New Semester, New Attitiude

Life is funny, huh?

By this I mean just when you think you know what is gonna happen, BAM something changes. Last year all I did was whine about how my Co won't let me teach and this year the karma came to get me. For the next 3 or so weeks I am on my own. But, I am treating this as an amazing opportunity to show my teaching prowess to the rest of the school. I think I am in for a surprising year.

Grade 3

Next week I am required to start teaching grade 3, which I have never taught before. I am guessing it will just be a heap of vocab and sounds - good basic stuff. 

"Why don't you check the book, Bonnie? You can see what you are actually teaching?"

Well, the thing is, I have a feeling that they are using a different text this year. It just happened to me with gr 5. But I will get to that.

For grade 3 I am planning on lots of activities, songs, and getting out of their seats. Learning should be tactile! And fun! Especially for the really annoying basic stuff like vocab and numbers and all that. I know I hate learning that type of stuff in Korean. Its easier to learn things in context I think so I will try and do that for the kids.

Grade 4

Grade 4 was my fave last year, and I think it will be again this year. I have 2 classes of grade 4, one run by a middle aged bloke who seemed pretty happy to follow my lead but also contributed nicely to the class. In fact, after what I have had, he was the perfect co teacher. He also had reasonable English. And he is a new teacher, I have never seen him before (except for this morning when he greeted me in English. It was nice.) The class went well and I got my groove on. I was all geared up ready for another successful gr 4 class when they came in - with Co. Who, of course, took over the lesson. As predicted. I made a bit of a stand and spoke to the class more. If he wants me to take these classes without a designated co teacher then shouldn't we do it my way??? Nope. Oh well. So I basically just stood there while all the new little faces stared at me. Its ok though. There were still some cute kids, and in his class are Harry and Du Won from English camp so I think they were pretty happy to see me. Especially Harry, which I was surprised about... He pretty much screamed hello at me. Strange boy. 

Grade 6

Was supposed to be the next class but they never turned up. Oh well.

Grade 5

My lovely little grade 4's from last year are growing up. But when I walked into the room there was a massive chorus of "Hello Teacher Bonnie!" which made me remember why I love my job (sometimes*... always put a disclaimer in haha)

Another new teacher. Young, female, seemed really nice and friendly. And another perfect co! She let me lead, and then asked me before translating... Which I was totally cool with becasue I have no idea what to say lol. She was super easy to get along with, and at the end of the class she even apologised for not being better prepared. Then I stopped. I was the one who was not prepared. The CD from last year is not the same as the books the students have - THEY CHANGED THE BOOKS AND NO ONE TOLD ME! Now, this was obviously something that Co was supposed to deal with, so all my prepping from Monday and Tuesday is out the window. In a way its lucky I only found out the news of my class control at the last minute cos I would be seriously pissed off if I had planned a whole semester of lessons only to find out it was a different book. So I asked her to speak to Co - he is technically the English teacher, and if I see him I will also ask him. But all in all I was happy with the day and how it went. The kids seemed to enjoy the classes.

Co workers

My mission for making friends is going well still. I went down to get a hot drink and was greeted by a few people, one of them being the 6th grade teacher from last year who is super nice (and prob feels sorry for me) she queried as to why I didn't eat with the teachers. I told her I was still on a diet and she felt sorry for me (having to diet, being a big foreign fatty haha) and finished with e "FIGHTING BONNIE!", which brought the VP over to see what we were talking about. I greeted him in Korea which he nearly fell over from. Obviously my pronunciation is getting better... I told him I had been studying so he the (naturally) threw a heap of Korean at me that I didn't know. I apologies ed and said I only know a small amount  He was still suitable impressed and went on to say how beautiful I was looking this year. Creepy, but better than the alternative. 

I then proceeded into the tea room, where I was greeted by one of the admin girls (she said hi first, I think she likes me!!!) and also said hello to a friendly new teacher (female). So all in all, things are looking up this year. 

So yes, so far so good. Now if I could just get over my terrible head cold...

Mysterious Stranger update

So, I left my place a little earlier as per my plan, to get a better idea as to where he was walking from. Pretty much there is a road that runs next to the station, then a parallel one that runs along, then ANOTHER parallel one that my school is on. He was walking down the middle on. So, I cant really follow him down that road because it is clearly the wrong way to the school. Well, kinda, but if I went down it then it would totally be weird (more weird*). So, next stage of the plan is this - take Milky out on the weekends and just do laps of the area until I see where he comes from. He must live in the near the apartment block near the school, cos otherwise there is only residential houses. Unless he is actually living in a house, which would imply he is living with a Korean family... Either way me and Milky will get to the bottom of it. No one can withstand his doggy friendliness, so I am sure we can win him over. And find out his story. 

xoxoxox