As a note before I continue, the following names are not their traditional Korean names, but are instead names given to them when they enroll because it does not look good when their teachers cannot pronounce their real ones. I think its funny that these kids adopt a different name every time they come through our doors because the ones teaching them English cannot figure out their proper ones.
This is Daniel, he is one of K kids and the most non responsive, non participative kid I teach. He also gives the most hugs so even after he stares at me with his blank eyes as I ask him again and again and again to get off the table, I find it hard to be mad at him when he gives me hugs for no reason. Seriously, he will randomly get off the floor, out from under the table, off the table, or walk up to me before or after class and hug me and say nothing. Its weird because what I call punishment for not participating or more commonly not listening to me he interprets as a vacation. Because of this, I end up with him sprawled out on the floor like this when he has to sit on the floor in front of the class. Daniel isn’t a trouble maker, just a pain in the ass sometimes when its my job to get everyone to participate he just wants to sit under the table.
This is Eric, he is the polar opposite of Daniel and loves to answer questions, follow directions, and lead
the others. The only problem is that Eric loves to play with himself. I wont go into too much detail but a few times a day I have to say “Eric, HANDS!” and he will immediately bring his hands from under the table to on top of it. I plan on breaking him of this habit or hope it will pass with time but the first time I caught him was priceless, we were in computer class and when I noticed what he was doing I told him to stop immediately. This apparently startled him because he rearranged himself so quickly that he scraped his leg on the desk and when he told me he hurt himself and wanted to go to the sick room, I told him he could but he would have to explain how it happened (to the nurse). He managed to stick it out the rest of class. Aside from that, he has been great though. He always sits down when told, is the best reader and is always the first to raise his hand.The things I have the most problems with in my K class is their energy (obviously) and their use of Korean. They know they are not allowed to speak Korean in class, they also know that I don’t understand even the vocabulary of someone half their age so occasionally they will get in trouble for using it. Trouble and punishment usually consists of sitting in front of the class for a bit, decreased gym or music time, or heads on their desk for a while. When it gets really bad I bring in one of the Korean workers and they say something magical in Korean that Im sure includes the threat of bodily harm because this always shuts them right up for the rest of class. Usually though, they can be controlled with a point/bribery system started by my predecessor that rewards good behavior with points that can result in a prize at the end of the week. If they are bad, subtract points; good, add points, simple and pretty effective. Like I said, this typically works for everyone except Daniel who is motivated only by the voices in his head.
As for my other classes, they are less stressful because they are older, understand more, and realize when I am really angry. They are not, however, above crying. Even something as simple as taking their pencil away because they would not listen resulted in a temper tantrum and the quote (directed at me) “I will not cry when you leave.” Kids minds are a funny thing because the next day everything was fine as if they had forgotten about the crying. Even with the discipline the majority seem to like me, the boys love to give me high fives and I have even received a ring off a girls finger as a “present” (it was plastic, not even C-Z) and been told by another teacher that I am a girls first crush (she gets butterflies in her stomach when she sees me). True love I say, Im still waiting to hear her reply.
Oh, and on top of all that, they think I am the hairiest human to walk the planet. I exaggerate of course, but its funny because Asians are notorious for their lack of body hair while my arms, legs, and face are covered with it. A couple of funny things they have said to me: “You have so much fur on your face” and “Why do you have a beard on your arms?”
To conclude this post, here is a picture of one of my kids rubbing my leg is disbelief, hope all is well and I love hearing from you all:
