Tippany-Teacher Goes to School

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School has been an adjustment so far. I think I came into it with different expectations. I was expecting an experience more similar to the one I had in China. After all, they couldn't be that different, right? Wrong.

I don't know if it was because of my short stay in China or if there really is a very marked difference in the behavior between kids in China and kids in Korea. I hate to say it, but when I was in China, the kids were SO sweet, I visited a school and they just flocked around and gave me all sorts of snacks, in Korea, I have to fight sometimes to get their attention. It's not to say that they can't be sweet, but really, it feels more like I'm teaching American kids sometimes for the lack of respect I get.

Here's why I think the Korean kids at my school, most of whom I really do enjoy, can be real brats at times. 1. All kids can be horrible brats (I don't know why I didn't see a whole lot of brattiness while in China, but it can't be the norm for all of China, let alone all of Asia) 2. The kids who go to Hagwons (sp?), or after-school school/clubs, have to come from families who can afford to send them there, and can easily be spoiled. 3. Foreign teachers are moneymakers for the Hagwons and have to be 'nice teacher' to the kids. We are not allowed to punish or scold too harshly. We cannot yell at them or hit them like their Korean teachers can, so they have no problem walking all over us. I have come to the conclusion that foreign teachers are in Korea partially as a novelty/entertainer and partially as a walking pronunciation guide...I feel like I'm nannying again sometimes, but these kids don't easily understand me.

This being said, I am not having a bad experience, but I feel a little stupid thinking that coming to Korea would mean that I would have an easy time of teaching because "all kids in Asia are so well-behaved". Wow....that was silly.

Anyway, I really do enjoy teaching the little ones. I think we'll get along just fine. They can be kind of rowdy, but they are so cute and they can be really enthusiastic about singing and playing games. I need to get some pictures of them soon and try to get the pictures on my computer (I can't believe I forgot to pack my camera cord...).

I need to get better with the older kids. I don't really know how to work with the older ones, especially the middle school kids. I got so frustrated with some of them yesterday. There are two classes that I dread now. I'm hoping that I can figure them out eventually. I got so frustrated with one class yesterday I almost left the room. I wanted to yell at them. I wanted to smack two of them. I wrote in my daily report that day that two of them had ADHD and that I'm not a special ed. teacher. I felt slightly better after the venting.

The classes that I had today are all easier though. Neither of the really-hard-to-manage classes come on Tuesday/Thursdays. Nevertheless, I had my hands full today. I need to get my alien card tomorrow, so I'm going to pay a visit to Immigration. I needed to go to Lottemart (a HUGE store right across from my work. It's like Wal-Mart, only better because everything's better than Wal-Mart) today to get more passport-sized pictures taken. That is a small thing, though. This week is also the week to make lesson plans for the next month, do evaluations of each student, and prepare tests. Technically, my lesson plans should have been all done today. It was too hard for me though. I haven't even been teaching two full weeks yet. I don't know if I can remember each student, let alone be able to know everything that they're doing and which class is which. "Which one is S1, again?" "Wait, who are in B2-2?". Some of the classes are only once a week. I don't even remember what we did.

I'll figure it out. My boss's wife will help me, and so will Danielle. I'll be fine. Soon all this will be familiar. Maybe even easy.... I really want to be a good teacher.

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