It looks like I'm going to have to adjust my teaching style to a lower level. Most of the kids are at a lower level than the elementary school students I taught, so that means that some of the activities that I already have made up are too advanced. That being said, the kids are not all psychotic as I had feared.
I got some advice from the cool jaded Japanese teacher today. She said that if I see students sleeping in class, just let them sleep. If they're reading manga, let them read manga. If that's the way that the teachers at my high school (who don't have huge burning ulcers) run their classes, then that's the way I will teach as well.
Maybe I'll just call it English class, but turn it into something different. With this group I think the emphasis on the lessons should be on cultural matters, and follow what the students are interested in, with English playing a secondary role.
Just out of curiosity, I asked that cool teacher "Why should I let the students sleep?". She said "They will start being rude, cause interuptions, and may become violent!". Kids these days need their sleep anyways. Hell, maybe I'll designate 30 minutes of each class for "Special English Nap/Study Time" and join in the fun.
Dude, I agree. Let sleeping dogs and lazyass students, lie. Or lay. Whatever. After reading Azrael's blog on teaching english the hard way, I'm hoping you can import some non-MTV culture to Keep It Real. Maybe show them the American version of WW2 (including movies like "The Bridge over the River Kwai" or "King Rat" or my fave, Guy Gabaldon's story, "Hell to Eternity".) Guy still hasn't received his Medal of Honor, eventhough Bush the Elder and his son are supposedly his compadres, btw.