Whew. After a LONG break from students, I survived my first week back...and it wasn't so bad. I was reminded that I actually LIKE most of my students, and they like me back (DUH!).
My first comment about this: I AM SO HAPPY TO BE STARTING AT THE BEGINNING OF A NEW SEMESTER AND NOT HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR!! And now that that's out of the way....here's my recap:
Monday/Tuesday:
I teach at an all girl's middle school. They range from Grade 1 (14 years old) to Grade 3 (16 years old). To me, they all seem 12 years old. I guess that's Korean aging for ya! My goal with these students is to actually LEARN their names this year. Makes it MUCH easier when you want to call on someone, or make someone be quiet. So, I made a seating chart and called on them by name to introduce themselves to the class. So far, so good. Well, good-ish. There was tons of laughter of my pronunciation (no surprise there), but I'm getting it! I am making sure to bring my seating charts to each class.
Grade 1: ALL NEW STUDENTS! Well, I have 2 that come from my elementary schools. But other than that - ALL new! This should be fun. Plus, I have a new co-teacher for these classes. He is Korean and his English name is Steven. He does not hesitate to put the girls in their place when they are being loud (YAY!!!) AND he told me my class was "fun" and that he was excited to be part of my classes. So far, so good.
Grade 2: My grade 1's from last year. Surprisingly, not as bad (behavior wise) as they were last year. BUT, it was only day one. This year I have my Grade 1 co-teacher for this class, and I mostly feel like she is one of the students. She sits in the back and reads, unless she's goofing off with the students when I am trying to teach. I will be working on her "co-teaching" this term.
Grade 3: I loved these girls last year, and nothing has changed there. They are AWESOME! To start the class, I handed out cards from American students that had written to them (part of a postcard exchange last term) and they LOVED them! They didn't believe that they were really from America at first, but I put them at ease. They really enjoyed the cards (Big thanks to Mama Dukes for participating in the exchange!).
Wednesday:
This is the day I have trouble with the bus. Luckily, there was NO PROBLEM this morning!!!! As it was the first day I was worried about being late. At this school, I teach 2 grades at once, for 2 periods (40 min each). I have 2 new co-teachers (3/4th grade) and they are young (just out of their required military service) and have GREAT English! The teachers gave the students nametags for my class, so now I can actually call them by name! Woo Hoo! Except for my 5/6th graders - they got English nicknames.
Grade 3/4: My grade 4's I had last year for Grade 3 (they are 10 years old). My grade 3's were new, and when I mean new - I mean NEW! They are VERY VERY VERY low level, which is going to be hard to plan for since my grade 4's are MUCH MUCH higher. Think like this: Grade 3 - can't write their name. Grade 4 - can write full sentences. So this is going to be tough to plan for.
Grade 5/6: These are ALL returning students for me - except for the "new-to-the-school-students" But those kids are GREAT! They are really excited for an English teacher, and ARE NOT shy about practicing their English. They pretty much followed me out of the classroom to keep talking to me. Last year this class was 7 students, and now it is 14 - which will be easier to plan for, but I do miss my small class. They gave themselves nicknames (English) and wrote them on their nametags. They are excited to be called random English words.
Thursday:
I no longer have my driver to take me to school...so it's another bus day for me. It comes at 8am, which is the time I USED to get up to meet my driver. So, that part isn't too fun. All the co-teachers at this school were around last year, but now have swapped grades. But, they are accustomed to my teaching style, so that's nice.
Grade 3: WOW. Last term I had 8 students in this class for 10 year olds. Now I have 14...WITH BASIC ENGLISH SKILLS. I am pretty sure next week we will be going over the alphabet. But, they are all excited to have me as their first native speaker teacher, so they are full of energy (not ALWAYS a good thing!).
Grade 4: My grade 3's from last year, plus a few new faces. They have quieted down a little since last term...but still love drawing poop pictures all over the place. Looks like another "shitty term" with them.
Grade 5: Most of my grade 4's from last term - with a few missing faces. Last year there was about 18 in class, now only 15. Not too bad of a class size, so that's good. They also got English nicknames. Going over "What did you do over vacation" I drew a picture of me snowboarding and wrote "Muju" (the name of the resort) in Hanguel, and they were all "WOOOOOOW!!" "OOHHHH TEACHER!!!" "VERRRY GOOD TEACHER!!!" and clapped at my writing in Korean. It is a SUPER easy word to write (무 주) but, it made me feel good that I impressed my little 12 year olds.
Grade 6: My EXACT class from Grade 5 last year - no new faces, no faces that dropped out. I am excited about having them again because there are only 8 of them, and they are AWESOME! They love to participate and ALWAYS try to converse with me. Plus, they bring me candy (and today, tea).
Friday:
I never have problems with my bus this day - and today I have hope for the other days! As I waited for my 8am bus, my Thursday bus driver came up to me and pointed at his bus, I told him (in Korean) - No. Donghyeong (the name of my Fri school). He replied with an "Ahhh" and moved away. And then my Wed driver came over - pointed to his bus and said my Wed school name. I replied with a "No. Donghyeong" again. Then he moved away. Looks like my bus drivers are looking out for me!!!
Grade 3: A teacher from my Wed school is now my Friday Grade 3 teacher. All new students, and very low level. Hopefully starting the book with them won't be too hard.
The rest of my Friday classes were cancelled - but my students saw me at lunch and were so excited to see me again. My student from last year, Chris, had me eat lunch with him, and told me how tall I was now. After lunch, I get to leave....I love starting my weekends around noon on Fridays instead of 430pm!
Whelp.....time to recover this weekend, and get used to having day work weeks again.
Ghamsamnidah,
Apes :)
My first comment about this: I AM SO HAPPY TO BE STARTING AT THE BEGINNING OF A NEW SEMESTER AND NOT HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR!! And now that that's out of the way....here's my recap:
Monday/Tuesday:
I teach at an all girl's middle school. They range from Grade 1 (14 years old) to Grade 3 (16 years old). To me, they all seem 12 years old. I guess that's Korean aging for ya! My goal with these students is to actually LEARN their names this year. Makes it MUCH easier when you want to call on someone, or make someone be quiet. So, I made a seating chart and called on them by name to introduce themselves to the class. So far, so good. Well, good-ish. There was tons of laughter of my pronunciation (no surprise there), but I'm getting it! I am making sure to bring my seating charts to each class.
Grade 1: ALL NEW STUDENTS! Well, I have 2 that come from my elementary schools. But other than that - ALL new! This should be fun. Plus, I have a new co-teacher for these classes. He is Korean and his English name is Steven. He does not hesitate to put the girls in their place when they are being loud (YAY!!!) AND he told me my class was "fun" and that he was excited to be part of my classes. So far, so good.
Grade 2: My grade 1's from last year. Surprisingly, not as bad (behavior wise) as they were last year. BUT, it was only day one. This year I have my Grade 1 co-teacher for this class, and I mostly feel like she is one of the students. She sits in the back and reads, unless she's goofing off with the students when I am trying to teach. I will be working on her "co-teaching" this term.
Grade 3: I loved these girls last year, and nothing has changed there. They are AWESOME! To start the class, I handed out cards from American students that had written to them (part of a postcard exchange last term) and they LOVED them! They didn't believe that they were really from America at first, but I put them at ease. They really enjoyed the cards (Big thanks to Mama Dukes for participating in the exchange!).
Wednesday:
This is the day I have trouble with the bus. Luckily, there was NO PROBLEM this morning!!!! As it was the first day I was worried about being late. At this school, I teach 2 grades at once, for 2 periods (40 min each). I have 2 new co-teachers (3/4th grade) and they are young (just out of their required military service) and have GREAT English! The teachers gave the students nametags for my class, so now I can actually call them by name! Woo Hoo! Except for my 5/6th graders - they got English nicknames.
Grade 3/4: My grade 4's I had last year for Grade 3 (they are 10 years old). My grade 3's were new, and when I mean new - I mean NEW! They are VERY VERY VERY low level, which is going to be hard to plan for since my grade 4's are MUCH MUCH higher. Think like this: Grade 3 - can't write their name. Grade 4 - can write full sentences. So this is going to be tough to plan for.
Grade 5/6: These are ALL returning students for me - except for the "new-to-the-school-students" But those kids are GREAT! They are really excited for an English teacher, and ARE NOT shy about practicing their English. They pretty much followed me out of the classroom to keep talking to me. Last year this class was 7 students, and now it is 14 - which will be easier to plan for, but I do miss my small class. They gave themselves nicknames (English) and wrote them on their nametags. They are excited to be called random English words.
Thursday:
I no longer have my driver to take me to school...so it's another bus day for me. It comes at 8am, which is the time I USED to get up to meet my driver. So, that part isn't too fun. All the co-teachers at this school were around last year, but now have swapped grades. But, they are accustomed to my teaching style, so that's nice.
Grade 3: WOW. Last term I had 8 students in this class for 10 year olds. Now I have 14...WITH BASIC ENGLISH SKILLS. I am pretty sure next week we will be going over the alphabet. But, they are all excited to have me as their first native speaker teacher, so they are full of energy (not ALWAYS a good thing!).
Grade 4: My grade 3's from last year, plus a few new faces. They have quieted down a little since last term...but still love drawing poop pictures all over the place. Looks like another "shitty term" with them.
Grade 5: Most of my grade 4's from last term - with a few missing faces. Last year there was about 18 in class, now only 15. Not too bad of a class size, so that's good. They also got English nicknames. Going over "What did you do over vacation" I drew a picture of me snowboarding and wrote "Muju" (the name of the resort) in Hanguel, and they were all "WOOOOOOW!!" "OOHHHH TEACHER!!!" "VERRRY GOOD TEACHER!!!" and clapped at my writing in Korean. It is a SUPER easy word to write (무 주) but, it made me feel good that I impressed my little 12 year olds.
Grade 6: My EXACT class from Grade 5 last year - no new faces, no faces that dropped out. I am excited about having them again because there are only 8 of them, and they are AWESOME! They love to participate and ALWAYS try to converse with me. Plus, they bring me candy (and today, tea).
Friday:
I never have problems with my bus this day - and today I have hope for the other days! As I waited for my 8am bus, my Thursday bus driver came up to me and pointed at his bus, I told him (in Korean) - No. Donghyeong (the name of my Fri school). He replied with an "Ahhh" and moved away. And then my Wed driver came over - pointed to his bus and said my Wed school name. I replied with a "No. Donghyeong" again. Then he moved away. Looks like my bus drivers are looking out for me!!!
Grade 3: A teacher from my Wed school is now my Friday Grade 3 teacher. All new students, and very low level. Hopefully starting the book with them won't be too hard.
The rest of my Friday classes were cancelled - but my students saw me at lunch and were so excited to see me again. My student from last year, Chris, had me eat lunch with him, and told me how tall I was now. After lunch, I get to leave....I love starting my weekends around noon on Fridays instead of 430pm!
Whelp.....time to recover this weekend, and get used to having day work weeks again.
Ghamsamnidah,
Apes :)
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