Good morning Jennii Teacher!

At school

The school is a green monster which sits on a hill and stares down at the city of Suwon.

It is certainly not as new or flashy as some of the other schools in the neighbourhood but it has personality, and so do the students. Generally the boys are attentive and well behaved. For some; English is an asset to their future career, for others; English is a menace to their brain’s real-estate. Upon entering the classroom, before beginning a lesson the class leader summons the students to greet the teacher with an army-like ‘Attention!’ which is accompanied by a respectful bow.

It is my job to get the students speaking as much English as possible. There is a wide variety of ability and the challenge is to deliver lessons that are basic enough to be absolutely inclusive and yet offer an extra challenge for those whose English skills are more developed. The Middle School students I teach are in grades 1, 2 and 3, which are equivalent to North American grades 7, 8 and 9. So far, my experimenting has lead to the obvious conclusion: Boredom is lethal to learning, so I need an engaging solution.

A typical day for me at school includes some of the following activities… Smiling, surfing the internet, looking out the window, making games for my class, trying to learn how to say things like ‘Will you be my friend?” in Korean, bowing, wishing I had brushed my hair more in the morning, watching kids get in trouble by the Vice Principal, drinking sugar and cream with a microscopic amount of coffee in it, staying up to date on breaking news, hiding the disgusting stench of my feet, talking on msn, sweating, trying to enjoy the Korean cafeteria lunch (synonym for weight-loss plan), lesson planning and of course… teaching- or what I prefer to call professional motivating!

News Flash!
Brushing your teeth after lunch is a great way to bond with other teachers.

Imagine the intimacy: Huddled in the romantic dimmed lighting of the bathroom, a speechless, frothy gaggle of freshness emerges as we each have a turn spitting in the sink. It’s not much; but teeth-brushing is a language I can speak… with Colgate confidence. [*This paragraph has officially been sponsored by Colgate.]