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Published: March 4th 2010
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My first few days of school have been very intense. The first day I had to introduce myself to the teachers in the bigger, downstairs faculty lounge over a microphone which was broadcasting all throughout the school. It was nervewracking. I noticed too, that I was the only new teacher required to say something. The others just got away with bowing.
Then we had to go to the school assembly, where I entered the room and caused a scene by my mere presence. It was like a celebrity had entered the room. All the girls started whispering to each other and craning over the girls in front of them trying to get a look at me! A few braver girls said hello, or waved and then burst into hysterics when I replied to them. Those girls have absolutley explosive giggles. And you know, it's very strange to attend ceremonies in other languages. I had to go stand in a line by the stage at one point, and I totally just followed what the guy in front of me did. I clapped when he did. I bowed when he did. I really hope he knew what he was doing!
I
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My textbook guess I was in a line of new teachers, because we all had to go up on stage at one point and bow when our names were called. I got one of the 3 loudest cheers! And since the other two were the unmarried young men I feel pretty special. It's a pretty high compliment from teenage girls that I'm almost as exciting as two handsome prospects.
I've met all of my co-teachers. They are all really nice and very helpful. Mostly this week I've just been sitting around planning. They mostly just want me to follow the book, which is fine, except they don't have a teacher's guide for one of my grades just yet, and a lot of the instructions in the kids book is in Korean. And a lot of the stuff they already have done for the lesson. They have lots of video clips and audio clips to check listening comprehension. So, for the most part I've got the first eight weeks of Grade One (middle school grade one is 7th grade american) already planned out. I've got a couple of activities that I'm going to need to create handouts for, but other than that
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My desk in the teachers lounge it's mostly done. And I've got the first 5 weeks of Grade two (8th grade) planned out. I still need to type them out and make a few powerpoints (just to get my point across) but I don't have a computer with those programs yet, or the ability to print off my lesson plans. Plus, I have planning time next week! Though, I do have a few extra things I'll need to plan for next week. I have two afterschool classes that I teach on Friday afternoons, and on Thursday I have to oversee the English Talking club before school and teach an English class for other teachers here after school. So, I will have plenty to do next week, but also several hours to do it in.
So, next Sunday night will be a scary one for me, but I only have class 4 days next week because tuesday is a test day, so there are no classes. LEt's all hope I don't suck! :D
So far, I can't speak Korean at all. I'm a pretty good mime, however, which is always good to know in case this whole teacher thing falls through. I'm going to learn
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page from my book. Korean, but I'm not going to jump into it full force until I've done one week of teaching at least. I'm not sure how I'll need to modify my lessons, ect. The good thing is I only teach two grades at a time, the bad thing is that in each grade they have three different levels, so I have to change a few things about each lesson plan to match the level.
And, as an ego boost, the ladies in my office were saying I was "pretty" and some of my soon-to-be students came in and said I was "so cute". So things are looking up!
Also, they love to say hello to me in the hall. I always smile, wave and answer, and I think they already love me just for that. They are very excited to meet me. I hope that doesn't wear off completely over the next year. Several of the girls have come into the teacher's room to talk to me, and one of them spoke Enlgish SO well. She said she lived in Austrailia and New Zealand for four years. She was also very gracious when I apologized for not being able to
pronounce or remember their names very easily.
"I think Korean names are very difficult for people who don't speak Korean," she said. I'm looking forward to teaching her! Maybe she can help me with my Korean 😊
I'm not so sure about the rest of the girls. I hear them shouting and squealing in the hall. They're very loud! And from where I sit, hidden in the teachers lounge and totally oblivious to anything anyone says ever, they seem a little freaky and heathen like. Lol. It's just because I hear thuds and yells and bangs from the hallway.
One thing they do well here that I really like, students clean the school. They have no janitors. They have a few breaks inbetween classes and they clean. The girls also serve the other girls at lunch. They take turns.I think that's good. I've also been told if my classroom isn't as clean as I'd like I can make them clean the classroom!! I am not going to do that, but it's nice to know that I can 😊
The English classroom is REALLY REALLY nice. I'll post pictures after my first lesson on MOnday.
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