Bucheon Yangji Elementary: The Kids in Korea

My school is pretty nice; and the kids are pretty good, you know, for kids ;) Ha ha. I'm not complaining at all, I don't know if I could teach the kids in America, but my job here in Korea is easy. I teach two after-school classes a week (in addition to the 20 classes per week I teach in the morning) where I can do and teach whatever I want. I usually just make them sing songs I remember from childhood and play games like musical chairs (which the 3rd graders are absolutely mad about.)

I think I almost relate more to the kids here in Korea more than the adults. I mean, I'm probably at the level of a one-year-old in terms of my Korean conversational skills, but still, I understand how it must feel for these kids to try and learn English while I'm trying to learn Korean. It's a bit annoying after a while of sitting with all of the teachers at lunch or in whatever situation, where they just speak Korean and obviously talk about me and don't explain what they're talking about because they don't speak English. I stopped asking...and caring for that matter. It just makes me feel horrible for not knowing Korean. At first, I didn't care, and it's still not a big deal, because this way I don't have to make pointless small talk with these other teachers about where I'm from, what I like to do, etc. But nevertheless, I'd much rather eat lunch with the Kindergarteners who don't rely on speech to talk. They don't even have to make sense of things. They use gestures, giggles, nonsense and as few words possible.

Sun Jung's son, Hyeung Jun (above), is adorable. He's a typical, cute, little boy with a raspy voice and a playful attitude. He's always laughing and getting into things in a cunning way. He showed me his Korean workbook and I said he should tutor me or practice with me, since we both don't understand the language fully. I definitely need help with the vowels. They all sound the same to my ears.

Erin and I were talking about how we always see big sisters and little brothers in Korea, but never the other way around. I was thinking, or wondering, if it's because if they have a girl first, they will try again for a boy, but if they have a boy first, they don't have anymore kids. I see a lot of boys with only child syndrome... Oh, and in Korea when two people get married, no one changes their name. However, the kids always get the father's last name. Interesting, huh.

These are my 3rd/4th grade after-school students. [Oh, and minie Vrenlie is the one on the left front in the light pink and yellow.] Ever since we first played musical chairs, that's all they ever want to do. "Jesshica teacher, let's play the muzhic chairs game!"

The 5th/6th grade after-school class is a little more shutter shy than the younger ones. I could only convince these 4 5th grade girls to pose for the pic...

Yeah, that's right, I have my own entrance ;p

Here's the classroom after the kids have left for the day. There are actually 4 students that come in and clean the room everday before they go home. I found that to be pretty amazing. I don't know how it's decided on who has to come clean the English room, but I dig it.

Sun Jung in our office inside the classroom:

"All I want is a [school] with view...doo doo do."