Korean Birthday
What's funny is that the party is tomorrow...

Today I woke up to a slew of warm wishes from new and old friends around the world. I did not expect much to happen today, mostly just relax and be ready to go out tomorrow night. My mentor teacher defiantly told the third grade students today is my birthday because they came running into lunch all dancing with "teacher! happy birthday to you!". The news spread quickly and before I knew it students I don't even have in my classes were saying 'congratulations' to me in the hall.

Both first & second and third grade sang to me. One of my favorite little firecrackers from first grade, YuKahn, drew me a picture before class and most of the girls gave me little hugs saying 'teacher I love you!'

Third grade came in excitedly telling me 'teacher water!' I said 'okay go ahead', but then she pulled me out of my seat and RAN me down the hall to sit me on a couch outside the nurse's room. After a little while she RAN me back down to the English room, where, in the dark, the kids attempted a quick surprise party by turning on the lights and singing happy birthday. They all gave me drawings of birthday cake.

In between classes, the administrator in charge of the roll books came in to switch the papers to April and gave me some green tea.

The other English teacher, Jiyoung, whom I ride home with every day, even gave me a present. It's a pretty little brooch, which, even though I do like it she said I could exchange it if I wanted to at Mango (a store). I get the feeling this is not something rude for them, so I might go and see if there is something more my colors.

My evening was relaxing, like I wanted. I took a long nap, then went to Lotte Mart for dinner at the cafeteria and even ran into one of my students there as well. As suggested by Chenney, I picked up some of the tights to see if they will fit me (they do, miracle) and treated myself to some sushi.

I decided to see about getting my 'professional' glasses fixed since the lens had started to crack on the top of one. 60k won and 15 minutes, I have new lenses in my glasses. They even re-checked my eyes. For free. I told the man "this, very fast. In USA, two weeks." He said "wow oh my god," in that way only Koreans do. I love it.

I love Korea
6:50 AM | Category: | 1 comments

Classroom Managment 101
May contain some strong language.

Lesson 1: Separate Friends

When you can't get your class to be quiet because a few groups of kids just start talking again as soon as your eyes move off them, it's time for a seating chart. With mine, no amount of pay attention actions (clapping, chants, etc), yelling, or stares will earn their respect. Yesterday, fifth grade got a seating chart. Suddenly, the noise level of my room went from 11 to 3. It's really hard to talk in a normal voice to your friends when they're all the way across the room from you.

Lesson 2: Don't Be Afraid to be a Bitch

I didn't want to be that mean teacher, but seriously, the kids didn't get it. With my co-teacher in today, I warned her as soon as the class came in and talked and goofed around the whole time I was trying to call role that I was going to have to be strict. She faithfully translated my lecture. If the students don't get what it means for someone to come to Korea to teach them English, then they should now. It not easy, putting your life on hold, leaving people and pets behind, and coming to a country where you don't speak the language. A little guilt never hurt a petulant child.

Lesson 3: Enforce that "be quiet, no talking" means SHUT YOUR MOUTH.

My kids did not understand that be quiet means I want them to stop talking. I would tell them to be quiet and they would stop until their friends walked in the room and then start talking again immediately. As soon as I move back to the task I was on, they continue their conversation. This is difficult with the older students because, well, they're teenagers. Luckily, I'm young enough and have a brother young enough to remember what teens are like...and it's not pretty. It's fun to talk behind teacher's back, like a game. Even more so I'm sure when your teacher doesn't speak your language. However there are some lines that I think I wouldn't cross in the USA, but here not only have I given up on trying to be a "PC" teacher I've realized that if my students understood every word that came out of my mouth, it probably wouldn't get like this in the first place.

Lesson 4: Remind Them There are Consequences

After school class, of course, makes students think free time; but they signed up for or were told to sign up for my class. Just because they don't want to be there, skip, come in late, or act up, does not mean no one will hear about it. I reminded them that I take role every day because the office wants me to. They look at it everyday, and keep record of who doesn't show up or who is late. This means that the administration and their parents are aware of their attendance in the class. Just because there is no grade does not mean that the school doesn't care if you show up.

Lesson 5: Use Your Resources

Google Translate was a blessing this week. It might not be a perfect translation, but to help my fourth grade students understand that if they didn't start behaving well we would no longer play games and start writing sentences...well it was enough to get the point across.

We were told not to go over someone's head in the chain of command, as it were, within the school, but I think pulling a student out of class to go to the principal is something I can get away with. Especially since the principal is a few doors down, while all the teachers are on another floor.
11:51 PM | Category: | 0 comments

school, meetings, slippers, and coffee
The last few weeks have been up and down. Trying to get into a routine with my students has been difficult because most of the time they just don't want to listen to what I say. Talking too much and not staying in their seats has been an issue. So far I have discovered two things that work really well: 1) Google translate to help me bring home what I am threatening them with (like writing sentences instead of games) and 2) Shouting YOGIBA! when they aren't looking at me.

I have a tendancy to forget to update this blog because the community is so tightknit on Facebook it's been easy to keep in touch with almost everyone in Korea and abroad. However, taking the time to reflect is important, especially collecting my thoughts in more than a few short status updates.

My apartment is finally a home. I was taken out to get a few necessities last week and was able to stow my luggage away for good. I can cook here too. You would be amazed what life without as much as a frying pan will do to you. I myself have settled into quite the routine, get late morning, check online things, clean up, eat breakfast while watching a show online, then get ready for school, lesson planning if necessary. Morning and late evening are usually the best times to catch people on the other side, so I try to check and see who's around.

Today was a good day, even if I did come home exhausted as usual. When I got to school as I was signing in the secretary handed me a package. I practically cheered 'thank you!' because I knew it was the box my parents had sent me last week. The letter they sent me two weeks ago is still a no-show. It would seem my carefully crafted Korean-written and English-written address for my school was far more effective than relying on the Korean post to translate an English addressed letter. I got my replacement Kindle, case for it, a pair of slippers mom made me, and a birthday card. Mom included instructions for the cute little slippers and I've already started a pair.

Things were a bit confusing today class-wise because there was a parent meeting and the school introduced all the teachers. Unbeknown-st to me, that meant that my first class was canceled (and I was really looking forward to seeing my 1s and 2s too...). It also meant I was late for 3rd grade. They came in early, before the meeting, and the girls in that class are super cute as well as super energetic. They came in excitedly telling me 'TEACHER TEACHER FASHION GOOD' then a little pose with some V fingers. They liked my shirt (Michele, remember that one you got me with the high collar and b&w circles? it's a hit). I set them up with a coloring worksheet with food and went to the meeting so they could introduce me to the parents.

The whole thing threw me off a little, so that when I got back to class it was hard to get myself on task, let alone the students. I'm trying to do food with them, so after I went over a little vocab I gave up and played the bomb game with them. They did the worksheet...something got accomplished.

Since I started classes and I met the other after-school English teacher she drives me home after school because she lives in the same area. Today we talked for quite a while and went for coffee. I like her a lot and I'm really glad the school decided to hire a private teacher to supplement their classes because it's nice to have a Korean English teacher that I see every day. Especially since I only see my co-teacher on Fridays.

This weekend I am going to Seoul and I'm really excited. Tomorrow is payday (finally!!) and I fully intend on gettig a more comfortable pair of sneakers (I keep tripping on my sketchers shape-ups...the sidewalks in Korea are perilous), a haircut, and hopefully a trip to the bank to get some money into my US account.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to watch an episode of Secret Garden and work on some slippers.

6:20 AM | Category: | 0 comments

You might find me passed out under my fuzzy blanket
I have encountered a lot of misscommunication in the last week. It starts with wondering why I didn't get taken out for kitchen things and then ends with finding out 'dry' to Koreans does not mean dry in reference to a washing machine. I should have known better. My mentor teacher told me last week when I asked about laundry in the building that the washer had a dryer function. She showed me, on, wash, rinse, dry. Dry actually means spincycle... something that's kinda standard in washing machines back home. Go figure >.>

So I've spread my clothes all over my floor in my room to dry on the heated floor because I don't have a drying rack, yet another basic necessity they neglected to furnish my apartment with. When I spoke to my mentor teacher this morning to explain that the provincial office of education told me that the school was given money to get these things for me she thought I mean for last year...and explained they spent it all on a BIG bed for the previous scholar. Note, this is not the same bed I have now...so I wonder what happened to all of those things when they left.

I know it seems like I complain a lot about this, especially to people who are here; but it's something I have to deal with every day. Cooking in my apartment means boiling water. That's it. I was told NOT to use my settlement money to furnish my apartment...so I either have instant noodles...or go out. Neither of which are either good for me or my pocketbook. I just need basic things, that's all.

I started teaching yesterday. It seems like a week ago already. The students wear me out. I have first and second grade in the same class every day. Then 3,5 and 4,6 alternating. It was hard at first to gauge what their levels are and what they will respond to. I'm having a hard time deciding what we're going to start off with because some classes, especially the middle 4th and 5th do not really know enough English for the harder games, but too much for simple stuff. I had to actually lecture 5th grade today because most of the class was 10 minutes late, with 4 more coming in 5 minutes after that. I was actually ready to go find someone to ask if class was canceled.

Consensus seems to be with them that animals is a good place to start, so we're going to do that. Then, I will incorporate comparison into this. Hopefully with some good powerpoint games and some songs they will get into this whole class thing and not be too much a terror for me.
7:54 AM | Category: | 0 comments

First Day at School
So today was my first day of school and it turned out that I didn't have to teach. Last week my mentor teacher told me that I would have class at 1:30 and by 2:30 I watched all the students leave and started to think maybe something was up. Either way, I go in the rest of the week to do lesson plans and then I will start on Monday.

My day started out being picked up by my mentor teacher at 8am. She drove me to school and showed me where the bus stop is so that I can use that from now on. There was a First Grade class ceremony to welcome them into the school. The older kids played ocarinas and drums. Then the new teachers were introduced, including me.

Shortly after was lunch, and the first and health teachers came to get me to come to lunch. They were really nice. I spent the rest of the day waiting for kids to come in for class and when I realized they weren't coming, I asked whoever I could find in the teacher's lounge what was going on. They told me I will start teaching next week but I can come and work on lesson plans in the meantime. I suspect that that really means I SHOULD come and do lesson plans for the rest of the week. I guess it's not as bad as sleeping at home, but, I don't necessarily need to come in at 8am.

11:27 PM | Category: | 2 comments