4:44 AM
Sho
"Teacher!"
"Student!"
This exchange occurs around 7-10 times daily. Most of my kids have difficulty pronouncing my name, so they call me teacher. I return the favor with the appropriate label. The students who know what student means - which is sadly not the majority (yes, I occasionally question my value here) - always think it's the funniest thing ever. Almost as funny as when I attempt an occasional Korean word.
Today the exchange went beyond the name to name greeting. (Or label to label greeting, as it were.) One of the fifth graders who cleans my classroom every day -- the kids all have an area to daily clean -- loves trying to talk to me as long as it's outside of class (her class time is reserved for doodling and chatting).
"Teacher!" she said, brandishing a small broom.
"Student!"
"I love you!" she smiled huge.
"I love you."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Wedding?"
I laughed and she cracked up.
"No! I like men!" I yelled.
It's probably a good thing that nobody really pays attention to what I say to the kids.
Spreading Thanksgiving
I teach one after school English class per week. It's an opportunity for me to choose whatever I think the students should learn that isn't included in their curriculum. Naturally, I've used the time to force my musical preferences on the kids by having them decipher Beatles' lyrics. And The Monkees.
This week was our last lesson, and I decided to do a slightly early Thanksgiving theme. I went through a powerpoint about Native Americans and Pilgrims which they ignored until I reached the food slides. Apparently mashed potatoes are the most exciting thing ever ever ever. We then sat down and created Turkey hand outlines to place on "Thanksgiving cards" which they possibly now think is a thing.
I took a few pictures of their Thankful Lists, and some of the card decorations -- for some reason the boys decorated the card fronts with a bold caption: "THE X FILES" and mysterious looking symbols. Maybe I should review that Pilgrim powerpoint.
One of my boys wanted to see the pictures I took, and I scrolled through a few on my phone. I accidentally went one too far and he saw this:
A picture of my friend wearing a face mask on a recent girls' night. I jerked the phone away and put it in my pocket, but not before he had burst into hysterical laughter. The rest of the 5th graders begged to see the photo, and one of them ended up rolling on the floor, out of breath from laughter.
It's hard, as a teacher, to pretend to be serious in moments like these. I joined in (not on the floor), and it lasted a few minutes. Laughter at the unexpected. Laughter at the absurd. Laughter at how weird face masks are.
These moments. They add and multiply and create a pattern that etches itself onto the small part of me that is Korea.
"Student!"
This exchange occurs around 7-10 times daily. Most of my kids have difficulty pronouncing my name, so they call me teacher. I return the favor with the appropriate label. The students who know what student means - which is sadly not the majority (yes, I occasionally question my value here) - always think it's the funniest thing ever. Almost as funny as when I attempt an occasional Korean word.
Today the exchange went beyond the name to name greeting. (Or label to label greeting, as it were.) One of the fifth graders who cleans my classroom every day -- the kids all have an area to daily clean -- loves trying to talk to me as long as it's outside of class (her class time is reserved for doodling and chatting).
"Teacher!" she said, brandishing a small broom.
"Student!"
"I love you!" she smiled huge.
"I love you."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Wedding?"
I laughed and she cracked up.
"No! I like men!" I yelled.
It's probably a good thing that nobody really pays attention to what I say to the kids.
Spreading Thanksgiving
I teach one after school English class per week. It's an opportunity for me to choose whatever I think the students should learn that isn't included in their curriculum. Naturally, I've used the time to force my musical preferences on the kids by having them decipher Beatles' lyrics. And The Monkees.
This week was our last lesson, and I decided to do a slightly early Thanksgiving theme. I went through a powerpoint about Native Americans and Pilgrims which they ignored until I reached the food slides. Apparently mashed potatoes are the most exciting thing ever ever ever. We then sat down and created Turkey hand outlines to place on "Thanksgiving cards" which they possibly now think is a thing.
I took a few pictures of their Thankful Lists, and some of the card decorations -- for some reason the boys decorated the card fronts with a bold caption: "THE X FILES" and mysterious looking symbols. Maybe I should review that Pilgrim powerpoint.
One of my boys wanted to see the pictures I took, and I scrolled through a few on my phone. I accidentally went one too far and he saw this:
 |
| face mask night |
A picture of my friend wearing a face mask on a recent girls' night. I jerked the phone away and put it in my pocket, but not before he had burst into hysterical laughter. The rest of the 5th graders begged to see the photo, and one of them ended up rolling on the floor, out of breath from laughter.
It's hard, as a teacher, to pretend to be serious in moments like these. I joined in (not on the floor), and it lasted a few minutes. Laughter at the unexpected. Laughter at the absurd. Laughter at how weird face masks are.
These moments. They add and multiply and create a pattern that etches itself onto the small part of me that is Korea.
.jpg)
1 comments:
hehehehe. That is so precious. Your student rolling on the floor laughing! hahahaha
Post a Comment