2nd Chances

So it's been less than 4 weeks since I wrapped up the SE Asia backpacking tour. Since then, I've been unpacking my previous life as an ESL instructor in Korea.


They say that it takes 3 weeks to get to know your students. Today was the last day of the 3 weeks, and I am over it.


Week 1 is where you are suppose to set the tone; establish rules, set expectations, and hopefully create some kind of chemistry. Sounds like dating huh?

Week 2 is where you test the waters a bit. Perhaps you'll challenge them to see what they are capable of. Then, even relax a bit to start building that relationship.


Week 3 is where that bond solidifies and everyone understands what you want.

For the rest of the term, you're suppose to build the relationship, challenge them, and have fun doing it.


I'd like to think of myself as a hard working person who in the face of a challenge will challenge back. For some reason I feel like I have lost that feeling and I just don't care anymore. Is it because I left for 3 months realizing the beauty of being my own boss?


So far I have 50/50 good and bad classes. Good means we joke and laugh. When it comes to doing work, it doesn't seem like it because we're having a good time. On the other hand, my bad classes are those where I constantly have discipline problems like speaking too much Korean, not listening to me because they want to be the class clown, or playing with cell phones. Sometimes I just want to collect all their cell phones and give them back at the end of class, but of course that would hurt my student surveys, which mean everything in terms of bonuses. Why should I even care when I don't want to work here anymore? I can't be that bitter. I actually have two bad classes out of six.


Memory Tera Elementary Monday & Friday: These students didn't level up. They are all 6th graders who are too cool for this material. Sadly, they had a boring teacher before me, so therefore, they are boring and don't get my style. I have a student named Jaden and DK who are best friends from their past terms at Chungdahm. They want to be the class clowns and distract all the other students. They think going against what I'm saying is funny. Sophie and Janice never participate and only draw. Arica and Ann are the only two that ever answer and I'm sure the other students don't want to participate because they are intimidated by the brown-nosers. As for the rest of the students, they yawn or they are quiet because of the loud mouths who are more interested in each other than what I have to say.



Birdie Listening Middle School Thursday: These students must be the reject class. They all didn't level up from the last term. In fact, one student named Mickey has been in the same level since my co-worker Ben taught her in his first term --November 2008! Eighty percent of the class never finishes their online homework. Jordan and Peter always speak Korean and always speak when I'm talking because they think they can get a reaction by their quips. Interestingly enough, they have the most extensive knowledge of English vocabulary, yet they choose to speak Korean when their other classmates who don't have that English language arsenal actually try. Emily and Apple (yes, that's her name) seem like they are conducting arts and crafts time in the back. As for the rest of the class, they are too yawning or being eerily quiet because Jordan and Peter are taking too much of my attention.


I'm not the type of teacher to yell. I've already it done it this term. Jaden broke a desk because he wasn't working with his group and decided to find DK and jump on a desk. BOOM! Broken desk equals me screaming at him to get out and me bringing him downstairs. Of course he's smirking only fueling my fire even more. How dare these students smile when I bring them downstairs? I know why. Our office staff gives them lollipops and tells them to try better all with a smile.


My usual form of punishment is the older sister trick. I tell them in front of the class that I need to talk to them during break time or after class. Once outside, I level with them asking them questions like, "So why are we here right now?" Another good one is, "How do you think your behavior makes me feel?" It usually works, but these kinds must be desensitized. They nod in agreement. Then, they go right back to what they were doing. In one instance, I told Jordan that I need to see him during the break and voila! he was being the most attentive student trying to make me think he's actually being good now. Jaden, the clown desk breaker, has even been cleaning up after other kids. These students are smart. I'm not falling for it. At the same time, does it even matter?

They are kids. They didn't choose to come here. They were forced by their parents and the Korean education mentality. Every Korean parent believes that education is number one. They send their kids to after school academies till 10pm and expect their children to ace both school work and academy work in hopes to one day get into SKY (Seoul University, Korea University, or Yonsei University). They are creating and perpetuating the stigma of this elusive idea of "I can get a good job if I learn English."

Slippery Slope is a logical fallacy I teach my kids. It goes like this:

If you fail your Review Test, you will fail Chungdahm.

If you fail Chungdahm, you will not learn English.

If you don't learn English, you will not go to a good university.

If you don't go to a good university, you will not get a good job.

If you don't get a good job, you will be poor.

If you are poor, you will die.

Therefore, if you fail this Review Test, you will die (probably by your mother's beatings).

Sometimes I believe this country whole-heartedly believes this logical fallacy. It's upsetting that their time with me maybe their only time away from their mother's glare. Perhaps their time with me is the only time they can be kids because they know I couldn't seriously do anything to them. Either way, I have to remember that they are only kids. They want to play, have fun, joke, be silly etc. and I have to throw in some English in there once in a while while keeping my sanity.