Holy School!

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So I was invited to an observation with Mr. Kim on tuesday afternoon. He is a 'head teacher' in the school, kind of like a liason between administration and staff, almost like a mentor for the younger teachers. Already, I recognize that beeing a teacher in Korea is a tough job. Classes have upwards of thirty students, every other week you have school on saturday (I know... right?), there aret these things called 'official tours they atttend all the time (like an observation in another school, i think) and then there is this thing teachers of five years or less must do called an 'open classroom.' I immediately thought is what just an observation and evaluation of your teaching by head teachers and principals. Now, I've had observations done teaching in PBurg, but nothing like this.

We walked up the stairs and as soon as I turned the corner, I saw literally every other teacher in school standing outside the third grade classroom. Everyone... twenty teachers, vice principal and principal, who knows I bet the maintenance guys stopped in for a while, too. We filed into the back of the room, this class has 37 kids. On each one of their desks were 4 musical instruments, a triangle, a piano type thing, recorder, and tamborine, and the kids sitting quietly with their hands in their laps like little angels, not touching anything or banging the tamborine off their neighbors heads like you would expect in the States.

She started by going over a line on the piano- that she played- and the class repeated, the tamborine- that she played- class repeated, then split the group into two parts and played the two separate rythms at the same time. I thought that would be the end of that portion of lesson, until I realized they were going to do the same with the other two... then combine the four instruments into four part harmony! Are you kidding, these kids nine years old and playing instruments in four part harmony?!! That just doesnt' happen back home! Not even to mention that it was a tricky song. I was impressed.

After the entire staff left the room and we had a debriefing meeting with everyone including her. I can see that being really intimidating. twenty two people ripping apart your teaching, but it was all pretty civil, and , as always structured. In the past, Ms. Johnson would just come in and give me some suggestions, but having that many people throwing things at you... yikes.

I can understand why countries like this are surpassing America, while most of us put in 40 hours a week at work, people here tend to work 40 hours a day!

The differences in things are crazy. I emailed my friend yesterday about how different things are for me this year compared to last year. Everything is more exciting, more adventurous, I am experienceing so much more. Last year I felt stale and the negatives got to me, not the way I want my life to be. I think everyone should continue to explore this world and keep things fresh, new and exciting. Wherever things may take me, I will have Korea to thank for refreshing and reawakening my spirit.

***Ahh... I am compiling a list of interesting Korean translations I see around that I'll share here. It is pure comedy! Crap Meat is only the begining.

*** I had another round of dirt soup and deep fried fish bones at school the other day. unbelievable...

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