Teaching students can be somewhat daunting when you don't know what you're doing. The problem with not knowing what you're all about at first is that students see right through it. If they sense your lack of confidence or uncertainty in any situation (and they will test you), they will give you hell for it by using that one little bit of slack against you for the rest of the term.

It goes without saying that you must be extra vigilant. So how do you do it?

The first thing you must make them aware of is that you are the boss and even if you say something that's dead wrong, you're still the boss, you don't care, and they must listen to you. This is especially important in high school where your students are practically adults with loud booming voices.

The second thing you must realize is that if you are not strict about talking in class, the noise levels will rise like a tidal wave over you. You should be able to whisper and hear your own voice. Students are not allowed to talk when you are talking. This is just common respect. Koreans are no stranger to respect and you can remind them about that.

You can also remind them that if they're going to talk when you're talking you're going to stop teaching by doing just that. When noise levels rise, my Korean co-teachers always raise their voices trying to compete playing a game of "I'm the boss with the loudest voice." Wrong!

Instead of trying to compete just stop talking, close your mouth, stop talking and just stand there. Soon enough the smart of the students will start "shhhhh'ing" the noisier ones and hitting them asking them to stop talking. Now look at that, you just used your best students to appeal to the noisiest ones without even asking them. Don't you think a student would want to help you if they realized it on their own more than if you told them to? You bet.

Create rules at the beginning of the year and make examples of students who don't follow them. One of my favorite rules is: "If you bring anything but your textbook and something to write with to class, I will put it in the garbage." Seems harsh? You bet it is. I'll tell you something though, if you don't tell them who is boss YOUR classroom they will bring their mirrors, teddy bears, candies, chips and combs to class and while you're talking do their makeup.

In your classroom, you must be the ruthless king with a loving smile on his face. This method will earn you respect among the student body in your school, and your Korean co-teachers will love you for it as well. Do this the wrong way, and you might as well be showered with tomatoes as you walk down the halls on your way to your office.

Daniel has been teaching since he was a kid and traveling for 5 years. He was accepted to teach in Korea in 2009 and he's been loving it since. Dan teachers Native English Teachers how to survive in Korea by cooking, giving and being loving at their schools. Join his free newsletter here: http://www.survivalinkorea.com