On my way to class this afternoon I stepped out the office door only to jump right back. There was a fresh trail of blood leading all the way down from somewhere on the second floor (it went past where I was headed) to the nurses office.
I've seen this before but only small drops that seem fairly containable. By the time the students went to their classrooms it looked like someone had spread red paint down the hallway.
As I walked up the stairs one of the special Ed kids ran after me yelling " PI, PI, PI, PI!!!" (Pi, or 피 is a Korean word for blood)
I felt like I was walking into a scene from a horror movie.
Showing posts with label students. Show all posts
Showing posts with label students. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Proud Parent
While I'm not exactly in a parental position at this school I'm still quite proud of at least one teacher.
Corporal punishment is slowly falling out of favour in Korea but, in schools like mine, it still exists. When I ask my teachers about it they say they don't know where they would begin to control 1000 teenage boys. My guess is that for many of the older teachers they were never formally taught other methods of punishment besides hitting their delinquent students with sticks.
I often find myself bearing witness to these punishments as the Detention teacher sits in my office. I'm sure he sees no reason to punish them elsewhere. Next to him sits a P.E. teacher who is also involved in various disciplinary measures.
Today I saw something new....and improved? methods of punishment.
The students were made to do burpies for a certain amount of time (they stopped whenever the teacher wandered off) and then sent outside to collect garbage. With exams next week, high school entrance tests in a month, and rain pouring down outside (which is where they had to collect garbage) keeping these kids from their classes and out in the rain seem like fitting punishments to me.
Corporal punishment is slowly falling out of favour in Korea but, in schools like mine, it still exists. When I ask my teachers about it they say they don't know where they would begin to control 1000 teenage boys. My guess is that for many of the older teachers they were never formally taught other methods of punishment besides hitting their delinquent students with sticks.
I often find myself bearing witness to these punishments as the Detention teacher sits in my office. I'm sure he sees no reason to punish them elsewhere. Next to him sits a P.E. teacher who is also involved in various disciplinary measures.
Today I saw something new....and improved? methods of punishment.
The students were made to do burpies for a certain amount of time (they stopped whenever the teacher wandered off) and then sent outside to collect garbage. With exams next week, high school entrance tests in a month, and rain pouring down outside (which is where they had to collect garbage) keeping these kids from their classes and out in the rain seem like fitting punishments to me.
The Life and Times of a Soccer Ball
When I arrived at my school I inherited a soccer ball from my predecessor. Once the students realised I had it and was willing to lend it out they would often come by at lunchtime to ask to borrow it. More often than not I would not be at my desk when they wanted it...so they would take it. Usually they would return it....but sometimes they didn't. Eventually I never saw it again. Since there were still students asking to "borrow a ball" I went to the local sports store and bought a new one.
Long before it's time, the soccer ball became flat. It softened to a point but didn't flatten completely...so the students kept borrowing it. It was perfect for their needs: A version of monkey in the middle where the ball is kicked/thrown at the monkey in order to hit him. If the 'monkey' catches it, his changes positions with the person who kicked/threw the ball.
I guess they were better off with a soft soccer ball.
Anyways, they would play this game under, and around the very tall trees lining the entrance to my school. At times the ball would get kicked high into the air and fall through the trees. I always wondered if any of the ball got stuck in the trees....
I was about to find out.
I've been a bit of a nazi about getting the soccer ball back at the end of the lunch hour. One day this week they didn't bring it back. After class in the afternoon I went upstairs to confront the students I knew had had it last. One of them is a particular favourite from the month long winter camp we had in January. I saw him in the hallway and approached him:
Me: Hyeon Jun, where's my soccer ball?
HJ: Hehehehehe. I don't know....hehehehe.
Me: What do you mean you don't know?
HJ: Weeeeellll......hehehehehehe.
Me: Where's the ball?
HJ: Teacher...uh, friend kick the ball....ball goes whoosh...*points upwards*...*keeps looking up*....ball is in a tree.
Me: It's in a tree? Which tree?
HJ: *waves in the direction of the front gate*...Hehehehehe
Me: *sigh.
On my way home, passing under the trees, I tried to look for the ball. I couldn't see it anywhere.
The next day, yesterday, I was walking outside at lunchtime. Hyeon Jun and his friends saw me and pulled me over. They point up...up...up into a tree. Sure enough, about 40 or 50 feet up, caught at the crux of three branches, was my soccer ball.
When I asked who put it there they just laughed....except one student who was standing in the back, pointing to another student. When I asked his name and called him out....he ran away.
I went back later to find them desperately trying to retrieve the ball.
First, they tried to climb the tree. Fail.
Second, they tried to throw brooms up to knock it out. Fail. And loss of several brooms.
Third, they tried to throw another, miniature soccer ball (mine as well) up in the tree. Fail. I took it away.
The day ended and the ball was still there. It was still there when I came to school this morning. Looks like I left my mark on this school.
Until the next big storm anyways.
Long before it's time, the soccer ball became flat. It softened to a point but didn't flatten completely...so the students kept borrowing it. It was perfect for their needs: A version of monkey in the middle where the ball is kicked/thrown at the monkey in order to hit him. If the 'monkey' catches it, his changes positions with the person who kicked/threw the ball.
I guess they were better off with a soft soccer ball.
Anyways, they would play this game under, and around the very tall trees lining the entrance to my school. At times the ball would get kicked high into the air and fall through the trees. I always wondered if any of the ball got stuck in the trees....
I was about to find out.
I've been a bit of a nazi about getting the soccer ball back at the end of the lunch hour. One day this week they didn't bring it back. After class in the afternoon I went upstairs to confront the students I knew had had it last. One of them is a particular favourite from the month long winter camp we had in January. I saw him in the hallway and approached him:
Me: Hyeon Jun, where's my soccer ball?
HJ: Hehehehehe. I don't know....hehehehe.
Me: What do you mean you don't know?
HJ: Weeeeellll......hehehehehehe.
Me: Where's the ball?
HJ: Teacher...uh, friend kick the ball....ball goes whoosh...*points upwards*...*keeps looking up*....ball is in a tree.
Me: It's in a tree? Which tree?
HJ: *waves in the direction of the front gate*...Hehehehehe
Me: *sigh.
On my way home, passing under the trees, I tried to look for the ball. I couldn't see it anywhere.
The next day, yesterday, I was walking outside at lunchtime. Hyeon Jun and his friends saw me and pulled me over. They point up...up...up into a tree. Sure enough, about 40 or 50 feet up, caught at the crux of three branches, was my soccer ball.
When I asked who put it there they just laughed....except one student who was standing in the back, pointing to another student. When I asked his name and called him out....he ran away.
I went back later to find them desperately trying to retrieve the ball.
First, they tried to climb the tree. Fail.
Second, they tried to throw brooms up to knock it out. Fail. And loss of several brooms.
Third, they tried to throw another, miniature soccer ball (mine as well) up in the tree. Fail. I took it away.
The day ended and the ball was still there. It was still there when I came to school this morning. Looks like I left my mark on this school.
Until the next big storm anyways.
Scooters
I've always wanted to ride in those scooters old people use. They look really comfortable and easy...if a little slow.
I've seen a limited number of them around Korea. But last week I saw one being used by people I did not expect.
I was walking down the street into town. The after school classes at my school had just been let out and there were a large number of students walking around. I waved and nodded and smiled to the ones to saw me and said hi but kept walking.
Then I heard someone call my name.
I turned around expecting to see a student riding a bike, or walking....or something.
Nope. Two students, one, admittedly, with a broken leg or something, were riding an old persons scooter, trucking their way through traffic on their way home.
I've seen a limited number of them around Korea. But last week I saw one being used by people I did not expect.
I was walking down the street into town. The after school classes at my school had just been let out and there were a large number of students walking around. I waved and nodded and smiled to the ones to saw me and said hi but kept walking.
Then I heard someone call my name.
I turned around expecting to see a student riding a bike, or walking....or something.
Nope. Two students, one, admittedly, with a broken leg or something, were riding an old persons scooter, trucking their way through traffic on their way home.
Chivalry
The Korean male types I have had contact with in this country have not been the most chivalrous of people...particularly my students. But, on occasion, they will have a lapse in their usual rudeness....for example...
A student and I were trying to go into the same office door at the same time. Not wanting to get in the way of his cleaning duties (he was looking for a garbage bag....not important) I was prepared to step back and let him go first. To my surprise he not only opened the door and stepped back for me to go through...he said, in a very mannerly tone, "Ladies first."
I was so taken aback I could do no more than stutter a thank you and wander, dazed, back to my desk, where I sat speechless for some time.
A student and I were trying to go into the same office door at the same time. Not wanting to get in the way of his cleaning duties (he was looking for a garbage bag....not important) I was prepared to step back and let him go first. To my surprise he not only opened the door and stepped back for me to go through...he said, in a very mannerly tone, "Ladies first."
I was so taken aback I could do no more than stutter a thank you and wander, dazed, back to my desk, where I sat speechless for some time.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
A Level
The unfortunate thing about teaching A level students is that most of them have the English ability to argue about...well just about anything. None of my classes are so bad as my 3-1 class. The smartest of the 3rd grade students are in this class and they NEVER let up.
A couple of weeks ago they had to prove that Canada was NOT the second largest country in the world. Today told me that my french numbers were wrong and that the price of a wii was not 200,000\ but 300,000\ to the point that they wanted to look it up on the internet just to prove me wrong.
These kids in particular will argue until they're blue in the face.
I'm glad I was never like that....
A couple of weeks ago they had to prove that Canada was NOT the second largest country in the world. Today told me that my french numbers were wrong and that the price of a wii was not 200,000\ but 300,000\ to the point that they wanted to look it up on the internet just to prove me wrong.
These kids in particular will argue until they're blue in the face.
I'm glad I was never like that....
Physical Education
I stopped today to notice a PE class in action. This is what I saw:
Most of what looked like 70 kids were playing soccer...sort of. A few were playing basketball, a few more were playing baseball. Some were wandering around aimlessly from group to group and still others were chicken fighting, trying to knock each other down into a puddle. The rest of the students were sitting at the sidelines of the soccer field just having a jolly good time and doing their own thing.
While all this chaos was happening the PE teacher (the drill sergeant man from yesterday) was biking around the track, over and over and over again.
At least they were all having a good time.
Most of what looked like 70 kids were playing soccer...sort of. A few were playing basketball, a few more were playing baseball. Some were wandering around aimlessly from group to group and still others were chicken fighting, trying to knock each other down into a puddle. The rest of the students were sitting at the sidelines of the soccer field just having a jolly good time and doing their own thing.
While all this chaos was happening the PE teacher (the drill sergeant man from yesterday) was biking around the track, over and over and over again.
At least they were all having a good time.
Scategories
I played Scategories with my 2nd grade middle schoolers today.
One of the first letters was R. One of the categories was snack. A group listed "rice drink". When I stopped the students said, "it's a traditional Korean drink." So I allowed it.
The next letter was T and one of the categories was colour. Along with 'titanium blue' (which I allowed) one of the teams had chosen 'tree colour'.
When I saw it I asked, "what kind of colour is tree colour?"
Student: "Teacher, it is a Korean tradition colour."
Smartass.
One of the first letters was R. One of the categories was snack. A group listed "rice drink". When I stopped the students said, "it's a traditional Korean drink." So I allowed it.
The next letter was T and one of the categories was colour. Along with 'titanium blue' (which I allowed) one of the teams had chosen 'tree colour'.
When I saw it I asked, "what kind of colour is tree colour?"
Student: "Teacher, it is a Korean tradition colour."
Smartass.
Friends and Spoons
At school I usually eat lunch in the cafeteria. When selecting that just perfect place to sit I usually opt for somewhere as close as I can get to another English teacher/speaker. Today I turned from the lunch line to see my co-teacher sit at the end of the table, with the nurse lady beside her and a PE teacher across from the nurse. I stood for a minute, perplexed. The PE teacher is a little scary, very intimidating, and resembles some sort of military officer...maybe the boot camp kind that yells at people all the time.
Seeing my confusion, he looked at me, glared, whacked table on the spot beside him, and said, "Sit."
I sat.
He said, "My friend", pointing at me.
I nodded.
Later in the afternoon I stole upstairs to the music room for a bit of peace and quiet. It was still lunch time but the students were in their classrooms watching a movie so I figured I wouldn't be disturbed.
I was wrong. A student wandered in, a third grader who is not my student, but seems nice enough. I stopped briefly to chat with him. This was his story:
Me: How are you?
Hwang Gyu: Very bad.
Me: Why?
HG: Head, hurt.
Me: Do you have a headache?
HG: No.
Me: Well what happened?
HG: Teacher, hit. Father.
Me: Your father hit you? Why?
HG: Teacher, father and me, fight. Hit head with spoon. Whack! (claps hands together and makes appropriate noises)
He promptly showed me the spot where he was hit and wandered off again. When I saw him later and asked if he had had lunch he said, " No. Head hurt."
Seeing my confusion, he looked at me, glared, whacked table on the spot beside him, and said, "Sit."
I sat.
He said, "My friend", pointing at me.
I nodded.
Later in the afternoon I stole upstairs to the music room for a bit of peace and quiet. It was still lunch time but the students were in their classrooms watching a movie so I figured I wouldn't be disturbed.
I was wrong. A student wandered in, a third grader who is not my student, but seems nice enough. I stopped briefly to chat with him. This was his story:
Me: How are you?
Hwang Gyu: Very bad.
Me: Why?
HG: Head, hurt.
Me: Do you have a headache?
HG: No.
Me: Well what happened?
HG: Teacher, hit. Father.
Me: Your father hit you? Why?
HG: Teacher, father and me, fight. Hit head with spoon. Whack! (claps hands together and makes appropriate noises)
He promptly showed me the spot where he was hit and wandered off again. When I saw him later and asked if he had had lunch he said, " No. Head hurt."
Monday, June 27, 2011
Backup
Since the weather has become significantly warmer it has become necessary to have the windows beside my desk open. They only open to the hallway but, with all the windows open, a nice breeze comes through the building.
Unfortunately, more often than not, there are delinquent students sitting outside in the hallway writing lines or sitting with their hands in the air or doing push ups or standing with their hands on their heads...all sorts of fun punishments.
Even more unfortunate is that these delinquent students have discovered that I can't say no when they ask for candy....
Also, today, the exam papers are being sorted and divided and put away into a very unsecure cabinet. Students were forbidden from coming into my office and at least half of the teachers in my school were on the other side of my desk helping out with the sorting.
So, when I student leaned in through the window to ask for candy and didn't leave right away when I said now (because they were stealing it and I had none left) at least 10 teachers yelled at him to 가! or GO!
They probably didn't realise they were helping me, and if they had known they probably wouldn't have done it, but man, these teachers make good backup.
Unfortunately, more often than not, there are delinquent students sitting outside in the hallway writing lines or sitting with their hands in the air or doing push ups or standing with their hands on their heads...all sorts of fun punishments.
Even more unfortunate is that these delinquent students have discovered that I can't say no when they ask for candy....
Also, today, the exam papers are being sorted and divided and put away into a very unsecure cabinet. Students were forbidden from coming into my office and at least half of the teachers in my school were on the other side of my desk helping out with the sorting.
So, when I student leaned in through the window to ask for candy and didn't leave right away when I said now (because they were stealing it and I had none left) at least 10 teachers yelled at him to 가! or GO!
They probably didn't realise they were helping me, and if they had known they probably wouldn't have done it, but man, these teachers make good backup.
Borrowing and Lending
In my position as English Teacher at Jochiwon Boys Middle School I somehow managed to inherit a rather beat up soccer ball. A few weeks ago my students discovered the existence of this ball and gained the courage to ask me for it. At first they would ask by just saying "teacher, ball please" and I would let them go but, the last few days, students have come up to my desk, a little nervous, and tried to say more than 3 words to me (potentially on the command of my CT)....these are some of their attempts:
S:"Teacher, I need your help."
Me (not yet understanding what was happening at this point): Really? With what?
S: "Teacher, we want to play soccer but we don't have a soccer ball. Please lend a ball please."
...
S: "Teacher, I want to play baseball"
Me: "...oh?"
S: "Teacher, I need your soccer ball to play baseball"
...
S: "Excuse me sir, I need your help"
Me: "Ok" (staunchly ignoring the 'sir' part)
S: "I need to play soccer. I need to lend you a ball."
...
S: "Please teacher, can I lend a ball?"
Me (trying, fruitlessly, to help them): "Can I BORROW a ball."
S (already taking the ball and walking away): "Yes, ok teacher. Thank you"
S:"Teacher, I need your help."
Me (not yet understanding what was happening at this point): Really? With what?
S: "Teacher, we want to play soccer but we don't have a soccer ball. Please lend a ball please."
...
S: "Teacher, I want to play baseball"
Me: "...oh?"
S: "Teacher, I need your soccer ball to play baseball"
...
S: "Excuse me sir, I need your help"
Me: "Ok" (staunchly ignoring the 'sir' part)
S: "I need to play soccer. I need to lend you a ball."
...
S: "Please teacher, can I lend a ball?"
Me (trying, fruitlessly, to help them): "Can I BORROW a ball."
S (already taking the ball and walking away): "Yes, ok teacher. Thank you"
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Wonders of the World
I played a game today with my 2nd grade middle schoolers. The question:
Where is the Taj Mahal?
Answer:
North Korea.
Where is the Taj Mahal?
Answer:
North Korea.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
The Sleeper
I arrived at my after school class yesterday to the usual scene of chaos. One small thing was different though. One boy lay asleep on his desk. This was unusual for the after school class but he was less distracting than the other little devils running around so I left him alone, figuring he was one of the students in my class.
We were watching a movie for that class so I sat in the back to monitor cell phone usage of my extremely plugged in students (by the end of class I had collected at least 8 phones).
The movie reached a particularly loud scene and the sleeping student, who I now sat across from, finally stirred. He sat up, stretched, a looked around confusedly. After some discussion with the other students he stood up, bowed to me, said sorry and goodbye, grabbed his bag, and left.
According to my students He had been sleeping since the class period just after lunch...he had slept for 4 hours in his desk with no one bothering to wake him.
Poor kid. Only 13 and he's already sleeping that much at school. Sad day.
And yet hilarious. I laughed for quite awhile afterwards.
We were watching a movie for that class so I sat in the back to monitor cell phone usage of my extremely plugged in students (by the end of class I had collected at least 8 phones).
The movie reached a particularly loud scene and the sleeping student, who I now sat across from, finally stirred. He sat up, stretched, a looked around confusedly. After some discussion with the other students he stood up, bowed to me, said sorry and goodbye, grabbed his bag, and left.
According to my students He had been sleeping since the class period just after lunch...he had slept for 4 hours in his desk with no one bothering to wake him.
Poor kid. Only 13 and he's already sleeping that much at school. Sad day.
And yet hilarious. I laughed for quite awhile afterwards.
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