From this picture, you would think I'm an awesome teacher: happy and excited to see my kids. Unfortunately, most of the time classroom management is nonexistent. My 1st graders are out of control. I usually start the day out well...but end with a headache and discouraging thoughts...
Today, I yelled "be quiet" super loudly in my 1st grade class and got complete silence for about 5 seconds. But I felt so sick to my stomach after yelling. I don't want to be the bad guy. I don't want to be that teacher. And half the class are little angels, so cute and sweet and so willing to learn. I wish I could communicate that I wasn't yelling at them. I was yelling at a group of about 6 boys who were climbing on tables and sitting under the tables and yelling and running around and fighting with each other...Gaaah! I had had it. I lost patience and yelled. :(
And I kind of got upset with my Korean co-scholar, too, for not enforcing rules and helping me out more. He said, "Ok, ok." like he understood...but then just stood there and did nothing to help me. Gaaah...seriously frustrating. From his point of view and from my students' point of view, I'm probably such a monster. :(
Oh well. Haha. I will figure it out. I know other scholars are experiencing the exact same things, so I'm definitely not alone in my struggles. It should get better with time. Right??
I took a picture of this as a reminder not to give paper-clipped flash cards to 1st graders and expect to have the paper clips returned in their original fashion...if returned at all...
I took some creeper pictures from my classroom window of the kids playing soccer outside at recess. Seriously, I just want to love these kids. Why do I have to be their mean English teacher?
Views from the hallway window at school:
This is one of the high schools in the neighborhood. There's a lot of schools around, though.
It was cloudy and a little rainy today. The mountains are so gorgeous in this weather. In this picture, I think you can see the tents set up for the Tomato Cooking Competition Festival? Haha, I just saw posters for it near the train station. A whole festival for tomatoes. Huh. Oh, in Korea, cherry tomatoes are definitely considered a fruit. They are often served on fruit trays or in fruit cups, alongside bananas and pineapple and apples...it's odd.
This was just a random thing I saw on my way home from the bank today. I have no idea what they were advertising or doing. But I took a picture anyway:
Other random things I've wanted to tell you about life in Korea:
--Spitting on the streets is very common and apparently completely acceptable, for both men and women. When I say spitting, I mean the whole "loudly clear your throat, work up every bit of phlegm from all corners of your respiratory tract, and violently dispose of said phlegm." It doesn't matter who's around or how close they are, feel free to hock a loogie.
--Slurping soup and eating noisily is also acceptable.
--There is a guard who works at the bottom of the hill at school. I think he patrols what cars enter the school property. Every day as I walk up the hill, he tips his hat and bows to me. I always bow back, but then I do this dumb thing where I want to tip my hat too...except I'm...not...wearing...a...hat... So I just look really dumb putting my hand up to my forehead while I nod. You'd think I would have learned after the first time, too. But nope, no, I didn't. Almost every day we have this exchange.
--I wish I had taken pictures of all the meals I've eaten at school. I think you'd be amazed at the things I've actually put in my mouth, chewed up, and swallowed--and sometimes even enjoyed. I eat weird soups with tiny stringy mushrooms (so many different mushroom here in Korea) and gelatinous brown salty tofu-like blocks and kimchi radishes and mustardy-vinaigrette soaked chicken (I think) and mushy seafood biscuit things. Haha...it's an adventure. But I do really well and, for the most part, clear my tray.
Ahh, well...I should go to bed. I have a busy weekend planned. I'm going to Seoul, mostly so I can go to the English-speaking ward on Sunday (maybe scout for young and single military men, hehe...jk). But I've planned a whole itinerary for myself to go and explore the area near the church. And...I'm going to be on my own. Wish me luck! I've done my research, though, and I'm super excited for the places I'll be going (Costco Wholesale made the list). Anyway, look forward to lots of pictures and stories after the weekend.
I love you all!
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