Pencil case invite

Three guests

One of my students brought three hamsters to class last week - they don't look like hamsters to me though. The class ended and she whipped them out and cuddled them as the rest of the kids gathered round. Where was she hiding the pets? In a pencil case.

Never trust your students

After a few cancellations I had my final observation from my manager two weeks ago. She arrived before classes and would be watching my first. I was happy with this as it was a lesson I had taught the previous day twice so I knew what I was doing. And because they are one of my youngest but brightest, enthusiastic, creative and are enjoyable to teach. Yes they were my favourite class.

I rolled into class expecting everything to go well. I did everything the manager wanted which was basically repeat, correct, give everyone their chance to speak and try and make the class fun. And then I was thrown under the bus by the students.

Betrayed by five boys who should know better and who I've always tried my best to help whist making every class as enjoyable as I can! Perhaps I exaggerate but they really let me down and embarrassed me with their bad timing. So what did they do? Mocking me, parroting me, making ridiculous sentences and shouting out answers when it was someone else's turn, making fun of my questions and the repeating we did. I am relieved that there was no contract riding on this.

Doesn't sound like much but it was obvious at the time that they were doing this deliberately for a joke. All of those things they had never done before and won't do again. There was also little I could do because the previous branch manager had watered down the teachers capacity to deal with things like this. I let them know several times that this was out of order as I tried to manage the situation. If the manager was not watching me, then I would have dealt with this easily but I didn't do it so well because quite frankly I was shocked at their behaviour.

With about fifteen minutes left the manager left and the atmosphere changed. They stopped being silly as they knew I was not happy with them. Oh students! After the class I let them know they had done something wrong. I didn't punish them or shout at them but I was really disappointed. Now the class has changed. Three of the five have moved to another group and someone else now has the 'pleasure' of their company and I am left with a great bunch of kids again.

Otherwise the class went OK. Despite one horrible grammar explanation of mine I did what was wanted from the particular class. I didn't expect a good write up but I could live with that as I'm going in a few months. got the evaluation last week and it was not as good as my previous one but was probably better than average. I got some decent comments and the evaluation was positive and fair. But never trust your students. Et tu brute?

Boys and girls

Recently one of my elementary grade 5 students revealed that she had a boyfriend. The others in the class made fun of her but not to the point of upsetting the girl. I suggested to them that maybe they were jealous of her. One actually admitted it. The girl has now broken up with her boyfriend and seems happier than ever but before that happened one boy wrote down what he thought about her relationship.

Students make me laugh

I had a great day in the classroom if not at work in general. I can't remember how long it's been since I laughed as much as I did today in all my classes. Right at the end in my lowest level of Middle school the boys were pulling all sorts of tricks. Making fun of the others and really causing me to burst into fits of laughter.

The class objective was understanding and using simple past tense sentences such as;

I ate steak,
We watched TV,
She played tennis

Student: "xxxx xxxx ate viagra"

He repeated this several times throughout the lesson which blew the mind of the boy he was talking about because he had no idea what was going on. On paper it doesn't sound so funny but in practice it was. The class didn't recover and we had a vast array of jokes and physical gags all of which made to a great end of the day for me and for that class as I won't be teaching them again.

Observation day

Today I am being observed again. Every year we have two observations from our real boss, a Westerner who evaluates teaching staff, handles curriculum, deals with teaching questions and also has a significant say on contract extensions.

This is my third manager and I have to say the previous one was great at her job. I think I am biased because she gave me some good marks on the evaluations especially my last one which I do not think is possible for me to beat. I don't know the new manager well so it's a bit of a step into the unknown. The mantra that she is looking for though is repeat, repeat repeat. I can do that.

Half of me feels that I shouldn't be observed because I've been here a long time and am leaving in five months so there is no carrot of a contract being dangled before me. But being observed from time to time is a good thing. All teachers are prone to fall into habits whilst teaching and some of these can be bad. I know that I do some things that head office doesn't necessarily want me to so it's healthy to get back to basics and spend more time preparing.

I didn't sleep too well last night. I'm a little nervous and I know that doesn't make sense. Perhaps nervous is not quite the right word. There's a little bit of apprehension and excitement which I hope will give me the energy to do well. I've built up enough credit to last me for my remaining time here but I do want to show what I can do. Who wants to look bad in front of their boss? Also, as I've got the most experience at my academy shouldn't I be the one who can do this easily?

I don't like being watched though. I'm not the same person when someone from 'outside' is in the classroom. Neither are the students. I like to joke around in class, have fun with students, tease some and in general like to make the kids feel so relaxed that they can express themselves without being nervous. I don't think that will be possible today.

My previous manager would ask what class I would like to have observed but that's not the case today. I know it's one of the first four but more likely not my first class. Over those four periods I teach two lessons twice so preparation is not an issue. Classes one, two and four - no problem, great kids, enthusiastic and fun. Class three, oh dear. There is one boy who is considered to be the worst student at my academy and though I like him, he causes trouble, distracts others and worst of all speaks Korean a lot.

At least there is no pressure on me so this should make me feel relaxed when the time comes. As long as I try my best, prepare and don't make any big mistakes things should be fine and whatever will be will be. I'll be glad when it's out of the way and can move on with my remaining five months. However, we have a new manager at my branch and it's a certainty that she'll be watching everyone's classes over the next few weeks too.

On a side note I won't be going to the big Christmas party that my academy is holding. A few months ago It was suggested that it would be mandatory but in the end that didn't turn out to be true. After some thinking on the matter I decided that going would be OK and maybe fun so I asked if my wife could go with me, as did a lot of other teachers at other branches. On Saturday we got an email telling us that nobody is able to bring a partner.

I understand that and accept it after all my wife doesn't work at the same company as I do so why should she get a free lunch etc, etc but letting everyone know just one week before Christmas is poor. It would have been nice to have gone with my wife because she knows a few of my co-workers and some staff at other branches but it's not to be. Now we're going to have a nice Christmas at home with me cooking and I think we're going to have a great day of eating and drinking.

Pencil case art

Today two of my students storyboarded a 'fun' scenario involving myself and my partner teacher. 가빈 is, of course, me.

Curious student

Middle school student: "In England, frog pizza?"

Classroom snippet

Me: "How are you today?"
Boy: "I have a bad cold."
Me: "Oh no, if you have a bad cold we can't play a game."
Boy: "TEACHER, I have a GOOD cold!"

Winding up my student

Today one of my students leapt out of his skin. Well not quite but he produced a physical burst of emotion at something I said.

At the moment my last class on Tuesdays and Fridays has just four students. Four boys. Four Middle school boys who, being honest need a lot of help as their vocabulary and grammar are both not so great. But they try, they always do their homework, do what I ask them and communicate to the best of ability. On my part I try to make class as fun as possible, sometimes play games and make it fast paced so they don't get bored. I think we all enjoy the class right now.

On Tuesdays we have a listening class. We have a quick test, go through some practice sentences and then listen again to the CD where I in turn ask comprehension and discussion questions often tenuously linked. I have mentioned before that I believed I was close to running out of questions and continually repeating things (not noticeably to students) so now I try and make up some ridiculous scenarios and quiz the students on what they think or would do should this happen to them.

Last week I asked one boy - my favourite in the class because he really is a great lad and very funny too so I like to wind him up - what he would do if his family had a disaster, all their money was gone and he had to marry someone to bring money back into his family. I then added that he only had a limited selection of people to chose from and mentioned some Korean women who society here dubs as 'unattractive' physically. He flipped out, and rejected the suggestion of marriage and said he would rather starve, well I am paraphrasing him as he doesn't know the word starve.

Today, purely because he couldn't pronounce the letter 'C' and instead, on and off for forty minutes insisted it was pronounced 'she' I offered up another scenario. He is on a plane for ten hours and must choose between two seats. One is next to Korean Olympic champion weightlifter Jang Mi-Ran and the other is next to Korean President Lee Myung-bak. Or rather, preposterously, Lee Myung-bak's daughter (I don't know if he has one) and Jang Mi-Ran's (fictional) twin sister. I then described the women as looking exactly the same as their father/twin sister facially but body-wise they would have what Koreans call an S-line figure.

What followed first was a bit of a leap in the air as he couldn't quite believe the question. Then came a facial tick that can only be described as looking like a centipede buried deep beneath his skin manipulating his entire mouth and jaw. We had the obligatory "OH MY GOD" several times as he rocked back and forth in his chair. I thought his head was going to spin off. I felt like I was watching one of those Korean dramas where the acting is sometimes hysterically over the top. Of course he said he wouldn't get on the plane. Just like B.A. off the A-Team.

The same but different

Change at work. The atmosphere is different. The two men who I sat next to in the teachers room are not there now. One, my partner teacher for nearly one and a half years has moved onto a similar position in his home town, the other has been given a temporary (I think) promotion to assistant manager so he won't be teaching.

My new partner teacher seems to be nice. No complaints but we're in a getting to know you situation. Regardless, it won't make much difference to my work life, apart from being a little bit quieter. There won't be much banter any more. She bought a Baskin Robbins ice cream cake today and everybody loved it, a nice touch. The other new face next to me seems to be a little shy. That's OK too. Hopefully she will open up a bit more as the weeks roll on.

One day down, four to go before my holiday. Today was a normal day but my mind is just not thinking about work. I keep falling asleep at around 4am because I am genuinely happy about going home. It's been over one year since I was back in England. At times I miss it and at others I am fine about being away. Right now I am really enjoying the process of getting ready for my trip, packing, deciding what to take, getting information ready. It won't be long.

One thing that clarifies the mind is the heat. We are in the core of Summer. This particular heat lasts around four weeks or so. Todays forecast wasn't for very hot temperatures but the five minute walk to work was, I have to say, tough. I got to my second class, the room I have dubbed the Greenhouse and I noticed a new face. For some reason there was a fan. for a minute my heart sank and I thought the air conditioner was broken but no, I had air con AND a fan. Now that was fun.

My new best friend

Students and sharp things

Spend some time in a classroom with Korean students and after a while you will notice something that they carry in their pencil cases. Not every kid will have one but most will, especially those in Middle or High school. Kids here carry 'box cutters' in their backpacks. The first time you see one, it comes as a bit of a shock as quite obviously, this would never be seen in the UK. I'm sure some of the kids couldn't be trusted with such a thing. None of the students I teach at my academy need this in their pencil case but many have it. They don't use it as a weapon, they don't mistreat it but still it is often there. By the way, this boys 'cutter' was huge.

The first thing I saw in class today

Overused words heard by an ESL teacher in Korea: Part I

The other day I asked one student, I cannot remember who, an easy question. Their answer just really annoyed me even though I had heard that answer from tens of, if not hundreds of kids before. A word that I do not wish to hear when I go back home on my short vacation.

My students have a limited vocabulary but an impressive one, I think, especially considering I teach the middle level abilities at my academy. I am often impressed at how well they can deal with some of my questions or expectations. However, there is some words that I have heard time and time again that when I hear are like a punch to the heart. One word that falls under this category is 'dirty'.

I have found that there are certain words that are overused here. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just that some words are misused/overused and grate when you have worked at an academy like me for too long. Personally, my Korean vocabulary is shockingly bad so I know learning a new language is difficult and frustrating at times and you cannot really express yourself fully and eloquently.

But on the subject of dirty, I grimace every time I hear it. No matter the occasion or topic this word invariably crops up especially when expression an opinion or feeling given an unlikely scenario. It is said to show a feeling OR, more specifically, to extract a laugh from the other students. But it's just not funny.

"What do you think about (anything)?"

"If (scenario) how would you feel?"

"How are you today?"

"How were exams?"

All questions met at some time with 'dirty' like some proud boast. And said with a grin that makes them look as if they think they've said something witty and ingenious but met with an equally powerful feeling of contempt from me, internally I hope! Is some TV 'funnyman' here using this word on some show? If so they must stop. It really is annoying when I hear this word.

Motivational Korean notebook

Some kids notebook caught my eye yesterday in my final class. Can studying English really make you bitter?

Hitting an ESL brick wall

Because of exam time in schools I managed to get one break at work yesterday. I decided not to waste all of my time so prepared some stuff that I'd have to do at a later date. I was making questions for my classes when I temporarily hit a wall.

In over four years of doing this job I've asked many questions with depressingly predictable answers for the most part, certainly there has been little variation in responses. Every week I prepare questions for my three levels of students for listening classes. This is almost the same as when I was teaching reading. The questions check comprehension and then go on to discussion (if possible).

Now I find myself running out of new questions. Yes, the students change but there is a rotation of questions that I can choose from given the material I am working with. I try to be creative but I am as tired of hearing the same tired replies as I am of asking the same things. In short, I am restricted by the levels I teach. However, I have no wish to teach a higher level. The problem then is mine.

Is running out of questions even a possibility? Is there some failing on my part? Variables change but something is remaining constant, me. Who, what, where, when and why. Now five of my least favourite words in English. I am temporarily frustrated by the repetition. It's pay day so I am sure this phase will pass.

Student ponders divorce implications

In class with my high level students. Numbers are down right now due to retest exemption but this kids mother forces him to go. Taking about divorce, this Middle school boy answered my question as fast as was possible.

Q: "If your parents divorce how could your life change?"

A: "Terrible! If I go with my father maybe I will have no breakfast. If I go with my mother maybe I will have no money."

Different sides of the fence

Tomorrow South Korea play Argentina in their second World Cup game. Like last Saturdays match, the kick off is 8:30pm local time. Great for many people, especially children who should be able to watch then. However, my academy's classes finish at 10pm. This means that a swathe of our students will be in class and won't be able to see the game. No big deal? Wrong, to me it is a big deal.

Yesterday I had a gentle disagreement with my friend and co-worker, about the fact that I think our students should be allowed to stay away from class should they choose to and to watch the game at home. If they want to come in, then fine. I am not arguing that I should be allowed to go home early but they should be given a choice and not be punished for not coming to class (those who don't come to a class have to spend time in the retest room basically substituting the time they would have spent in class).

One thing to consider is this. The students who would be in the final two classes are Middle school students. At the best of times they are often surly, sullen and miserable about being in the classroom. Right now they are studying for important school tests and starting from this week some, then eventually all of them will have retest exemption. That means that they won't be punished for not coming to class so they can stay home and study - some are forced to come by their parents though. Does anyone think our classes will be great ones tomorrow? I will be amazed if my classes are productive or have a positive atmosphere.

Here is where I stand, I think this is a matter of National importance. World Cups come around only once every four years and help bring a country together. This is important for a country like South Korea that is ultra patriotic and likes to feel good about itself and is constantly trying to portray a positive image of itself to other countries. When Kim Yu-Nah skated in the Olympics a nation stopped to watch, what use is it to have these kids excluded from following their team? Yes I am a sports fan but World Cups are not just about sports fans, they are about everyone in the country. Again, I am not arguing that I should get time off work, just that these kids should not be forced into coming for just these two classes. Do they really need to come in tomorrow? Just my thoughts.

Student cloning idea

Today I was being observed by my branch manager in my last class so decided to do a little extra preparation for things to go smoothly. I wasn't nervous as this happens often but didn't know how it would go, being one of my worst classes previous to the jerk leaving. I think things went well or at least that's how it seemed for me but we shall see.

One of my very basic questions was, "When you go to University what do you want to study?" and this was met with a decent answer. I thought the class was going too quickly so I asked the question to another student and he said "I want to learn how to study how to make a girlfriend." Perhaps he'd just watched Weird Science or something but everyone thought it was pretty funny.

Teacher's Day artwork

Teachers' Day or 스승의 날 fell on Saturday this year. This day is not a holiday but a day that is often marked by students giving presents to their teacher. I don't teach here for presents I teach here for money and am quite well paid. I don't expect to get things either but the absence, at certain times of the year of gifts continues to underline the impression and belief that we as ESL teachers are not real teachers. And to be fair most people here are just English language voices. Am I a real teacher here? Well no, that much is obvious. I don't work in a school I work in a private English language academy and the kids see me two or three days a week.

Friday came and went without event - no presents of course - except for one class of twelve girls and one boy drawing things on the whiteboard. They wanted me to take pictures of what they did but I didn't bring my camera so they said they'd repeat it all again on Monday. I forgot about this but yesterday when I got to the classroom I was set upon by the girls who took away all five of my markers and my board erasers. Those girls were really out of control but they had a good ten minutes or so of solid fun before we could start class. This was a lot better than a pair of socks or some cheap Korean chocolate. Here are some snaps of their artwork.