Saturday, February 16, 2008

"TEACHER! Are you a Korean people?"

This week I started teaching. It was a whirlwind of classes, preparation, and cute kids with the sweetest smiles. My classroom is super tiny, but it works (will post pictures later). Monday I had the first day jitters, but after my first period I was calm and everything ran pretty smoothly. It turns out that on Tuesdays and Thursdays I don't have a class my first block 1/2 periods until public school starts. That gives me the privilege of doing some office hours, prep work, and observations during the next two weeks. Today (Friday) I didn't have any classes...This should be the norm. I spent six hours creating quizzes for future cycles.

I have two small classes...The first one is a Monday/Wednesday class. Mike and Robin are the babies out of all of my students...They are brand new and eager to learn. Mike has a smile that could get him out of trouble and Robin has caring eyes.


My other small class is a higher level course. Currently, Minji is the only student in it...Maybe in March my other student will show. Minji is an intelligent girl, she attends an international school and is learning French and Chinese in addition to learning English. I think I am really going to enjoy this class because I will get to know her well and because it's more of a debate and essay style course.

There are a number of other children that have made impressions on me as well. Johnas-- "I don't like school. Don't like reading. Don't like English. Don't like homework." Teacher--"So what do you like Jonas?" Jonas--"Games!" Behind his round Harry Potter glasses there is a very expressive face which makes me smile every time I look at him. In the same class there is a boy named Daniel. He is a happy boy and likes to laugh. During the quick twenty minute period he kept me and the rest of the students laughing.

During a quiz, I had one little girl named Yujin ask me, "Are you a Korean people?" I told her right now it is quiz time, during the break she could ask me more questions.


I never thought I would be a teacher, but here I am and I enjoy it.

I'll leave you with some photos of food that I ate this past week...

Cham-chi kimbap (bottom) and kimchi mandu (top)....



The Titanic roll from ROLLS.




Yes! They have Pizza Huts in Korea (less/little sauce)...They package your leftovers nicely.

4 comments:

John said...

Are you a Korean people?! I would have laughed! You're braver than I am when it comes to food :o)

Noel said...

which John is this? John Showers?

John said...

Of course, silly!

Anonymous said...

Noel...were you stationed in Korea with John Showers, US AIr Force?