fills up, too.
2. You Keep Your Job
Obviously, all ESL teaching setups will vary, but happy students generally mean a happy school. Your employers will enjoy that you are building a positive reputation for their curriculum and want to keep you on board as long as possible.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, a teacher that students don't like will potentially push students to other language schools in the area, and that could mean no contract renewal, or even a lost job, for the teacher.
3. Your Students Pay Attention
If you go back to your own personal schooling days and think about the courses that you learned and/or enjoyed the most, chances are that the teacher was someone you respected or simply liked.
They probably made the material into something the student (you at the time) could relate to, and this is a key factor in the ESL classroom as well.
If you can get your students to actually pay attention, they will simply learn more English!
4 Ways to Get Students to Like You, the Teacher
All teachers and students are created differently, so while you can't please them all, you can at least do a few things to ensure you please most. I can say from experience that this is difficult with some unruly students, but the more you reach out, the more you can help to change the experience for the better.
1. Show an Interest in Their Lives
When a student talks about his or her extracurricular activities, family and friends, try to remember the details (maybe jot down notes) and ask him or her about them periodically throughout your teaching experience.
It will just give that extra bit more to make the student feel like you, the teacher, thinks of him as more than just another number.
2. Involve Everyone in the Class
Leaving someone out of the conversation or the activities will make them feel even more distanced from the class and the teacher.
When a student has no connection with a class, they will most likely stop paying attention and also have no incentive in even staying your student in particular.
3. Use References They Can Relate To
Relevant examples can mean the difference between understanding and remembering or just forgetting immediately after a lesson.
As a teacher, your job is to provide the best learning environment possible, and even if you are a wealth of knowledge, not being able to share that in a way the students can relate to is just like wasting time.
When your students learn more, they feel more excited about coming to your classes because it actually pays off.
4. Don't Show Your Frustration
Teaching, ESL or not, is not easy. There will be times that you feel frustrated with your students or the progress they are making.
However, you must never, ever let that frustration truly show in class.
One of the quickest ways to push students away is to make them feel even more distanced by your anger and like they aren't learning anything.
Final Thoughts
For working holiday makers or backpackers taking up jobs in foreign countries in order to save some extra travel money, they must both understand that the business of ESL teaching is a little different than the business of becoming a long-term school teacher in your home country.
As an ESL teacher, the act of getting your students to like you will be one that helps them learn the most and you to keep working more and longer.
About the Author
Brooke Schoenman is a world traveler, brief archaeologist, foreign language learner, and former ESL teacher turned Australia expat. She writes for both her own Brooke Vs the World and an Australia travel guide, and you can also follow along on Twitter and Facebook for travel inspiration.
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