October.... It is already October. I cant believe it. It is exciting and it is scary. I am excited though. Time is flying in a whole new way for me. Ever since I graduated from college time has flown, but here, it is doing a different type of flying that I do not quite know how to describe, nor do I understand.
France class was great today. One of the best days behaved that I can remember. Christine teacher told me to move kids that act up, and make them sit by themselves... mostly talking about David and Sally. It was Davids birthday so I gave him a little leeway... Sally, I did not give any, and she was behaved better then pretty much every other student. This made me happy. The biggest complaint, is when Christine came it to tell me about moving them... she said "the" in front of each of their names.... The... the the the... This article bothers me so much... It is almost always wrong in Korea... The subway and train systems use it wrong and most other places do to... it annoys me... So she says "if the Sally is bad, move her" or "if the David is talking, move him." The definite article "the" is being used incorrectly... and yet main stream Korean uses it wrong... What do I do? The answer correct Christine is what makes sense to me... but if Korean culture uses is grammatically incorrectly, and I correct a Korean with it... and I teaching them the grammatically incorrect thing in the culture?
We got through a lot in Australia class. We might actually be able to get all caught up by tomorrow! For Denmark... I hate how passive some co teachers can be... Christina... great teacher... She asks me how we are doing on the reading street supplement and the citizenship book. I know she looks through to see... I see her doing this. Instead of saying "Eric, lets get this done" she asks how we are doing with it (though I know she knows we have not started it because I saw her looking in it). This type of thing happens often... with a lot of the Korean teachers.... To me it is very condescending. I do not think they mean it like that... From what a lot of people have said... they are not very confrontational... I see that. But still, I wish the teachers would give me honest comments.
The teacher that is taking over my first graders observed today. The kids behaved themselves mostly. But we talked afterward. He pretty much guessed who the problem children will be... The one thing he said that I did not like, was that it was about the kids being bad kids. I know it is semantics... but even the trouble makers I do not think of as bad kids. All of them are great kids with many strong suits... some just do not know how to behave in the classroom or with each other. Thinking they are bad kids puts them at a disadvantage... Even the naughty kids have moments of genius.
We had the debate with my 4th and 5th graders. The team full of girls was amazing. They actually had good arguments and thoughts, and came up with independent ideas... the boys... not so much. They were short in what they said and had no good information. So it was a win in my books. If the girls keep up that attitude... who knows how far that can go!
After work, I went to Anyang to buy some stuff. Art. My walls are so barren. A guy was selling replicas of paintings on Craigslist. So, I needed them. Posters of anything other than Kpop is pretty much non existent. These were mounted replicas.
I came back home. Sarah wanted to store some stuff in my apartment because she is leaving. So now I have some other stuff to store here for several weeks. Other than that, it was a nothing night.
Wednesday October 2nd.
Started the day with France. We started with science. Science was pretty much putting a straw on the wrist sticking up, to watch the pulse move it. It did not work.. but the kids were impressed because since they were not able to keep their hands still, the straw moved giving the illusion of a hear beating. We then did math. Australia was good. We did cartoon and then worked on reading street. Denmark we worked on reading street the whole time. We needed to. We are almost caught up with Australia. I will start the next unit several days behind. Oh well.
My first graders were crazy again. They started off okay, got tired. So I tried to get them some energy... what happens, they push one of the kids into the hallway. Ruined it for everyone. I tried to take a picture again. More of a failure this time too. I have one picture from Monday that is okay... and one from today that is okay (other than the students that wondered off. I think the new teacher Scott will have his hands full with them. Im gonna miss them.... But it will also be nice not having to worry about them. After I left in Karen teachers class. Billy ((according to Chloe) exploded and had a big fit full of yelling and pushing things around.
It is funny. France class is known to be the most naughty kindergarten classes, and my first graders are the worst class too. Both are bad because of a few trouble makers, and the bring both classes down...
My one on one with Chloe was good. I get a good workout every time I do it. Picking her up and playing all of the games she makes up... but she is speaking english and having fun, and thats what counts.
My 3rd graders... we had one page to do... not even a full page. 9 questions. That is all that I had for the class. So I was having fun with them. Kate teacher comes in and makes a comment about how it is like one of my students isnt there to learn and then talks about the rest of the class. It annoyed me. I am not being a hard ass strict teacher and letting the kids have a little fun. We had 9 questions. The class before, they read the story and had already answered 2 pages of questions. I had 5 t/f questions about the story, and 4 questions where the students had to write the answers. Not hard. But after she came in, I had to be a strict ass incase someone checked up on the class.
After work, Rob and I had Moms Touch chicken burgers. Then we went to Emart to look for the new Korean beer that is supposed to be good. We cabbed it home. Later Ama, Taylor, Husdon, Sarah, Rob, Scott (new teacher) Carrie, and Sam went to the restaurant downstairs and ate a little. Then we went to GS to drink some (no work tomorrow), then went up to Robs room to try to play video games (which did not work). Fun night. I think Scott is going to fit in with our bunch. He has taught in Korea for 2 years, and is back to do it again.
Thursday October 3rd.
Lazy day. Rearranged my room and worked on cleaning a little. Cleared out one of my cabinets to put all of Sarah's stuff.
Then I went to Itaewon to meet with Rob and Yuri (his GF) Sarah and Scott. We went to Reillys Tap House because they have Pumpkin beer. So we each had several pints. I love Pumpkin beer. Not necessarily because it is great beer, but I love anything in limited quantities, and pumpkin beer is only around for one month out of the year. Then we had Lamb sandwiches (not quite a gyro and not quite a sandwich). Then we went to Sin Bin to play shuffle board and Darts. Then we had some Taco Bell. It was a fun Thursday off work. Back to work tomorrow for one day, then the weekend... And I might be out of Seoul on Saturday... I am trying to go to a ginseng festival!
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