The kids just get cuter and cuter each day. It's a stretch for me to remember what I was like when I was their age, but ultimately, it's humor that really gets me through each day. I realize that as a teacher, you can't take yourself too seriously. If you do, you'll end up crying every single night. I've received some well wishes and words of advice from fobs back in the states... actually, they were more like warnings. But I'll take the sugar with the salt.
It's hard to draw out conversation from some of the students -- especially the ones who are ashamed of their level of English. I try to pay them some extra attention to bring them out of their shell but they end up either rolling their eyes or giving me dirty looks. If I didn't feel bad for them I'd hit them upside the head. Which reminds me. One of my co-teachers walks around the class with a wooden rod in her hand. She bonked two boys on the head for talking. She might just be my favorite co-teacher.
This week, I'm trying to get my students to think of three adjectives to describe themselves. Once they choose the three, I'll have them look through a list of American names to find one that fits their personality. A surprising number of boys listed "sexy" as one of their adjectives. I tell them that they're too young to be sexy and they tell me "No, no teacher! I AM sexy!" All in a Korean accent, mind you... so they end up saying "shek-shee."
My Korean has not improved one lick since I've been here. And in fact, my English has gotten worse since I have to speak at a second grade level. It's truly an identity crisis. My vice-principal desperately wants to talk me, but our communication barrier is vast. He walks by my classroom often and says "hello" at least three times a day. I return with a "hello" and that is the extent of our conversation. The teachers told me that he very much wants to improve his English but is very shy. There's another female teacher that has taken me under her wing. She's invited me to her "beauty club" that meets once a month. What happens in this "beauty club" I do not know, but I have a sneaking suspicion that these "beauty club members" are also eager to learn and improve their English.
Now for a bit of personal revelation sharing. I've been told that I have a dark "aura." I realized that this was true when I was visiting my grandmother this weekend. She had gotten so old and frail, it took all I had to force a smile on my face and greet her as happily as I could. Inside, all I could feel was old old age... death. That's pretty morbid. But I realized that maybe there was truth in the comment that I am a "dark person." Instead of being able to celebrate the life that my grandmother had led, I could only feel her struggles and her vulnerability and question what was it all for?
And now for a fun random Korea fact:
Korean sidewalks do not discriminate. All cars, motorcycles, scooters, trucks as well as pedestrians are welcome.
2 comments:
ill all about corporal punishment. i think you should carry a wooden rod around too and hit them everytime they make fun of you... if only i could do that with my kids... (last yeaR).. this year my kids are angels.. hehe =)
miss you!
You're not a dark person. Rather you posses the ability to see through one's character and inner-self. People notice that, knowingly or unknowingly. And consequently they feel vulnerable before you, hence the "dark aura" (ok, maybe I'm stretching it out a bit, but you get the point).
Maybe that's what majoring in English and having an interest in philosophy do to you.
Yeah I'm philosopher's worst nightmare hahaha.
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