Back to it

Intensives are over. We're back to working 2-10pm, which is nice. I have 5 classes again. If I got to choose I'd rather have 3 classes and see the same kids each day. Trying to prep for 5 classes and dealing with all those kids is a lot.

All of my classes are really quiet. The older ones do not want to be here at all. I'm teaching a U8 class. 5 of the kids are the same ones that I just had in S4. I didn't expect to get them again and they didn't look too thrilled to have me. This new level means that I'm teaching History and Science. Yes, that's right. Science. Me, the fine arts student is teaching Science. I think this is the most rediculous thing here yet. I don't know how to pronounce half of the words in the textbook, nevermind know anything about Science. When I was looking through the textbook I started laughing histerically. I'm just praying that none of the kids have any questions about any of this stuff. One of the vocabulary words was "cleavage". Yes, thats right. I was thinking the same thing that you are right now. Cleavage. What else could that mean? Apparently it is a characteristic of minerals when they are able to break apart from a flat surface into thin layers or something. So this means that in the same amount of time that I had to teach only grammar and storybook, we now have to do grammar, history, science, plus a test for each of those subjects. Not to mention that we have to take up the homework and they have essays to write each night for the class. They said that they hate the class already. I feel so bad for them. I have to find a way to make this more interesting, but still fit it into the class time.

There is this boy in the class, Robin. I've been warned about him. He doesn't do well with authority, especially not from women. The first class we were playing the 2 Truths and a lie game. I went first and had each of them guess which one is the lie. He was a smart little bugger and said "I think its a lie that you're a good teacher." (which of course wasn't one of the options) So I turned it around on him and was all like "awww! you think I'm a good teacher?! wow thanks!" I'm going to keep that sort of attitude with him. I've been told that if I let him get to me its going to ruin the next however many months I'm stuck with him.

Jenn has started training me on taking over for her with the basics when she leaves in a month. I taught a B3 class. There were only 4 students who have been to Youngdo before and they were all in her class last month. The rest of the kids had no idea how things work here and they have very little English. I had to do my best to explain to them the rules and what they can and can't do using body language and very very basic English. I felt like a mime acting out things, while making a big "X" with my arms (in true Korean style) to say "no" or "don't". We have tapes that we sing along with and I give them stickers if they sing loudly. The sicker method really works when they're that old. Take a sticker away if they speak Korean, sleep, get out of their chair, yell, bang on the walls etc etc. These little buggers are going to be kept under control.

In my new senior1 class I have the little P.I.M.P. in training as he's known around here. I'll try to get a picture of him, but it might not be that easy. He wears this huge,thick coat with real fur on the hood. He has both ears pierced and wears big diamond studs as well has has thick, black rimmed glasses and a pimping style hat. Its hillarious. 50 cent plays through my head everytime I see him. Apparently he has an attitude and doesn't do his homework.

Other highlights of the new classes is that since I have many kids who have never had to choose an English name before I got to name them! It was just like having babies! I named one girl Juliana after TheJuliana Theory. One boy is Damien after Damien Rice. One boy Patrick after Patrick Park. One boy Jackson after Micheal Jackson. Iwas pushing of for Keane, Sufjan and Jose, but the kids didn't like those names so much. Another boy I named Liam.

I have a boy named Joy. I told him that its a girl's name (as well as my sister's name) and the class laughed, but he still didn't want to change it. boo.