First Week of teaching in Korea in the books!

Home…well not home, but it is home for the next year.

It has been raining and storming like crazy since early this morning. It finally went to a light rain around 6-6:30 am and then a drizzle around 8-8:20 am. I need to buy an umbrella and should have known better to not have one after last summer. It also feels like I have been up forever, but here’s how my day has been.

Meeting different classes and pictures?

Today, I got to meet the third graders. I won’t meet the 4th graders until next week and I will start teaching the first and second graders in “after” school classes the week after next.

The first class of third graders is pretty well behaved. Some asked a ton of questions during the introduction. One little boy was asking for details about the state flag. He wanted to know every little thing he could. Very cute.

Then, suddenly there were pictures for the yearbook today. A lot of the teachers were surprised to find out themselves. So, got that done. I hope it came out alright.

Next, was the second class of third graders. They were a bit more alive though one boy was going to sleep in the back. In the beginning, they were all over the place getting their English materials. Then one little girl kept staring and smiling. Next thing I know she’s all “Hello teacher. What’s your name?” I told her and she was all “Oh….*pronounce it* My name is blah blah blah” Then she went to her seat. I don’t know what it is, but there’s something about her that I like.

Bonding?

Mrs. M had to run do something so that left me with a ton of little ones. I was all heheheh ^^; So I had them say their names. Some I got easily while for some others I swear the pronunciation is not meant to happen or something with my mouth. I told them my name and they were just as shocked as me about trying to say a name right. We both had some difficulties. I had to write it on the board in Korean and they got it. They pronounce it better than a lot of my co-workers. So A+ in my book right there. That was our bonding moment. I felt relaxed before class even started. Mrs. M couldn’t help but smile and let me lead the class. They asked a lot of questions and answered a lot. So I enjoyed them fully.

Deskwarming and attempting to lesson plan

Finally done with teaching for the day while I trying to lesson plan. I swear I’m going to shoot the tables I was making. They would not work out properly as I wanted them to. When I finally finished one after working forever on it, of course it had to get messed up. I don’t understand it. Now, I have to do it all over again. Hours upon hours of work wasted. At least I have Monday-Wednesday of next week to work on some things. Why? I won’t have any classes thanks to my 5th and 6th graders going to the English Village. Maybe I can get ahead in lesson planning. I like being ahead.

They didn’t lie about “desk warming”. I sit at my desk more than in front of students. Not that I’m complaining but my job is to teach the little ones English. But it is the beginning of this term, so we’ll see how it goes.

Lunch!

Oh and the school lunches. Why on earth can’t ours in America be like that? I mean I have a full-course lunch. Rice & kimchi (of course) some yummy meat, seaweed, and all kind of good stuff. I’m always stuffed before finishing my tray. They give teachers so much. I’m all O.O “That’s enough…omg ok, please…I don’t know if it can hold it….” I’m also wondering if they just take it out of our pay automatically. If so it’s worth every penny, well won.

With all this being said, I finished my first week. It went pretty well. My imagination was all over the place by the time I step foot in there the first day. So I pictured way worse. There was nothing bad to say about it really besides trying to fill time at my desk and think of ideas for lesson plans.

Now it’s the weekend woo~! Hopefully I’ll be able to skype with my family before going out to Seoul tomorrow. ^_^